By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emerita Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, November 7th
November 7, 1924: Lu Chow, head of the notorious Hip Sing Tong, was arraigned before Judge Charles Boote on a charge of illegal gun possession. The good judge suspended this charge pending the outcome of more serious charges against Chow in the Big Apple. Yonkers Homicide Squad detectives took Chow, arrested in a raid at 8 Herriot Street, to Manhattan to face the charge of murdering the owner of a Corona tearoom with a hatchet. Trailing and guarding the Yonkers Police car were five Hip Sing Tong men in a car, afraid a rival gang would try to assassinate Chow to avenge the murder. All arrived at the New York Court without incident.
November 7, 1935: Marie and Kathleen McCarthy, daughters of City Employment Director Frank McCarthy, dug up something other than weeds when gardening in their Elliott Street backyard. Kathleen’s trowel hit something hard. When she examined it, she saw it was a coin. The coin had a king’s head and the words “Georgius II RX” on one side, and a figure of a woman on the other. Although worn fairly smooth, the date 1710 easily could be seen without a magnifying glass.
Tuesday November 8th
November 8, 1946: Two families, who were to move into Yonkers’ first temporary veterans’ housing project at Coyne Park, McLean Avenue, were evicted from their apartments. The Veterans Service Agency quickly moved their furniture into a unit at Coyne, but the families could not move in until the utilities were hooked up. One of the families, headed by a WWI veteran, was a Gold Star Family; they had lost their only son from wounds at Pearl Harbor. The second family was headed by a WWII veteran, his wife and two children. Forty-six other veterans’ families faced eviction and were approved to move into Coyne.
November 8, 1949: City Judge Fiorillo issued a warrant for Joseph LoCascio Sr, on a charge of third degree assault made by daughter-in-law. Annette LoCascio. Joseph Sr. had not appeared for a summons from the Court of Special Sessions. Mrs. LoCascio claimed her father-in-law not only punched her, she was carried to a car and driven to her brother’s home.
Wednesday, November 9th:
November 9, 1918: Major M. J. Booth and Elmer Spencer could not find the aviation field at Mineola, so instead landed their airplane on a field in Dunwoodie, shocking the residents of nearby Seminary Avenue!
November 9, 1928: After an official inspection of the facility, New York State Commissioner of Corrections John Kennedy recommended the construction of a steel-barred partition between the new Alexander Street City Jail’s outer entrance and the corridor entrance.
Thursday, November 10th:
November 10, 1944: The first aftershock to suspension of City Manager William Walsh was the resignation of W. Chantler Arbuckle, unsalaried Deputy Public Safety Commissioner and Trial Commissioner. Arbuckle stated “the present suspension and pending ouster of Judge Walsh from his position in the city government” released him from obligation to continue in office. He was to conduct one of the most sensational police trials in the history of Yonkers just four days later. Formal charges were to be brought against Police Chief Kruppenbacher, at home with pneumonia, Lieutenant Edward O’Connor, and Patrolmen Thomas Boyle, Fred Connolly and Charles Polsenski. Acting City Manager Robert Montgomery asked Arbuckle to reconsider.
Friday, November 11th:
November 11, 1948: Two Roosevelt HS students were injured after plaster fell from the boys’ gym ceiling! Sam Preston was struck on the head: after x-rays, he was kept for observation in Lawrence Hospital, Dave Owen required stitches for a leg gash.
November 11, 1948: Pope Pius XII named Msgr. Joseph Flannelly Auxiliary to Francis Cardinal Spellman. Flannelly was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Seminary and College, and assistant Pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary (Holy Rosary) from 1918-1938. He was appointed Chaplain of the Yonkers Fire Department by Cardinal Hayes, served as Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, and ran several Catholic Charities drives. After leaving Holy Rosary, he was assigned to the staff of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Saturday, November 12th:
November 12, 1939: Mayor Joseph Loehr was the official starter for the Yonkers Marathon at Empire City by the Chippewa Club. Honorary referees were Empire Racing Association President James Butler, Chippewa Club President Thomas Brogan, and Chippewa Club VP Edward Murray. Recreation Superintendent James McCrudden announced local athletes Samuel Mellor, Tom Morrissey and Joe Lapchick would serve as inspectors. Pat Dengis of Baltimore shattered Johnny Kelley’s record, winning the race for the third year. Prizes were presented at a “Marathon Dance” at the Chippewa Club. Dengis caught the 10 pm train home to Baltimore and reported to work at the Glenn Martin Airplane Factory at 7 am the next day!
Sunday, November 13th:
November 13, 1946: Movie star Virginia Mayo, Showboat’s Carol Bruce and Radio star Barbara O’Brien joined a dozen other entertainers to trim the Yonkers Tercentennial Christmas Tree! Two huge Army searchlights lighted the tree In Larkin Plaza. The Yonkers Girl Scout Choir sang Christmas carols while the visitors decorated the tree. Decorated by 450 light bulbs, the tree twinkled as each entertainer hung a large silver star in front of hundreds of Yonkers residents. Radio announcer Johnny Grant was the MC; Dean Murphy, President Roosevelt’s favorite entertainer, did impersonations. David Brooks of “Bloomer Girl,” Maria Gambarelli of the Metropolitan Opera Dance Company, orchestra leader Hal Chase, nightclub musical comedy stars Phyllis Arnold and Tony Craig joined in the festivities. Local officials taking part were Colonel Oliver Troster, City Manager Montgomery, Miss Tercentennial Isabelle Russell, and Caesar Quadrino. The tree, a 50- foot spruce grown on the Untermyer estate, was lit each night for five hours.
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 yhsociety@aol.com.
