Library Tax Renewed

Voters casting ballots have overwhelmingly renewed the Red River Parish Library’s tax.  The vote was 72% in favor and 28% opposed.

The raw unofficial vote was 256 in favor and 98 opposed.  Only 6.2% of the parish’s 6,000+ eligible voters took part in the election.


Who Wants to Cook?

Who wants to cook?  Amanda Cason’s students!  That is who.

Riverdale Academy said Cason’s class has been learning real life skills. They planned and cooked an entire homemade meal at her home recently. They did a fabulous job!

Cason termed it, “A crazy day, but I loved it. I always enjoy when the students come to cook a meal, set the table, and take time to sit and visit with each other.  This class has been such a joy. We had fun today.”

Thank you Leslie Bussey Murray for chaperoning and the pictures.


Stolen Tractor Found in Red River Parish

A tractor reported stolen to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office has been recovered near Coushatta by Red River Parish Sheriff’s Deputies according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.

The Kubota M6060 63-horsepower, 4 wheel drive, cab tractor with front end loader valued at nearly $50,000.00 dollars was recovered this morning in good condition in Coushatta. Red River Deputies observed the stolen tractor parked at an abandoned residence in the parish.

NPSO Detectives say the tractor is being processed for evidence and will be released to the owner later.  The tractor was reported stolen on Tuesday morning at approximately 9:56am by the owner in the 500 block of La Hwy 485 west of the Powhatan community.

Detectives learned during the initial investigation that the tractor was stolen while being removed off of a trailer. The investigation into person(s) responsible for the felony theft is ongoing.

If you have any information contact Detective Amber Shirley with the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau at 357-7830.

The Natchitoches Sheriff’s Office extend thanks to Sheriff Glen Edwards, Red River Parish Sheriff’s Deputies and to the public who shared our social media post over 200 times in an effort to assist in the recovery of the tractor.  Thank You!!

Agents with the Louisiana Livestock Brand Commission is also assisting in investigation.


Greer, Jones Advance to State in Tennis

By Molly Seales

On Monday, April 25, the Riverdale Rebel tennis team traveled to Vicksburg, MS, to participate in the South AA tournament. 2022 tennis team members were Sidney Free, Chandler Nettles, Georgia Carlisle, Emma Giddings, Mary Claire Jones, and Denver Williams. Team members advancing to South AA were girls singles Emma Clemons,  boys’ doubles Luke Greer and Will Jones, boys’ singles Monroe McCarty, and two girls doubles’ teams of Jadyn King and Lilly Guillot and Chloe Jordan and Charity Williamson.

As the day progressed, inclement weather conditions set in, and the tournament ended early and resumed on Tuesday morning. Before the rain out, the boys’ doubles team of Luke Greer and Will Jones defeated SIA 2 sets to 1 set to advance to the finals on Tuesday. In the championship match, Greer and Jones won one set against Briarfield and fought hard, but in the end, Briarfield defeated them 2 sets to 1 set.

Despite this loss, Greer and Jones are South AA Runner-ups and will advance to the AA State Tennis tournament on Wednesday, May 4, at Halls Ferry Tennis Center in Vicksburg. Greer and Jones are the first tennis team to advance to the state tournament in decades.

The tennis team would like to thank their volunteer coaches Mr. Tyler Jones and Mrs. Stacey Greer for their time and dedication to the team this year. We wish Will and Luke the best of luck next week at state!


Red River Heads to Bunkie

The Bulldog baseball team will be on the road in the next leg of the state baseball playoffs.  They will travel to Bunkie for a best of three games series.

On Saturday Red River plays the first game at 12:00 Noon.  The second game of their double-header will be played at 3:00 pm. 

If needed, the third game will be played on Monday afternoon.  Red River will go back down south for a 5:00 pm game.


Why Has Bass Fishing Gotten So Hard?

By Steve Graf

I have been bass fishing since I was 10 years old. I basically taught myself how to fish while growing up on our ranch in East Texas. I watched fishing shows on TV like “John Fox Outdoors,” “Fishing with Virgil Ward” and my favorite show of all time, “The Bassmasters.” I also learned a lot through a subscription to Bassmaster Magazine  that I received on my 10th birthday. This just might have been the best birthday gift I ever received. The magazine had great detailed descriptions and drawings on techniques and information that could make anyone a better angler.

