Halloween 1925 was a wild night of pranks with the usual broken windows, stolen doormats, smashed street lights and vandalized automobiles accounting for the majority of complaints. There were over 800 extra police officers on duty to make sure that things didn’t get too out-of-hand. Their vigilance paid off, only six pranksters were arrested–although many more revelers were busted for public intoxication.

Among those busted were William Hawke, a fifteen-year-old who was picked up by Officer Seryer of Sawtelle Division for throwing stones through the windows of the home of Angus L. Cavinaugh, principal of Harding High School. Two of Hawke’s friends ran off into the night and leaving him to take the heat.

Special Officer Lary came upon a group of boys soaping the street car tracks at 101st Street and Vermont Avenue. Lary managed to grab thirteen-year-old Henry Schreiber and seventeen-year-old Edwin Kennedy before they could cause any further mayhem.

There was one prank that had serious consequences. Someone stretched a rope across Riverside Dirve. The rope was pulled tight between a telephone pole and a heavy stake driven into the ground. Presumably the tricksters concealed themselves in the darkness and waited. Robert Heffron was speeding down the roadway when he hit the taut rope at full speed. As soon as he hit the rope the stake flew out and struck Heffron breaking his arm. He was lucky, it could have been worse.

Happy Halloween, everyone.   Keep your pranks to a minimum and stay safe.