The Era -- Day By Day

[LizzieMaine]

The Bromaco Macaroni Company (middle and left buildings.)

Looks like a perfectly legitimate operation to me.

 

[LizzieMaine]

And here's a bit of the Dodger-Giant game from yesterday. A rare chance to see Ebbets Field in football configuration.

 

[Fading Fast]

...A 24-year-old Georgia Avenue man will face 180 counts of forgery and perjury in the writing of bail bonds, following a decision by an Appellate Court refusing a request by defense counsel for a stay. The trial of Abraham Frosch is scheduled to begin at 3:30pm today after Presiding Justice Edward Lasansky rejected the request of defense attorney William Kleinman on the ground that Kleinman is currently busy with the case of Judge George W. Martin in Albany. An aide to the Amen grand jury accused Kleinman of "artful dodging." Kleinmen sprung to his feet and resented the accusation....

If Frosch is released on bail before trial, I would encourage the officer on duty to review his bail documents very carefully.

...Eight men face charges of operating an illegal still in a Richards Street macaroni factory. The suspects, who reside in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx were accused in connection with a Federal raid at the Bromaco Macaroni Company on September 29th, with the equipment seized described by investigators as "one of the largest ever seized in Brooklyn." Bail for the eight suspects was set from $1000 to $2500, with their next court appearance set for November 8th. The macaroni factory is across the street from the Hamilton Avenue police station.....

If he hadn't been arrested, it looks likes Abraham Frosch would have had eight potentially new "customers."

...Judd killed two of her girl friends eight years ago, chopped up their bodies, and shipped them to Los Angeles in two trunks and a hat box....

(see bold) What?

...Funeral services were held today in Hollywood for noted actress Alice Brady, who died Saturday of cancer at the age of 46
She'd been acting for 30 of those years.....

She was in a lot of films in the '30s - her name pops up in TCM movie credits all the time. Not completely fair, but my vague memory is that she had a bit of a "stagey" feel - as if she hadn't fully adjusted her performance style for film.

...Loretta Young and Miriam Hopkins star in "The Old Maid," tonight on the Lux Radio Theatre, 9pm, over WABC.....

It was quite common back then to have stars do radio versions of their (or others') movies. Years ago, I bought some CDs of them. They're not great, not terrible, but definitely fun from a time-travel perspective.

 

[LizzieMaine]

When I think of Alice Brady, I always remember her as Carole Lombard's mother in "My Man Godfrey." One must, however, suspend disbelief to imagine that Miss Lombard is the product of Alice Brady and Eugene Pallette. I suspect there was a handsome milkman somewhere in the background.

Those Lux shows can be fun if you think of them as extended air trailers -- the highlights of the movie rather than the whole story. It's also interesting to hear just how bad some movie actors are at radio acting -- some of them just froze at the microphone, and it was obvious they'd rather be anywhere but. A lot of those shows were saved by the uncredited AFRA people in the supporting roles. On the other hand, a few movie people -- Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, to name some -- were very good at radio, and could have had their own shows. MacMurray actually did host "Hollywood Hotel" for a while. And Edward G. Robinson did a guest shot with "Amos 'n' Andy", of all people, on New Years Eve 1943 that was absolutely breathtaking, where he plays the crazed, suicidal embodiment of the year 1943. It really is one of his best performances anywhere.

Winnie Ruth Judd was pretty notorious in the thirties -- "trunk murders" were kind of a fad during those years, and she was, as they say, the Trope Namer. It seems this escape is only the first of several she will make over her long life (she died in 1998). A Google Image search won't reveal any grisly crime-scene photos, but it will reveal she was pretty talented at sewing sock monkeys.

 

[Fading Fast]

When I think of Alice Brady, I always remember her as Carole Lombard's mother in "My Man Godfrey." One must, however, suspend disbelief to imagine that Miss Lombard is the product of Alice Brady and Eugene Pallette. I suspect there was a handsome milkman somewhere in the background.

