Today in History for Oct. 23, 2014

Florence Maybrick of Mobile, Ala. and James Maybrick.

Oct. 23, 1791 – Armstead Dudley Cary, who was Conecuh County’s first probate judge, was born in Gloucester County, Va. Also served as Receiver of the Land Office for the Sparta District and as Conecuh County Circuit Court Clerk.

Oct. 23, 1861 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus in Washington, D.C. for all military-related cases.

Oct. 23, 1863 – Joel Lee, Conecuh County’s first Justice of the Peace, died at his home in Burnt Corn.

Oct. 23, 1864 – During the Civil War’s Battle of Westport, Union forces led by General Samuel R. Curtis defeated the Confederate forces in Missouri that were under General Stirling Price at Westport, near Kansas City. This battle was the biggest conflict west of the Mississippi River during the Civil War.

Oct. 23, 1864 - Union General Grant ordered parts of three army corps, commanded by Generals Winfield Hancock, Gouverneur K. Warren and John Parke, to advance toward Confederate trenches along Hatcher's Run near Petersburg, Va. The goal was to cut the railroad supply line for the Confederates. On October 25, Union troops were turned back.

Oct. 23, 1882 – Dr. John Johnathan Dailey was born at Tunnel Springs. He attended Marion Military Institute and graduated from the University of Alabama Medical School in Mobile in 1906. He later practiced medicine in Beatrice, Skinnerton and Tunnel Springs.

Oct. 23, 1883 – The Greenville Advocate was awarded the First Premium of $100 and a Gold Medal at the Southern Exposition in Louisville, Ky. for being the best county weekly newspaper printed in the southern states.

Oct. 23, 1889 – B.F. Lambert, who’d been confined at the Monroe County Jail for weeks, was transported by Monroe County Sheriff Harrengton to the insane asylum in Tuscaloosa. Lambert was charged with assault on his mother, who he nearly killed, and he was the brother of I.S. Lambert, who was charged with the shooting of T.D. Hestle in 1888.

Oct. 23, 1941 – Mobile, Ala. native Florence Maybrick passed away at the age of 79 in South Kent, Conn. In 1889, she was convicted in Great Britain of poisoning her husband, James Maybrick, a suspect in the Jack the Ripper killings.

Oct. 23, 1942 – “Jurassic Park” author Michael Crichton was born in Chicago.

Oct. 23, 1943 – The mysterious Philadelphia Experiment was said to have been carried out on this day by the U.S. Navy at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pa.

Oct. 23, 1945 - The Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson.

Oct. 23, 1948 – North Dakota National Guard pilot Lt. George F. Gorman gave a sworn account of the widely publicized “Gorman UFO Dogfight” incident to investigators. His statement has since often been reprinted in future years in numerous books and documentaries about UFOs.

Oct. 23, 1962 – Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Doug Flutie was born in Manchester, Maryland.

Oct. 23, 1962 – NFL quarterback Mike Tomczak was born in Calumet City, Ill.

Oct. 23, 1975 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Brenda Royster had been selected as Miss Homecoming at Evergreen High School. First alternate was Patricia Gardner and second alternate was Judy Williams. Members of the homecoming court were Joan Gorum, Angela Ballard, Cathy Ballard, Marsha Kimbrough, Anita House, Sandra Reese, Alma Ray and Diane Weaver.

Oct. 23, 1981 – Excel head coach Lee Holladay led Excel to a 35-23 win over Conecuh County High School, recording his 100th win at Excel.

Oct. 23, 1988 - Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins passed for 521 yards, three touchdowns and completed 35 of 60 passes against the New York Jets. It was considered the single-best passing day in NFL history.

Oct. 23, 1993 - Toronto Blue Jay Joe Carter won the World Series for his team by hitting a ninth-inning home run over the SkyDome’s left-field wall. It was the first time the World Series had ended with a home run since Pittsburgh’s Bill Mazeroski homered to break a 9-9 tie with the Yankees in the seventh game of the 1960 series, and it was the first time in baseball history that a team won the championship with a come-from-behind home run.

Oct. 23, 2005 - In Chicago, Ill., Lou Rawls gave his last performance when he performed the national anthem of the United States to start Game Two of the 2005 World Series.