April 27: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

April 27, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1865, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — Yesterday morning a squadron of the Sixteenth New York Cavalry traced Booth and Harrold to a barn between Bowling Green and Port Royal, near Fredericksburg, Va. The barn was surrounded and a demand made for their surrender, which Harrold was in favor of doing, but upon Booth calling him a coward he refused to do so. The barn was then set on fire and upon its getting too hot Harrold again presented himself and put his hands through the door to be handcuffed. While this was going on, Booth fired upon the soldiers, upon which a Sergeant fired at him. The ball of the Sergeant took effect in the head of Booth, killing him. Harrold was taken alive, and he and Booth’s body were brought to the Washington Navy Yard last night.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1885, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “At today’s meeting of the Board of Alderman, Ald. Collins offered the following resolutions: Resolved, That the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Brooklyn hereby tender to General U.S. Grant their congratulations upon this his 63rd birthday and the assurance of their deep and earnest sympathy in his recent and trying illness, which we humbly trust the goodness of Divine Providence may entirely remove and prolong an existence not only illustrious but endeared to our common country and the civilized world. Resolved, That the City Clerk be and he is hereby directed to transmit the foregoing to General Grant this day.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1900, the Eagle reported, “CHICAGO — ‘Theodore Roosevelt of New York for President in 1904’ was the slogan of the Marquette Club banquet last night. Governor Roosevelt was there and looked happy at the suggestion and its hearty indorsement of cheers from the two hundred banqueters. The members told the hero of San Juan that he was ‘all right’ in no uncertain tones — told him so early in the feast and kept on telling him until it went into history as one of the Marquette Club’s happiest events. Toastmaster Frank O. Lowden told the guest of honor that only a few years ago the Marquette Club had brought out William McKinley as a presidential candidate and when his remarks switched to ‘Roosevelt,’ ‘White House’ and ‘1904,’ the two hundred diners tried hard to make themselves hoarse. Roosevelt himself led the crowd in singing ‘There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town To-night.’ When Mr. Roosevelt arrived in this city yesterday he was met by a score of reporters. Regarding the vice presidency, he said: ‘My position in regard to the vice presidency is absolutely unalterable. I would rather be in private life than be Vice President. I believe I can be of more service to my country as Governor of the State of New York than Vice President.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — The great preinvasion bombardment of western Europe went into its 11th day on a mounting pitch of intensity today as American planes, 1,000 to 1,250 strong, battered Germany’s Atlantic wall defenses in the wake of a 1,000-bomber R.A.F. night assault on railway yards at Essen, Schweinfurt and rail yards in a Paris suburb. Up to 750 four-engined bombers with an escort of some 500 fighters carried out the American daylight attack on German military installations in northern France, the 8th Air Force’s 20th operation of the month. Hundreds of medium and fighter bombers of both the American and British air forces also swept out across the sunlit Channel for new attacks on the invasion-threatened coastline of Axis Europe. Thunderous explosions from the crash of bombs on northern France shook houses in English coast towns.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (U.P.) — When Benjamin Franklin Potter celebrated his 100th birthday anniversary, it was for the second straight year. After the first celebration, family records showed Potter was born in Belfast, Allegany County, N.Y., a year later than he thought. Potter has outlived five wives and has had 16 children. He doesn’t worry much about dying. ‘I have friends in both places,’ he said.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1956, the Brooklyn Spectator reported, “Encouraged by the success of the talking mailbox at Lexington Ave. and 45th St., which answered more than 9,000 questions during the past six weeks, Postmaster Robert A. Schaffer installed a second one outside the General Post Office, 33rd St. and Eighth Avenue.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1956, the Spectator reported, “The Census Bureau reports that more Americans own their own homes than ever before. A survey made in February indicates that 60% of the nation’s families own their own homes. This compares with 55% in April 1950, when the last census of houses was conducted.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “Barbra Streisand, now only 20, is a singer who’s definitely on the rise. She has a big, clear voice with an ability to really put a song across, be it slow or swingy, torchy or funny. In this, her debut album, she’s been given an extremely broad range of music to sing. It’s a rather strange assortment, too, running the gamut from ‘Cry Me a River,’ ‘A Sleepin’ Bee’ and ‘A Taste of Honey’ to ‘Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now’ and — of all things! — ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.’”

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Jenna Coleman
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “La Dolce Vita” star Anouk Aimee, who was born in 1932; drumming legend Jim Keltner, who was born in 1942; B-52’s founder Kate Pierson, who was born in 1948; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ace Frehley (Kiss), who was born in 1951; radio host Larry Elder, who was born in 1952; Basketball Hall of Famer George Gervin, who was born in 1952; former N.Y. Jets coach Herman Edwards, who was born in 1954; “Morning Train” singer Sheena Easton, who was born in 1959; U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, who was born in 1969; “Doctor Who” star Jenna Coleman, who was born in 1986; “Truth Hurts” singer Lizzo, who was born in 1988; and 2020 World Series MVP Corey Seager, who was born in 1994.

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

Quotable:

“In every battle, there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten. Then he who continues the attack wins.”
— Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, who was born on this day in 1822