Those Lux shows can be fun if you think of them as extended air trailers -- the highlights of the movie rather than the whole story. It's also interesting to hear just how bad some movie actors are at radio acting -- some of them just froze at the microphone, and it was obvious they'd rather be anywhere but. A lot of those shows were saved by the uncredited AFRA people in the supporting roles. On the other hand, a few movie people -- Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, to name some -- were very good at radio, and could have had their own shows. MacMurray actually did host "Hollywood Hotel" for a while. And Edward G. Robinson did a guest shot with "Amos 'n' Andy", of all people, on New Years Eve 1943 that was absolutely breathtaking, where he plays the crazed, suicidal embodiment of the year 1943. It really is one of his best performances anywhere.

Winnie Ruth Judd was pretty notorious in the thirties -- "trunk murders" were kind of a fad during those years, and she was, as they say, the Trope Namer. It seems this escape is only the first of several she will make over her long life (she died in 1998). A Google Image search won't reveal any grisly crime-scene photos, but it will reveal she was pretty talented at sewing sock monkeys.

Robinson was put on earth to act - my guess, the medium didn't matter. In the nothing-special movie "Tales of Manhattan," there's a scene where Robinson gives a several-minutes-long speech without no special effects, interesting background, rousing music, etc. It's just him telling a story and it's an acting tour de force.

Re Trunk murders - it is amazing how crime fads happen, but they do. Kidnappings seem to go in and out of style. I'm not making light of the crime, but am noting that, they too, have a in-and-out-of-vogue thing.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There's another Robinson radio bit that really stands out -- he did a "Treasury Star Parade" in 1942, one of those freebie Government transcription shows for war bonds, where he plays a "typical Brooklyn mug" who decides to call Tokyo from a phone booth in a bar and tells Hirohito where to get off. It's a goofy premise on the surface, but for ten minutes you utterly believe it, and you want to go right out and meet your bond quota.

Robinson also put in about four and a half years as the star of "Big Town," where he played a crusading newspaper editor and pretty much set the standard for that kind of radio character. When he left the show, it lost pretty much all of its punch.

 

[Fading Fast]

There's another Robinson radio bit that really stands out -- he did a "Treasury Star Parade" in 1942, one of those freebie Government transcription shows for war bonds, where he plays a "typical Brooklyn mug" who decides to call Tokyo from a phone booth in a bar and tells Hirohito where to get off. It's a goofy premise on the surface, but for ten minutes you utterly believe it, and you want to go right out and meet your bond quota.

Robinson also put in about four and a half years as the star of "Big Town," where he played a crusading newspaper editor and pretty much set the standard for that kind of radio character. When he left the show, it lost pretty much all of its punch.

I'd love to hear Robinson's "Treasury Star Parade" performance.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Took a while to find it, but here it is: https://zootradio.com/uploads/Treasury_Star_Parade/060_Joe_Dokes_and_the_White.mp3

These Treasury shows are in murky legal status -- they were recorded by the Government, so should be public domain, but there are questions about copyrights on the scripts. But I won't tell if you don't.

There's quite a bit of "lissen, slant eyes" wartime propaganda attitude in this, but if you can overlook that Robinson's performance is brilliant.

 

[Fading Fast]

Took a while to find it, but here it is: https://zootradio.com/uploads/Treasury_Star_Parade/060_Joe_Dokes_and_the_White.mp3

These Treasury shows are in murky legal status -- they were recorded by the Government, so should be public domain, but there are questions about copyrights on the scripts. But I won't tell if you don't.

There's quite a bit of "lissen, slant eyes" wartime propaganda attitude in this, but if you can overlook that Robinson's performance is brilliant.

Thank you for finding it - much appreciated.

And what a treat. As you note, some language we don't use today, but what a combination of talented writing and acting.

Sure it's propaganda, but that's some seriously smartly written propaganda.

