On this date 100 years ago, Mrs. William Ward at 509 E Douglas showed the stuff she was made of. She faced down burglar Jack Boiz when he was rifling through her kitchen cupboards.
Boiz had broken into the house and was emptying the cupboards of china and silverware when Mrs. Ward heard noises from her kitchen. She confronted the burglar at his work, but he was not intimidated. He demanded that Mrs. Ward give him some paper to wrap the china in. She refused to do so and apparently spoke to him in such terms that he was compelled to flee the house. The police were called and the burglar captured.
Not only Mrs. Ward was a hero that day. John Penn, the policeman, was able to apprehend and book the criminal in a record six minutes. The speed of his capture was credited to the new Ford that the police were using for their work.
After the excitement was over, Mrs. Ward collapsed and was in somewhat serious condition for some time.