During its century-plus history of publication, the Albert Lea Tribune has had two rather unusual columnists. One was a mythical black office cat named Tommy, and the other was supposed to be the statue of a Civil War soldier with the first name of Ezra. And just when this statue may have acquired the Ezra moniker between 1914 and 1947 is now unknown.

Back in 1914, the Tribune was located on the southwest corner of South Broadway Avenue and College Street. That’s the year a statuesque bronze soldier was placed on a pedestal just across the street on the southeast corner to become a part of Freeborn County Courthouse block.

Thus, for nearly 47 years the statue of a Civil War soldier and the city’s newspaper were what could be considered close neighbors. This association ended when the Tribune moved to its present location in 1961.

This association resulted in the following new item being published in the Jan. 2, 1947, issue of the Tribune. Also, as an added bonus, the lonely statue was given a last name.

&uot;The Evening Tribune is starting the year 1947 with an addition to the editorial staff. He is Ezra Epitome, known to Albert Lea residents as the statue on the courthouse lawn.

&uot;Through rain, sleet and snow, Ezra has been standing there, leaning on his trusty rifle, facing northwest. He’s seen a lot, but hasn’t said much.

&uot;Members of the Tribune staff decided that Ezra, given the opportunity, might be worth interviewing. We sent a reporter across the street to interview him last week but it was, to quote the reporter, ‘so blamed cold,’ that Ezra froze up on the interview idea. We offered to take him in for a cup of coffee and from then on Ezra was putty in our hands.

&uot;The upshot of it was that Ezra, whose ancestors go back to the Civil War days, was hired on the spot as our new commentator. What he has to say each day in his daily column may not be as world shaking as the words uttered on the floor of the United Nations assembly meetings, but to quote Ezra, ‘You won’t need a lawyer and six interpreters to figure out what I’m saying.’&uot;

Epitome is defined as, &uot;A brief summary; abridgment; compendium,&uot; in one dictionary. Another dictionary says this word is, &uot;A person or thing that has the ideal features of a whole class.&uot;

The alleged visits by a Tribune reporter or editor with the statue on the other side of Broadway then provided the material for short daily commentaries under the title of &uot;Ezra Epitome Says.&uot; The Tribune’s new statuesque columnist appeared under the heading of &uot;All Around town,&uot; a roundup of local news on either page 5 or 6.

Those topics supposedly said by the courthouse sentry were based on local, state, national and international events and other items of interest to Ezra’s

interpreters, and hopefully for the readers.

Coffee drinking seems to have been an obsession for the people interviewing Ezra. Proof of this came in the Feb. 20, 1947, issue:

&uot;I don’t want you folks to think I’m the kind of a guy who carries a chip on my shoulder, but I can’t understand why the National Dunking Association – headquarters In New York – didn’t elect me to some national office at its annual meeting this week.

&uot;You folks know I’ve been the best promoter of coffee drinking and the related arts In these parts. Wasn’t it Ezra who Introduced a resolution that one way to instill the thought of peace was to replace the rifles on all courthouse statues and have us hold coffee and doughnuts? Wasn’t it Ezra who suggested that statues of generals on horseback be altered so that the scabbard and blade at the generals’ sides would be vacuum bottles of coffee instead?

&uot;Understand me, I’m not blaming the National Dunking Association. It’s a fine organization, but I can’t see why I can’t be president of the NDA just because I’m unable to attend conventions. Politics!&uot;

As an added touch with this column was an illustration of Ezra holding a cup of coffee. This drawing was likely created by Irv Sorenson who was to start the Tribune’s popular feature, &uot;Hi-lites and Shadows,&uot; starting in 1949.

Ezra’s daily commentaries were printed all through 1947 and 1948. His last appearance in the Tribune seems to have been in the Dec. 24, 1948, issue. That’s when he supposedly created an overly long parody, with local references and names, based on the famous poem, &uot; ‘Twas the night before Christmas …&uot;

There may have been an attempt by the Tribune staff to duplicate the success of an earlier daily column, &uot;Albert Lea Tommy,&uot; with Ezra’s comments.

Tommy was the creation of Tribune Editor Burt May. Those commentaries by the mythical office cat were part of the daily Tribune from April 1924 to January 1946 for an estimated 6,000 issues.

For over 39 years, Ezra the statue had his metallic gaze firmly focused on the Broadway Theater, across the intersection from his elevated sentry post. Then, in September 1953, the statue was moved from its corner location because of an expansion project on the north side of the courthouse building. And that’s when Tribune reporter Dale Jensen decided to go across the street to have a closer encounter with Ezra Epitome.

The process used to move the statue and its base about 100 feet to the south to its present location actually took several weeks back in 1953. Part of this process involved taking Ezra off his lofty perch, moving the fancy base and column to the new foundation, then hoisting the old soldier back up to his regal roost. As a result, Ezra was on the ground for about two days. That’s when Jensen conducted his alleged interview.

“I hate to be moved like this but I suppose the new addition (the 1954 north annex to the courthouse) will be another step in the progress of the city. I’ve got the best place in town to watch the annual parades and big doings,” Ezra supposedly told Jensen.

During the past 50 years Ezra the statue has certainly seen many changes in local life. And if this greenish bronze statue could really talk, he might say the highlight of his year comes each Veterans Day. That’s the day the local veterans’ organizations gather around Ezra Epitome and in front of the old courthouse to honor the memories of all those who have served in the nation’s military services.