Somebody knew Brooklyn well and somebody knew America well. So many things stand out. America was unabashedly proud of its Christian roots, but at least nodded at its multiculturalism (I'm not arguing that it lived up to its propaganda; I'm just saying that it is how it was presented here).

As you note, Robinson is a marvel. What and actor: he becomes that "Brooklyn guy."

Fantastic - thank you again for finding it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Today in 1939, there's a squib in Danton Walker's "Broadway" column in the Daily News that Robinson is being courted to play Mayor LaGuardia in a new stage show. Oh what I wouldn't give to see that.

 

[LizzieMaine]

President Roosevelt today rejected a request by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses and Mayor LaGuardia for his intervention in favor of the proposed Brooklyn-Battery Bridge. The President, in refusing to establish an independent review commission with the power to overturn a veto of the project by the War Department, cited the current uncertainty of world conditions as reason enough to let military concerns over the project prevail, and stated that "no useful purpose would be served" by establishing the review panel.

Finland has rejected a proposed mutual-assistance pact offered by the Soviet Union -- and has also rejected a request by the Soviets for an exchange of territory. The USSR proposed swapping Soviet territory near Karella for Finnish territory near Leningrad. Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov says the Finns rejected the offer on the grounds that acceptance would "violate their neutrality."

A shakeup in the Italian government saw the removal by Premier Mussolini from his cabinet, the Fascist Party, and the Italian military of several persons known to be strongly pro-Nazi in their views. The shakeup follows the departure from Rome of the German envoy.

The US Government is warning both Germany and Britain that the safety of the 41 crew members believed to still be on board the City Of Flint must be respected, following reports from abroad suggesting that American crew members have been threatened by the German prize crew now operating the freighter, and that the Germans might be planning to blow up the ship by deliberately sailing it into a mine if the British attempt to seize the vessel by force.

A procedural victory today in the House for supporters of the Administration's proposed revision of the Neutrality Act. The bill goes now to a committee to reconcile competing Senate and House versions of the legislation.

An official announcement from Berlin states that German troops have crossed the Maginot Line into France. The reports claim that German scouting troops are investigating French territory on the French side of the line in search of hidden armaments and reinforcements.

A former official of the National Maritime Union who appeared before the Dies Committee to allege that the organization was Communist-controlled was arrested today in connection with the murder of an NMU official in New Orleans. William McCuistion had been wanted by police in Louisiana for questioning in connection with the September 17th killing of Philip Carey, who had served alongside McCuistion in the NMU before McCuistion's expulsion from the union. Committee chairman Martin Dies calls the arrest an attempt to discredit McCuistion's testimony, and called for an investigation to determine whether McCuistion's civil rights have been violated.

Today is the final day of the 1939 New York World's Fair, with The World Of Tomorrow reported to be showing "a splendit profit" as its first season concludes. Fair chairman Harvey D. Gibson says that all bank loans have been paid off, with only $586,000 owed to bondholders and contractors. Mr. Gibson did not mention $23,000,000 in outstanding bonds sold by the Fair corporation before the Fair opened. The Fair has cash assets of slightly over $1,100,000. Attendance going into today stood at nearly 26,000,000 for the season, with today's attendance as of 1pm reported to be the slowest of the year, with just under 9400 paying customers. The gates will close for the final time at 2am tomorrow morning.

Several restaurants and hot dog stands on the Fair grounds will remain open thru the winter to serve the crews of watchmen and maintenance workers who will remain on duty while the Fair prepares for next year.

Denmark is the latest country to announce it will not be returning to the Fair in 1940. That report came from the German radio.

Two holdup men stole 600 brand new tires worth $5000 and abducted a watchman in a robbery at the garage owned by Morris Lipstein at 558 Rockaway Avenue. After two hours' work of loading the tires into their truck, the robbers forced the watchman, 40-year-old Charles Wedderburn, into a customer's car and drove the car and truck to Blake and Van Sinderen Avenues, where the robbers abandoned the watchman and the car and escaped in the truck. Wedderburn, who does not know how to drive a car, walked to the Liberty Avenue police station and reported the crime.

