Thursday, August 16, 1934

We washed today. Mother baked bread but it was spoiled (yeast). I finished reading my book today.

Georgette Heyer (16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974)

A British historical romance and detective fiction novelist, Heyer's writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.

Heyer essentially established the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance. Beginning in 1932 and for a number of years after, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year. Notoriously private, she refused to grant intervirws, reportedly telling a friend: "My private life concerns no one but myself and my family."

Her books were very popular in Britain during the Great Depression and World War II. Her novels, which journalist Lesley McDowell described as containing "derring-do, dashing blades, and maids in peril", allowed readers to escape from the mundane and difficult elements of their lives.

When first released as mass market paperbacks in the United States in 1966, her 56 novels and numerous short stories were described as being "in the tradition of Jane Austen". As other novelists began to imitate her style and continued to develop the Regency romance, their novels were described as "following in the romantic tradition of Georgette Heyer" Even  today Regency writers covet that accolade.

Happy Birthday, Georgette Heyer! 

Wednesday, August 16, 1933

I went down to Ruby's last night. Then we went up to Emmett and Melvin's for dinner and supper.

August 16, 1933 - Kansas City, Missouri
Mobster Charles Gargotta - AKA "Mad Dog - (center) being escorted to his arraignment
to face charges of murdering bootlegger Ferris Anthon and the attempted murder of
Sheriff Thomas  Bash on August 12, 1933. He is being escorted by Chief Deputy
William Schickhardt (left) and Deputy Al Finkelstine.

At the behest of crime boss John Lazia, Gargotta and several other mobsters shot
Anthon as he was entering his apartment building in Kansas City. However, Jackson
County Sheriff Tom Bash and a depty came upon the scene and opened fire. Two of
Lazia's men were killed and one escaped. During the firefight, Gargotta leaped from
the car, emptied a Colt .45 automatic at Bash, and then surrendered, yelling, "Don't
shoot me! Don't shoot me!"

Eventually Gargotta was acquitted of the homicide charge but convicted of the
illegal possession of a handgun. Charges flew that the jury had been bribed, and
the police offer handling the evidence was convicted of perjury. Over protests from the
police department, among others, the Governor of Missouri pardoned Gargotta.