Strange Times 121: Never Had a Comb

Strange Times is a newsletter that explores the weirdest news of 1921, one day at a time. If you like it, you will probably like Westside Saints, my latest Jazz Age mystery novel, as well.

Today we have a story of Ramapos refugees and more lingerie ads than you can shake a chemise at. Descend from the mountains on…

May 1, 1921

• A Wall Street messenger boy disappears with $125,000 in bonds.

• In a speech, Alice Robertson of Oklahoma, the only woman Congressman, says, “The salvation of the country now rests with the women. While it is pretty discouraging when women are so bullied and browbeaten at the polls and at political meetings, we must be steadfast in our purposes, and we are sure to win. It is up to us to drive out dishonest politicians.…I am determined to live by my slogan, ‘I cannot be bought, cannot be sold, and cannot be intimidated.’”

• Despite arriving in New York late due to inclement weather, the motor yacht Gar II. Jr. actually outran the train it was racing from Florida by 21 minutes.

• The Weather: Cloudy today, probably showers; Monday fair, continued cool; fresh northwest winds.

Although the story of the Thompson family is certainly astonishing, for wildness it pales next to the incident of Albert Parsons chronicled in Strange Times 22, which features a wildcat-fighting woman caught in a steel trap. This one’s still good, though.

NYACK, N.Y., April 30.—Judge Charles W. Haughey, a member of the Town Board of Orangetown, brought to the attention of the board today the condition of a family named Thompson, consisting of father, mother and four children, refugees from the interior of the Ramapo Mountains, who took possession of a tumble-down shack on the edge of Pearl River near here four days ago.

Judge Haughey said that the couple and the two older children, a boy of 10 and a girl of 7, appeared to be suffering from a skin disease due to lack of water. Their hair was matted and they presented a wild appearance.

In his report Judge Haughey said that he found the man sitting on the doorstep of his shack. After much persistent inquiry the man finally said that he and his family came from the interior of the Ramapo Mountains, northwest of Suffern. The interior is a desolate place, inhabited by a few half-breed Indians, moonshiners and “Jackson whites.”

Thompson’s only garments were a blue flannel shirt, a pair of old trousers held up by a twisted rope and a pair of old shoes. Judge Huaghey was unable to find out the man’s first name after half an hour. He learned that none of the children had ever been to school nor had they ever seen pencil or paper. The two youngest children were a boy of 5 and a girl of 4. They were almost naked.

After considerable coaxing Judge Huaghey induced Thompson to call his wife, who had remained inside the hut during most of the interview.

“Woman, come here,” cried the man.

A frail, huddled form emerged, clad in a black wrapper, worn through at the elbows and knees. The woman’s hair was matted. Thompson swore at her, and after she had given several laughs he said she was dumb. He told Judge Haughey that his wife and children had never had a comb so far as he could remember.

After Judge Haughey made his report it was decided that it would be best to remove the family to an institution, but no formal action was taken.