The Era -- Day By Day

[LizzieMaine]

Police expect an arrest later today in the case of a young Bay Ridge woman whose charred body was discovered early today in a clump of weeds on a lonely section of Dyker Beach. The body of Frieda Olsen of 255 46th Street had been soaked in gasoline and set ablaze, after her head was crushed by an unknown assailant. Two young boys wandering on the beach this morning discovered the body in an area known as a local "Lovers' Lane" about 150 feet west of Cropsey Avenue. The boys notified police, who determined that Miss Olsen had been dead for "several hours." The body was dressed in the burned remnants of clothing, with the exception of the underwear, which was found several yards away, along with the young woman's purse. A large egg-shaped stone stained with blood was found nearby, and is believed to have been the murder weapon. Miss Olsen was employed as a waitress in the children's ward at Norwegian Hospital, and was the sole support of her parents, who reported her missing Monday night.

In Mexico City, a "beautiful Brooklyn blonde" is being questioned in connection with the attempted pickax assassination of exiled Bolshevik Leon Trotsky, who is fighting for his life today in a Mexican hospital. Doctors there are seeking to fly in a brain specialist from New York or Los Angeles to assist in Trotsky's care, as authorities question members of his entourage, including 30-year-old Sylvia Ageloff of 50 Livingston Street in Brooklyn Heights. Miss Ageloff identified herself as "a great admirer of Trotsky," and threatened to kill herself if he dies. She told police that she met Trotsky thru her sister, who formerly worked as his secretary. Trotsky was attacked as he worked at his desk in his home at Coyacan, by a "trusted associate" whom authorities believe may have been an agent of the Russian secret police.

Meanwhile, Miss Ageloff's friends and family in Brooklyn have no comment on her involvement in the Trotsky affair. She is the daughter of prominent real estate operator Samuel Ageloff, who lives in a swank apartment house at 70 Remsen Street, and who was unavailable for comment today. At Miss Ageloff's Livingston Street apartment, a woman speaking broken English answered the door and refused to comment on the case. The voice of a man could be heard in the background, evidently talking on the telephone and stating that there was "no news yet." A young woman working at Ageloff's real estate office stated that she did not know Sylvia, but the other Ageloff sisters, Hilda and Ruth, occasionally worked in the office. The young woman could not confirm statements that Ruth Ageloff had worked for Trotsky. A review of the Eagle's files for 1931 found an article mentioning that Ruth Ageloff had traveled to Russia that year to study new methods of progressive education introduced in that country, and that she had an interview with the widow of Lenin during this visit.

The chairman of the National Democratic Committee today produced a quotation from a 1935 speech by Republican presidential nominee Wendell Willkie in which it is claimed that Willkie praised disgraced utilities executive Samuel Insull, just as Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes stated that he did in his radio speech this week. Willkie issued a public denial of that claim following Ickes' broadcast, but Committee chairman Edward J. Flynn today pointed to a talk delivered in Brooklyn before the Economic Club on January 21, 1935, in which Willkie referred to Insull as "our forceful, dynamic, attractive figure." Flynn accused Willkie of a "convenient loss of memory" in his denial of the comment.

(Sheffield, Borden, or Renken's?)

A new style of subway seat designed not to snag women's hosiery has been introduced on an experimental basis on a single car running on the IND. The seat is made of a spongy plastic material that cannot fray into pointed slivers like the familiar woven rattan seats presently used thruout the subway system, and is also said to be stainless. The new seats may be installed thruout the subway if the trial proves satisfactory.

"Maryeta" writes to Helen Worth to complain about men and their reluctance to make appointments in advance. "Do you really think a woman should expect a man to call, and when he doesn't, to sit there alone all evening?" She also complains that men will call her and expect her to drop everything at hand to go out with them, even when she has obligations at home. She calls that selfish, but Helen suggests taking a flexible view of the situation, noting that "business women know how often plans must be set aside for sudden demands."

(A hokey Universal Western is the "A" picture here, and the distinguished indie drama is the B. Guess they know what sells!)

Ralph W. Meriana of Bay Ridge knows shoes. He ought to, as chairman of the Shoes For Refugees Committee, and as America's most noted collector of footwear. Mr. Meriana has been fascinated by shoes all his life, and shares his home with hundreds of pairs of shoes of all kinds and all styles dating back as far as the 17th Century. But he says the most fascinating thing about shoes today is what they say about the person who wears them -- he says he can size up the character of anyone by a single glance at their feet. A man wearing unkempt shoes is a malcontent, a maladjusted individual who has never found his place in the world. A woman wearing overelaborate fussy shoes is a self-conscious scatterbrain who will place her feet in intentional poses when seated. But well-polished, well-maintained shoes are the mark of a self-confident person whether the shoes are old or new.

The Eagle Editorialist reflects on the recent talk that the Dodgers may be for sale with a reminder that the future of the ball club is a vital matter to the entire borough. The Dodgers are the greatest advertisement Brooklyn has, carrying the name of the borough all over the country, emphasizing that its not merely a subdivision of New York City but a live community all its own. The fighting spirit of the Dodgers calls attention to that same spirit in Brooklyn itself, and the best thing that could possibly happen to the team would be for it to be purchased by local investors who would ensure that the club remains under Brooklyn ownership.

(More Bungle relatives, no doubt. Poor Uncle Zip can't get a break.)

Republican Presidential nominee Wendell Willkie may be presented to the voters of Brooklyn in a massive rally at Ebbets Field. County Republican Chairman John R. Crews says that negotiations are underway to rent the ballpark for such an event, with accommodations planned for up to 50,000 persons in the seats and on the field. Mr. Crews adds that plans are also being made for a second large rally at the World's Fair, to be held in conjunction with a proposed "Willkie Day."

The Dodgers arrived in St. Louis in a laughing and lighthearted mood, but apparently forgot to pack their bats -- dropping a doubleheader to the Cardinals yesterday at Sportsman's Park. Pete Coscarart and Dolph Camilli homered in the second game, but the Dodgers could log only nine other hits over the two games, none of them of much consequence as the Cards won both, 3-0 and 4-3. Tommy Holmes bitterly comments that the day's performance just proves what Dodger fans have suspected all along -- this is not a pennant-winning club. They'll do fine for long stretches, but then find a way to "fold up like a four-dollar camera."

Joe Medwick looked pitiful yesterday, and took a serious razzing from the St. Louis crowd. Given the boos he left behind in Brooklyn, this has not been a good week for Ducky.

Meanwhile, the Reds beat the Giants in Cincinnati, regaining a 5 1/2 game lead over Brooklyn in the National League race.

Pee Wee Reese did not go to St. Louis with the Dodgers. Instead, the injured rookie star has gone home to Louisville to begin resting up for 1941. Meanwhile, Dodger batboy Jackie Bodner took Pee Wee's seat on the plane flight from Brooklyn, with the players chipping in to bring him along on the road trip.

Leading movie makeup man and beauty consultant Richard Willis is on the air twice a week over WOR with a unique new program in which he corrects the beauty flaws of a woman chosen from the studio audience. Broadcast from the WOR Studio on the grounds of the World's Fair, the feature allows Willis to give constructive advice on any number of beauty problems, from buck teeth to double chins, along with practical tips on the use and application of cosmetics. The program, which also features Pegeen Fitzgerald as fashion adviser, is heard Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:45 pm. Willis, a former vaudevillian, turned to the makeup business at Warner Bros. old Vitaphone studio in Flatbush before setting up as an independant consultant. While with Warners, he touched up such famous faces as Dorothy Lamour, Bob Hope, and Charlie McCarthy.

(If he intends to make a regular thing of this superhero business, Sparky needs to be a little more circumspect about the source of his powers. All any opponent needs to do is figure out a way to shield him from his Cosmic Rays, and he's just some skinny geek in white sneakers and Davega pants.)

(I was wondering about the eye too -- how can you hit that, when that nose is such an obvious target.)

