{ title: 'South side observer. (Freeport, L.I. [N.Y.]) 1870-1918, April 11, 1919, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031784/1919-04-11/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031784/1919-04-11/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031784/1919-04-11/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031784/1919-04-11/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Alene Scoblete, Rockville Centre Public Library; Tom Tryniski
Official Newspaper Nsssau County 1919 voL. Lill. NO. 15 WHOLE NUMBER 2809 Rockville Centre and Freeport, Nassau Co., N. Y., Friday, April 11, 1919. TICKET FRAUD PROBE SHOWS WIDE SCOPE Railroad Sleuths Find Many Deal- ers in Commutations--Rock- ville Centre Included. Investigation of the traffic in com- mutation tickets has been on in Rock- ville Centre during the past two weeks and valuable evidence obtained. Detectives of the Long Island Rail- read, which, like all other roads. is under federal control, have worked in Freeport and other villages. Dis- covery was made that commutation tickets were being rented by numer- ous business people, men and women, and profits ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 a year made by some of the dealers. One Freeport man had sixty tickets which he rented daily at 50 or 60 cents each, Not only men, but women, some of social rank and means, rented the commutations in order to \\beat\ the railroad fares and thereby get to the city cheaply. Some of the women were caught on trains with the converted tickets, made to give them up and pay full cash fares. Some of them, it is said, confronted the situation without u show of feeling, while others looked as if they wanted to jump through the car windows and thus escape the odi um of being considered \cheay.\ Rockville Centre, it is reported, has about the same conditions existing in connection with the commutation traf- fie as in Freeport and other places, but there are not so many tickets a for rental as at Freeport. The railroad authorities are deter- mined to break up the game. All the dealers at Freeport excepting one have signed an agreement to quit the game. Some had their tickets confis- cated, while others surrendered them when told by detectives that they had the goods on them. Prosecutions are expected by the government authori- ties against the lers who assert a defiant attitude and refuse to co-oper- ate with the railroad in doing ewa with the traffic, which is unmixed unjust to the bonafide commuters, a game of fraud and profiteering with- out license. TENHWEARS IN JAIL FOR BANK ROBBER Henry Berman, 23 168 East Bist street, Manhattan. pleaded guilty to an indictment of robbery in the first degree in con- nection with a hold-up and theft of 3,181 at the First National Bank of Freeport three weeks ago, and was sentenced by County Judge Lewis J. Smith last Saturday in the Nassau County Court to not less than ten years nor more than twenty years in the Pentitentiary, the maximum pen- tltfiefor the crime. rman was the chauffeur of an automobile which waited outside of the bank, while it is alleged, Fred Rothermel and David Brownstein went in, held up the employees and took the money. Originally he plead ed not guilty, He and the other hold- Up men were arraigned on a plea of not guilty, but his plea changed. George M. Levy, a Freeport law- Yer, representing Berman, made a plea for clemency on the grounds of youth and previous good record. When the Ji asked Berman to speak for himself broke down and cried. In sentencing Berman the court said that the was a serious one, and mer- ited serious punishment. Berman's wife was present and heard the sen- tence. She . f . appeared to be much af War Play Will Give Treat. \Buddies Lindley W. Cook's war Play, will give the people of Rock- ville Centre the bigest thrill since the signing of the armistice. It has the greatest air raid ever attempted. and the acting members are to \their diffcult. roles. Parish ! in-the place selected for the per- and Easter Monday night (Amy, 5,4: 2“:me Besides ts a program of in- s music and data-r studios. A fee is being asked and an 820 curtain is announced. years old, of ! SMITH AGAIN CHAIRMAN $200,000 Estate of John Lyon Given Principally to Relatives Nassau Co. Supervisors Re - Elect Hempstead Member--New _ | Auditing Bill. | I Mineola (special) -The will of Mineola-At a meeting of the Board | Oh\ L¥on, who died at Rockville Cen- of Supervisors _of Nassau County on Monday, Supervisor Hiram R. Smith , was re-elected . chairman, | Jesse F. Merritt, _ recently _ returned . from France with the 27th Division, was | reappointed chief clerk to the bourd and H. Stewart McKnight was reap- pointed county attorney. At the suggestion of the bourd, As- semblyman - MeWhinney - has - intro- duced a bill providing that the con- | troller in counties that have such of- ficers, have the final auditing of claims. This final review has been in | the pust left to the Supervisors, but | to avoid criticism the board would, it | is stated, feel greatly relieved in hav- ing the controller, whose office inves- | tigates all bills, have this final audit, subject to review only on a court ord- er. It was explained, however, that during the term of the present board not one claim was submitted to it over the head of the controller. HEMPSTEAD SCHOOL DESTROYED BY FIRE The biz frame hig school building in Hempstead village was destroyed | by fre early last Saturday morning The building was erected in 1889, and an extension put on some years af- terward. 