July 28: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 28, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1915, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — A mob of infuriated Haitians today removed Vilbrun Guillaume, president of Haiti, from the French legation, where he took refuge yesterday, and shot him to death in front of the building. This act of violence followed immediately the burial of the 160 political prisoners who were massacred in prison yesterday morning at the time of the revolutionary outbreak against President Guillaume. The mob was composed in very large part of relatives of the victims of this wholesale execution. The crowd invaded the French legation and seized Guillaume. M. Girard, the French minister to Haiti, protested vigorously but he was powerless before the fury of the people. Guillaume was dragged from the protection of the legation. Once in the street the crowd surged around him with imprecations and he was promptly shot to death. Even then the anger of the people was not appeased. The body of the president was mutilated and tied to the end of a rope. It was dragged through the streets of the city. The people of Port-Au-Prince are in a state of intense excitement and further violence is feared.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1924, the Eagle reported, “PARIS (A.P.) — America’s 1924 Olympic invasion of Europe has ended successfully and the last of the Yankee athletes — some 200 in all — are sailing from Cherbourg on the steamship America today, anticipating the homecoming due them as bearers of the laurel. The Olympic competition, which started with the winter’s sports at Chamonix in January, came to a formal close yesterday with appropriate ceremonies in the Colombes Stadium, including the award of 361 medals, 98 of which went to the United States. Prizes were given for the first three places in each event, although six places counted in the point scoring. The Americans won 45 firsts, 26 seconds and 27 thirds, and carried off eight championships, including virtually all the major branches of sport — track and field, rowing, swimming, tennis, boxing, catch-as-catch-can wrestling, target shooting and rugby.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “Dr. Marcus D. Kogel, city hospitals commissioner, today sent out an emergency call for at least 200 nurses for full-time work in handling the increasing number of poliomyelitis cases in the city. He said there are at least 135 patients in isolation in five of the city’s hospitals. At the same time, the Health Department reported 19 new cases in a 24-hour period, and one more death, in Brooklyn. The department said nine of the 14 infantile paralysis deaths in the city since July 1 have been in Brooklyn. Health Commissioner Harry S. Mustard, terming the city’s outbreak a ‘mild epidemic,’ pointed out the total number of cases reported so far this year was 247, compared with under 75 for the same periods in the past three years. However, he said the problem was nothing like that in 1916 or 1931, when the totals were 3,457 and 620 respectively. Dr. Kogel asked all graduate nurses, regardless of how well they may think they are equipped to handle the disease, to come forward. He said the amount of experience or the length of time out of practice would not be a problem, since the city plans to give special training to all nurses assigned to polio cases.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “PANMUNJOM (U.P.) — The Communists today agreed under U.N. pressure to begin returning United Nations prisoners — including 3,313 Americans — at a 400-per-day clip beginning Aug. 5. The United Nations command wanted to get the exchange going sooner and move it faster. But the Reds confessed that their rickety communications system and inadequate facilities for handling the 2,400 men the U.N. will return daily made an earlier date or more rapid handling impossible. The Communists said that within one month they will be able to exchange more than 12,000 Allied prisoners they hold for 74,000 Chinese and North Korean POWs who want to return to Communism. Another 25,000 Chinese and North Koreans who have refused to return behind the Iron Curtain will be turned over by the U.N. to a five-nation neutral custodial commission.”

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John David Washington
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

Elizabeth Berkley
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Garfield” cartoonist Jim Davis, who was born in 1945; “Lou Grant” star Linda Kelsey, who was born in 1946; “All in the Family” star Sally Struthers, who was born in 1947; Devo co-founder Jerry Casale, who was born in 1948; 1971 American League Cy Young winner Vida Blue, who was born in 1949; Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse, who was born in 1954; “Saved by the Bell” star Elizabeth Berkley, who was born in 1972; political aide Huma Abedin, who was born in 1976; four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobili, who was born in 1977; former New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise, who was born in 1984; and “Ballers” star John David Washington, who was born in 1984.

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AMERICAN IDOL: Rudy Vallee was born on this day in 1901. The singer, saxophone player and radio idol of millions in the 1930s was born in Vermont. He used a megaphone to amplify his voice and introduced his performances with the greeting “Heigh-ho-everybody.” He appeared in a number of movies, including “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Among his best-remembered songs are “I’m Just a Vagabond Lover,” “Say It Isn’t So” and his signature song. “My Time is Your Time.” He died in 1986.

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FIRST CLASS: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was born on this in 1929. The native of Southampton, N.Y. married Sen. John F. Kennedy in 1953 and was the first lady of the U.S. from 1961 until her husband’s assassination in 1963. She later married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. After his death in 1975, she moved to New York City and became a prominent book editor. She died in 1994.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

Quotable:

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”

— Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was born on this day in 1929