Another great one, Michael! ... Any idea why it was called the "Ben Hur paddle wheel riverboat"? I ask because, in the late 50s, Dad bought 50 acres for a weekend "ranch" (Dad, 50 acres in Texas is a farm. What do you see out there, son? Cattle. Then, it's a ranch, not a farm.) in Ben Hur, Texas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hur,_Texas
Wow! This is one hell of a post, Michael. A real stunner, line per line. I was waiting for a pun related to Nalle's butcher backing in the murder case, but I suppose it's implied so strongly that you resisted the urge.
I devote a chapter of Austin Murder and Mayhem to the Nalle murder and the Buaas/scholz/besserer saga on my blog in Days of Beers and Pretzels: An Austin Beer Garden history, and a four part installment on William Besserer at richardzelade.wordpress.com, the Austin Blunderbuss.
Corky, you are doing a fantastic job. I do as best as I can without having music as my main subject. Go to richardzelade.wordpress.com (The Blunderbuss) and do a search for Days of Beer and Pretzels, and then Old King Carl. That will get you to most of the material. Besserer, Buaas, and Scholz will provide the same results and possibly others. Jazz will turn up lots of Jazz Age material including cartoons. You are welcome to dip in, since it’s basically public domain, something I do to amuse myself. Although some of it is excerpts from my Austin in the Jazz Age book. If you find anything useful, just give me an acknowledgement and plug and keep up the good work. What you are doing is so important. Best. RZ
I read some of the Blunderbuss today. The white newspaper reaction to Juneteenth and "darkies" in general was reprehensible. Looking forward to reading more.
Austin has been a racist town far longer than not. Although it tolerated them in their place; Robert Rubirth was a colored barber and musician who served two years for murder in the 1880s, then returned home forgiven. His colored string band played regularly on the Ben Hur and at Hyde Park pavilion in the days when niggers weren’t otherwise allowed in Hyde Park. Working on a chapter about the Rubirth murder for a book that’s a year overdue. May never finish it. Except for brief tenure of Gold Star, no colored newspapers in Austin, period.
Amazing piece of historiography, Michael. This is deep history that, I'm guessing, none of us know. How rich!
Another great one, Michael! ... Any idea why it was called the "Ben Hur paddle wheel riverboat"? I ask because, in the late 50s, Dad bought 50 acres for a weekend "ranch" (Dad, 50 acres in Texas is a farm. What do you see out there, son? Cattle. Then, it's a ranch, not a farm.) in Ben Hur, Texas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hur,_Texas
Wow! This is one hell of a post, Michael. A real stunner, line per line. I was waiting for a pun related to Nalle's butcher backing in the murder case, but I suppose it's implied so strongly that you resisted the urge.
Thanks for the history, Michael. I seem to recall seeing several Buaas family headstones at Forest Oaks cemetery in Oak Hill.
I devote a chapter of Austin Murder and Mayhem to the Nalle murder and the Buaas/scholz/besserer saga on my blog in Days of Beers and Pretzels: An Austin Beer Garden history, and a four part installment on William Besserer at richardzelade.wordpress.com, the Austin Blunderbuss.
Now you tell me! Can't wait to read it.
Corky, you are doing a fantastic job. I do as best as I can without having music as my main subject. Go to richardzelade.wordpress.com (The Blunderbuss) and do a search for Days of Beer and Pretzels, and then Old King Carl. That will get you to most of the material. Besserer, Buaas, and Scholz will provide the same results and possibly others. Jazz will turn up lots of Jazz Age material including cartoons. You are welcome to dip in, since it’s basically public domain, something I do to amuse myself. Although some of it is excerpts from my Austin in the Jazz Age book. If you find anything useful, just give me an acknowledgement and plug and keep up the good work. What you are doing is so important. Best. RZ
I read some of the Blunderbuss today. The white newspaper reaction to Juneteenth and "darkies" in general was reprehensible. Looking forward to reading more.
Austin has been a racist town far longer than not. Although it tolerated them in their place; Robert Rubirth was a colored barber and musician who served two years for murder in the 1880s, then returned home forgiven. His colored string band played regularly on the Ben Hur and at Hyde Park pavilion in the days when niggers weren’t otherwise allowed in Hyde Park. Working on a chapter about the Rubirth murder for a book that’s a year overdue. May never finish it. Except for brief tenure of Gold Star, no colored newspapers in Austin, period.