This day in history

[August 04, 2012]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Aug. 4, the 217th day of 2012. There are 149 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Aug. 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were axed to death in their home in Fall River, Mass. Lizzie Borden, Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage, was accused of the killings, but acquitted at trial.

On this date:

In 1735, a jury found John Peter Zenger of the New York Weekly Journal not guilty of committing seditious libel against the colonial governor of New York, William Cosby.

In 1790, the Coast Guard had its beginnings as the Revenue Cutter Service.

In 1830, plans for the city of Chicago were laid out.

In 1914, Britain declared war on Germany while the United States proclaimed its neutrality.

In 1916, the United States reached agreement with Denmark to purchase the Danish Virgin Islands for $25 million.

In 1936, Jesse Owens of the U.S. won the second of his four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics as he prevailed in the long jump over German Luz Long, who was the first to congratulate him.

In 1944, 15-year-old diarist Anne Frank was arrested with her sister, parents and four others by the Gestapo after hiding for two years inside a building in Amsterdam. (Anne died the following year at Bergen-Belsen.)

In 1964, the bodies of missing civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney were found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi.

In 1972, Arthur Bremer was convicted and sentenced in Upper Marlboro, Md., to 63 years in prison for his attempt on the life of Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace (the sentence was later reduced to 53 years; Bremer was released from prison in 2007).

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed a measure establishing the Department of Energy.

In 1987, the Federal Communications Commission voted to abolish the Fairness Doctrine, which required radio and television stations to present balanced coverage of controversial issues.

In 1991, the Greek luxury liner Oceanos sank in heavy seas off South Africa's southeast coast; all 402 passengers and 179 crew members survived.

Ten years ago: A Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a bus in northern Israel during rush hour, killing himself and nine passengers. Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada won the presidency of Bolivia for a second time.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush toured the site of a collapsed highway bridge in Minneapolis, pledging to cut red tape that could delay rebuilding. Three students, Iofemi Hightower, Terrance Aeriel and Dashon Harvey, were shot to death execution-style in a Newark, N.J., schoolyard. (Five defendants have since been sentenced to prison; a sixth is awaiting trial.) Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron's 755 career home runs as his San Francisco Giants lost 3-2 to the San Diego Padres. Alex Rodriguez became at age 32 the youngest player in major league history to hit 500 home runs with a first-inning homer in a 16-8 Yankees victory over Kansas City.

One year ago: A Texas jury convicted polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs of child sexual assault in a case stemming from two young followers he'd taken as brides in what his church called "spiritual marriages." (Jeffs was sentenced to life in prison.)

Today's birthdays: Journalist Helen Thomas is 92. Singer Frankie Ford is 73. Actress-singer Tina Cole is 69. Actor-comedian Richard Belzer is 68. Football Hall-of-Famer John Riggins is 63. Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is 57. Actor-screenwriter Billy Bob Thornton is 57. Actress Kym Karath ("The Sound of Music") is 54. Track star Mary Decker Slaney is 54. Actress Lauren Tom is 53. President Barack Obama is 51. TV producer Michael Gelman ("Live! With Kelly") is 51. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens is 50. Actress Crystal Chappell is 47. Author Dennis Lehane is 47. Rock musician Rob Cieka (Boo Radleys) is 44. Actor Daniel Dae Kim is 44. Actor Michael DeLuise is 43. Actor Ron Lester is 42. Race car driver Jeff Gordon is 41. Rapper-actress Yo-Yo is 41. Country singer Jon Nicholson is 39. Rhythm-and-blues singer-actor Marques (MAR'-kus) Houston is 31. Actress Meghan Markle (TV: "Suits") is 31. Actress Greta Gerwig is 29. Country singer Crystal Bowersox (TV: "American Idol") is 27. Rock singer Tom Parker (The Wanted) is 24. Actors Cole and Dylan Sprouse are 20. Singer Jessica Sanchez (TV: "American Idol") is 17.

Thought for today: "The beginning is the most important part of the work." -- Plato, Classical Greek philosopher

[Associated Press]

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