Clawhammers
During depths of the Great Depression (never understood why they refer to those times as the "depth" and often wonder what was "great" about the Depression) times were tough and folks did without.
A group of young bucks whose families lived in the Cassoday neighborhood refused to be deprived. They "lifted" whatever they wanted and "liberated" any useful item that they coveted.
Bert Morledge, the Skelly tankwagon agent, was a man of few words except for colorful cussing. Bert could describe in detail nearly any situation with language that would curdle a Baptist preacher, but without smutty profanity.
He allowed as how the Clawhammer Gang would steal anything not nailed down, and carried their own clawhammers in case it was.
Years later, when my 90+ mother and I attended a "doings" at Cassoday (a community reunion) I left the car in the grade school parking lot. Mom said, "You'd better lock the doors, it looks like the Clawhammers are here."
Bill Meyer, former editor
