Week of November 22

November 21, 1874 – 150 YEARS AGO

Rockland County Journal

AROUND HOME

      ☞ When the flag side walks now being laid on DePew Avenue, between Broadway and the station, are complete, it will be one of the handsomest streets in the village.

      ☞ The Supper given by the ladies of Nyack Division, Sons of Temperance, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, proved to be a very pleasant affair, though not as profitable as had been desired.

      ☞ The fire-scare which caused the ringing of the Reformed church bell on Monday evening, instead of a steamboat, as was thought, proved to be a brush heap between Irving and Tarrytown.

      ☞ If there are any children over two years old in our county poorhouse, we hope our Board of Supervisors will make some provision to have them removed to the House of the Good Shepherd, or some other benevolent asylum.

      ☞ The M. E. Church, of Piermont, was crowded and packed on Monday evening last, to hear Thomas Whittaker, the great lecturer on Temperance. Efforts are being made to have him lecture in Nyack and Haverstraw.

      ☞ Thos. Magee had a narrow escape on Monday last. While crossing Broadway near Wall street, N.Y., he was knocked down and run over by a light wagon, receiving some slight bruises and scratches about the body and face,

November 20, 1924 – 100 YEARS AGO

Pearl River News

“KATHLEEN” A GREAT SUCCESS — Local Talent Stage Show with Great Success, Six Hundred Witnesses Performances

[Image: Group picture, taken from the Musical Comedy, “Kathleen,” recently produced at the Pearl River High School. Pearl River News, November 20, 1924]

       The musical comedy, “Kathleen,” presented by the Senior Class of P.R.H.S. on the 13th and 14th was an overwhelming success. The six hundred people who witnessed the performances had nothing but praise for the entire production.

       The scene of “Kathleen” was the country village, Flynville, in Massachusetts. The theme was the love affair of Kathleen (Katherine Coe) and Jimmie Stanton (Irving Rowland), the two performing their parts to perfection. Complications arose when Ned Rollington (Erwin Eichhorn) returned from college and Kathleen’s uncle (Victor O’Leary) attempted to force a marriage between Kathleen and Ned, while Ned unknown to the rest became involved in a love affair with Flossie, the village vamp, (Elena Garaventa). The humor was furnished by Sheriff Underduck (Louis Krejca), Arabella, village spinster, (Bertha Katenkamp) and Tecky Bramble, an old hick, (Arthur Hopper). The Sheriff on his hunt for a missing dog and the sarcasm of Arabella together with the Sheriff’s unsuccessful woo ing of the spinster furnished many a laugh for the audience. (John Boardman) as Hans, the storekeeper, with his Dutch accent was also the cause of much laughter. Ask John how to manufacture sausages.

       The choruses in their pretty costumes staged their dances and songs to the satisfaction of the entire house. Olive Hughes who sang “Dream Daddies,” in a novelty number, with a chorus of pajama clad kiddies, had the older folks recalling their childhood days and Mother singing of the sandman.

       Sam Seldon and Volley performed between the acts in the capacity of two colored gentlemen who got into an argument while crossing the street. After this mirthful scene Tecky Bramble and the Sheriff went among the audience selling homemade candy. They drew many a laugh when they picked prominent local people as the butt of jokes.

       Teck asked the Sheriff to arrest many of them but finally decided not to as the town jail had been sold for a cider mill.

November 21, 1974 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News

REPEATED BURGLARIES HAUNT HER

       Each night when Alice Schiavo goes to work, she leaves the house lights glaring and the window shades raised hoping to ward off burglars.

       In the past 10 years, she has returned home seven times to find the shades drawn and her possessions missing.

       The most recent burglary of her Spring Valley home occurred on election night, when thieves entered, despite special reinforcements, through a glass sliding door, and stole three television sets and several thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and furs.

       In the last 10 years, Ms. Schiavo estimates that she has lost over $20,000 worth of household goods to burglars. “I no more than replace what has been stolen and they come back and take it again,” she says.

       Once she says she awoke during the night from noises downstairs and found herself face-to-face with a burglar trying to enter a window. He became startled and fled, she says.

       She complains that life has become a nightmare because of the repeated break-ins. After the third break-in, she applied for and was granted a pistol permit she says.

        “It’s awful to come home at night, and find the house ransacked, and my clothes dumped all over the floor,” she says. “You can’t even go to sleep after work because there is all that cleaning to do.”

       The burglaries have been even more painful for Ms. Schiavo since very few of her possessions are covered by insurance.

        “All I have is $1,200 of household insurance,” she laments. “When they stole my jewelry, one piece alone was worth almost half of that. I checked into extending my coverage, but the cost is outrageous.

        “And now, after all these burglaries,” she adds, “they’ll probably want to drop my policy.”

       The same thieves have not been repeatedly robbing her home, she says. “If they were 16 when they started, they would be 26 today,” she explains. “The police have said that this is definitely the work of juveniles.”

       The location of her house has contributed to her misfortune, she says. The property is a corner lot surrounded by spruce trees and set 150 feet from the road. In addition, she says, her house is next to an open field where the thieves park their vehicles.

        “I’ve tried to sell my house,” she says, but I can’t get rid of it.”

       Ramapo police admit that seven burglaries in 10 years is an extreme number.

       “It’s very unusual,” says Lt. John Von Ohlsen. “But there are open fields in the area which allow the thieves to hide their cars.” Squad cars are assigned to the area, he says, in addition to unmarked cars and detective squads.

       “This situation is crazy,” she sighs, “just crazy.”

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan on behalf of the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2024 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.