Sept. 23, 1906 (Sunday)

SHE BROUGHT THE HEMLINE UP A BIT ON THE TENNIS COURT: Tennis champion May Sutton (left) recently spoke with some reporters and today's papers include items about her. She's the best female tennis player in the U.S. One article describes her play this way: "She plays hard and without the slightest care of whether she is graceful about it or no, consequently she is graceful." She won the Wimbledon championship a year ago. She's the one who SHOCKED British tennis spectators when she played in a dress that was SO SHORT you could see her ANKLES. Plus, her sleeves exposed the skin up her arm up to her ELBOW. To her, it made sense: "that's the way to obtain absolute freedom and if you're going to play tennis you've got to have it." Things have changed a bit, 100 years later.

RICE CASE STILL SIMMERS: About 3,500 physicians put their names on a petition to try and secure the release for prisoner Albert T. Patrick, who was convicted in the killing of millionaire William Marsh Rice in 1900. The physicians say the medical testimony offered in the case was false. This is an intriguing case that drew plenty of coverage. Patrick was convicted mostly on the testimony of the BUTLER, who likely DID IT, but secured immunity. Rice, and his money, was instrumental in the founding of Rice University. What happened to the butler? He shot himself in 1954 according to this review of the case in Time.

ATLANTA'S ABOUT TO EXPLODE: Reports surfaced today of race rioting in Atlanta, especially in Decatur Street. Supposedly, the trouble is based on assaults earlier in the day on some white women. Reports are confusing. One article published in the North says, "The mob seems to lack a leader, and the police seem at midnight to have the mob controlled." No mention of the nature or race of that mob. The number of dead from yesterday's rioting is uncertain. Police reports differ from numbers offered in newspaper accounts. One article says, "There already are known to be dead, and many negroes were seriously beaten." Clearly, this riot bears watching.