100 years ago, 1915
A woman fire-bug theory in connection with the recent fires and more particular the $20,000 fire Saturday at midnight in the four-story brick building at 169-175 Main street, Lewiston, containing the Bellvue hotel and stores, is in rigid examination by fire and police departments. Chief Moriarty of the fire and Chief McCarron of police are collaborating but Monday afternoon did not care to give out names. It was said that a woman with whom the police are acquainted and who is thought to be irresponsible mentally, has been among the first to arrive at the fires, and in instances has roomed in lodging houses.

50 years ago, 1965
Frank W. Winter, 102, of 29 Second Ave., Auburn, colorful Maine financier and landholder, died Saturday night at the Lovelett Nursing Home, Auburn, after an illness of two weeks. As a businessman and financier, Frank W. Winter was the ruggedest of rugged individualists. In a long, colorful career he made money in timber holdings and real estate, branched out into lumbering and manufacturing and wound up as the proprietor of two Auburn restaurants. The restaurants — the Winter House and the WSI Coffee Shop — were established in connection with his Winter Scientific Institutions. Winter operated WSI as a school, training girls to prepare, serve and handle foods. They also provided the help for the two restaurants.

25 years ago, 1990
Michelle Morin, a resident of Litchfield attending the University of Maine in Orono, left Wednesday to study at the Kharkov State University in the Soviet Union. Michelle, who is majoring in foreign languages, will attend the Soviet university from Feb. 1 to May 31 as part of a new student exchange program at Orono.

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors made at that time may be edited.