'The original cost was $40,- 000, and the extension cost about $20,000. Incendiarism is suspected as the cause of the fire. The school had been condemned by the state department of education, and the Hempstead school authorities. The building had been fire three times pmviouslg, but timely discovery saved it. The flames broke out Saturday morning at the south or rear end, above a basement entrance, and were not discovered until they had gained much headway. The building was a roaring furnace when the village firemen and those of Camp Mills arrived. Heat was in- tense and a number of buildings some distance away were scorched in many places. Showers of sparks were car- ried blocks away. Rain began to fall when the fire was at its height, but afforded no aid to the firemen. By daylight nothing was left of the school but the big chimneys and the front porch entrance and some smol- dering timbers Insurance for $40,000 was carried on the. school The village school board was authorized and purchased some time ago a block of land from the Harper estate running from Greenwich to Prospect street, on which to erect a new high school. Since the fire a special district meet- ing has been called for May 5 to con- sider the appropriation of $30,000 for a new modern fireproof structure Two other propositions will be con- sidered at the special meeting. Mean- while the high school pupils are hav- ing a vacation. tre on March 31 was filed here for probate on Thursday The instrument, dated February 8, 1919, and witnessed by Elias T. H. Smith and Leander Smith, covers an estate which is expected to aggregate at least $200,000, and bequeathed principally to relatives. The execu- tors named are Thomas K. Patterson | of Mineola, Richard Dooley of Rock- ville Centre and Anna M. Poole, friends of the decedent. After directing the discharge of just debts, Mr. Lyon gives to a cousin, John P. Lyon of Schultzville, Dutch- ess County, N. Y., all horses, cows, barnyard fowl, wagons, harness, farm implements and tools of all kinds, absolutely. To a cousin, Mary French of Wat- erbury, Conn., he bequeaths $1,000. To Caroline Seaman of Rockville Centre, for many years is to share equally with Margaretha Smith, another mer of Mr. Lyon's home. all nousenold and kitchen fur- niture, excepting such as is located in the library A sister, Jane Lyon of Schultzville, N. Y., is bequeathed $5,000 outright, and all silverware, dishes, chinaware, glassware, table linen and furniture 1 is given the use of $5,000 for life. She | 1 i | in the library, absojutely I Margaret Davis, a sister, of Pough- keepsie, is bequeathed $5,000 abso- lutely, and Sarah Lyon, a sister of Schultzville, N. Y., is given the use of the income from $5,000 for life. Upon her death, the principal goes to the testator's cousin, John P. Lyon, and a nephew, Harry L. Davis, equal- ly. Alice Pierce of Rockville Centre, with whom Mr. Lyon boarded when he came to the village, is bequeathed the use of $3,000 for life Upon her death, the principal goes to Grace Dana, who lived with Mrs. Pierce since a small child, and now is a teacher in the village school. Jessie M. Burling of East Rocku- way, stenographer in Mr. Lyon's law office, is beiueathed $200. Thomas K. Patterson of Mineola and Ueorge D. Brower of Woodmere, employed in Mr. Lyon's law office for some years, are given his law library, desks, typewriters, filing cases and @ontents, and all other office equip- ment, including two safes. All books other than those in the law library, are given to a friend, Annu M. Poole of Ocean Side. The executors are given the re as follows: of Clinton, N. Y., where Mr hall or town house, either at Shultz ville or Clinton Hollow, in memory of his parents and his brother, Martin the residuary estate. sity, where Mr Lyon was a student is unsuc- \Lyon Hall. Ms rgaret Davis, equally in parts, share and share alike. of the death of any before his own thit the money should go as follows June's share to the cousin, John P Lyon; Sarah's, equally to John P if” and the nephew, Harry L v her son, Harry. mainder of the estate to convert into eash within ten years and dispose of Ten thousand dollars to the town Lyon was born, for the erection of a town Lyon, who lived in the town for many years |; the event of failure oy the | *+ - Clinton Town Board to