By Mary Hoar, Yonkers Historian, President Emerita Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, January 16th
January 16, 1928: The monoplane owned by A. R. Martine of North Broadway was forced to abandon its third attempt to break the world’s endurance record because of sleet. Piloted by Clarence Chamberlin and Roger Q. Williams, another attempt was made within a few weeks.
January 16, 1945: Accused of altering a signal monitor report by a handwriting expert, Lieutenant Edward O’Connor offered testimony of fellow officers to prove he was not involved in the Copcutt Lane gambling incident. Officer John Terry, Radio Telegraph Division, was on duty at the time of the incident. He stated no calls had come through from the area of Copcutt Lane. O’Connor’s attorney Paul Bleakley asked the charges be dismissed for lack of evidence; Trial Commissioner Francis Duffy reserved decision. While questioning Patrolman Fred Connolly, Broderick intimated Connolly, claiming he pushed aside the night watchman, and threatened to arrest all the men there. It was the first time anyone had suggested Connolly had entered the building, and there was no evidence presented to support the claim.
Tuesday, January 17th
January 17, 1928: After several long moths of litigation, Surrogate Judge George Slater announced the estate of Charles Otis of Buena Vista Avenue, the last surviving son of Elisha Otis, was settled. At the time of the probate, Margaret Otis Nesbit Otis announced she was the widow of the deceased. A cousin of Otis, she was his housekeeper, and eventually married him. She settled for $131,000. The remainder was split between nieces and nephews who were named in Otis’ will.
January 17, 1949: John Flynn, former president of the Yonkers Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) received the US Junior Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award, presented for his “outstanding service and accomplishment contributing to the enrichment of a NY community.”. He was the originator of the Yonkers Civic Service School in 1945, a project that won both national and state awards and was adopted by other municipalities throughout the country. Flynn was Yonkers Mayor from 1961-1966 and NYS Senator from Yonkers 1967-1986.
Wednesday, January 18th
January 18, 1933: The protest by Alberta Miller, mother of slain fire fighter Warren Miller, over daughter-in-law Anne Miller receiving her son’s pension after fatally stabbing him, was denied. Assistant Corporation Counsel Raymond Hannon stated Yonkers had no legal grounds to withhold the pension since Anne was exonerated in the fatal stabbing of her husband; Medical Examiner Amos Squire ruled the stabbing was “justifiable homicide” and she acted in self-defense.
January 18, 1954: Robert Jacobson Pharmacy and YPD helped save a NYC life! Jacobson’s had a large refrigerator, and was able to store a variety of serums. St. Elizabeth’s Hospital desperately needed a rare gas gangrene serum. The hospital sent out a call… Jacobson’s had it! Sergeant Lester Brent sped to the pharmacy to pick up the lifesaving medicine, then raced to the city line where NYPD officers waited to rush it to the hospital.
Thursday, January 19th
January 19, 1944: Yonkers Postmaster William Cronin announced 38 postal workers were given 60-day deferments by local draft boards. Cronin filed deferment applications with local boards and sent copies to the Post Office Department in Washington as additional depletion of the Yonkers staff for war service would cause sharp curtailment of service and elimination of some deliveries.
January 19, 1954: School 26 mothers kept their children home from school because of the “hazardous conditions” of roads leading to the school. The day before, one of the school buses had gotten stuck in a snow bank on the school grounds; it took an hour to extricate it. Only 44% of the children attended and just 24 of the 165 students who rode school buses went to school.
Friday, January 20th
January 20, 1932: City Judge Charles Boote ordered police to arrest any young man who attempted to “pick up” an unescorted girl on the street. Enraged by a lothario who not only tried to entice a girl into his car, he insulted and used profane language to the officer who attempted to reprimand him. Boote directed, “Officers, from now on, whenever you see any boy stop an automobile and attempt to speak to girls they do not know, place everyone in that car under arrest immediately.”
January 20, 1939: The Yonkers Academy of Medicine asked city officials to help eliminate people with “political influence and financial means” from receiving free medical treatment at the municipal clinics!
Saturday, January 21st
January 21, 1931: H. H. Sheldon, Professor of Physics at NYU, labeled the laying of beer hose through the Yonkers sewer system as “the outstanding engineering feat” in bootlegging! “…a four-inch hose make of rubber and copper was strung through the city sewer system for a distance of 6,000 feet. It ran from a soft drink brewery to a garage more than a mile distant. To lay such a tube, bend it around corners, would be an engineering job of high order, even if done openly. To lay it secretly presents extraordinary difficulty. Yet it was done.”
January 21, 1931: Yonkers gave a ticket to Mary Pickford’s car! She was in Yonkers to attend a preview of her latest picture “Kiki,” at the Strand Theater. Her chauffeur parked in front of the World War Memorial, and received a summons. Because he was unfamiliar with our parking regulations, Judge Boote gave him a suspended sentence.
Sunday, January 22nd
January 22, 1931: A solemn High Funeral Mass was said at St. Denis Church for Alfred McCann, pure food crusader, lecturer, author, radio star and Park Hill resident. Because of the popularity of McCann and his radio show, WOR Radio broadcast it outside the church for the large crowd there. The family received many messages of condolence, including from Cardinal Hayes and former Governor Alfred Smith.
January 22, 1958: Public Safety Commissioner Milton Goldman announced all-night-traffic-lights would be turned off, either at 10 pm or 1 am. Only lights at 16 major intersections, such as McLean and South Broadway, would remain on 24 hours a day.
Questions or comments? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com. For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit our website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, call 914-961-8940 or email info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org.