17 people were hurt today when a bus en route to the new North Beach Airport collided with a delivery truck in Corona.

President Roosevelt today officially proclaimed November 23rd as Thanksgiving Day, following thru on his plan to extend the holiday season by one week as a stimulant to business. Several states have refused to accept the new date, and will continue to observe the holiday on November 30th. In his proclamation, the President urged Americans to "offer thanks for the hope that is within us."

Should you see bonfires tonight in Flatbush, don't call the Fire Department -- the Druids always had fires on the Vigil of Hallowmass.

A Brooklyn Surrogate Court is refusing to turn over to the German Consul power of attorney over the assets of four German Jewish refugees and has frozen a bequest left to those refugees until they themselves are able to claim it. The heirs of Isaac Weidberg, a dealer in reclaimed burlap bags who lived in Brooklyn after fleeing Germany, are due a $6000 bequest following Weidberg's death. Weidberg's widow and infant son are now reported to be living in Palestine, while his other two children are reportedly living in Denmark and Belgium. Surrogate George Winship, in refusing to comply with the German demand, assailed the "international banditry" of the Nazi government.

Winnie Ruth Judd is back in custody and under sedation in an Arizona insane asylum. The infamous trunk murderer screamed, wailed, and told authorities she had "seen terrible things" while on the loose.

TODAY -- A Revolutionary Process Brings You -- NU-BLU SUNOCO! The New Miracle of Gasoline Chemistry! All You've Ever Wanted Of A Gasoline At A Regular Price!

Eighteen people are in custody and forty-two are under indictment in connection with what's described as the largest bootlegging ring operating in Brooklyn. Manufacturing corn whiskey on obscure farms on Long Island, with distribution controlled from headquarters at 568 Pine Street, and distribution warehouses and garages located in Yaphank, Central Islip, and Manhattan, the ring is allegedly headed by 35-year-old Joseph Carlisi, whose Pine Street home was the hub of the operation. Two women are among the 42 person indicted. The ring is reported to have distributed most of its product in Harlem, and is said to have cheated the Government out of more than $4.2 million in tax revenues.

Police Commissioner Valentine has lifted his ban on taxicab cruising in midtown Manhattan following a threatened strike by night-cab drivers. The League of Mutual Taxi Owners had obtained a court order demanding the Commissioner show cause why the order should not be restrained.

"The Women" will be held over for a second week at Loew's Metropolitan.

United Artists has announced an impressive slate of releases for the 1939-40 season, including Alexander Korda's Technicolor production of "The Thief of Bagdad," Hal Roach's production of "Of Mice And Men," starring Burgess Meredith and Betty Field, and Samuel Goldwyn's production of "Raffles," with David Niven and Olivia deHavilland. The schedule's highlight is expected to be Charles Chaplin's mysterious new feature, known now only as "Production Number 6."

"The Wizard Of Oz" finally makes it out to Flatbush, but not at the Patio. "Oz" opens today at the Century Avalon, Kings Highway at 18th Street, while Patio habitues will have to make do with "Nurse Edith Cavell" and "Here I Am A Stranger." Feh.

The Superintendant of Hulls at the Brooklyn Navy Yard died last night at the World's Fair. Commander Charles F. Osborn suffered a heart attack while sitting in a chair in the Consumers' Building, and died on the spot. He was found by a porter cleaning the building, who reported the death to police. Cmdr. Osborn was 48.

One of the first women to practice law in the United States has died at the age of 77. Mrs. Alice Parker Hutchins, prominent feminist and suffragist leader, was admitted to the California bar in 1888, and had lived most recently in Patchogue after living for many years on Clinton Street in Brooklyn.

The Army-Notre Dame matchup will highlight the college grid schedule this Saturday.

Hockey season is coming soon, with the New York Americans beating the Rangers 3-1 in an exhibition game last night.