(You know, if that Christian Front affair hadn't happened, comic strip writers wouldn't know what to do.)

(Adolph? Not Camilli, I hope.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

That Louise "Bunny Howard" Long uses that particular image as her professional headshot makes me think she is not someone to be crossed under any circumstances. She will never be a big-timer, but in later years she will go on to become a "singing comedienne" known for working blue material. Wonder how the kid turned out?

So much for sticking to the issues.

The Greatest Generation.

Give it up, folks. You won't even get a free pass to the show.

If Looks Could Kill -- they would just bounce off the Dragon Lady's scowl.

NOPE NOBODY COULD EVER GET IN THERE AT ALL

OK, Bim, NOW is when you should be calling for Jeeves.

"Besides, Wilmer showed me how to jimmy the time clock. Didn't you, Wilmer?"

"Oogie Oogie Wah Wah!" And so began Willie's career as a writer of novelty songs.

Hey, random guy sitting next to Poison in the background. You're not Goofy, who let YOU in on this? And why is Lilacs in this scene TWICE? WHAT KIND OF SINISTER EXPERIMENT DOES POP HAVE GOING ON IN HIS BACK ROOM?

 

[Fading Fast]

...In Mexico City, a "beautiful Brooklyn blonde" is being questioned in connection with the attempted pickax assassination of exiled Bolshevik Leon Trotsky, who is fighting for his life today in a Mexican hospital. Doctors there are seeking to fly in a brain specialist from New York or Los Angeles to assist in Trotsky's care, as authorities question members of his entourage, including 30-year-old Sylvia Ageloff of 50 Livingston Street in Brooklyn Heights. Miss Ageloff identified herself as "a great admirer of Trotsky," and threatened to kill herself if he dies. She told police that she met Trotsky thru her sister, who formerly worked as his secretary. Trotsky was attacked as he worked at his desk in his home at Coyacan, by a "trusted associate" whom authorities believe may have been an agent of the Russian secret police.

Meanwhile, Miss Ageloff's friends and family in Brooklyn have no comment on her involvement in the Trotsky affair. She is the daughter of prominent real estate operator Samuel Ageloff, who lives in a swank apartment house at 70 Remsen Street, and who was unavailable for comment today. At Miss Ageloff's Livingston Street apartment, a woman speaking broken English answered the door and refused to comment on the case. The voice of a man could be heard in the background, evidently talking on the telephone and stating that there was "no news yet." A young woman working at Ageloff's real estate office stated that she did not know Sylvia, but the other Ageloff sisters, Hilda and Ruth, occasionally worked in the office. The young woman could not confirm statements that Ruth Ageloff had worked for Trotsky. A review of the Eagle's files for 1931 found an article mentioning that Ruth Ageloff had traveled to Russia that year to study new methods of progressive education introduced in that country, and that she had an interview with the widow of Lenin during this visit....)

The Ageloff sisters sound like a Brooklyn echo of the Mitfords.

...The chairman of the National Democratic Committee today produced a quotation from a 1935 speech by Republican presidential nominee Wendell Willkie in which it is claimed that Willkie praised disgraced utilities executive Samuel Insull, just as Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes stated that he did in his radio speech this week. Willkie issued a public denial of that claim following Ickes' broadcast, but Committee chairman Edward J. Flynn today pointed to a talk delivered in Brooklyn before the Economic Club on January 21, 1935, in which Willkie referred to Insull as "our forceful, dynamic, attractive figure." Flynn accused Willkie of a "convenient loss of memory" in his denial of the comment....

And this was before the internet created a permanent record of every embarrassing thing you ever did, said or wrote.

... View attachment 255218
(Sheffield, Borden, or Renken's?)...

...A new style of subway seat designed not to snag women's hosiery has been introduced on an experimental basis on a single car running on the IND. The seat is made of a spongy plastic material that cannot fray into pointed slivers like the familiar woven rattan seats presently used thruout the subway system, and is also said to be stainless. The new seats may be installed thruout the subway if the trial proves satisfactory....

And the plasticfication of subway-car interiors begins.

..."Maryeta" writes to Helen Worth to complain about men and their reluctance to make appointments in advance. "Do you really think a woman should expect a man to call, and when he doesn't, to sit there alone all evening?" She also complains that men will call her and expect her to drop everything at hand to go out with them, even when she has obligations at home. She calls that selfish, but Helen suggests taking a flexible view of the situation, noting that "business women know how often plans must be set aside for sudden demands."...

This is not really a boy or girl thing, but more a "are you in demand on the dating circuit" thing, regardless of your sex.

...The Eagle Editorialist reflects on the recent talk that the Dodgers may be for sale with a reminder that the future of the ball club is a vital matter to the entire borough. The Dodgers are the greatest advertisement Brooklyn has, carrying the name of the borough all over the country, emphasizing that its not merely a subdivision of New York City but a live community all its own. The fighting spirit of the Dodgers calls attention to that same spirit in Brooklyn itself, and the best thing that could possibly happen to the team would be for it to be purchased by local investors who would ensure that the club remains under Brooklyn ownership....

It's a shame Brooklyn didn't do something similar to the football Packers where, kinda sorta, the team's fans own the team.

...
(If he intends to make a regular thing of this superhero business, Sparky needs to be a little more circumspect about the source of his powers. All any opponent needs to do is figure out a way to shield him from his Cosmic Rays, and he's just some skinny geek in white sneakers and Davega pants.)...

All that, plus I miss the alter-ego and costume thing of regular superheroes.

...
(I was wondering about the eye too -- how can you hit that, when that nose is such an obvious target.)...

Great example of a couple having two completely separate conversations.

Also, there's something endearing about Jo defending George when others attack him: she knows he's an idiot and calls him out all the time, but when somebody else does, well, that's a whole different thing.

... (Adolph? Not Camilli, I hope.)

Can't be him as we know he has an airtight alibi placing him in St. Louis as one of the few Dodgers left who can can hit a small white ball with a wooden stick. Yes, I'm cranky about them dropping two games they can't afford to lose.

A... View attachment 255242 That Louise "Bunny Howard" Long uses that particular image as her professional headshot makes me think she is not someone to be crossed under any circumstances. She will never be a big-timer, but in later years she will go on to become a "singing comedienne" known for working blue material. Wonder how the kid turned out?...

You made the effort to fly down from Maine for better medical care, then go all the way and land the plane in the East River and taxi over to Cornell or Mount Sinai.

... If Looks Could Kill -- they would just bounce off the Dragon Lady's scowl....

"The pale one." Nice.

I know we wouldn't do this today, but back in 1940, it wouldn't have been much of a stretch to see Marlene Dietrich play the Dragon Lady.

... OK, Bim, NOW is when you should be calling for Jeeves....

19th Century Romanticism is alive and well in 1940 Brooklyn.

I wonder what Sally and Joe make of "The Gumps?" Bim's romanticism could not be further away from Brooklyn pragmatism.

... "Besides, Wilmer showed me how to jimmy the time clock. Didn't you, Wilmer?"...

Or, the boss coming back from a long "lunch" a few minutes after Ms. Glip returned isn't a coincidence.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Trotsky affair makes the commonly-expressed point of the Era that no matter what the news story, no matter where it happens, there was always a "Brooklyn Angle."

"Hey," says Joe. "I seen a guy onna trolley today, looked just like Uncle Bim. You know, inna Daily News. Baldheaded, beaky beezer, big black moustache, no chin, an' he had on a top hat in broad daylight. An' when I looked in my pocket, I found a dollar bill I didn' know I had. Whatcha thinka that?"

"Ya dippy," says Sally. "Bim don't mess with no chicken feed. If it ain't a hundred, it musta been some other guy."

Sally and Joe were kids when "The Gumps" became a national craze back in the early twenties, and they remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when The Widow Zander sued Uncle Bim for breach of promise, and when Mary Gold died. Joe cried when that happened, but he never admits it out loud.

