Published by The Evansville Courier

During the early hours of Feb. 9, 1943, fire broke out at the Evansville State Hospital that killed eight people - six patients and two employees and destroyed the 53-year-old three-story main building. Around 1,200 patients were sleeping when a hospital employee set the fire. She later confessed, attempted suicide once and ultimately was committed to a mental institution.

In February 1944, Courier Editor Don Scism was co-chairman of the first Regional Inter-racial Conference in Evansville. It was organized to study the needs of the black community.

On Nov. 28, 1944, 80-year-old Julia Gottman was killed during a robbery at her near-Downtown home. On Dec. 11, 1945, Frank James Quarles was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He became the last Vanderburgh County person executed when, at age 43, he was put to death at 12:13 a.m. on April 2, 1946.

In March 1945, the Tri-State once again battled major flooding of the Ohio River and its tributaries. The river crested at more than 48 feet at Evansville, flooding 83 populated blocks of the city and leaving water in streets in 20 other blocks.

On March 17, 1945, a tornado ripped across Vanderburgh County, injuring dozens of people. It destroyed about 25 homes and 50 other buildings.

Evansville was busy around the clock during World War II, and has been described as much like Las Vegas without the public gambling. But, gambling was available, and The Courier dispatched reporters to establishments where gambling and bookmaking took place.

Mayor Manson Reichert and The Courier sparred over various issues and gambling was one. Reichert reportedly had clamped down of gambling in December 1944, but The Courier reported six months later that gaming was under way again.

Reichert, a Republican, responded that he saw nothing wrong with a friendly bingo. However, he threatened a police raid if the Young Men's Democratic Club held a bingo, and kept his word on June 11, 1945. The showdown drew a crowd of thousands and set off a riot that saw tires slashed on two police cars and one of the cruisers overturned. Eight people were arrested. A front-page picture captured young men turning over the police car.