Accessing newspaper archives

lotus45tiye · Mem Joined: Mar 25, 2008 Posts: 114 Location: New Jersey

Hello everyone: Need your expertice in location the newspaper articles on the shooting death of a good friend's mother. I have found only three articles on Ancestry for the conviction of the shooter, but nothing on the actual incident. The newspapers listing the conviction were the Daily Courier, Lonnellsville, PA, the Gettysburg Times and the Simpson's Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA. I cannot access any of their archive records and am at a loss as to where to look.

Her mother was Rita Olivia Wynder, 23yrs of age, b. 8/2/1943. She resided at 1723 W. Huntingdon Street, Philadelphia, PA with her second husband Leonard Wynder. Rita was shot in the neck by a woman named Frances Albritton on 9/25/1966 in Philly. Also shot were her husband Leonard and another man named Thom Cony/Cooney? Rita died and was interned in the Eden Cemetary, Delaware County, PA on 10/1/1966. We have her death certificate and it does list her death as a homicide.

Anyone have ideas as to where I can look for articles? Does the Philly Public Library have records of the area newspapers back in 1966. And is it possible to obtain the police reports? Thanks Carol

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

lotus45tiye wrote:

Anyone have ideas as to where I can look for articles? Does the Philly Public Library have records of the area newspapers back in 1966. And is it possible to obtain the police reports? Thanks Carol

The Philadelphia Library system must have microfilm copies of the local newspapers. As far as the police report, you'd need to contact the Philadelphia PD to see if it's available and how your friend can request it.

Biff

lotus45tiye · Mem Joined: Mar 25, 2008 Posts: 114 Location: New Jersey

Thank you Biff,
I will advise her to contact the Library and Philly PD. I just found info that Temple U. may also have copies of the local Newspapers.

charliemis · Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Accessing newspaper archives

You can also try:

www.philly.com/inquirer/

and I would also contact the Delaware County Times

Robert · Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 3:21 pm Post subject: Re: Accessing newspaper archives

You should also have a national print library somewhere - in a country the size of the US you probably have several where every copy of every document ever printed in the US will be lodged. I found some excellent leads using this resource here in the UK - for newspapers printed a 100 years ago in South Africa...

lotus45tiye · Mem Joined: Mar 25, 2008 Posts: 114 Location: New Jersey

Thanks Charliemis and Robert I have checked Philly.com, they only have the Inquirer back to 1981 and the Daily News to 1978.

A National Print Library, sound like a great idea, but I have never seen any such library here in the US. Have to check into this.

I did email the staff at Temple University, waiting for a response. I may need to contact a RAOGK volunteer in Philly to visit the public library.

charliemis · Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 9:49 pm Post subject: Re: Accessing newspaper archives

These URLs might be helpful:

libwww.library.phila.g...papers.cfm

libwww.freelibrary.org...ETICAL.pdf

gethelp.library.upenn....hnews.html

lotus45tiye · Mem Joined: Mar 25, 2008 Posts: 114 Location: New Jersey

Thanks Charlie: The listing of Newspapers from the Philly Free Public Library is very helpful. I have made notes to myself on what papers I would like to search. Unfortunately to access the Penn Library online you need to be a student or faculty member.

I am determined to find these articles, as it seems to be very important to her. She was only 5 or 6 yrs old when her mother died and her grandmother will not share any facts regarding the incident. I cannot begin to fathom the pain the family must have suffered.