I started my bass tournament career in 1990 with a buddy of mine who introduced me to team tournaments. Now I had no idea how “hooked” I would be to competitive bass fishing. It’s literally an addiction that requires many hours of practice and preparation in order to compete at a high level. It’s similar to gambling in that you’re putting money up to enter the event, and betting on yourself. But as one of my former coaches once told me, “Success is a learning process that comes from failure. How you handle failure will determine how successful you’ll be.”

Now back to the question at hand…Why has bass fishing gotten so hard? This can probably be summed up with two words…. overcrowded waterways. Gone are the days of catching a hundred bass a day. There was a time that an angler could go out on his favorite lake and catch bass on a regular basis. But as bass fishing has evolved and become so popular, our waterways have become congested. This has led to bass becoming over “educated” to the many ways anglers are trying to catch them. It’s been proven through research that bass have the ability to learn despite their tiny brain. But the good news is that they have a short memory and don’t retain much over time. The more they see a bait or get caught, the more they learn what lures not to bite, which can even be passed on to their offspring. All our lakes and rivers are over-crowded now with a combination of high school fishing, College Series, Pro-Am circuits and team trails like American Bass, Bass Champs, Texas Team Trail, and the Bob Sealy Big Bass Splash Series. Each of these tournament trails caters to a wide array of anglers all across America.

What I’ve learned over the last few years is that today’s angler must think outside the box of old conventional ways of catching fish. You can’t be afraid to experiment with new baits and techniques. Don’t get me wrong, you can still catch fish on spinnerbaits, jigs and crankbaits, but you may have to tweak a bait and show the bass something a little different than they’ve seen before. But one bait that continues to pass the test of time is the plastic worm. I don’t care what body of water you like to fish; they will bite a plastic worm anywhere in the country. A lot of anglers like to dip the tail of their worms in what’s called a chartreuse (bright green) dye. But there are many colors of dipping dyes on the market, so try a different color like maybe orange, blue or red. I’ve even used a black dye and had great results. Again, it’s just something different that the fish are not seeing as much.

Bass fishing has gotten more difficult, but if you’re willing to think outside the box, you can still catch fish. As humans, our biggest fault is that we are creatures of habit. But if you’re willing to change things up a little, you just might figure out the secret code to catching bass. If you want to learn what the bass are biting, tune into Tackle Talk Live every Tuesday at 11:30 on Facebook live, podcast or our YouTube Channel. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!


Time Out for Tech

May 7, more than a thousand prospective Bulldogs are expected to come to Louisiana Tech University’s campus for Time Out for Tech, a preview day hosted by the Office of Admissions.  At Time Out for Tech, high school students will be led on group-style campus tours, attend an organization browse, interact with current Louisiana Tech students, and attend a student-led event.

“Time Out for Tech stands out from the other tours we offer because it gives students a glimpse of what life will look like once they are a Bulldog,” Emily Poole, Campus Experience Coordinator, said. “With the organization browse and Union Board’s Spring Fling later that night, they get a unique opportunity to engage in student life.”

Students will also attend the Big Tech Welcome, a pep rally where the Band of Pride and spirit squads perform.  “Big Tech Welcome is my favorite part of the day,” Poole said. “It embodies Tech culture and shows how excited our students are to be Bulldogs; It’s not just a show, it’s real.”


Rodeo Triathlon

The youth of Red River Cowboy Church are holding a Rodeo Triathlon on May 7 at the church arena.  Proceeds will help fund the youth group at summer camp.

Some of the events planned include Rope a Calf, Run Barrels, and a Tie a Goat all in one run.  The entry fee is $60 and there will be both youth and open classes.  In addition there will be inflatables, chicken bingo, a dunking booth, a silent auction, and bake sale.  Arm bands for the inflatables and dunking booth are $5.

The Rodeo Triathlon books open at 9:00 am and events start at 11:00 am.  Mark your calendar for Saturday May 7th at the Cowboy Church arena.


They Get Their Day

Across the parish and the nation Administrative Professionals were recognized this week.

National Administrative Professionals Day is celebrated on April 27. It is a public holiday that celebrates the work of secretaries and other office professionals.

On April 27, 2022 Red River Academic Academy recognized their wonderful, dedicated, hardworking secretary Ms. Alice Everett. Principal Jacqueline Daniels said, “It is a pleasure working with a secretary that goes above and beyond the call of duty.  So on behalf of Red River Academic Academy faculty, staff, and students we would like to wish Ms. Alice Everett a Happy Administrative Professionals Day.


