By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Municipal Historian, 1977 recipient of the Key to the City of Yonkers, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Founder of Revolutionary Yonkers 250 and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, August 17th
August 17, 1944: Nazi planes were seen in St. John’s Episcopal churchyard… for the “Shot from the Sky” exhibit to punctuate the three day recruitment drive to recruit WACs to serve at Newark Army Air Base. Getty Square stores’ displays supported the exhibit of planes and pieces of Nazi equipment. The church display featured fuselages of three Nazi planes shot down over Africa.
August 17, 1945: News reached Yonkers there was a stay on Elm Street’s Daniel Jones’ execution pending receipt of “clemency materials,” according to the letter Judge Advocate General Major General Myron Cramer sent Congressmen Ralph Gamble and Ralph Gwinn.
The Congressmen requested a stay in Jones’ execution and executions of the six other men, until a complete investigation was done. The seven men sentenced to death and the four men sentenced to life imprisonment were accused of mutiny. They had asked several times to be transferred to another unit because of the poor treatment Black soldiers received from their captain.
Tuesday, August 18th
August 18, 1913: Chair of the House Rules Committee Robert Henry informed Yonkers resident Mrs. William Forse Scott, leader of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, she would have an opportunity to speak to the committee in December, to present arguments opposing Congress’ passing universal woman suffrage in the United States. Mrs. Scott was one of the founders of Yonkers opposition to woman suffrage. She also was the first—and for many years the only– policewoman appointed to our local department; she served only a few months.
August 18, 1944: Rotarians of London, England, saluted the Yonkers Rotary Club and entertained Yonkers servicemen with Club connections at a special evening held in their honor. All Rotarians and sons of Rotarians who were serving in England were invited to stop by for an evening of good cheer and entertainment, despite London regularly was being bombed.
Wednesday, August 19th
August 19, 1895: Yonkers Mayor John Peene and our Aldermen were hard at work practicing for a game touted to be the Westchester “Sporting Event” of the year! Our Yonkers crew would face the Mount Vernon Aldermen and Mayor Edson Lewis on Labor Day; New York City Mayor William Strong would umpire!
Both sides were spouting how they would take their opponents down… Yonkers hired a coach AND a trainer! They frequently practiced at night. The Yonkers Herald reported our City Fathers were “sliding around in vacant lots with bird cages over their heads and pillows strapped to their shins.” They confidently expected to “wipe the floor” with their opponents.
August 19, 1943: After worrying for 18 months, Anna Sedlak of Elm Street finally heard from her son! She received a card from Michael Sedlak, US Army Medical Corps, who was interned by the Japanese at Philippine Military Prison Camp #1. The message was typed, no doubt by the Japanese to insure no pertinent details got out, but the signature definitely was his!
Sergeant Sedlak served in the Army for 13 years; he attended Holy Trinity School and Gorton High School. Before joining the Army, he worked for Levine Iron Works.
Thursday, August 20th
August 20, 1927: Since its Bureau of Criminal Identification was reorganized, enlarged and reequipped the previous January, YPD had taken more than 1,000 fingerprints and 125 prisoners charged with commission of felonies were charged with commission of felonies were photographed!
August 20, 1943: Three times in twenty-four hours, firefighters were called to the Habirshaw Cable and Wire Corporation’s dump on the riverfront, just south of the plant. Fires broke out, sending thick clouds of smoke in the air; company officials said the fires probably were due to spontaneous combustion of materials in the dump.
Friday, August 21st
August 21, 1913: Thomas Ewing of Yonkers officially assumed his new position as US Commissioner of Patents.
August 21, 1952: Yonkers learned about Corporal Joseph Luciano of Linden Street’s new “best friend.” Saunders graduate Luciano had befriended a young German boy named Claus! The pair spent as much time together as possible; the Corporal shared his food and candy with the youngster and no doubt shared stories of life in Yonkers.
Before enlisting, the corporal worked for Eastern Aircraft Corporation in Tarrytown.
Saturday, August 22nd
August 22, 1928: With several aspects of the Mayoral/Common Council Presidency question undecided, Mayor Fogarty announced he would preside over the Common Council meetings until January 1st to avoid legal entanglements.
August 22, 1929: Antique Bottles and Junk Dealer Martin Whelan of Riverdale Avenue revealed old whiskey and liquor bottles were becoming fashionable to use to make table lamps.
Sunday, August 23rd
August 23, 1912: Two beautiful marble statues of angels arrived from Italy; they would be used to “enhance” the main altar of the newly built Memorial Church of St. Denis in Lowerre.
August 23, 1943: The War Manpower Commission deemed war work skills to be the only test for draft status. The Yonkers War Production Training School, our School of Aeronautical Manufacturing and Saunders Trades School, mailed recruitment notices to Yonkers non-deferrable businesses. These letters urged employees and executives aged eighteen to thirty-eight to avail themselves of our free training for war jobs during their spare time.
The notice emphasized in a war plant, trained employees would have a better job, earn more money and get promoted quicker than untrained employees. According to Program Director Lawrence Ashley, the Fall schedule was designed for men who needed essential war work training to maintain their deferred status.
Any questions on this column, email yonkershistory1646@gmail.com.
For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, the Sherwood House Museum on Tuckahoe Road or their upcoming events, please call 914-961-8940, visit their website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, or email info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org.