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Author: sargentsandtowles
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Here are the instances that my grandfather mentioned Baker Letterman. They must have been
pretty good friends in their teenage and early 20's. I love the prank they played
while in Indianapolis. Glad to be able to share!
Lynda
Writing of Alfred W. Moehlmann, Sr. (1894 - 1974) about growing up in Greene County,
Indiana - written 1961
These are the entries from his writings about Baker Letterman. This is Loren Baker
Letterman - 1895 - 1974
Coasting was one of the big pastimes - We had several sleds that would hold at least six
kids. Some one would usually "slue" the sled so that everybody would fall off,
especially if girls were on it. In cold weather we would pour water on the hill and the
next day we would have a glare of ice. We had no well at the school so we had 2 buckets
and had to carry our drinking water form the Letterman spring about a quarter of a mile
away. We had 2 dippers and everybody drank from the same dippers. We had to walk to
school and take our dinner bucket. It was a mile & a half for me.
The first girl I ever called for and went our on a date with was Grace Bovenschen. Some
how at a gathering or a party, Baker Letterman wanted to take Bertha Strietelmier to a
Children's Night program at Howesville and she wouldn't go unless another couple
went along. Some how the four of us got the dates arranged.
So in the summer of 1916 I sold my horse and buggy and had a neat little sum of $350 and
with that I went to Indianapolis with Baker Letterman and started in at Central Business
College to learn to be a bookkeeper. I don't know how much Baker had but I think he
had less money than I had. We had to pay $90 tuition fees to start. The school helped us
out by finding a Funeral Director (Kirby & Dince) who furnished a room for sleeping
purposes for three. We picked up another chap by the name of Wilson. We had to answer
telephone calls in the office from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at which time the office was closed
and then we would have to take any calls after that time and switch them to Mr. Kirby. I
did all the office tending to 7 p.m. for Letterman & Wilson had a job at a restaurant
waiting on tables for their board. They would always slip something in their pockets for
me so my board bill wasn't too high.
I guess one of the dirtiest tricks I was ever in on, took place at the funeral home.
Wilson was quite an athlete and didn't spend any time at the office but always went to
the Y.M.C.A. and would get in late at night. Mr. Dince who was single, would occasionally
sleep in the bed with Wilson. They had a corpse in the morgue and Baker and I decided to
put it in bed with Wilson. We wheeled the corpse in, carefully laid it in bed and got in
our bed. Around about mid-night Wilson came in and was very quiet so as not to disturb
us. It seemed like ages but Wilson finally touched the ice cold body and jumped out of
bed and said, "Wake up fellows, Dince is dead." We tried to assure him
differently but he turned on the light and saw what we had done. He wouldn't help us
remove the body, demanded that we sit up with him the rest of the night, which we
wouldn't do. So we went back to bed, he sat up alone the rest of the night and as
soon as the owners came in the morning he told!
the happening to them. Well it turned out that Baker and I stayed, Wilson left but the
bosses asked us not to play that kind of a trick anymore. We didn't.
This was election year 1916 and would be the first time for Baker and me to vote. We
didn't expect to get this first thrill wrote the folks back home that we didn't
have the money to spare to pay train fare. Our plight got to some Good Samaritan and a
round trip ticket was mailed to us. I will never forget the bedlam in Indianapolis that
election night when we got back. You could hardly get through the down town section.
From all reports it looked like Hughes had won over Pres. Wilson and we went to bed with
that conviction. However the next morning the outcome was in doubt. It depended on
California. While in class about 10:30 am some one brought in a newspaper with Box Car
Headline - "Wilson is Re-elected."
My money was running out and so was Bakers. About the first of the year we came back to
Linton.
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