Disney’s Child Sexual Groomers Are the Latest to Learn: Go Woke and Go Broke

By Royal Alexander

I’m sometimes amazed at the tone deafness of CEOs who follow their “woke” staffers off a cliff in the cultural battles occurring in America.  I think they must all be hearing only each other, and Leftist news and opinion, creating an isolating and reinforcing echo chamber.

Whatever the case, Disney stock has plummeted more than 30% of late and Florida state government has also now stripped Disney of its corporate “carve out” which benefited the company to the tune of tens of millions of dollars a year and essentially allowed the company to function as its own government within the state of Florida.

What’s all the commotion? There are really two separate but related issues here.

One, according to a leaked video of Disney executive Latoya Ravaneau, the company intends to “add queerness” content to all of Disney’s media product in the coming months and years, promoting, she says, her “not-at-all-secret gay agenda.”  Disney Corporate President Karey Burke also announced plans to add “many, many, many LGBTQ characters” to its shows and movies, stating that a large percentage (50%) of its characters will be LGBTQ in the near future, according to the New York Post. (3-30-22).

Second, these videos come amid Disney declaring war on the state of Florida over its Parental Rights Law—what radical LGBTQ activists have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill—which simply bans teachers from giving prepubescent grooming lessons on gender identity, sexuality, and sexual orientation in kindergarten through the third grade.  I note that Florida parents could be equally livid that Florida law still incredibly ALLOWS sexual grooming of children in 4th through 8th grade.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio succinctly stated in a Tweet that “the @WaltDisneyCo filmed Mulan near #Uighur genocide camps & then thanked the people who run those camps in the credits—projects through which Disney takes in millions in blood money annually, including $5.5 billion invested in its Shanghai theme park—but they are outraged that Florida schools will no longer be indoctrinating 5-year olds on “gender identity.”  The stench of hypocrisy is sickening.

As a result of the discovery of Disney’s trafficking in the innocence of children to increase corporate profit, Disney stocks are tanking, and approval of Governor Desantis’ actions is rising to over 60 percent in opinion polls all in response to the roar of millions of Florida and American parents who demand in unison that “we don’t want and won’t tolerate our children being taught about or exposed to sexuality, sexual orientation or gender identity in our schools.

As Gerard Baker of the Wall Street Journal has observed “is opposition to parents’ rights really the hill for a children’s entertainment company to die on?” He continues “ … when a company whose products entertained, enlivened and enriched the lives of millions of children and their parents decides it must take a stand against the Parental Rights in Education Bill—allowing them to determine whether their children as young as 5 are taught sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom—what does it expect” other than this backlash?

If the China Virus pandemic can be said to have a silver lining it must be that, during the times children were required to do online schooling their parents were exposed to what they are actually being taught in schools—whether gender identity or other sexual perversions or Critical Race Theory—and they have risen up against it.

May this parental vigilance in defense of childhood innocence long endure.


NRMC Technology Now Includes 128-Slice CT Scanner

With a history of investing in technology that will benefit patient populations, NRMC has once again added to its imaging capabilities. The hospital has replaced its 64-slice CT scanner with a 128-slice CT scanner, the GE Revolution CT ES.

“Slice” refers to the number of rows of detectors the scanner has. The more detectors, the bigger the volume coverage and faster scanning times. With the new scanner, the Radiology team can also perform 256-slice reconstruction.

The new scanner works well for imaging adults as well as children and all body weights and sizes. Designed to enhance care for difficult patient care situations, this scanner allows ease of positioning, patient comfort, and quickness while generating precise, highly detailed images.

“Our goal at NRMC is to continually improve patient outcomes,” noted Kirk Soileau, CEO. “Our clinical teams can work at record speeds now and get excellent images which leads to prompt diagnosis and treatment. I want to congratulate our Radiology Department on their work in bringing this technology to fruition here at NRMC. They saw a need for additional CT technology for complex cases and made recommendations for us to move forward. We are confident these new CT imaging capabilities will benefit many patients, especially those with critical care and specialized health needs.”