Mr. Caniff admitted to another inspiration for the Dragon Lady --

But she does admittedly look more like Dietrich in her 1940 version.

That first panel is just beautiful. Connie is ready to tear her limb from limb, and I can't imagine he'll stand for leaving Hu Shee in jail, let alone what Raven thinks about it.

Mr. Wumple does seem that type of boss. Bland, innocuous, and probably has a whole drawer full of those magazines Mr. LaGuardia doesn't like.

The thing nobody is saying around the Dodgers and that is blaringly obvious is that Medwick left his career in the dirt around home plate when Bowman knocked him down. There doesn't seem to be any way around that.

 

[Fading Fast]

The Trotsky affair makes the commonly-expressed point of the Era that no matter what the news story, no matter where it happens, there was always a "Brooklyn Angle.".....

No kidding.

..."Hey," says Joe. "I seen a guy onna trolley today, looked just like Uncle Bim. You know, inna Daily News. Baldheaded, beaky beezer, big black moustache, no chin, an' he had on a top hat in broad daylight. An' when I looked in my pocket, I found a dollar bill I didn' know I had. Whatcha thinka that?"

"Ya dippy," says Sally. "Bim don't mess with no chicken feed. If it ain't a hundred, it musta been some other guy."

Sally and Joe were kids when "The Gumps" became a national craze back in the early twenties, and they remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when The Widow Zander sued Uncle Bim for breach of promise, and when Mary Gold died. Joe cried when that happened, but he never admits it out loud.....

Mr. Caniff admitted to another inspiration for the Dragon Lady --... View attachment 255312
But she does admittedly look more like Dietrich in her 1940 version

That first panel is just beautiful. Connie is ready to tear her limb from limb, and I can't imagine he'll stand for leaving Hu Shee in jail, let alone what Raven thinks about it......

That's interesting. Wonder how Ms. Crawford felt about that?

On the scary meter - and I'm talking in real life - Crawford is more out-loud about it, but my guess, Dietrich is the one you really need to be afraid of. Kudos to both of them, though, for long careers in a short-career business. My guess, it's not a coincidence.

T&TP is in a perfect place right now - the story and characters are morally complex, engaging, historically timely and, at times, fun. And, as you just noted, the illustration work is incredible, day in and day out. It's the one strip I can't wait for the next day's strip to come. LOA used to be similar, but now it's all T&TP.

...Mr. Wumple does seem that type of boss. Bland, innocuous, and probably has a whole drawer full of those magazines Mr. LaGuardia doesn't like.....

You knew something was up when he passed on Ms. Efficiency for Ms. Look-At-Me.

...The thing nobody is saying around the Dodgers and that is blaringly obvious is that Medwick left his career in the dirt around home plate when Bowman knocked him down. There doesn't seem to be any way around that.

QED everyday. They should have rested him longer - the macho thing could cost them the pennant.

 

[LizzieMaine]

A thrty-two-year-old longshoreman has confessed to the brutal murder of 19-year-old Frieda Olsen, whose charred body was found near a beachfront lovers' lane near Dyker Heights early yesterday. Peter Salemi of 735 53rd Street was grilled all night by District Attorney William O'Dwyer, and finally broke down early this morning, admitting to killing Miss Olsen because she rejected his advances. Salemi confessed that he "beat the girl to death in a frenzy" with a large rock after she repulsed his attentions for two hours and finally fled from his car. Salemi told the District Attorney that he had been "infatuated" with Miss Olsen for three years, but she had declined to go on a date with him until she finally did so Monday night. He stated that he drove her to a lonely section of Canarsie and then attempted to make advances, all of which she rejected. He then drove her to a remote section in the Flatlands, and again his advances were rejected. When he drove the car to Dyker Heights, she finally jumped out of the vehicle and he chased after her. When he couldn't stop her, Salemi picked up the rock and threw it at her, hitting her in the head and dropping her on the beach. He then picked up the stone and smashed her head, and then siphoned gasoline from his car, poured it over her body, and set her ablaze. A neighborhood resident alerted by screams saw Salemi driving away from the scene of the crime and noted his license plate number. That action led police to an early arrest. Salemi will be arraigned on a homicide charge today in Brooklyn Felony Court.

A friend of Miss Olsen, Dorothy Netzel of 4604 3rd Avenue, told police that she had originally planned to accompany her friend on the date. "If only I had gone," she wept, "maybe this wouldn't have happened."

As the body of exiled Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky lies in state in a Mexico City undertaking parlor, police there are considering the possibility that the pick-axe assasination may have been a plot involving the OGPU, Russian secret police agency. Meanwhile, investigators continue to question Miss Sylvia Ageloff of Brooklyn concerning her relationship with the man who actually struck the fatal blows, and there are conflicting reports as to the nature of that relationship. Early police reports stated that Miss Ageloff is the "sweetheart" of one "Frank Jackson," held as the assassin, but several of Trotsky's associates in Mexico City called her Jackson's "wife." Jackson attached himself to Trotsky's entourage posing as a devoted follower of the former number two man in the Soviet Union, and Miss Ageloff wept today as she told police that she had actually introduced the two men.

(A couple of points of order -- the OGPU was dissolved in 1934, and replaced by the NKVD. And Miss Ageloff doesn't look very blonde to me.)

In New York, James Cannon, head of the Socialist Workers' Party, the largest American Trotskyite group, stated that a local service will be held to allow New York workers to pay tribute to the "opponent of Stalinism." Cannon has been named a likely successor to Trotsky as head of the Fourth International.

Thirty Midwood residents will undergo the painful Pasteur treatment for rabies after exposure to an infected dog. The dog, a stray named "Artie" that had been befriended by nearly everyone in the neighborhood between East 2nd Street and Avenue J over the past month, was found dead yesterday, and an examination revealed it had suffered from rabies. Several persons who had been bitten by the animal were found by police in a house-to-house canvass, but residents were warned that everyone who had any contact at all with Artie would require the anti-rabies treatments. Neighbors grieved over the dog's fate, calling him a "swell dog," and expressed anger at whoever it was who first turned him loose in the street.

Two Brooklyn mobsters who traveled to the West Coast to testify against a former colleague charged in a Hollywood gangland murder returned to Brooklyn today bearing a gift for District Attorney William O'Dwyer. Abe "Kid Twist" Reles and Albert Tannenbaum presented the DA with a colorful souvenir sombrero which they picked up during a stopover in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, an unnamed "Hollywood actress" is to be grilled by Los Angeles District Attorney Buron Fitts over her ties to Frankie Carbo, one of five men indicted on the coast for the slaying of Harry Schachter, alias Harry "Big Greenie" Greenberg -- a hit reportedly coordinated from Brooklyn by the Murder-for-Hire gang on the orders of Benjamin "Buggsy" Siegel.

Out at the Sunrise Drive-In Theatre at Valley Stream, see the 1933 Academy Award winner "The Private Life of Henry VIII," starring Charles Laughton, along with an Andy Clyde comedy short and a newsreel. Adults 36 cents plus tax, children admitted free!

(Well, actually, what it is is a process of accelerating the decomposition of the meat by hanging it in a 70-degree room for five days while exposing it to high-intensity ultraviolet beams that are supposed to kill all the bacteria and mold. YUM!)

Does war news make you itch? You're not alone, says Dr. Charles Pabst of the Kings County Medical Society. Recent research has shown that emotional stress, such as that which might be caused by too closely following the news from Europe, can trigger attacks of pruritis in those disposed to it. Pruritis, says Dr. Pabst, is the medical term for "itchy skin." The cure? Stop reading the war news, says Dr. Pabst. "And don't worry."

Kids Today!

