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Article: LETTER FROM CHICAGO; Putting a Myth Out to Pasture
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- October 29, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Maybe it's a reflection of these forgiving times, of public
apologies and celebrity confessions, of DNA testing, talk shows and
tell-all memoirs. But after 126 years of humiliation and scorn, of
having her name dragged through the mud by both history books and
cruel limericks, absolution has come, finally, for Mrs. O'Leary's
celebrated cow. Daisy, you see, was done wrong.
The Chicago City Council officially said as much today with
its resolution exonerating both O'Leary and Daisy of touching off
the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The legendary conflagration burned
down a third of the city, killed 300 people and left another 100,000
homeless.
While she was never accused in court, ...