provide a spitable site at «ither place. within ROFFEY AG u TTED two years after the executors ore; est, the money shall form a part of To the trustees of Cornell Univer- hed $60,000, to be used for a students' dormitory to be known as All the rest of the estate oes to sisters, Jane and Sarah Lyon and three Wrovision is made that in the event Da- s, and that of Margaret Davis' to Two Rough Looking Men Seen Night of Marder. A new phase which may have an important bearing on the murder of Mrs, Julia Wilkins at Long Besch, February 27, has developed through Samuel Whitehouse, a lawyer, who communicated to Charles N. Wysoug, attorney for Dr. Wilkins, a story told him by a prominent woman of Long Beach. She sid that two rough looking men came to her house at 6 o'clock un the night of the murder. They went to the back door, tried to open it, und finding it locked, went to the front soor and rang the bell. Her maid was out, so the woman went to the door. She refused to open it, but went to a parlor window. The men asked her if that was a three-family house. She shook het head. They went away. The doctor says three rough look- ing men assaulted him when he went inside his house. Two such men were seen later drinking at the Lafayette Hotel, and it is supposed they board- ed a train at Wreck Lead. OF GIRLS DEATH Roffey of Bellmore, fire chief and salesman, was acquitted of manslaughter on Tuesday by a jury in the county court at Mineola after thirty minutes deliberation. The charge resulted from the death of Miss Emily Stratford of Rosedale on the night of January 28 after she _| jumped or fell from an automobile driven by Roffey. None of the witness- es for the people could say that Rof- fey, through any direct cause, was re- sponsible for Miss Stratford's death. George E. SALE FOR BLIND PROFITS Rockville Centre Affair. The annual sale for the blind, held at the Rockville Centre Club Tuesday , nue, Rockville Centre, has been ap- N. Y. State | pointed chairman of the woman's com- Commission and the Nassau County mittee for the fifth liberty loan, Association, attracted a large attend- , which starts April 21, and the fol- under auspices of the ance and over $275 was realized | E lects Rockville Centre Leaders. | Mrs. S. E. Bennett of Walnut ave | lowing ten captains have been select | WomENn LOAN CAPTAINS ~- nrmmngat Over $275 Realized From Worthy Mrs. S. E. Bennett, Chairman, Se- With Roffey, the Stratford girl and Miss Viola Fatscher of Valley strum. had been at a Lynbrook hotel, where they met by chance, had danced and drank together. Toward midnight. Roffey testified he told the girls he was going home and the girls said they would go too, although they lived west of Lynbrook and he east. The three entered his car and after driv ing to the first intersecting comer, Roffey said he turned westerly. Miss Stratford seized his hat and he grabbed her muff, tearing it. He said he told the girls he was through after his hat had been tuken. Miss Fatscher, he testifified, de- - manded that she be taken back to the There was a big display of rugs, ed. These will appoint their working hote! 32d Roffey iaidmh? dldq‘m‘“ HI; ases, + . was returning with Miss Stratford bags, baskets, fin-“es, owels, Bp'°\5~'1'0rps. The' captains are Mulder\?! when she suddenly slipped from his raffia work, wicker trays, brooms.) HI, W. MacVicar, E. J. Bennett, C H. car to the running board and fell to knitted work and many other articles all made by the blind. Much interest was shown demonstrations of wicker work, mak ing of brooms and other work. Mis« Elizabeth Garrett, the blind and domposer, rendered several orig inal compositions, also by request, the Hymn of New Mexico which she sang at last year's sale Lifting of Ban an Liquor Agreed by Camp Officers The Hempstead Town Board some- time ago rescinded its former resolu« tion to prohibit the sale of bottled liquors in the township, upon which the ban was put last June, while the preparation for overseas mtg/[mid- diers was going on at Camp Mills. The board's request to State Ex- cise Commissioner Sisson was not viewed with favor, and he so notified it, refusing to remove the ban. The liquor dealers association of the town a? Hemj sent - its - secretary, Frank G. Holly, to Abany to take up the matter with the excise com- missioner. In company with Assem- blyman McWhinney, Mr, Holly called upon the commissioner, but he still remained obdurate, even after it was shown conclusively that discrimina- tion was going on against the licens ed dealers in the town, and large quantities of . goods . were | being brought in from outside, and the fact that the licensed dealer within the ”W135. paid $900 per year. thorities Mills agreed to it. momma-mm Governor Smith, who, while over the 01th}!