The author of "Casey At The Bat" died yesterday at his home in Santa Barbara, California. Ernest Lawrence Thayer was 77 years old. He wrote the famed mock epic poem about the exploits of Mudville's unfortunate baseball hero for the San Francisco Examiner in 1888, and it was made famous by musical comedy performer DeWolfe Hopper, whose dramatic recitation of the piece became a beloved classic of the variety stage.

The Dodgers are still 5 1/2 games behind the Reds in the race for the National League pennant, but it's thanks to no effort of their own. The Flock dropped the final game of their St. Louis series 7-5, giving the Redbirds a sweep of the three game set, and dealing another malignant blow to Brooklyn's diminishing flag hopes, even as the Giants were again beating the Reds in Cincinnati. The Dodgers flew into Chicago overnight, and are hoping to see better results at Wrigley Field when they meet the Cubs this afternoon.

Joe Medwick has finally come out and said what many have been thinking -- he isn't the old Ducky at the plate, and the reason for it ties directly to his beaning back in June by Bob Bowman of the Cards, with Medwick admitting that maybe he came back from the injury earlier than he should have. Medwick's response came as the St. Louis papers bristled with theories about his current slump, which has dropped his batting average below .280 for the first time in his career. Ducky angrily repudiated claims that he was upset about his Dodger salary, and that his close personal friendship with Leo Durocher is causing dissension in the Brooklyn clubhouse. Whatever the explanation, it's evident that the Medwick deal, so highly touted and sought for so long, has been a flat failure from the Dodger point of view. Medwick may in fact rebound in 1941 and be his old self again, but so far as 1940 is concerned, he has yet to prove his value to the team.

The Dodgers will play three in Chicago, with Whit Wyatt expected to get the start in the series opener.

The Football Dodgers summer training camp is in full swing at Princeton, with the grid boys seeking to outdo their baseball counterparts in off-field ritziness. Jock Sutherland's squad is bunking on a plush 300-acre estate once owned by millionaire Archibald Russell. But Sutherland himself isn't thinking about the accomodations -- what he wants is a couple more good backs. He has ten to choose from on the current roster, but at least half of them won't make the final cut.

(You know who really can't stand "Sparky Watts?" Jerry Siegel.)

(The thing with Jo is she's never really happy unless she's got a good grudge to nurse.)

(WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?)

(Back in the room, Irwin leans back, lights a fresh cigar, and takes a deep, satisfying puff. "Ohhhhh, yeah..")

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

This story comes from the "Pink Edition" of the News, which goes to press about 8pm the night before the issue date, so the Eagle's coverage of the same story is about eighteen hours later. Makes a big difference.

You can't "go negative" if that's where you start from.

Huh, I didn't know Larry MacPhail lived in Suffolk.

Ahem. NINA. Ahem.

"What, me stay in this dump? Say, you're strictly Peoria, know what I mean?"

Enjoy yourself now, son of a traitorous dog. The hour of your shanking approaches.

"And try not to lose the key this time! I do not wish a repeat of that unfortunate affair with the safecracker."

Annnnnnnnnnd Point of Order -- if this gas is so effective, why didn't the Professor use it on Yogee before he had a chance to get his nose thingies in?

Panel three is an angle I didn't expect to see of Willie, and hope not to see again.

"Well, at least we can all have some cake."

 

[Fading Fast]

...
Kids Today!...

Mother or grandmother there just body slammed her own daughter in front of the boyfriend.

... (You know who really can't stand "Sparky Watts?" Jerry Siegel.)...

I'm beginning to think he's trolling us, but I'm enjoying it regardless. That said, I still believe he needs a costume and alter ego.

... (The thing with Jo is she's never really happy unless she's got a good grudge to nurse.)...

It took yesterday's four and today's first-three panels to finally bring these two disparate conversations together in today's final one. If they could afford it, Jo and George would be a hoot to see at a marriage counselor.

... (Back in the room, Irwin leans back, lights a fresh cigar, and takes a deep, satisfying puff. "Ohhhhh, yeah..")

Maybe yelling at Dan has even made him forget the loss of his dress-queen inamorata.

...
This story comes from the "Pink Edition" of the News, which goes to press about 8pm the night before the issue date, so the Eagle's coverage of the same story is about eighteen hours later. Makes a big difference...."

And the Eagle gave us a pretty good idea of what went on in those critical eighteen hours, "Peter Salemi of 735 53rd Street was grilled all night by District Attorney William O'Dwyer, and finally broke down early this morning."

It's wrong that the police did that and glad our policies today have changed, but not really losing sleep over how Mr. Salemi was treated. What a gruesome story.

Chubby and prematurely balding Junior needs to focus on building a successful career. In ten years or so, as a stocky, balding, but prosperous businessman, he will somehow have become much more appealing to (especially in the culture of the 1940s) the in-their-late-twenties women still on the market.

... You can't "go negative" if that's where you start from....

It really is amazing how - adjusting for style - the arguments haven't really changed that much.

...
Huh, I didn't know Larry MacPhail lived in Suffolk....

"Eggs in their beer," that's one for our "Terms That Have Disappeared" thread.

... Enjoy yourself now, son of a traitorous dog. The hour of your shanking approaches....

Caniff doesn't miss a nuance; note the soldier's grievance and realization in panel three.

... Annnnnnnnnnd Point of Order -- if this gas is so effective, why didn't the Professor use it on Yogee before he had a chance to get his nose thingies in?...

Playing devil's advocate, the Professor seems like a stereotypical science genius who is stupid as heck about life. To wit, he really thinks Yogee's coming back with the money for him. Hence, I can see him so excited and proud to show Yogee his discovery of the gas, that using it on Yogee never even occurred to him.

... "Well, at least we can all have some cake."

Ya gotta let the cake go, it's rancid at this point. They'll be no cake for them and no suitcase for Tracy's Captain - everyone has just got to move on.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Congress today empowered President Roosevelt to mobilize the National Guard and the organized reserves as the President continued to plead for more speed in enacting a national conscription law. The President stated at a press conference that the nation's defenses require passage of such a bill within the next two weeks, and warned that the military equipment that will be pouring out of the nation's factories this fall will be of little value without men to use it.

Britain disclosed today that heavy guns on both sides of the English Channel have joined the Battle Of Britain, as German air raiders again stepped up the pace of heavy bombing, striking three suburbs of London in early morning attacks. Military sources said that British guns fired in response to German cannon bombarding the important channel port of Dover from the French coast. Those sources minimized the importance of the shelling, stating that while the German shelling may have some "nuisance value," it is of no military significance.

A New York Central railroad mail clerk thought fast when robbers boarded his train near the northern tip of Manhattan this morning and thrust a sawed-off shotgun in his face. Forty-five year old Louis Weiller of Long Island City saved the registered mail sacks by kicking them under a table where the six gunmen couldn't see them, and while the robbers did escape with one mail sack and several parcels, they did not find what they evidently came to steal. A parcel containing a $100,000 payroll bound for Yonkers was not aboard the train, with the shipping date having been changed at the last minute. Weiller and his fellow mail clerks were chained to the steel framework of the mail car by the robbers, and had to be sawed free by police. The bandits escaped in an automobile and remain at large.

A 64-year-old South Brooklyn candy store proprietor chased a fleeing robber all the way from Bond Street to Nevins Street as the bandit fired on him with a revolver. Leopold Weinberger's store at 141 Bond Street was held up for $26 this morning around 8:30 AM, but Weinberger, enraged, chased the man up Bond to Dean Street, and then to Nevins, before the bandit escaped over a chain-link fence into the schoolyard of P. S. 47. He was last seen fleeing up 3rd Avenue, by which time Weinberger exhaustedly gave up the chase. "If I had been ten years younger," growled the candy-store man, "I would have captured him."

