Pages past — Aug. 11

On this date ...

1959: Actors and technicians had arrived in Tucumcari for six weeks of filming the “Rawhide” television series.

Stars included Clint Eastwood and Sheb Wooley. The series aired from 1959 to 1966.

1955: Burglars had obtained an undetermined amount of narcotics after breaking into the Booth Prescription Pharmacy in Portales.

The pharmacist in charge said the burglars took only older types of narcotics, leaving the newer kinds.

1942: Bob Wills, the King of Western Swing, was honeymooning with Betty Anderson at Wills’ farm near Muleshoe, according to “Those Who Made the Music,” by Don McAlavy.

Wills had married for the fifth and last time a day earlier in Clovis, McAlavy reported.

Crime does not pay ...

1951: Josh Blocher, a hermit who lived in a one-room shack at Progress, was killed by two Amarillo construction workers who believed rumors that Blocher was wealthy.

His killers found just 13 cents in the 85-year-old man’s wallet.

Police investigating his slaying found $4 in his bank account and about $9,000 buried in fruit jars in the dirt floor of Blocher’s home.

1934: Clovis’ Lyceum Theatre showed re-enactments of the capture and killing of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.

Officers who took part in the arrest assisted in the filming of the motion picture.

Admission was 5 cents for children, 20 cents for adults.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. For more regional history, check out his weblog at:

www.highplainsyesterdays.com