Lex Anteinternet: The Spanish Flu Claims Its First Casper Victim and The Danger of Even Home Guard Service Is Made Plain: October 5, 1918.

Friday, October 5, 2018

The Spanish Flu Claims Its First Casper Victim and The Danger of Even Home Guard Service Is Made Plain: October 5, 1918.

As the war raged in Europe, while peace feelers started to be sent out, the Spanish Flu claimed its first victim in Casper.

And Home Guard service proved lethal for Pvt. O. B. Duncan, who fell from a train and was run over it by it. Why Pvt. Duncan was riding on the train isn't clear, but at least as late as World War Two the Home Guard did guard the rail yards for a time in Casper, so presumably something similar was occurring.

Oddly, Thermopolis was a setting for both tragedies.

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Lex Anteinternet?

This blog has been around since 2009. In the very first post, we asked the question: "What the heck is this blog about?"

Our answer to the question was: "The intent of this blog is to try to explore and learn a few things about the practice of law prior to the current era. That is, prior to the internet, prior to easy roads, and the like. How did it work, how regional was it, how did lawyers perceive their roles, and how were they perceived?"

We also noted: "Part of the reason for this, quite frankly, has something to do with minor research for a very slow moving book."

All of this is still true, but the focus of the blog has changed somewhat. It now focuses on the era from 1890 to 1920 in general, rather than on the law and lawyers specifically, although that may be far from obvious. It's also become the location where we comment on anything we feel moved to comment on.

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