The status of Miss Sylvia Ageloff, associate of Leon Trotsky held for questioning in Mexico City in connection with the former Bolshevik leader's assassination this week, is being weighed by the city Welfare Department after it was learned that Miss Ageloff is on vacation from her $1500-a-year job as a home relief investigator. Miss Ageloff is due back on the job on August 26th. A U. S. consular official in Mexico City reported that he has spoken with Miss Ageloff, and stated that she is "near hysteria," even as Mexican secret service officials say they have not yet completed questioning her. Miss Ageloff's father, Brooklyn real estate operator Samuel Ageloff, today denied reports that he has gone to Mexico City, and stated that he does not know when he will do so, if he does so at all. Mr. Ageloff told reporters that he is "not disposed to give any information" on the affair at this time. Miss Ageloff's fellow workers in the Welfare Department today characterized her as a quiet and industrious worker who never discussed politics and who never mentioned any friendship with Trotsky.

A gurgle-proof milk bottle has been introduced to New York consumers a week ahead of the deadline for compliance with new sanitation regulations. The bottle features a specially-designed lip that prevents gurgles when the milk is poured.

A newborn baby boy was found abandoned in a brown paper bag by a woman walking in Sunset Park this morning. Mrs. Eleanor Vasquez of 313 53rd Street discovered the bag near the corner of 55th Street and 3rd Avenue, and upon realizing that it contained a live baby, took it to Norwegian Hospital, where doctors determined the infant was less than an hour old. Police are investigating.

"Solitary Sue," an admitted introvert, writes to Helen Worth wondering why she can't get a boyfriend. Sue says the boys give up on her because they say she's "too highbrow," and adds that she's tried psychoanalyzing herself but it didn't help much. She's afraid she's headed for a life of "schinaphrenia" if things don't change soon. Helen asks her to consider whether she might be a "Gertie Gloom" type, a "chronic thrower of cold water" who tends to bring the crowd down, and asks readers to weigh in with their views.

The fashion of men wearing wild-colored bandanas tied around their hats will fade away with the summer, and with the coming of autumn, men will turn their attention to bargain two-pants suits, such as those now offered at $29.75 by a certain famous retailer. New in hats will be the "featherweight" style that can be crushed and stuffed in a pocket, and easily sprung back into shape. Hat bands, however, will be their old dull selves, some so narrow as to be barely visible.

Have you heard, have you tried the latest nightclub dance craze? The conga, line-kicking fad from South America, is all the rage in Brooklyn hot spots with its "one, two, three -- ooomph!" rhythm. Pity the poor club-goer who can only do the fox trot -- "his girl will call him a bum and he'll have to hit the road!"

Radio's "mental banker" Dr. I. Q. is now broadcasting his weekly quiz from the stage of the Capitol Theatre in Manhattan. Monday night audiences there will have the chance to win silver dollars, candy bars, or both by answering his clever questions.

Demolition of the Fulton Street L won't be over by the time the World's Fair comes to an end, nor will it even get underway until after October 1st. Latest delay has to do with contracts to replace the many traffic lights that now hang from the L structure.

(When class consciousness dawns.)

A 5-0 shutout of the weak-kneed Dodgers in Chicago yesterday provoked an unexpected post-game team meeting, in which manager Leo Durocher announced that for one night only he was suspending all training rules. "I don't give a hang what you do," shouted the Lip, admonishing his players to do whatever they had to do in order to "relax." The tactic is a last-ditch attempt by Durocher to spur his limp ball club into forceful action, with nearly all the regulars mired in deep batting slumps. Lavagetto is 2 for his last 14, Walker 2 for 15, Medwick 1 for 13, and Coscarart 1 for 13. Camilli is the hitting star of the moment, if one can use that term, with four for the last sixteen. The Flock managed only two hits for the entire lineup yesterday at the hands of Cub rookie Vern Olson, a lefthander who throws an overhand sinker pitch that left Brooklyn bats completely baffled.

Adding insult to injury, Giant manager Bill "Is Brooklyn Still In The League?" Terry has weighed in with his views on the current plight of the Dodgers. "I am sure," says Memphis Bill, "we will catch and pass Brooklyn now." Terry then blew a big smoke ring and smiled. "It's plain the club has fallen apart under Leo Durocher," he said. "How my heart bleeds for Larry MacPhail."

Meanwhile, at Wrigley Field this afternoon, Luke Hamlin goes for the Dodgers versus Larry French for the Cubs.

(And just like that, our boy invents the mobile home.)

(News in this neighborhood sure gets around fast.)

(There's no way this can possibly go wrong.)

(And on the office wall, for the very first time in any strip that we follow, none other than Adolf himself. Bold move, Marsh -- you can soon expect a visit from the FBI.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

A page where you feel like you need to go for a long walk after reading it. Every new detail just makes it worse.

The D side of the page has a good point. The R side has given no reasons why Mr. Willkie is a good candidate, or any explanation of what he will do if elected -- and now, three days in, they're down to Red-baiting. Willkie, as a man, is better than the campaign he's getting.

Translation: Mr. Jemail found a way to go to the game on the company dime.

"And if not, a hot iron up the side of the head will settle him down fast. Wait, did I say that out loud?"

Clearly Professor Weirdly isn't just fooling around with nerve gas, he also raises giant mutant spiders. GO ON DOWN AND HAVE A LOOK!

Yes, "The Gumps" is steeped in the sentimental traditions of high Victorian melodrama -- but at the same time, and one of the things that makes it fascinating, is that it is even more relentlessly cynical than even "The Bungle Family" in its depiction of the worst kind of crass familial greed.

Connie's whole "so solly" schtick is very useful when it comes to manipulating others into underestimating him -- often he's really the smartest guy in the room.

When friggin' WILMER is trying to give you advice, you better start reevaluating your ways.

Um, you probably could have thought of a gentler way to break the news...

She's only looking out for your health.

 

[Fading Fast]

...and warned that the military equipment that will be pouring out of the nation's factories this fall will be of little value without men to use it....

The Brits will gladly take it.

...Britain disclosed today that heavy guns on both sides of the English Channel have joined the Battle Of Britain, as German air raiders again stepped up the pace of heavy bombing, striking three suburbs of London in early morning attacks. Military sources said that British guns fired in response to German cannon bombarding the important channel port of Dover from the French coast. Those sources minimized the importance of the shelling, stating that while the German shelling may have some "nuisance value," it is of no military significance....

Those are some serious WWII cannons as the Channel, at its narrowest point, is still twenty miles wide.

...A New York Central railroad mail clerk thought fast when robbers boarded his train near the northern tip of Manhattan this morning and thrust a sawed-off shotgun in his face. Forty-five year old Louis Weiller of Long Island City saved the registered mail sacks by kicking them under a table where the six gunmen couldn't see them, and while the robbers did escape with one mail sack and several parcels, they did not find what they evidently came to steal. A parcel containing a $100,000 payroll bound for Yonkers was not aboard the train, with the shipping date having been changed at the last minute. Weiller and his fellow mail clerks were chained to the steel framework of the mail car by the robbers, and had to be sawed free by police. The bandits escaped in an automobile and remain at large.

A 64-year-old South Brooklyn candy store proprietor chased a fleeing robber all the way from Bond Street to Nevins Street as the bandit fired on him with a revolver. Leopold Weinberger's store at 141 Bond Street was held up for $26 this morning around 8:30 AM, but Weinberger, enraged, chased the man up Bond to Dean Street, and then to Nevins, before the bandit escaped over a chain-link fence into the schoolyard of P. S. 47. He was last seen fleeing up 3rd Avenue, by which time Weinberger exhaustedly gave up the chase. "If I had been ten years younger," growled the candy-store man, "I would have captured him."...

Maybe "The Greatest Generation" appellation was a bit too much, but it is a hearty, gritty generation ready to protect its property. Clearly the "just give them whatever they want" approach to being held up hadn't taken hold yet.

..."Solitary Sue," an admitted introvert, writes to Helen Worth wondering why she can't get a boyfriend. Sue says the boys give up on her because they say she's "too highbrow," and adds that she's tried psychoanalyzing herself but it didn't help much. She's afraid she's headed for a life of "schinaphrenia" if things don't change soon. Helen asks her to consider whether she might be a "Gertie Gloom" type, a "chronic thrower of cold water" who tends to bring the crowd down, and asks readers to weigh in with their views....