Emergency Care

“When patients come in with traumatic injuries or strokes, it can be difficult for them to remain still for very long or follow instructions like pausing their breathing – both of which are necessary to get a good CT image,” explained Derek Anthony RT(R) CT, NRMC Radiology Manager. “The 128-slice CT scanner is so much faster and creates incredibly detailed images within minutes which is a huge advantage for trauma patients. “

Cardiac Care

Using a high-resolution mode at standard radiation doses, the scanner produces images of stents and coronary plaque in amazing detail. For patients with variable heart rates, it can be difficult to reliably obtain high quality images. This scanner enables high-definition, motion-free coronary images at any heart rate. This becomes an excellent tool for imaging patients with arrhythmia and other cardiac issues.

Stroke Care

For diagnosing strokes, the scanner quickly produces those first images of the brain allowing physicians to start treatments sooner and thereby save the brain from further stroke-related damage. There are several distinct advantages in terms of clarity, accuracy and speed over older technology.

Cancer Care

For oncology patients, the 128-slice CT scanner provides greater diagnostic capabilities with an easier way for radiologists to read, review and interpret images. This capability is particularly needed for complex tumor cases so that doctors have the ability to see as much detail, texture and margins as possible.

Orthopedic Care

Radiologists need to be able to diagnose even the tiniest fractures and breaks with confidence for orthopedic patients. High resolution imaging captures twice the number of views per rotation to deliver a significant improvement in resolution, making it much easier to diagnose a fracture. For fractures and dislocations that may require surgical interventions, plus follow-ups to determine healing – the 128-slice CT scanner provides high-quality diagnostic images at low doses.

For more information on imaging, visit NRMChospital.org.


ETC… for Friday, April 29, 2022

“Taco Bout a Good Time.”  Ladies of the Abundant Life Worship Center are having dinner and devotion at Armadillo Grill Saturday, April 30 at 5:00 pm.  They said, “Invite a Friend.”

Northwestern State University will hold Spring 2022 commencement exercises with four ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 11 and 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, May 12, according to University Registrar Barbara Prescott.  Commencement will take place in Prather Coliseum.


Coushatta Student Produced Film Screened At NSU

Coushatta student Waylon Washington (second from left above) was an executive producer of “The Night The Music Died.” The film was screened Monday afternoon in the Varnado Hall Ballroom

In addition to Washington, the student filmmakers are Zachary Desselles of Pineville, Anna Duplantis of Madisonville, and Colie Plaster of Gibsonville, North Carolina.

The documentary, “The Night the Music Died,” reunites three NSU Current Sauce reporters, Melanie Torbett Babin, Dan McDonald and Janet Tompkins Vanhoof, who share their memories from 1973 of a tragic accident involving folk singer Jim Croce after a show in Prather Coliseum.  Gilbert directed the film with Desselles, Duplantis, Colie Plaster and Washington as executive producers.  David Antilley, executive director of NSU-TV, assisted with the projects.


Light Turnout For Early Voting

Saturday is election day.  Based upon early voting results there seems to be very little interest in the election.  There is only one issue on the ballot, the renewal of the Library tax.

A total of 123 ballots were cast early.  Of those, 73 were absentee meaning that only 50 people took the time to go vote.  Here is a demographic breakdown of those voting early:

Male – 46. Female – 77.

Black – 35. White – 85.  And  other – 3.

Democrats – 57. Republicans 56.  And other – 3.

The Journal checked the library’s social media page and found the most recent post to be in March.  Going back over a year, we found no post that mentioned that the library tax was coming up for renewal.

If you did not vote early and if you have an opinion on renewing their tax, your last opportunity to express your opinion is Saturday.  So go vote in person.


Bulldogs Advance

Red River moves on along the road to the state baseball championship in class 2A with a win Tuesday afternoon at home.  The Bulldogs downed Delhi Charter 8-3.  The school claims this as the first playoff win in the history of Red River Baseball.

The win means the Bulldogs will move into a best of 3 series to be played beginning Thursday and running through next Tuesday.  Dates, times and location to be announced.

Red River’s opponent will be the winner of the “Battle of Bayou De Glaises” in Avoyelles Parish.  Avoyelles High (#29) and Bunkie High (#4) played Tuesday to see which team would advance to the series with Red River.


Riverdale Baseball State 2A Tournament

The brackets are out.  Riverdale’s baseball team faces Rebul in the State Class 2A Tournament this week.

On Tuesday, Riverdale hosted Rebul for one game.  The Rebels trounced the Raiders 14-0.  They are now 1-0 in the best of 3 series.

