Welcome back to One Century Ago, a collaboration between Patch and the .
Each week we bring you the front page of a local newspaper that covered the news in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow (North Tarrytown) one hundred years ago. This front page comes from the Tarrytown Press-Record. The Press-Record was published as a weekly from 1893 to 1946 and has been preserved by the on microfilm.
Friday, July 5, 1912:
Woman Shot in Strike Protest
For several days a group of strikers’ wives had been gathering on a street corner in Hastings to plead with the strike breakers who were continuing to work at a local cable business. However, on Saturday July 29, 1912, the fraught emotions reached a fever pitch and violence ensued.
That day the crowd of women who gathered were described by the Press-Record as noisy and “ill natured”, and were extremely aggressive to the police officers who had been sent to control their protest. They kicked, scratched and spat at the officers, and refused to keep back.
Due to this unruly behaviour, the officers used the butts of their Winchester rifles to drive the crowd of angry and desperate women back. The police officer in charge was Sheriff Nossitter from Tarrytown. One of the women grabbed Nossitter’s rifle and tried to grapple it out of his hands, but in the struggle she pulled the trigger and a woman standing nearby, named Mrs. Moreski, was shot and killed. Two women who had been passing by were also injured.
There was a great outcry when it was discovered that someone had been shot, and a constitution was immediately called between the Village President, District Attorney, local Sheriff and the Coroner. Following this meeting, the business in question announced that they would be granting their workers a pay rise totalling $50,000 a year, and would recognize the American Federation of Labor.
The funeral service for the deceased woman was held at St. Matthew’s church in Hastings, and was apparently attended by more than a thousand Hungarians. Father Keefe gave a Requiem mass, during which he warned the attendees against violence in strikes, urging them to behave lawfully in order to maintain the respect and confidence of their communities.
Talmadge Divorce Continues
The Talmadge divorce case, previously reported by the Press-Record, continued. This week Judge Tompkins heard the case set forth by Counsellor Morton Haverbeck, on behalf of Mr. J. Walter Talmadge, and Counsellor Charles D. Millard also represented Mrs. Talmadge’s point of view. The judge ultimately decided against Mr. Talmadge, claiming that he lacked sufficient evidence against his wife. He also allowed Counsellor Millard, on behalf of Mrs. Talmadge, the costs of the action, and an extra allowance of $100.
Motorbike Thieves Captured
Two “colored men” who had stolen a motorcycle belonging to Mr. James Dick were captured as they tried to wheel the machine all the way to Ossining, since neither of them knew how to drive it.
One of these men had been working for Mr. Dick, and had apparently always shown a great interest in the motorcycle. After quitting his job he enrolled the help of a friend, and one night they took the motorbike and quietly wheeled it to Philipse Manor. They stowed it away there, and returned soon after to push the bike all the way to Ossining, taking turns in hauling the heavy machine.
As they travelled along the road, a car approached them and the driver, Mr. Goetsch, asked if they needed assistance. They declined the offer, but were unaware that Mr. Goetsch was actually an acquaintance of Mr. Dick, and had driven the motorbike many times - and further that he had recognized the stolen machine as he slowed down to pass by. Mr. Goetsch immediately drove back to Tarrytown and recounted what he had seen to Sgt. Delanoy. Delanoy accompanied him back to Ossining, where they intercepted the two thieves, handcuffed them and took them and the motorbike triumphantly back to Tarrytown.
The men were sent to White Plains Jail to await the action of a Grand Jury. The bike was also taken to White Plains as evidence.
Hydroplane Crashes on Test Drive
A hydroplane built by R. J. Driscoll of Wood Court almost ended its brief career when it crashed into the dock on Main Street on its test drive.
Driscoll and Mr. Harold McPhee had been tinkering with the engine all afternoon, and they finally felt that the boat was ready to try out. Once on the water, the boat sped along at a good 30 miles an hour, to the great admiration of about 100 spectators who had gathered to watch. The engine was running beautifully and the crowd were cheering as large waves of spray were sent up into the air.
As she turned and neared the Main Street dock, the boat hit some swells from a steamer travelling up the river. She skipped over the first one and shot up into the air, landing awkwardly on the second swell and almost turning “turtle”. Driscoll and McPhee were thrown out into the water, but the boat righted herself and continued alone, heading straight for the dock. The people gathered there didn’t wait around, and scrambled back from the water’s edge. The boat hit the dock full force, smashing the bow completely. Driscoll and McPhee swam ashore uninjured, but greatly disappointed.
Woodrow Wilson Named Democratic Presidential Candidate
On Tuesday July 2, Governor Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey was named the Democratic presidential candidate. He had been in convention for 8 days, and had balloted 46 times, a new record for ballots required to nominate a candidate.
To join the Historical Society as a member, follow this link http://www.thehistoricalsociety.net/membership/