The Football Dodgers will face the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ebbets Field on Sunday. The game was to have been played in Pittsburgh, but Dodger owner Dan Topping negotiated a schedule change in view of recent strong local attendance, especially since the Giants are playing in Detroit.

Boxing promoter Joe Jacobs is denying claims that bouts pitting his clients Max Schmeling and Two-Ton-Tony Galento against heavyweight Harry Thomas were rigged. Thomas has claimed in a copyrighted article that he was paid large sums to throw the fights. Jacobs dismisses Thomas as a "punch drunk pug."

WOR will broadcast closing night at the World's Fair for half an hour beginning at 12:30 am. You can tune in here.

Jo Bungle is taking no lip from Zooie's uncle, and does not appreciate when the little freak dismisses her as "the cook." For two cents she'd....

Leona is home, and sneers at "Sunbonnet Sue," lighting a cigarette and giving her the frost. This is gonna be good.

Dan Dunn has taken care of business back home, telling a Clark Gable-type character that he wants his plane ready to fly back the lake -- even as Kay and Babs dine with John Barrymore, who has shed his ascot for a proper tie. He's a civilized man, after all.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Lipstien's Garage, 558 Rockaway Avenue.

Sure, leave the tires out front like that. Of course they're gonna get stole.

 

[LizzieMaine]

See ya next spring!

 

[Fading Fast]

...A shakeup in the Italian government saw the removal by Premier Mussolini from his cabinet, the Fascist Party, and the Italian military of several persons known to be strongly pro-Nazi in their views. The shakeup follows the departure from Rome of the German envoy....

One of the small mysteries about Hitler is why he liked Mussolini so much. Hitler thought brilliant people were fools, but this guy he respected (at least for a time)?

...An official announcement from Berlin states that German troops have crossed the Maginot Line into France. The reports claim that German scouting troops are investigating French territory on the French side of the line in search of hidden armaments and reinforcements....

Nothing for the French to worry about here - all's good.

...Today is the final day of the 1939 New York World's Fair, with The World Of Tomorrow reported to be showing "a splendit profit" as its first season concludes. Fair chairman Harvey D. Gibson says that all bank loans have been paid off, with only $586,000 owed to bondholders and contractors. Mr. Gibson did not mention $23,000,000 in outstanding bonds sold by the Fair corporation before the Fair opened. The Fair has cash assets of slightly over $1,100,000. Attendance going into today stood at nearly 26,000,000 for the season, with today's attendance as of 1pm reported to be the slowest of the year, with just under 9400 paying customers. The gates will close for the final time at 2am tomorrow morning....

"Mr. Gibson did not mention $23,000,000 in outstanding bonds sold by the Fair corporation before the Fair opened."

- Just like today, we ignore the debt and say all is well. Nice to know that nothing's changed.

...A Brooklyn Surrogate Court is refusing to turn over to the German Consul power of attorney over the assets of four German Jewish refugees and has frozen a bequest left to those refugees until they themselves are able to claim it. The heirs of Isaac Weidberg, a dealer in reclaimed burlap bags who lived in Brooklyn after fleeing Germany, are due a $6000 bequest following Weidberg's death. Weidberg's widow and infant son are now reported to be living in Palestine, while his other two children are reportedly living in Denmark and Belgium. Surrogate George Winship, in refusing to comply with the German demand, assailed the "international banditry" of the Nazi government....

My God, the Nazis left no stone unturned when looting from the Jewish people. Good for Brooklyn's Surrogate Court.

...and Samuel Goldwyn's production of "Raffles," with David Niven and Olivia deHavilland....

"Raffles" is a very enjoyable movie - plays on TCM now and again - and has a scene that includes a TV showing a (I think) British cricket or rugby match. For '39, that's pretty state-of-the-art technology.