Coach Tim Smelser said the other two games in this round of playoffs will be played at Rebul in Learned, Mississippi on Friday.  They will play a double-header.


An A+ for Dr. B, Tech’s Original Smooth Operator

By Teddy Allen

His mind is cracker-jack sharp but the frame of our favorite orthopedic surgeon is failing him now, a casualty of hard work and 80-plus years, roughly a half century of that used to heal the wear and tear on his patients, including thousands of student athletes at Louisiana Tech when he was its team doctor from 1973-2013.

The University’s most recent recognition of Dr. Billy Bundrick was Saturday when a life-sized statue of “Dr. B” was unveiled and dedicated by the softball field named in his honor — Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

The players affectionately call the field “The Billy,” a playful nickname its honoree heartedly approves of since Dr. B has always been about competition and winning and spreading the joy.

The University could dedicate 10 statues and probably still fall short of recognizing all Dr. B has done for the school. A three-time football letter winner and the team’s captain in 1959, Dr. B made a career of taking one for the team. Dr. B, his remarkable and imminently likeable assistant Spanky McCoy, and longtime Tech athletic trainer Sam Wilkinson formed a mortal but formidable holy trinity to combat frayed nerves, hurt feelings, busted ligaments, and broken bones for three decades.

“It’s unbelievable how good Dr. Bundrick was to Louisiana Tech and how much he’s meant to us,” Wilkinson said.

Former athletic director Jim Oakes, who, as Tech’s lead football manager in the mid-’70s had a front row seat to Dr. Bundrick’s influence, called his friend “the greatest sports medicine doctor to ever serve a university athletic program.”

Dr. B is a Tech Athletics Hall of Famer, a former Alumnus of the Year, and everything in between.

“The numerous honors he’s earned only scratch the surface of his significance to us,” University President Dr. Les Guice said. “His greatest contribution has been in the service of others.”

He did it one knee and one back and one foot at the time, each stitch a soft-spoken encouragement.

Dr. B’s biggest fan, physically and figuratively, is likely Karl Malone, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer; his family’s donation made the statue a reality. Bundrick has been an advisor to Malone, a quiet encourager and his most trusted confidant, since before Malone was the famous “Mailman.” In the flamboyant NBA, Karl always had a posse of one: Dr. B.

If that’s hard to understand, or if you’ve never seen a 6-foot-9 teardrop, you could have seen one Saturday as Malone’s emotion for his friend was evident.

“You,” Malone said to a smiling Dr. B, “are my hero.” He spoke for many in the crowd.

Walking to the soccer pitch next door or to The Billy, Tech’s student athletes would be wise to consider the statue and copy what it represents, a monument to caring and leaving it all on the field, the definition in bronze of a selfless and smooth operator.

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu


Bridge Closure Notice

ROUTE/BRIDGE CLOSURE: LA-514 over Bayou Chicot in Red River Parish

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that beginning on Monday, May 2, 2022, the bridge over Bayou Chicot on LA-514 in Red River Parish will be closed to traffic.

Alternate Route: US-71 and LA-783

Restrictions/Permits: N/A

This work will be performed WEATHER PERMITTING.


The Colonel’s Speech

By Brad Dison

Shortly after 8:00 p.m. on October 14, 1912, the Colonel walked through a crowd of well-wishers at the Gilpatrick Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and stepped into the back seat of an open-topped car.  He was expected to arrive within minutes at the Milwaukee Auditorium, four blocks away, to deliver a speech.  Still standing, he waved to the crowd.  One of his two secretaries, Albert H. Martin, stood with him.  A man later identified as John Flammang Schrank pushed his way through the crowd, pulled a .38 caliber pistol, and fired from a distance of about 7 feet.  The Colonel barely moved.  He showed no sign of panic or pain.  At almost the same instant that Schrank fired the shot, Albert jumped from the back seat and Captain A.O. Girard, another member of the Colonel’s party, jumped from the front seat onto the man with the pistol.  They quickly overpowered Schrank and disarmed him.  The Colonel told the men to bring the shooter closer so he could get a good look at him.  The colonel gazed into the shooters face and said, “the poor creature.”

