100 Years Ago: 1924

Mrs. Emma Samson of 33 Maple street, Lewiston, dressed in deepest mourning was ordered to furnish $500 sureties for her appearance at the October term of the Superior Court; 22 year old daughter Alexandria was fined $25 and costs and an 11 year old daughter, Beatrice, was placed on probation, all for “shoplifting” at the B. Peck Co. store when arraigned in the Lewiston Municipal Court Wednesday forenoon.

The mother declared that they were the innocent victims of a casual acquaintance who came from Canada 15 days ago, and who, by chance met them in the Peck store Saturday afternoon, handed the mother and two daughters leather bags containing the stolen goods saying “Hold these for a minute” and then never returned.

This story was characterized by City Solicitor Tackaberry as existing only in the imagination of the woman and Judge Crockett frankly declared that he believed the respondent to be guilty and “that they all stole together.”

The case attracted a large crowd.

50 Years Ago: 1974

Auburn City Manager Bernard J. Murphy Jr. may recommend to the City Council that the old Central Fire Station at Court and Spring Streets be demolished next Spring.

That was the word given Monday night to councilmen by Murphy, who noted that when the city asked bids on the complex recently, none were received.

The building is currently used as a storage area by the Police Department. The manager told the council the structure will not be heated this Winter, nor will any repairs be undertaken.

25 Years Ago: 1999

Plans calling for razing the City Building while doubling the size of the Auburn Public Library were unveiled Thursday before a meeting of the library’s corporators.

A pair of architects from the Boston-based firm of Stahl Associates presented a scale model and drawings calling for the expansion of the historic library across its block, from Court Street to School Street.

Prior to construction on the library, Auburn would move forward with plans announced last year to relocate the city’s administrative offices, potentially in tandem with the school department offices.

The material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.