...One of the first women to practice law in the United States has died at the age of 77. Mrs. Alice Parker Hutchins, prominent feminist and suffragist leader, was admitted to the California bar in 1888, and had lived most recently in Patchogue after living for many years on Clinton Street in Brooklyn.....

Very cool. And I'm just guessing, but this is probably not a woman you want to get into an argument with.

...Boxing promoter Joe Jacobs is denying claims that bouts pitting his clients Max Schmeling and Two-Ton-Tony Galento against heavyweight Harry Thomas were rigged. Thomas has claimed in a copyrighted article that he was paid large sums to throw the fights. Jacobs dismisses Thomas as a "punch drunk pug."....

Quite the comedown for Schmeling. It was only a year ago when he was fighting Joe Louis in "The Fight of the Century."

 

[David Conwill]

Should you see bonfires tonight in Flatbush, don't call the Fire Department -- the Druids always had fires on the Vigil of Hallowmass.

Are there...or were there in 1939...a lot of Druids in Flatbush?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Well, there were a lot of Irish people. In 1939, it's the same thing.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There are conflicting reports today on the whereabouts of a British freighter that may have been sunk in US waters off the coast of New England. Sea and air rescue craft are searching a zone along the Atlantic coast between Boston and New York for any sign of the vessel Coulmore, last known to be traveling well within the Neutrality Zone set up by the recent Panama Conference. If German submarines targeted the ship within that zone, the US Government could protest to Germany. There are reports that the last known distress signals from the Coulmore, which was carrying a load of Russian coal, indicated a submarine attack, but these reports are not confirmed.

It may be as long as a week before the City Of Flint makes port in Germany. The captured American freighter, sailed by a German prize crew as a contraband ship, is reported to be hugging the three-mile limit as it traces a course along the coast of Norway.

A speech before Russia's Supreme Soviet by Foreign Minister Molotov is under fire in both the US and Finland. US Representative McCormack, a Democrat from Massachusetts, criticized Molotov's remarks concerning President Roosevelt's "interference" in the negotiations between the Soviet Union and Finland, while Finnish officials continue to denounce as "unacceptable" Soviet proposals for a territory exchange that would give Russia clear naval access to the sea near Leningrad.

The mother of the former union official arrested for murder this week following his testimony before the Dies Committee told that panel that the president of the National Maritime Union had told her that there were sufficient Communists within the Government to take over the nation "and the people in the Hinterland would know nothing about it." Mrs. Dolly M. Crawford, mother of accused killer William C. McCuistion, told the Committee that NMU president Joseph Cullan made the remarks to her in 1937. Mrs. Crawford also testified that her son had fought with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain until he deserted. McCuistion was arrested as a fugitive from justice in Louisiana on charges connected to the September slaying of an NMU official.

President Roosevelt's rejection of the proposed Brooklyn-Battery Bridge could leave the door open to reconsider the idea once the world situation settles down. So agree supporters of the $44,000,000 project, with Mayor LaGuardia stating that he will never give up hope for another vehicular link between Brooklyn and Manhattan.

A prosecution witness in the removal trial of Judge George Martin told investigators in Albany today that while he himself did profit from discounted fees to lawyers appointed to the State Lunacy Commission by Judge Martin, the judge himself did not know about the arrangement. Brooklyn attorney Benjamin Schaffer admitted under questioning that he had made similar fee arrangements with lawyers appointed by other judges as well, to the tune of a 10 percent fee to himself for arranging the appointments. Meanwhile, Judge Martin's son in law testified that when he was having trouble meeting a car payment, Judge Martin appointed him to a $250 seat on the Lunacy Commission.

A man and his wife plunged to their deaths from the 27th floor of the Hotel New Yorker in Manhattan early this morning in an apparent suicide pact. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wilson of Detroit leaped from a window of Room 2748 around 6 am, landing on an extended roof of the fifth floor. Walker, a butter and egg salesman, and his wife had been married for fifteen years, but relatives state that they had been experiencing financial troubles and often talked of suicide.

