Harmon’s Histories: Sometimes, history leaves more questions than answers

Jim Harmon

Saturday night my wife and I were watching the Auburn-Georgia game.

In the second quarter, Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold, on a keeper, appeared to break the plane of the goal line, just a millisecond before the ball was knocked from his hands. The resulting score: Auburn 17, Georgia 0.

But it was a close call, so the arbiters of the game rightfully reviewed the video. Although shaky and grainy, the pictures (especially from the goal-line camera) confirmed that the ball touched the line just before the fumble.

But the officials kept reviewing the video for 30 minutes! Then, astonishingly, they ruled the ball had not touched the plane, asserting it was a fumble, and awarded Georgia the ball.

Play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough was gobsmacked, declaring, “I have no idea what they’re looking at.” Neither did the home crowd, judging by the resulting jeers and expletives.

Anyway, with all of that still fresh in my mind, I returned to the my keyboard to finish a column about, oddly enough, news stories that leave the reader with more questions than answers.

Take the case of Mr. C.G. Henry.

I can’t help wondering just what it was he did? It must have been something most awful, a hideously loathsome act, perhaps something scandalous, but we’ll never know by reading the account in the newspaper.

“Edith E. Sharratt repudiates the marriage between herself and C.G. Henry on account of the said C.G. Henry violated his contract with her made prior to said marriage.” (Weekly Missoulian, October 9, 1885).

What contract? What violation? Just like Sean McDonough, I have more questions than answers.

Then, there’s the story of W.W. Hawkes. The poor fellow must have been in horrible condition, given the newspaper account.

Hawkes, wrote the paper, “has been in Butte for the past six months.” Upon his return to Missoula, “he looks as though he might have been through one of the Butte smelters.”

But I’ve veered from my charted course. I return to unanswered questions.

The Missoula County commissioners, in 1885, seemed to be deaf to complaints about explaining various bill payments.

The local press pointed out that “a number of claims allowed by them have not been sworn to as required by law, and that claims coming from the district court for witness and jury fees (have not been) itemized.”

The Weekly Missoulian singled out Commissioner Kennedy for a tongue lashing. In submitting his bills to the county for payment, he “asserted that his bills are reasonable, and he don’t (sic) intend to make any public explanation: that if anybody wants any explanation it can be had only of him personally.” Oh my! Can you imagine that happening today?

The following clipping, however, takes the cake.

From the Weekly Missoulian: “A letter from H.C. Hollenbeck, in Helena, under the date of October 11, 1885, says ‘the first consignment of kids, consisting of two boys, assorted sizes, arrived about 2 p.m. today.’”

“If the balance of the shipment arrives before morning, will advise you. I am doing as well as could be expected; with proper care I think I will pull through.’”

Say what?

I think I’ll award the Nobel Prize for Confusing Remarks to H.C. Hollenbeck of Helena for his classic case of creating more questions than answers.