Journalists always have been in the market for compelling stories, so when the bed in Creston shared by Alice Pettit Smith and her banker husband, Myron, turned rogue during the early morning hours of July 14, 1909, and nearly killed them --- it was front-page news. Alice, whose stage name was Madam Myron, also was a popular entertainer at the time in the south of Iowa and beyond, adding interest.
So here's how the story was reported on Page 1 of The Chariton Leader of July 22:
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Through her appearances in Chariton on the Chautauqua platform and in the concerts and in visits to friends, many of our people are acquainted with Mrs. Myron Smith of Creston, known as Madam Myron, and they will be interested in reading of the peculiar accident which befell her and her husband at their home on Wednesday evening of last week, as told by the newspapers.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith were the victims of a folding bed accident and a tragedy was narrowly averted. Mr. Smith arose before the usual time to stop the alarm clock from going off, as he wished to sleep longer than the time the clock was set for, and after stopping the clock again laid down on the bed.
Barely had he dozed off when the bed closed with a shock that brought both occupants of the bed to a lively wide awakeness. They found themselves securely wedged in between the cabinet and bed section of the large folding bed.
Had they been sleeping with their heads in the proper place at the head of the bed they must surely have been crushed. Luckily, they had retired at night with their heads to the foot of the bed in order to get the draft from an open window, and to this arrangement they no doubt owe their lives.
By dint of strenuous exertions they managed to work the mechanism of the bed loose a little and Mr. Smith was enabled to squeeze through and proceeded to open the bed and rescue his wife, who suffered a dislocated shoulder while Mr. Smith was bruised considerably.
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Intrigued more by Alice's story than the killer bed, I looked long and hard for an image --- but came up empty. So I've used a drawing of her husband's bank --- First National of Creston --- as an illustration this morning instead.
Look carefully and you'll see a familiar name above the front door, "S.H. Mallory & Co." Chariton's Smith Henderson Mallory was instrumental in the founding of Creston and also owned the city's first bank from the year of its founding, 1871, until 1885.
Myron B. Smith was cashier when the near-death experience with a killer bed occurred and then served as president from 1911 until 1924.
In retirement, the Smiths moved to Lakeland, Florida, where Alice (born 1870) died in 1945 at the age of 75 and Myron (born 1865), a year later, age 81. Their remains were returned to Creston for burial in Graceland Cemetery, but there were no children.
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I'm happy to report that I did find a brief biography of Alice in a 1914 volume entitled "The Blue Book of Iowa Women," authored and published by Winona Evans Reeves. Here's her entry.
Alice Pettit Smith (Mrs. Myron D.,) vocalist, daughter of William S. and Amelia Ray Pettit, was born in Alliance, Ohio, and came with her parents to Creston, in 1885, which city is still her home. In 1887 she was married to Myron D. Smith, cashier of the First National Bank of Creston.
In 1902, while visiting in Omaha, a friend persuaded her to have her voice tested, which she did, and it was discovered that she possessed a voice of unusual power and sweetness. She studied two years in Omaha, and more than a year in New York, before going to London, where she spent ten months under George Henschel, one of the great masters. She appeared at a number of private recitals and parlor concerts given at the homes of prominent society people in London. Her first professional tour was with the Scottish Orchestra, composed of one hundred instruments. As soloist of this orchestra she adopted the stage name, Madame Myron. At the close of her tour she returned to her home in Creston, resolved that her professional career should be only secondary and incidental to her home, to this resolution she has adhered.
She was for one season soloist for the George Crampton Concert Co., touring the United States and Canada, and for one year was at the head of the Lyceum Grand Concert Co. She has appeared many times in Iowa cities and elsewhere in oratorios, concerts and recitals, everywhere receiving the ovation which her art merits. Her voice is a mezzo soprano of wide range and remarkable sweetness, and back of the voice, and speaking through it, is the soul of the fine woman, of whom Iowa is proud.
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