100 years ago: “Interference with justice, and the spiriting away of witnesses by friends of prisoners, received a hard jolt in district court when Judge Searcy instructed D.A. Lane to investigate the sudden disappearance of the state’s two principal witnesses in the Kendal-Mounts cattle stealing case, and if facts warranted, to file information against the person or persons responsible.”

75 years ago: “Durango very shortly will have in effect an ordinance barring house-to-house sale of goods or articles, except by express invitation of the householder.”

50 years ago: “Hugh Chastain of Durango, member of the Colorado Board of Education and manager of La Plata Electric Association, was a guest of President Johnson at the White House.”

25 years ago: “The arrest of a Pagosa Springs art dealer by federal drug enforcement agents have resulted in the seizure of millions of dollars worth of Southwestern Indian artifacts, including the ‘Durango Collection’ owned in part by Richard Ballantine, publisher of The Durango Herald. ... Drug enforcement agents have been investigating the art dealer for two years in a drug-related money-laundering ring that began in Carlsbad, Calif. Instead of dealing in large quantities of cash that can be traced, drug dealers allegedly were hiding their huge profits by investing in expensive artifacts. Then, the art dealer was able to sell the artifacts.”

Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.