August 6: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

August 6, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1913, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The Frawley Legislative Investigating Committee, resuming at the City Hall today its inquiry into the campaign funds received by Governor [William] Sulzer last fall, secured fresh testimony regarding large bank deposits made by Louis A. Sarecky, the governor’s former confidential secretary, who, when questioned regarding the governor’s campaign account, declined to answer questions and was threatened with arrest. Testimony was adduced to show that from September 1, 1912 to January 1, 1913, the governor made deposits at the Farmers Loan and Trust Company amounting to $21,000. Reference was also made to the Schiff campaign check for $2,500 and to the Elkus check for $500, neither of which was in the governor’s campaign account. Both Mr. Schiff and Mr. Elkus were out of town and were not under subpoena as witnesses.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, the Eagle reported, “New York City was turned into an armed camp today, under an elaborate and extensive police guard, following two terrific bomb explosions which, shortly before last midnight, wrecked two subway stations of the B.M.T and I.R.T. Service was blocked by the wreckage on both lines, a large number of persons were injured and at least one was reported dead. The explosions were in the 28th St. station of the B.M.T. subway, at 28th St. and Broadway, and the 28th St. station of the East Side I.R.T. line, at 28th St. and 4th Ave., both in lower Manhattan. Coming almost at the same time as two other bombings in Baltimore and Philadelphia, the police, although no definite clues were forthcoming, were of the opinion that sympathizers of Sacco and Vanzetti might have set off the bombs as a powerful expression of disapproval of the approaching executions.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “Governor [Franklin] Roosevelt, it became known today, has directed Mayor [Jimmy] Walker to appear before him in Albany at 1:30 p.m. next Thursday for a hearing on the removal charges against him. He also asked that the mayor’s rejoinder to Samuel Seabury’s ‘reply’ be in the governor’s hands on Monday. Governor Roosevelt’s action was revealed in a letter received today by James E. Finegan, defeated candidate for Supreme Court justice on the No-Deal party ticket last fall and one of those who brought charges seeking removal of the mayor on the basis of the evidence turned up in the Seabury investigation. Finegan had just filed a rebuttal of his own with the governor, calling the mayor’s answer a ‘sham,’ when the letter arrived … The governor conferred yesterday with Martin Conboy, one of his legal advisers in the Walker removal proceedings, and indicated he hoped to dispose of the matter before he begins his active presidential campaign on Aug. 20.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1936, Eagle editor Cleveland Rogers said, “The world salutes the invincible Jesse Owens, the American Negro, who has just won his third medal at the Olympic games. Owens broke Olympic and world records, so there will be no arguments over his achievement. Walt Whitman would have saluted Owens. He would take pride in the advances being made by Negroes in the United States. Prejudiced persons may say that physical prowess is meaningless, but Negroes are distinguishing themselves in other fields quite as effectively as Jesse Owens on the cinder track.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “GUAM (U.P.) — American fighter-bombers hit Tokyo and five surrounding prefectures today only a few hours after almost 600 Superfortresses set fire to five major targets along a 550-mile stretch of Japan in a pre-dawn assault. Radio Tokyo said 130 Iwo-based Mustangs swarmed over the greater Tokyo area in two waves for an hour shortly before 9 a.m., bombing and strafing military and transport objects. Urban areas of several cities also were said to have been attacked … Meanwhile, high-ranking officers of the 3rd Fleet said the great armada now was so powerful it could steam directly into Tokyo Bay if ordered. Vice Admiral John S. McCain, commander of the fleet’s carriers, told newsmen his airmen were determined to hunt down and destroy every plane in Japan before the invasion.”

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Soleil Moon Frye
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

M. Night Shyamalan
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include science fiction author Piers Anthony, who was born in 1934; “The Bob Newhart Show” star Peter Bonerz, who was born in 1938; “Days of Our Lives” star Louise Sorel, who was born in 1940; “The Jesse Owens Story” star Dorian Harewood, who was born in 1950; “7th Heaven” star Catherine Hicks, who was born in 1951; former National League Rookie of the Year Bob Horner, who was born in 1957; “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” star Michelle Yeoh, who was born in 1962; Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson, who was born in 1965; ESPN host Mike Greenberg, who was born in 1967; “Unbreakable” director M. Night Shyamalan, who was born in 1970; Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who was born in 1972; “Up in the Air” star Vera Farmiga, who was born in 1973; ESPN host Max Kellerman, who was born in 1973; “Punky Brewster” star Soleil Moon Frye, who was born in 1976; and former NFL quarterback Seneca Wallace, who was born in 1980.

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POET’S CORNER: Alfred Lord Tennyson was born on this day in 1809. The English poet’s most celebrated works include “The Lady of Shalott” and “Ulysses” and the verse novelettes “Maud,” “Enoch Arden,” “In Memoriam,” “Locksley Hall Sixty Years After” and “The Idylls of the King.” He succeeded William Wordsworth as English poet laureate in 1850. He died in 1892.

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WAR IS HELL: The first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan on this day in 1945. The Enola Gay, an American B-29 bomber, dropped the bomb over Hiroshima, killing 80,000 civilians and destroying the city. It is estimated that another 100,000 people were injured and died as a direct result of the bomb and the radiation it produced. Another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later. On Sept. 2, Japan officially surrendered to the Allies, ending World War II.

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

Quotable:

“He makes no friends who never made a foe.”

— Alfred Lord Tennyson, who was born on this day in 1809