August 14: ON THIS DAY in 1945, It looks real now

August 14, 2020 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1892, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “TAUNTON, MASS. — Miss [Lizzie] Borden passed a comfortable night and this morning was cheerful to an unusual degree, brought about perhaps by the prospect of a visit from her sister. Mr. Jennings and Miss Emma Borden came up this morning, and the former, after a brief conversation, went away leaving Emma in the cell with her sister. The two conversed in low tones for some time, but there were no tears, no complainings, and the whole affair had the appearance of a simple, ordinary, everyday visit between friends. During part of the time, Lizzie was occupied with some sewing she had brought with her. It is understood that under no circumstances will she open her mouth and Mr. Jennings, her counsel, will do all the talking necessary.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1918, the Eagle reported, “Efforts are being made today to isolate and identify the germ of the disease which swept through the Norwegian passenger liner Bergensfjord, arriving Monday, claiming 200 victims, resulting in the death of four at sea, of one after landing here in Brooklyn, and in the serious illness of nine, now in the Norwegian Hospital in South Brooklyn. Whether the disease is really the ‘Spanish influenza,’ which has ravaged the whole of Europe in the last few months, it is as yet impossible to determine. Passengers who survived it on the stricken ship, and who observed its progress in Europe, declare that the Spanish epidemic is actually here. Physicians who have the care of the nine patients in the Norwegian Hospital, however, say that thus far they have observed nothing to indicate anything but ordinary grippe and pneumonia.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “HYANNIS, MASS. (U.P.) — Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., 21, a naval aviator and son of the former Ambassador to England, has been killed in the European theater, according to word received today … Young Kennedy had been on active duty as a navy pilot … A brother, Lt. John F. Kennedy, was commander of a PT boat in the navy. He returned to this country recently after having taken part in several hazardous engagements in the Pacific. For 10 days he was listed as missing, but later was rescued from a desolate island.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “The city’s joy, long pent by tension, fear and disappointment, began to trickle out with the pre-dawn report of Japanese surrender in an increasing flow that promised to become a flood of jubilation as the day went on. Chinatown, whose people have suffered the longest from war, was first to let go. Barely an hour after the 1:49 a.m. Domei flash, they were snake-dancing and shooting off firecrackers and breaking out flags along the narrow winding streets. By 6 a.m. the famous New Year’s papier-mache dragon was being paraded on Mott Street and extra police were out … Church bells started to ring in Flatbush, and before 4 a.m. there were bonfires in Borough Park and Red Hook … In the Borough Hall section, people pouring out of the subways to their jobs made a rush for papers.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “TAIPEH, FORMOSA (U.P.) — An estimated 100,000 Red Chinese infantrymen and 12,000 paratroopers have swung into position along the China coast facing Formosa, it was reported today. Chinatone News Agency, which claims close connections with Nationalist Chinese intelligence, said the troops bore the name of ‘Formosa Liberation Army’ and received intensive training by Communist instructors. The Chinatone report followed a declaration earlier in the day by Communist Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai that the Peiping regime is determined to ‘liberate’ Formosa. ‘The government of the People’s Republic of China once again declares that Taiwan (Formosa) is inviolably Chinese territory, that its occupation by the United States absolutely cannot be tolerated, and that it is equally intolerable to have it placed under UN trusteeship,’ Chou said. Chinatone said an entirely new command had been set up to attempt to carry out Red China’s repeated threat to assault Formosa. Nationalist quarters feared the Reds will attack Nationalist-held outpost islands off the China mainland coast before attempting to invade Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek’s island bastion.”