- . | appointed . Mr. to interview the military au- the camp as his special Joslin a School Board Candidate. James C. Joslin of Walnut avenue The annual election of officers for has announced his candidacy for mens» | the Freeport Club was held on Tues- bership in the Board of Education of Rockville Centre at the annual dis- least tan ' officials atthe camp would not relent. president, Mr. Joslin has been a resident of tary, John F. Sumner; J. Miller; directors for two mum E. Smith,\ David A representative. This was done, and the camp officials compromised by consenting to have the ban lifted on all places in the township outside of a five-mile zone, excepting the village of Hampstead, which is directly ad- jacent to the camp. The state excise commissioner will be notified of this decision. The of: Acimls at the camp said that whould the village of Hempatead be opened it would be necessary to close it to soldiers. At present it is receiving | great benefit commercially from the milibary camp. Mr. Holly attempted to get Hemp- stead included, if only an hour was set for selling during the day, but the Lifting the ban will allow the sale of bottled goods in all the south side villages from the Suffolk County line to Queens Borough and includes the villages of Freeport, Baldwin, Ocean Side, Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Valley Stream, all the Rockaway Branch and Long Beach. It is believed now that the excise commissioner and the Governor will immediately remove the ban. The Town Board is expected to “hm-won next Tuesday Mfr-111g to a t upon the Camp Mm: “hm Some ar- rangement may result later to in- clude Hempstead village deniers. Freeport Club Officers Elected. day eve . There was no opposi- | tion, and following were elected : President, Werner N ; vice. | orrest 8. r; secre- | treasurer in the « singer | | the World W. | the miathod of han Underwood, George B. Granger, Wal ter R. Hood, John Thorpe, Thoma Darling, Samuel Wright, Wray, Clarence F. Simon. A rally of the wo nan's committee will be held at the Metropolitan Opera House on April 15 Hon. Carte | (Glass, Renjamin Stron, @overnor Federal Reserve Bank, will be speak yel‘l. | Mrs. Albert Francke is chairman o | Nassau County. NEWSPOST CHARTER | TOJCLOSE APRIL 15 J. The members of Major Gen, Franklin Bell Post, Number 103, Vet ing on Tuesday evening, and much im portant business was transacted will be on Tuesday evening, 15, at 8 o'clock in the Alert Hose Com pany Rooms. This is the last oppor tunit fight Tel.- organization is not to be con fused with the veteran's organiza should have worn the uniform of United States or have been in the ém Rico, the Phili , the Boxer U rl in Mexico and in Europe, After the Spanish American Wa with the idea of building an organiza “3m would live forever,. New Nassau Tar Bill Signed. The bill providin wngradd Sutherland. Harry. W.. Beebs, Ai {Manna-um, PM? taxes Covertior Smith. 7 f Lesie W. secretary of the treasury, and of the |_ Mrs. John Pratt is chairman of the Second Federal Reserve District and erans of Foreign Wars of the United States, held a very interesting meet- - Travelers Gain in_ Membership Attains Highest Record Mark The charter will be held open until the next meeting of the Post, which April to join this post of veteran g men as a charter member. tions whose only requirements for membership are that the applicant e ploy of the Government during the war. Only men who have seen ser- vice in the United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps on foreign soil or waters are eligible for membership. It is in truth an organization of vet- erans, among whose members are men who have fought in Cubs, Porto there was mo veteran | organization in existence to which the men who had fought in 1898 and 1809 were . It was then that the Veterans of Foreign Wars was formed for m change in ing tax sales and in Nesssa County has not affect the - the street. Roffey obtained a doctor , and had the girl taken to the Far Rockaway hospital where she died. The torn muff was exhibited in court as evidence of a probable strug gle George M. Levy of Freeport was r counsel for Roffey who is mhove 40 years of age and married. His wife was in court and gave evidence of . great relief when the jury mequitted him. ~~~ -& ( 5 and 10 Cent Store Founder Dies, A Frank W. Woolworth, founder of the five and ten cent stores that bear his name, died Monday at his sum- mer home, Winfield Hall, Glen Cove, after an iliness of several months with diabetis, followed by influenza. He was sixty-seven years old. Mr. Woolworth began his business career at a salary of nothing a week, back in 1872. At the time of his death his income was enormous and he was m millionaire a good many times over. Two DOLLARS A YEAR rive cents a cory New WILKINS STORY | GHARCED WITHTRHEPFT OF AUTO HE OWNED Freeport Citizen Set Free id Pays Fine for Driving Without License. Joseph Kittel, a Freeport resident, had the unusuml experience of being arrested in L. I. City and charged with stealing his own sutomobile, a five-passenger vehicle, on Monday. The