The crowd turned hostile toward the would-be assassin.  “Lynch him!” they cried, “Kill him!”  “Stop, stop!” the Colonel yelled.  “Stand back; don’t hurt him!”  Only at the insistence of the Colonel did the crowd refrain from tearing the man apart and allow escorts to take Schrank inside the hotel to await the arrival of police.  Multiple people asked, “Are you hurt, Colonel?”  The Colonel responded with a smile, “Oh, no.  Missed me that time.  I’m not hurt a bit.” He turned to the remaining members of his party and said, “I think we’d better be going, or we will be late.”

They had hardly driven one block when John McGrath, the Colonel’s other secretary, exclaimed, “Look, Colonel.  There is a hole in your overcoat.”  The Colonel looked at the hole, unbuttoned the coat and felt of his chest.  When he removed his hand, his fingers were stained with blood.  Speaking to no one in particular, the Colonel said, “It looks as though I had been hit, but I don’t think it is anything serious.”

When they reached the auditorium, the Colonel went into a dressing room.  Several physicians made a superficial examination of the wound and suggested that the Colonel leave for the hospital immediately.  The Colonel calmly responded, “I will deliver this speech or die, one or the other.”  The physicians’ protested, but the Colonel walked out of the dressing room and onto the stage.  The crowd cheered loudly as the Colonel took his seat and waited for the program to begin.  

Henry F. Cochems, a Wisconsin political leader, stepped to the front of the platform and held up his hand.  The crowd sensed something was wrong and immediately fell silent.  “I have something to tell you,” he said with a trembling voice, “and I hope you will received the news with calmness.”  The crowd was deathly silent.  “Colonel Roosevelt has been shot.  He is wounded.”  At this, Mr. Cochems turned and looked at the Colonel. 

The crowd’s reaction was anything but calm.  People yelled and screamed out of shock.  Some of the patrons rushed toward the platform to get a better look at the Colonel.  The Colonel stood and calmly walked to the edge of the platform.  “It’s true,” the Colonel told the crowd as he unbuttoned his coat and showed them the blood-stained shirt.  “I’m going to ask you to be very quiet,” he said, “and please excuse me for making you a very long speech.  I’ll do the best I can, but you see there’s a bullet in my body.  But it’s nothing.  I’m not hurt badly.”  The Colonel’s words were met with an outburst of cheering.

The Colonel pulled out his 50-page speech and began his oration.  The crowd listened intently to every word the Colonel said.  His speech was somewhat quieter than normal and his gestures were more subdued.  He spoke for a while and suddenly his voice sank.  He seemed to stagger.  One of the doctors and another in the Colonel’s party approached him and quietly insisted that he leave immediately for a hospital.  The Colonel seemed to regain all of his strength and told them, “I’m going to finish this speech.  I’m all right; let me alone.”  The Colonel struggled at times as he spoke for well over an hour.  At the conclusion of the Colonel’s speech, he looked briefly at the cheering crowd and calmly walked off the platform and into a waiting car.

The Colonel’s driver sped through the streets of Milwaukee to the hospital where a team of doctors were waiting.  They whisked him to an operating room and quickly removed his clothing.  He insisted that he was not hurt badly and told the doctors that they were taking it too seriously.  The doctors continued their work.  The entrance wound was easy enough to find, but they were unable to determine the location of the bullet.  While they waited for a staff member to retrieve an x-ray machine, the Colonel sat up on the operating table and entertained the doctors with political stories and jokes.         

By using x-rays and probes, the doctors learned that the bullet had lodged in the Colonel’s chest muscle.  It struck no major arteries or organs.  The doctors concluded that it would be riskier to remove the bullet than to leave it in place.  They were curious to learn, however, what had kept the .38 caliber bullet from penetrating deeper into the Colonel’s chest.  As they examined his clothing the answer became clear.  The bullet had passed through the Colonel’s thick overcoat, through his 50-page speech which he had folded in half so that it would fit into his pocket which made it 100 pages thick, through both sides of his metal eyeglasses case, through his waistcoat, shirt and undershirt, and finally, into his chest.  Had the Colonel written a shorter speech, had he not doubled the speech over and placed in his chest pocket, had he placed his eyeglasses case in another pocket, the Colonel could have been the first former president of the United States to be assassinated.  The Colonel’s speech was part of his campaign for a third non-consecutive term as president, which he ultimately lost.  The Colonel was… Theodore Roosevelt.

Sources:

  1. The Baltimore Sun, October 15, 1912, p.1.