Perhaps "Solitary Sue" should be introduced to "Junior" from "The Neighbors." Although, I still think Junior's best move is to focus on building his career and, then, re-enter the dating pool in ten years - he'll get a completely different reception.

...
Adding insult to injury, Giant manager Bill "Is Brooklyn Still In The League?" Terry has weighed in with his views on the current plight of the Dodgers. "I am sure," says Memphis Bill, "we will catch and pass Brooklyn now." Terry then blew a big smoke ring and smiled. "It's plain the club has fallen apart under Leo Durocher," he said. "How my heart bleeds for Larry MacPhail."...

One, I'll take that bet. And, two, so much for good sportsmanship.

Also, it's time, once again, for Durocher to give the "every comeback starts by winning one game first" speech. It's the last time he can use it this year.

... (There's no way this can possibly go wrong.)...

The beautiful thing about John is that he learns absolutely nothing from his past experiences.

...
A page where you feel like you need to go for a long walk after reading it. Every new detail just makes it worse.....

It's just awful.

Salemi's picture immediately reminded me of a similar sociopath who killed a young woman in the '80s, "Preppy Murderer" Robert Chambers:

...
Translation: Mr. Jemail found a way to go to the game on the company dime.....

That's quite the roster of responders the News lined up.

... Connie's whole "so solly" schtick is very useful when it comes to manipulating others into underestimating him -- often he's really the smartest guy in the room.....

Caniff just keeps wrapping in more layers and twists.

... When friggin' WILMER is trying to give you advice, you better start reevaluating your ways....

I'm enjoying it, but King's going to be getting a tap on the shoulder from whomever plays the morality police for comic strips if he takes this much further. The last thing we need is another "Little Orphan Annie" trip to Hallmark-land.

...
Um, you probably could have thought of a gentler way to break the news.......

(Banging on table) Point of order. That iced-layer cake was baked back on July 4th and has been dragged to and from NYC unrefrigerated since. Everyone, please, let's acknowledge that cake was thrown away by necessity long ago.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The thunder of anti-aircraft fire resounded over the Thames Estuary today as British guns fired on wave after wave of massed German bombers. The sound of bombs falling over the Estuary could clearly be heard in the heart of London even over the wail of air raid sirens. The United Press reports that as many as 300 German planes were sighted during the daylight raids. Rooftop observers stated that "screaming dogfights" were taking place between British fighters and the German raiders.

Brooklyn grocers are being warned to avoid a racket promoted by unscrupulous lawyers seeking to convince retailers that they "need legal assistance" to participate in the Federal Food Stamp Program. The district supervisor of the program, John A. McAuliffe, issued a statement today emphasizing that any grocer, butcher, baker, fruit and vegetable merchant, or dairy store operator who wishes to participate in the program may do so with no need for any "legal assistance." Participation in the program, stressed McAuliffe, is entirely voluntary, and no registration fee of any kind is required. He added that no individuals other than representatives of the Surplus Marketing Administration are in any way authorized to act on behalf of the program.

Administration strategists today predicted that the Senate will approve the Burke-Wadsworth compulsory military training bill next week by a margin of at least ten votes, and in a form that will authorize the immediate start of conscription. It is also predicted that an alternative bill promoted by Senator Francis Mahoney of Connecticut that would delay the start of the draft until January 1st will fail by a margin of from two to four votes.

Brooklyn real estate executive Samuel Ageloff has flown to Mexico City to aid in the defense of his daughter Sylvia, held by Mexican authorities in connection with the assassination of exiled former Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky. Miss Ageloff, a New York social worker, who had "visited frequently" with Trotsky in Mexico City, is said to be "hysterical" and under guard at an emergency hospital. Also held at that hospital is the accused assassin himself, identified as Frank Jackson, who was severely beaten by Trotsky's bodyguards after he attacked Trotsky with a pickaxe. Police say that Jackson has admitted to killing Trotsky over "a disagreement," but Trotsky's followers insist the assassination was a political act carried out by agents of the Soviet secret police. Jackson's origin is unknown, but he speaks both French and English, the latter with a Brooklyn accent.

President Roosevelt has formally declined Republican Presidential nominee Wendell Willkie's challenge to a series of public debates, but Federal Securities Administrator Paul V. McNutt has offered to stand in the President's place. Speaking to the Democratic State Convention in New Haven, Connecticut, Mr. McNutt stated that he would be pleased to debate Mr. Willkie, given that he has done so before, when the two were classmates at the University of Indiana.

Parks Commissioner Robert Moses has dismissed calls by Federal officials for the conversion of the World's Fair to a mammoth military training camp once the Fair closes for good at the end of October. Commissioner Moses called the idea "utterly fantastic," and emphasized that his plans for the grounds to be converted to a Flushing Meadow Park will move forward immediately once the Fair buildings have been razed. Mr. Moses pointed out that the Fair structures would be useless as traning facilities, given that they are flimsy, non-fireproof constructions that do not meet the city building codes, and that they were only ever intended for temporary use.

The automobile used by the six bandits who robbed a New York Central mail train at Marble Hill Station in upper Manhattan yesterday has been found this morning abandoned in Woodside, but the bandits themselves remain at large. Local and Federal law enforcement agencies are combining efforts to locate the mail robbers, and have recovered two handguns apparently used by the robbers discarded along the tracks. Also recovered were two pistols taken from the mail clerks during the holdup, with those guns found in the areaway of an apartment house in the Bronx. Police are also examining the wooden plank bridge used by the bandits to board the mail car, and are questioning local lumberyards to determine the origin of the wood.

("Be sure to publish the timetable for Abe's flight, and the address of his hotel, would you? Thanks pal! Your friend, Lepke.")

A joint resolution of the forty-six posts of the American Legion in Nassau County calls on the State Legislature to enact a new law mandating that all students in New York schools learn the Spanish language. The resolution declares that compulsory universal instruction in that language is essential for National Defense, and would draw the United States into a closer bond with its Spanish-speaking neighbors in the Western Hemisphere.

The Eagle Editorialist declares that opponents of conscription in both political parties need to do some serious "soul searching," with the impending adoption of the Burke-Wadsworth bill and the draft likely to follow soon. The EE believes that there has been plenty of opportunity for debate on the measure, and that if opponents think a filibuster to block the bill is in the best interests of the country, "that is not the way to settle an issue involving the defense of the nation."

("No Fault Divorce" is still thirty years away.)

A 27-year-old film actress died in Hollywood today from burns sustained while trying to save a child from a fire. Edna Waldron, most recently seen in a small role in "Brother Orchid," was burned while trying to extinguish the child's burning clothes, which had ignited due to an explosion of cleaning fluid. The child, three-year-old Catherine Bowman, also died as a result of the fire.

Pete Reiser is not an experienced shortstop, and he proved it yesterday when he booted an eleventh-inning ground ball allowing Stan Hack to score the winning run, giving the Cubs a 5-4 win over the Dodgers at Wrigley Field. Manager Leo Durocher withdrew himself from the lineup due to a sore arm, and figured Reiser, who has performed well at third base, might be worth a trial at short -- and the rookie did well at the position until the crucial moment. That was how the day went for the Dodgers, one embarassment after another, starting with a stray dog that ran onto the field before the game and tore out the seat of Fat Freddie Fitzsimmons' pants, to the immense amusement of the Ladies' Day crowd.

