Reviewing the news: Murderers and morels
May 9, 1924: Murderer leaves $30 for county
The recent closing of the estate of John Harada, Emmet county murderer and shortly after a suicide himself, marks the final legal proceedings in reference to the farmer-soldier who died by his own hand after killing the women with whom he lived late in 1920.
Harada, who committed the crime on a farm north of Harbor Springs and burned the buildings on the place was one of the drafted men in the World War, and was placed in class 5 division E. Shortly after being recorded by the Emmet county draft board, he visited the office of Judge of Probate Gilbert, and deposited a package for safe keeping.
Judge Gilbert, in going thru his files at a later period, noticed the package was unclaimed and had been there for some time. Upon being opened, war stamps to the extent of $30 were found together with the identification card of John Harada.
Searching to find the identity of the depositor, Judge Gilbert finally found him to be the perpetrator of the crime that shocked the whole of the county. An administrator was named to close out the estate, and as no heirs were found, the $30 in stamps were cashed and paid in to the county treasurer, thereby lessening the county tax to that extent.
May 9, 1974: Morel seekers to converge on Boyne City for hunt
BOYNE CITY — It’s morel time in Northern Michigan.
That means it’s also the 15th annual National Mushroom Hunting Championship in Boyne City for hundreds of morel and beefsteak lovers from as far away as California, Florida and New Mexico.
The 300 or so seekers of the tasty little fungus growth must register by 9 a.m. Saturday at the Boyne City Area Chamber of Commerce office and then assemble down the street at Memorial Park. There is a registration fee of $2.25 for the contest which goes to Boyne City Explorer Scouts Post 49, which provides the guides and judges.
The contest is divided into two categories, resident and nonresident. Resident contestants are those who live in Charlevoix, Antrim, Cheboygan, Emmet or Otsego counties. Everyone else is classified as nonresident.
Winners in each class will receive $75 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third. Winners will be selected by a mushroom count. Judges will determine the winner in the event of ties.
After all contestants gather at Memorial Park, a conservation officer will lead the hungry searchers to the previously secret hunting grounds. The traditional parade to the picking area will stretch for blocks and crawl past gaily decorated store windows in the city before reaching the designated grounds.
The 10 top finishers in each class of Saturday’s round will be invited back to the final round of competition at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Last year’s resident winners were Kirk Kujawski, Randy Crumbaugh and Dale Karlskin, all of Boyne City. Nonresident winners were Mike McGinnis, of Flint; his father Marvin McGinnis, also of Flint, and Rodney Uhrig of Chilicothe, Ohio.
The Boyne City Area Chamber of Commerce said the contest will be held regardless of weather and advised contestants to dress accordingly for their search for those morels.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Reviewing the news: Murderers and morels
