William Smith of Westfield, Massachusetts, went to Walker Wright's house in neighboring Southwick on Sunday, February 5, 1854. He traveled there with a man named Brooks, who lived with him. The men brought a quart of gin, taking two or three swigs along the way. In anticipation of seeing some rabbits in the woods, William also brought his musket. When they arrived at Wright's home, William placed his musket in the corner and sent for a pint of brandy. The drinking continued. Three unknown Irishmen arrived at Wright's house. The men had been drinking. As one of the men picked up the gun, Brooks said, "Smith, you better take care of your musket. It is loaded." As William started towards the man to retrieve his gun, it fired. The charge hit William's side, just below his arm, killing him instantly. Everyone was so drunk that they did not realize what had happened, except for the Irishmen, who fled, taking the musket with them. On Monday afternoon, someone discove...

Patrick Leonard was born in Ireland. He came to America and eventually settled in New Haven, Connecticut, where he worked for ice company Upson & Granniss.   In 1891, he traveled to Southwick, Massachusetts, to work on a new ice house his company was building. On July 26, Patrick was drinking heavily, as he was known to do. His son Thomas locked him in a hotel's shed, as he had done before, to stop him from drinking. About two hours later, the shed went up in flames. When the fire was out, folks found Patrick's charred remains among the glowing ruins of the shed. It is unclear how the fire started. Investigators first suspected Patrick's pipe caused the fire, but they found it some distance away from his body. The medical examiner ordered an inquest into Patrick's death. At a hearing on August 12, witness testimony removed all suspicion of foul play. The judge determined that smoking was more than likely the cause of the blaze. If you enjoyed this story, plea...

After the Crystal Ballroom at Balch's Beach closed, it became the second incarnation of the Brass Rail, managed by Louis "Gino" Boccasile, who also ran The Old Post Office Cafe in Springfield. The new location also brought a new name: Gino's Brass Rail, which held its grand opening on Thursday, May 27, 1937.  The customer entrance of Gino's new Brass Rail faced Point Grove Road, and there were two side exit doors, one facing west and the other east. Windows along the back and on the side of the building provided spectacular views of Middle Pond. Due to the building's location, patrons were treated to refreshing lake breezes and crosswinds when the doors and windows were open, giving Gino one leg up on his competition, which there was a lot of with the lake being a popular tourist destination, flooded with folks escaping the summer heat and those looking for a good time. The Brass Rail first opened on a seasonal basis. It quickly became known for its authentic ...