But Reiser's muff wasn't the biggest botch of the day for the Flock. That came back in Brooklyn, where "somebody" in the front office put outfielder Jimmy Ripple on the waiver wire -- only to see him immediately and gleefully claimed by the Cincinnati Reds. Ripple has been playing for the Montreal Royals, to whom he was optioned earlier this season, and apparently the thinking in the office was that he was to be released outright to Montreal -- but whoever was responsible failed to note the National League rule that once waivers on an optioned player are asked, those waivers cannot be recalled. Ripple, a veteran outfielder who can hit, therefore goes to the Reds for the waiver price of $7500, at a time when Cincinnati doesn't need any more help from the Dodgers.

Either Fitzsimmons or Davis will pitch for Brooklyn today to close out the Chicago series before the Dodgers board their plane to flee to Pittsburgh for a doubleheader tomorrow. Presumably Freddie's pants will be mended if he gets the nod.

The Birmingham Black Barons invade Dexter Park tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Bushwicks, giving local fans a chance to see some of the top players in the Negro American League, including lefthander Herman "Red" Howard, who has the fastest fastball in the circuit, and righthander Danny Bankhead of the famous "Bankhead Boys." Also in the lineup will be flashy outfielder "Jabo" Andrews of the Santo Domingo All Stars, and slugging first baseman Lyman Bostock.

Yesterday the Bushwicks trimmed the beards of the House of David, 5-2.

(I know comic-strip hoods are never very smart, but these three guys....)

(Poor Jo. Can't resist letting sleeping lies dog.)

("Best and Wisest Friend?" Listening from the shadows, Mary tightens her jaw and tosses her head.)

("Dog Is My Co-Pilot.")

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

Prediction -- six weeks from now, Dan Dunn, Dick Tracy or both will do "train robbery" storylines.

As omnipresent as presidential debates are as of 2020, they didn't become a regularly-scheduled event until 1976. So there's nothing particularly surprising about FDR declining Mr. Willkie's challenge. But at the very least, they would have been interesting to hear.

It wasn't until Eisenhower that golf became the Presidential relaxation of choice. Prior to that, Presidents went fishing.

Big Stoop does not like the Dragon Lady. He does not like the Dragon Lady at all. Which is understandable, given the whole "she cut my tongue out" story.

"Eh? Who's this punk?"

Well, jeez, Tracy, you had your hand crushed in a vice, what, four months ago? You ought to not be putting too much faith in it at this point.

You really need to have a stack of those headshots, just in case.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Aaaaaaand the cycle begins anew...

Hahahahahahahahaha!

 

[Fading Fast]

The thunder of anti-aircraft fire resounded over the Thames Estuary today as British guns fired on wave after wave of massed German bombers. The sound of bombs falling over the Estuary could clearly be heard in the heart of London even over the wail of air raid sirens. The United Press reports that as many as 300 German planes were sighted during the daylight raids. Rooftop observers stated that "screaming dogfights" were taking place between British fighters and the German raiders....

You regularly read about how many German planes were shot down by British planes (and vice versa), but you never read about how many were downed by anti-aircraft fire despite anti-aircraft fire almost always being referenced in raids. Does any one know, on average (or some measure of) how successful (or not) anti-aircraft fire was in WWII for either side?

...Brooklyn real estate executive Samuel Ageloff has flown to Mexico City to aid in the defense of his daughter Sylvia, held by Mexican authorities in connection with the assassination of exiled former Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky. Miss Ageloff, a New York social worker, who had "visited frequently" with Trotsky in Mexico City, is said to be "hysterical" and under guard at an emergency hospital. Also held at that hospital is the accused assassin himself, identified as Frank Jackson, who was severely beaten by Trotsky's bodyguards after he attacked Trotsky with a pickaxe. Police say that Jackson has admitted to killing Trotsky over "a disagreement," but Trotsky's followers insist the assassination was a political act carried out by agents of the Soviet secret police. Jackson's origin is unknown, but he speaks both French and English, the latter with a Brooklyn accent....

I'm just guessing that the dinner-table conversations between real-estate-executive dad and social-worker-and-friend-of-Trotsky daughter weren't always pleasant.

...The automobile used by the six bandits who robbed a New York Central mail train at Marble Hill Station in upper Manhattan yesterday has been found this morning abandoned in Woodside, but the bandits themselves remain at large. Local and Federal law enforcement agencies are combining efforts to locate the mail robbers, and have recovered two handguns apparently used by the robbers discarded along the tracks. Also recovered were two pistols taken from the mail clerks during the holdup, with those guns found in the areaway of an apartment house in the Bronx. Police are also examining the wooden plank bridge used by the bandits to board the mail car, and are questioning local lumberyards to determine the origin of the wood....

They're going to find these guys (and without Tracy's or Dunn's help, but it sure sounds like a perfect comic-strip-cop plot).

Note: I really did write this before reading Lizzie's comment on the News' version of this story. Great minds and all.

...
("Be sure to publish the timetable for Abe's flight, and the address of his hotel, would you? Thanks pal! Your friend, Lepke.")...

And yes, there is a movie (and it's a good one) based on the mob-witness-needs-protection train trip: "The Narrow Margin" from 1952. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044954/

Good to see the 1940 version of "Buy American" included the oh-so-important polo ball.

...
("No Fault Divorce" is still thirty years away.)...

And we're back to the land of bald men only.

...A 27-year-old film actress died in Hollywood today from burns sustained while trying to save a child from a fire. Edna Waldron, most recently seen in a small role in "Brother Orchid," was burned while trying to extinguish the child's burning clothes, which had ignited due to an explosion of cleaning fluid. The child, three-year-old Catherine Bowman, also died as a result of the fire....

What a terrible thing. I was surprised I didn't recognize her name, but checked IMBD and she only had seven, all-uncredited, bit roles.

... a stray dog that ran onto the field before the game and tore out the seat of Fat Freddie Fitzsimmons' pants, to the immense amusement of the Ladies' Day crowd....

Seriously? That really happened? That completely offsets Freddie Fitzsimmons Day. I hope that yoga is working for him.

Kermit, what do you think?

... Presumably Freddie's pants will be mended if he gets the nod....

FFF to the team's equipment manager upon being handed his repaired pants, "Are you $%#^&* kidding me, how could you only have red thread - we don't have any red in our uniforms!"

Kermit?

... Prediction -- six weeks from now, Dan Dunn, Dick Tracy or both will do "train robbery" storylines....

"In a trice..." Really, that made it past the editors desk.

... Well, jeez, Tracy, you had your hand crushed in a vice, what, four months ago? You ought to not be putting too much faith in it at this point....

Sure professor, he's bringing you money, freedom and a unicorn.

... You really need to have a stack of those headshots, just in case....

I believe the math involved works something like this: Skeezix's loyalty to Nina = Feelings for Nina - Time since he last saw Nina - Proximity/availability of other pretty girls - Money in his pocket.

... Hahahahahahahahahaha!...

That's some Sparky Watts' style humor.

 

[Haversack]

Anti-aircraft fire, or Flak, (Flugzeugabwehrkanone), was generally considered quite effective by the end of the Second World War. Initially however, its performance was poor. Although the guns in use of both sides remained largely unchanged from the beginning to the end of war, improvements in organization, deployment, and quantity made anti-aircraft fire a serious threat to air operations.

Some considerations: First, Flak is defensive. It is usually deployed to protect a particular target from air attack. If it breaks up an attack so that the target is not destroyed, it is successful. Second, Flak doesn't have to actually shoot down aircraft to be effective. Damaging aircraft and crew so that they break off their attack protects the target and attrits the offensive force. Third, there is the morale effect to those on the ground of being able to be fighting back.

 

[Fading Fast]

Anti-aircraft fire, or Flak, (Flugzeugabwehrkanone), was generally considered quite effective by the end of the Second World War. Initially however, its performance was poor. Although the guns in use of both sides remained largely unchanged from the beginning to the end of war, improvements in organization, deployment, and quantity made anti-aircraft fire a serious threat to air operations.

