September 21: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1913, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “ALBANY, SEPT. 20 — Governor [William] Sulzer tonight broke his long silence, which he has maintained since his impeachment trial began, and declared he had no intention of resigning and would fight the battle to the end. ‘Resign!’ he ejaculated. ‘I have no more idea of doing that than I have of committing hari-kari.’ And then the governor thumped his interviewer on the chest and gave other evidences of the fact that he is in a fighting mood. Also the governor is not in such ill health as has been reported. The fact that he has not seen anyone within the last two days led to the report that he was in a weakened condition. He is sleeping late mornings, but he is also working late at night. The lights in the mansion frequently are burning until long after midnight. A caller at the mansion at 11 o’clock this morning was informed that the governor was still in bed. The governor’s formal statement that he would not resign was not issued until after he had argued at great length with his counsel. Throughout the case they have been opposed to his saying anything for publication. But he has overruled them a few times, though not since the trial began, until tonight. ‘The governor is an orator,’ one of his counsel said, ‘and we had to give in to him.’”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “PRAGUE (U.P.) — The Czech government bowed under the ‘irresistible pressure’ of Britain and France today and formally surrendered to Adolf Hitler’s demand for partition of the republic. Unless the army should revolt and decide to fight Germany by declaring that approval of the cabinet’s decision by the interparty parliamentary commission is unconstitutional, the post-war Czechoslovak Republic as constituted at Versailles ceased in effect to exist at 6:55 p.m. today. At that hour the note of acceptance was handed to the British and French legations here. The official communique said: ‘The Czech Government has been forced under irresistible pressure from both the British and French Governments to accept with pain the proposals elaborated in London.’ The British-French plan provides for surrender of the most valuable positions of the Sudeten-German area to Hitler. It does not include surrender of other areas to Poland and Hungary, but those countries, with the approval of Hitler and Premier Mussolini of Italy, have notified the Powers that it must be done if Germany’s claims are granted. The news of surrender sent a wave of patriotic indignation through the capital. Extra detachments of police were placed at all strategic points in the city. Shortly before 5 p.m., crowds began gathering in the streets, shouting: ‘Long live the republic! Long live Czechoslovakia!’”
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.