A $57,000,000 grade crossing project that could change the face of several Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods is advancing, according to Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. The project would eliminate surface rail crossings in the Atlantic Avenue area, Rockaway, and Aqueduct, along with 112 other crossings, replacing them with tunnels. Work began this morning on an early phase of the Atlantic Avenue project with the start of demolition of the Autumn Avenue station.

Two dogs facing execution for biting people got a reprieve today, almost at the very door of the lethal gas chamber. Bob the spitz and Brownie the cocker spaniel, both sentenced to die by the Health Department after they were determined to be vicious, will have their cases reviewed after legal challenges were raised by their owners. Bob's fate comes down to certain clauses in the Sanitation Code which, lawyers say, are being applied retroactively. A Brooklyn Supreme Court justice must rule on this point before the execution may take place. In the matter of Brownie, questions are being raised as to whether the dog actually bit the three persons he is alleged to have bitten, or if they were merely scratched.

Flushing's Mad Meadow woke up this morning to a barren and deserted scene today, following closing ceremonies overnight at the New York World's Fair. Crews were seen loading valuables from exhibit halls into armored trucks for safe storage over the winter, while maintenance staff put the grounds in order for the winter. There was little activity last night and no Halloween pranking, with most exhibits closing well before the final 2AM shutdown. The hub of what excitement there was was the Swing Mardi Gras Casino, where thousands of jitterbugs whirled and swirled to the music of Jack Teagarden and his orchestra.

Fair chairman Harvey D. Gibson announced that the 75-cent admission ticket will be no more in 1940 -- with the standard ticket price dropping to 50 cents for the new season that opens in May.

A 28-year-old Bloomfield man was arrested at the Fair for assaulting a policeman. Aloysius Kaiser, an employee of the Metals Building, is charged with walking up to patrolman Jack Garfield, grabbing his shield and club, and then "sailing into him with hands and feet." No other incidents were reported.

A 29-year-old Ocean Avenue man faces an assault charge after striking his wife. Howard Malley was held on $500 bail by a magistrate in Coney Island Court after the victim, Mrs. Josephine Malley, testified that he had hit her on the night of October 27th. Mrs. Malley told the court she had returned home from work earlier than usual and found her husband entertaining another woman.

The new spy melodrama "U-Boat 29," now showing at the Brooklyn Fox, is an exciting story according to Herbert Cohn. The British film, one of many war-conscious pictures being turned out in that country, pictures vividly the horror of submarine warfare. Also on the bill, Bonita Granville is up to her usual tricks in "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase," which isn't much of a mystery, since the solution is obvious a third of the way into the picture, but the comical mischief of Nancy and her boyfriend are amusing enough.

The three-way suicide of a Flatbush family is cloaked in mystery. 50 year old Martin and Mary Lynch of 2017 Ocean Avenue and their 26-year-old son Michael were found dead of gas asphyxiation today, with a note containing $42.17 and a request for the cheapest possible burial found near the bodies. Although the son was reported to be unemployed, Mr. Lynch worked as a guard in the cashier's department of the New York Life Insurance Company, and police have found no explanation for the suicides.

The body of a former Brooklyn woman was found trussed up in a trunk in Mexico City, where authorities are investigating the possibility that she was slain in order to gain access to a large sum of money left to her by her husband. Mrs. Meleah Talmadge DeWitt Aroaz was the widow of Don Manuel Aroaz, said to be a wealthy and prominent Mexican. Mrs. Aroaz's sister, who lives in Maywood, N. J., told authorities she had sent her sister $200 recently because the bequest from her late husband has been tied up in court.

Halloween revelers broke 1000 windows in Queens last night, including many plate glass windows in stores and other businesses.

An eighteen-year-old unwed mother from Brooklyn has admitted to police that she killed her infant daughter by suffocation rather than give her up for adoption. Virginia D'Amore, who weighs 80 pounds and appeared undernourished, came forward after the baby's body was found last week in a bundle in a railroad station checkroom in Paterson, N. J.

