History from O’Fallon in 1925: Glen Carbon man fails in bribe attempt of police officer

Traffic stops by O’Fallon police were a bit different nearly a century ago than they are today. Take this case in point that occurred Sept. 20, 1925, involving Chief of Police John E. Tiley and a motorist who crossed Route 50 without stopping.

“The first arrest in O’Fallon since the boulevard stop law went into effect which requires a complete stop before crossing a state highway, was made Sunday evening when Officer J. E. Tiley arrested John A. Nelson, of Glen Carbon.

“Officer Tiley was on south Lincoln avenue when his attention was attracted by the roar of an automobile coming in on the Shiloh road.

“A short time later the car hove in sight and without slowing up crossed over the trail and passed into the city limits, continuing north at a fast clip until the large holes in Lincoln avenue caused the driver to slow up.

“Tiley jumped into his trusty old Henry and gave chase, which was noticed by the speedy driver, who started to ‘step on ‘er’, working his way through the traffic at the State street intersection and continuing north. At this corner Tiley was blocked by another car which was proceeding east on State but the officer watched the fleeing motorist as he made for the northern city limits.

“He continued the chase until the Klein hill was reached, where the police car passed it and the man was commanded to halt. During the chase officer Tiley fired several shots but these only caused greater speed on the part of the fleeing driver.

“After being placed under arrest the Glen Carbon man thought the matter could be settled without going to court by bribing the officer who replied that up to now all his cases had been settled according to law and that this would be no exception.

“Nelson, and two other men who were riding with him, were brought to this city and the former was locked up.

“Justice Earl E. Asbury was summoned and the court went into session, at which Nelson pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to make a boulevard stop and was fined $5.00 and costs, the fine amounting to $8.40.

“Nelson paid up and departed with a parting remark that State highways will remain in his mind before he crosses another ribbon of concrete paving.”

75 years ago: Aug. 5, 1948

William F. Morton, a World War II veteran, was appointed chief of police by the city council.

Morton succeeds George W. Sibert who held the post for the past 18 months and who resigned to accept a position at St. Ellen mine. The newly-named officer entered on his duties Friday.

Morton, a native of this city, is a graduate of O.T.H.S. He was in the U. S. Navy during the late war, serving 22 months as a guard at the Naval Air Station, Lambert Field.

He was then assigned to overseas duty, serving on a destroyer in the South Pacific. His ship participated in the invasion of Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Morton’s predecessor also was a war veteran, attached to the Army Air Corps, returning to the States after completing bombing missions over enemy territory in Europe.

50 years ago: Aug. 2, 1973

The preliminary population figure for O’Fallon arrived at after last week’s special census is 9,923. The previous population figure was 9,365.

The final figure will not be reached until Aug. 20 when all the forms are filed by those who were missed during the week’s counting are received.

The special census was conducted by the United States Bureau of the Census at a cost to the city of $4,320.

Twelve local residents were hired to work the week of counting as census enumerators.

O’Fallon Mayor Gary Mackey said that approximately one percent could be added onto the present new total to estimate a final figure. Mackey doubts if the city will reach the expected 10,500 figure but said that the new total may reach 10,200.

“It was just bad timing. Summertime is a bad part of the year to take a census. People are on vacation and out of the house a lot and can be missed easily. Hopefully, a lot of people will take advantage of the form that was printed to make sure they are counted,” Mackey said.

The form was printed in the July 26 issue of the Progress for those who still wish to be counted.

Mackey pointed out that 283 of the homes the census takers went to were vacant.

Dave Horton, zoning administrator for O’Fallon, said that the number of people occupying one house averages out to 3.1 persons or 849 additional persons.

Local real estate agents feel that the figure of 283 vacant homes is slightly high for the city.

John Goodman, O’Fallon Postmaster, who also feels the vacant homes number is high, reported that there are only 3316 mailing addresses in the city which, when multiplied by the 3.1 persons per house average, almost adds up to the same total as the Census Bureau arrived at.

Mackey added that transfers at Scott Air Force Base, where a portion of O’Fallon residents are from, take place in the summer which causes a low population count.

The special census was undertaken in an attempt to correct the city’s old total thus making the city eligible for additional state income and motor fuel tax revenues.