Jazz music on trial in Bloomington

September 7, 1922: The ‘jazz music’ went on trial before Judge Earl DePew in City Council Chambers, where neighbors of MJ O’Neil testified as he faced public order charges. Neighbors told jurors of sleepless nights as dancers writhed around the open-air pavilion in tune with the overtones of the alleged tormented music. “Nothing but jazz music – jazz, jazz, jazz. Sometimes it sounds like a calf bellowing against a cow,” said Charles Rogotzky, of 1417 E. Chestnut St.

September 7, 1947: An Illinois Central locomotive spun out of control at high speed crashed into the Clinton Roundhouse turntable pit, injuring two men, possibly damaging the turntable and immobilizing five needed engines for at least two days in the rotunda. The injured were Raymond North, 18, and Clarence Long, 48, both taken to John Warner Hospital. Railroad officials said they don’t know what caused the loss of engine control.

September 7, 1972: The Wapella grocery store, owned and operated for the past nine years by Howard and Doris Abraham, is closed for inventory after it was sold to Wayne L. and Dorothy Johnson of Bloomington. The new owners plan to continue the same food lines as the previous owners and will make several changes to the building before reopening next Monday. The grand opening of the store, which will be called “Buck’s Superway”, is scheduled for a later date.

September 7, 1997: Pub II has been named one of the top 100 college bars in the country on a list that will appear in the October issue of Playboy magazine. The bar at 102 N. Linden St. offers 75 brands of bottled beer, four on tap, 17 televisions, darts, video games and plenty of sports memorabilia. Co-owner Terry Stralow said he appreciates the Playboy endorsement, which he found hard to believe at first, but his loyalty will lie with the students, who some nights line up for admission.