All eyes in the sporting world are on Madison Square Garden tonight, where the world's bantamweight boxing title is on the line when Tony Canzoneri takes on current champion Al Davis. The fight will be broadcast at 10pm over WJZ.

Unbeaten Dartmouth will face a big test when it goes up against Yale in football action on Saturday. This weekend's games may do much toward determining who will play whom in the 1940 Rose Bowl.

Why is Charlie McCarthy off the Chase & Sanborn Hour? Edgar Bergen is working with a new wooden partner, the shambling hayseed Mortimer Snerd, and it appears Charlie will be getting a vacation. McCarthy is said to be considering an act with a new partner, one who has hair and doesn't move his lips as much.

Uncle Boohoo -- that's MISTER Boohoo to you -- continues to annoy the Bungles, even more so when several persons to whom Uncle owes money show up to collect. "Pay these chaps for me," says Boohoo. "I'm too busy to bother with money matters."

Leona lights another ciggie while Cousin Sue prattles on about how much she'd like to meet Ted. Because unlike Leona HE READS BOOKS.

John Barrymore -- whose real name appears to be "Mr. Dook" -- is being all suave until Babs lets spill about them knowing Dan Dunn, the greatest detective IN THE WHOLE WORLD. It seems Mr. Dook knows Dan quite well, and after blowing smoke out his nostrils, he sneers conspiratorially, not remembering that Kay and Babs are sitting right there. If these are the kinds of characters Dan cleans up on, no wonder he's the greatest detective IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

 

[Fading Fast]

...A man and his wife plunged to their deaths from the 27th floor of the Hotel New Yorker in Manhattan early this morning in an apparent suicide pact. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wilson of Detroit leaped from a window of Room 2748 around 6 am, landing on an extended roof of the fifth floor. Walker, a butter and egg salesman, and his wife had been married for fifteen years, but relatives state that they had been experiencing financial troubles and often talked of suicide.....

Not making light of the tragedy, but was he a genuine butter-and-egg salesman or the derisive "came to NYC from the sticks" kind?

...A $57,000,000 grade crossing project that could change the face of several Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods is advancing, according to Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. The project would eliminate surface rail crossings in the Atlantic Avenue area, Rockaway, and Aqueduct, along with 112 other crossings, replacing them with tunnels. Work began this morning on an early phase of the Atlantic Avenue project with the start of demolition of the Autumn Avenue station.....

He was never without a ready-to-go massive plan: No $44,000,000 Brooklyn-Battery Bridge, well how 'bout a $57,000,000 grade-crossing project. It's odd that the grade-crossing project costs so much more - or simply more - than a bridge; that had to be one big grade crossing.

...A 29-year-old Ocean Avenue man faces an assault charge after striking his wife. Howard Malley was held on $500 bail by a magistrate in Coney Island Court after the victim, Mrs. Josephine Malley, testified that he had hit her on the night of October 27th. Mrs. Malley told the court she had returned home from work earlier than usual and found her husband entertaining another woman.....

She should have been hitting him. I would have expected less of a euphemism from "The Eagle" than "entertaining."

 

[LizzieMaine]

The article says that Mrs. Malley "remonstrated" her husband when she caught him entertaining his ladyfriend. The paper can be awfully lace-curtain when it wants to be. I look forward to the Daily News's take on the story.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Virginia herself would be 98 if she's still living, which would be a long time to think about life's sad turns.

A bit of research into the Eagle's archives finds that she grew up in an orphanage and was sent to a reform school in 1937 after getting involved with some petty thefts, and was treated with extreme harshness while in custody. When she got out she ended up working as an usherette in a burlesque house in New Jersey, where she got to see the very worst that The 1930s Male had to offer, and pregnancy soon followed. She was working as a waitress in Brooklyn when the baby was born -- the infant was just five weeks old when she died. Virginia told the Daily News she did what she did because was "ashamed not to be married."