arrest occurred at the entrance to the Queens Boro Bridge, and for a time Kittel was very indignant, Af- ter arraignment and discharge | by Magistrate Kockendorfer he viewed the occurrence as one of the :xperi- ences in the life of an automobilist. Before the experience ended, howev- er. he paid a fine of $2 for driving the auto without a license plate, A few days ago thieves stole Kit- tels touring car. The police of Free- port sent oui a general alurm, which reached headquarters in Manhattan. The number of the car was given to trathc policemen, one of whom was Policeman Nesport. He saw the car upprouciiing the. bridge It had a rece of pasteboard with numerals written on it instead of the usual metal plate He was preparing to stop the car for violating traffic regulations when he discovered that the number on the placards was that of a stolen automobile. He became suspicious, halted the car and asked Kittel for an explanation. Kittel said he was the owner of the car. It had been stolen from him, but he got word Monday that it had been recovered in Manhattan and went for it He said he put the placard on the car because the thieves removed the license plates, and he did not have the time to wet new ones. Patrolman N rt told Kittel his explanation sounded well, but asked him to produce his owner's card or anything else to identify himself. Ar- ter searching his pockets, Kittel de- clared he had hurried away quickly from home and forgot to take any- thing with him that wouid serve as identification. The policeman said that a court explanation would be necessary, and Kittel soon proved his identity and his ownership of the car. _---__&___._. TRUSTEES REGRET - JOHN LYON'S DEATH The trustees of Rockville Centre, at a meeting held on Friday evening of last week, adopted the following pre- emble and resolutions expressing H’- gret for the death of John Lyon, first president of the village: Whereas, This present Ateek there has passed from this life a man who was the first president of the village of Rockville Centre, and who, in a large measure, contributed to the suc- cess of municipal government and to the upholdinr of this village and Whereas, in his passing this village has lost one of its foremost citizens a man who, by his sincerity, integri- ty and example, improved (in moral tone of the community; therefore, be t Resolved, That the Board of Trus- tees of the village of Rockville Centre expresses ita sincere regret over the death of John Lyon, and be it further Resolved, That this resolution be spread upon the minutes of the Board and a copy thereof sent to the family of the deceased. Probably without parallel is the rec- ord in increase of membership shown ~ by Long Island Council No. 550, of the United Commercial Travelers of America at its meeting in Freeport last Saturday evening. The record for the year revealed an increase of #0. per cent. Last y the Council record was an increase of 53 2.3 per cent.; the highest increase of any * council in the State of New York and won for the local organization a beau- tiful silk American flag under the leadership of its then Senior Coun- selor, Albin N. Johnson. Under its now retiring Senior Counselor, Wal- water mark ated during the year, P. C. e Splege!, brought i . C. Albin N. J mun-um‘nlmph M. \ | Palmer five, Forrest 8. Dunbar four, C. A. Walters three and . Heyer three. The remainder | brought in by other brothers I showed a marked general interest in | the work. The largest incromse was \\ mnde during the month of March when forty-one candidates were initi- mted, some coming from long dist» ances, At this meeting the officers alect for the ensuing council year were in- stailed by t Counselor Edward A. Spiege) as follows: Senior counselor. Chas, W. Knapp; ' evansalor, Walter M. rat a d ( junior counselor, Leon C. past J Nichola; weete- committe. tary-treasurer, Albin N. | Johnson; conductor, Charles H. Collins; page, Charles E. Hunt; sentinel, Aaron 8. Oakley; members of executive com- mittee, John C. Knaup and Clifford J. Mosbacher; delega to grand coun- cil at 8 use next June, past coun- selors Walter M. Nichols and John J. Boland. “H votes of thanks were given the ring presiding officer, Walter M. Nichols and the retiring secretary- treasurer, - Edward A.; Spiegel, | for their unusually work. George . n of Lakeview avenue, Rockville Centre, was initint« Mani-4M Gunman-auxin: ex to w t nex mm“ 1g usual \feed\ and Tuhumdnflll time were also en- Senior Counselor Knapp Am.“ as the mu Its-ax! 50mm “I: the r, lak : rrlnzynlohn J. Boland, “will!” J. Shaddlock, Prank S. Johnstor-and Wal- ter M. Nichols, They promised to ar- range for a jubilee entertainment and dance with refreshments at the Free» rt Club house in the near future. filin- fine social features have m the wives and eweethsarts of, the gombcn very strong boosters for the rder Rev, John Whaley was resppointed chaplain and Rrcthora and. ohnson wore.. rei wa