August 7: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

August 7, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1892, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “FALL RIVER, MASS. — The latest development in the Borden murder, relating particularly to the theory of poisoning, has given way to discussion among the people today to talk of the funerals, which took place this morning. As early as 9 o’clock the house was surrounded by a great crowd of curiosity seekers. Reporters, artists, photographers and policemen were active among them. Shortly after 10:30, Mr. Morse came from the house and talked freely with a group of reporters. He said it was a terrible thing to be suspected and shadowed as he has been, but he courts the fullest investigation and is anxious and willing to do all that he can to trace the perpetrators of the great crimes. He said Miss Lizzie Borden’s health was in about the same condition as it was last Thursday afternoon. She did not mingle with the family to any great extent.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1916, the Eagle reported, “Microscopic examination of various sorts of insects that may be found in the city at this season will be made by a corps of thirty or forty naturalists to determine, if possible, if infantile paralysis is being spread by insect carriers. Health Commissioner Emerson, in announcing today that this work would be undertaken, said that the naturalists would be secured by federal health officers. Flies, mosquitoes, bugs and all kinds of winged and crawling insects will be subjected to microscopic and other tests in the hope of finding what insects, if any, are carriers of the infantile paralysis germ. No recovered infantile paralysis patients have answered the appeal of the Board of Health for blood as the basis of a serum to fight the disease, according to a statement issued by Dr. Emerson at noon today. Cooperating with the federal health authorities, the local board is preparing to visit homes for crippled and deformed persons outside New York which may be visited by patients suffering from the after-effects of the disease in the hope of securing the necessary blood for the new serum.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “GUAM (U.P.) — Tokyo said today that American atomic bombs descended on Hiroshima by parachute yesterday, exploded before reaching the ground and caused such great devastation that authorities still have not ascertained its full extent. Japanese propagandists said use of the new weapon was ‘sufficient to brand the enemy for ages to come as the destroyer of … mankind’ and ‘public enemy number one of social justice.’ An investigation was under way into the extent of the destruction in the world’s first atomic bombing, Tokyo said. First reports showed a ‘considerable number’ of houses had been demolished and fires broke out at several places, the broadcast added. The broadcast, coming 36 hours after the raid, said the destructive power of the new weapon ‘cannot be slighted,’ but claimed that Japanese authorities already were working out ‘effective counter measures.’ ‘The history of war shows that the new weapon, however effective, will eventually lose its power, as the opponent is bound to find methods to nullify its effects,’ Tokyo said hopefully.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “BOSTON (U.P.) — John F. Kennedy, handsome, blue-eyed son of the former Ambassador to Britain, revived a family tradition when he ran for nomination for Congress — and won. Though his father never held an elective post, Kennedy’s two grandfathers — former Mayor John F. Fitzgerald and the late U.S. Senator Patrick J. Kennedy — were men of winning ways, both in and out of politics. Kennedy, 29 and a Harvard graduate, decided to enter politics while lying on a hospital bed, recovering from wounds suffered as a PT boat skipper during the war. ‘It was either politics or the newspaper business,’ he said. ‘And the Kennedys always have been interested in politics. That probably tipped the scales.’ Kennedy won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Representative from the 11th Massachusetts District, and since nomination is tantamount to election, he undoubtedly will succeed 71-year-old James M. Curley in Congress.”

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Charlize Theron
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Wayne Knight
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “A Prairie Home Companion” creator Garrison Keillor, who was born in 1942; Pro Football Hall of Famer and jurist Alan Page, who was born in 1945; television producer Marty Appel, who was born in Brooklyn in 1948; political activist and author Alan Keyes, who was born in 1950; “Seinfeld” star Wayne Knight, who was born in 1955; Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, who was born in 1958; “The X-Files” star David Duchovny, who was born in 1960; Reason editor-at-large Nick Gillespie, who was born in Brooklyn in 1963; 2010 World Series MVP Edgar Renteria, who was born in 1975; Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, who was born in 1975; fashion designer Charlotte Ronson, who was born in 1977; “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” star Cirroc Lofton, who was born in 1978; “Limitless” star Abbie Cornish, who was born in 1982; Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who was born in 1987; and three-time American League MVP Mike Trout, who was born in 1991.

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HEART OF A WARRIOR: On this day in 1782, at Newburgh, N.Y., Gen. George Washington ordered the creation of a Badge of Military Merit. The badge consisted of a purple cloth heart with silver braided edge. Only three are known to have been awarded during the Revolutionary War. The award was reinstituted on the bicentennial of Washington’s birth, Feb. 22, 1932, and recognizes those wounded in action.

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LET’S PLAY THE FEUD: On this day in 1882, the long-simmering tension between two Appalachian families who lived near Tug Fork on the Kentucky-West Virginia border erupted into full-scale violence when brothers Tolbert, Pharmer and Randolph McCoy knifed and shot Ellison Hatfield. The Hatfield family captured the three McCoys. When Ellison died on Aug. 9, the Hatfields executed the brothers. The feud continued with much loss of life. In 1888, when Kentucky authorities sought to detain the murder suspects and West Virginia authorities complained, the dispute went all the way to the Supreme Court, which decided in Kentucky’s favor. The feud sputtered out by the end of the century.

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

Quotable:

“Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose.”

— author Garrison Keillor, who was born on this day in 1942