Some considerations: First, Flak is defensive. It is usually deployed to protect a particular target from air attack. If it breaks up an attack so that the target is not destroyed, it is successful. Second, Flak doesn't have to actually shoot down aircraft to be effective. Damaging aircraft and crew so that they break off their attack protects the target and attrits the offensive force. Third, there is the morale effect to those on the ground of being able to be fighting back.

Thank you Sir.

 

[LizzieMaine]

German bombs and long-distance shells rained down again today on Britain's Channel coast, hitting targets at Dover, Portsmouth, and Ramsgate, as well as striking three times in the direction of London. The attack, savage in its intensity, was deemed by some as "the severest of the war." A thousand or more German planes may have participated in the raids along three hundred miles of coastline, with 47 German planes reported shot down, ten British planes missing, and one pilot "reported safe." German sources claimed the real "mass attacks" have not yet begun.

The brother of Sylvia Ageloff, Brooklyn friend of Frank Jackson, assassin of Leon Trotsky, arrived by plane today in Mexico City where he declared his sister is innocent of any involvement in the case. Monte Ageloff of Merrick, L. I. told reporters that he knew nothing of any political activities his sister might have been involved in, before conferring with U. S. Consul George Shaw. Miss Ageloff has insisted she knew nothing of any plan by Jackson to kill the exiled Bolshevik.

Meanwhile, the State Department has refused to allow the body of Trotsky to be buried in the US. In a statement to Consul Shaw, the State Department declared that "it perceives no reason to bring the body of Mr. Trotsky to the United States, and it would not be appropriate to do so."

Police investigating last week's robbery of a New York Central mail train got the wrong car when they seized a vehicle found in Woodside in the belief that it was the getaway car used in the crime. The car bearing New Jersey license plate number SR-898 was owned by 27-year-old George Gray, of 39-79 49th Street in Sunnyside, a chauffeur employed by the Coca-Cola Company, but an examination of fingerprint evidence concluded that he was not involved in the crime, and that his car was not used by the bandits. Police explained the error by stating that the getaway car bore a near-identical license number.

Tomorrow marks the twentieth anniversary of women's suffrage in the United States. Since then, American women have gained the rights to vote and hold office, own property, make a will, practice a profession, share the guardianship of their children, be a witness in court after marriage, along with guarantees of freedom of speech, freedom to organize, freedom to petition, freedom to follow conscience in the matter of religion, and have gained greater economic opportunities, higher wages, equal education to men, equal representation, equal rights in marriage, and equality in the social state.

An outbreak of rabies in Brooklyn has forced a Health Department order quarantining all dogs in the borough until further notice. Any dog found loose in the streets will be seized forthwith, according to city Health Commissioner Dr. John L. Rice, and any owner of an unmuzzled or unleashed dog will be prosecuted.

("Good thing that pooch 'at got Fat Freddie was in Chicago," says Joe. "He still oughta get checked," says Sally. "They're all rabid out there.")

Town officials in Rockaway are considering an ordinance that would ban the wearing of shorts on public streets. Local civic organizations have campaigned for the prohibition, based on complaints from individuals about the "excessively informal" nature of clothing worn in the business district and in residential neighborhoods by vacationers. The Rockaway Chamber of Commerce, however, opposes the ban, stating that "conditions have improved" in recent years due to its educational campaign discouraging shorts on the streets.

The Eagle Editorialist calls for a moratorium on the use of the term "fifth columnist," noting that it's gotten to the point where everyone who has a disagreement with anyone on any issue is tarred with the epithet.

The nineteen-year-old Brooklyn girl beaten to death by a rejected suitor last week on Dyker Beach was buried yesterday on Staten Island. Frieda Olsen was laid to rest by her family in a simple ceremony. Meanwhile, 32-year-old confessed killer Peter Salemi awaits trial on an indictment charging him with murder. He confessed to the slaying after a twelve-hour grilling in the District Attorney's office. Miss Olsen's mother told reporters last week that she opposes the death penalty, and hopes to see Salemi locked away for the rest of his life.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a 69-year-old woman planted a hedge in her front yard, and complained to police when stalks from the hedge began to disappear. Police investigated and advised that the woman that the hedge was marijuana.

(The Collegiate Look, 1940 style)

(Sigh.)

Give Curt Davis a medal. Give him a cash prize. Give him Borough Hall all wrapped up in cellophane. And most of all, give him thanks for stopping the Dodgers' losing streak with a slickly-pitched 11-3 win over the Cubs. And save some thanks too for Pete Coscarart and Joe Gallagher, whose home runs paced the Brooklyn batting attack, which finally came back to life after a prolonged slump. Every Dodger starter but Lavagetto hit safely yesterday -- what's wrong, Cookie?

The Dodgers are glad to see the last of Chicago for 1940, and wing their way to Pittsburgh next for a doubleheader this afternoon against the Pirates, who, despite a loss to the Giants yesterday, have been playing good ball of late.

The World Series of tennis begins Friday and extends for nine days, with Don McNeill seen as a real threat to Bobby Riggs' crown on the men's side, and Alice Marble out to defend her title among the women. The tournament at Forest Hills will be entirely an American affair, with the war keeping the foreign talent off the court, and such stars as Don Budge and Fred Perry will be conspicuous by their absence.

It's been nearly a month since the suicide of Willard Hershberger, and Reds manager Bill McKechnie says his boys are still grieving the loss, both on a personal level and on the field. "Hershie" always caught the night games for the Reds, and players have found the experience of having someone else out there under the lights to be unsettling, with several saying they've actually seen Hershberger on the field during nocturnal contests.

Great Grandmother M. O. enjoyed the vaudeville reminisences in last week's Old Timers section, and shares her memories of watching Victor Moore and Sophie Tucker when they were just young up-and-comers down at the old Orpheum Theatre.

Speaking of Alice Marble, tennis's favorite nightclub crooner makes the front of Trend this week...

Actress Loretta Young is only twenty-two years old, but her movie career goes all the way back to 1918 -- she appeared before the cameras for the first time as an infant in a picture with Fanny Ward.

At the REFRESHINGLY COOL Patio, it's Loretta Young and Ray Milland in "The Doctor Takes A Wife," with co-feature "21 Days Together" with Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.

(Another sleazy sheriff. Red will pound him into submission with a quick blow of his mighty chin.)

(In Los Angeles, DA Buron Fitts grabs the phone. "LANA TURNER'S A RED! SUMMON THE GRAND JURY!")

(You know, there was a time, not so long ago, when Bill was a genuinely heroic figure in this strip, fighting off hoods and swindlers with his bare fists. Now he's just comedy relief. There's a lesson there for YOU, John Blackston!)

(FACE EATING DOG! FACE EATING DOG! Hey Dan, you better stay out of Brooklyn for a while.)

(An insurance fraud story? I'm up for that!)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

"I Want A Divorce," the movie, was based on a distressingly mawkish radio show that was, sadly, Joan Blondell's only starring series on the air. She deserved better.

Some things never change.

Mr. Hill must've been laid up recently. How's the gall bladder?

"Underground hangout?" What's he got down there, an old couch, a ping-pong table, and a mini-bar?

And that, neighbors, is how you do a cliff-hanger. Better drink your Dari-Rich!

This seems to be quite the week for cliff-hangers.

Not just any parrot, Plushie. It's the rare South American TROLL PARROT!

The "Awful Awful" was a genuine soda-shop fad in 1940, and that's a genuine recipe for one. DRINK UP!

And again Walt models a fetching Davega sportswear ensemble, his flex-knit polo shirt expanding comfortably over his cool broadcloath khaki slacks, accented by lightweight perforated tan shoes. Give us a twirl!

Bible-Quoting Sam ventures further afield today for his material.

 

[Fading Fast]

...The brother of Sylvia Ageloff, Brooklyn friend of Frank Jackson, assassin of Leon Trotsky, arrived by plane today in Mexico City where he declared his sister is innocent of any involvement in the case. Monte Ageloff of Merrick, L. I. told reporters that he knew nothing of any political activities his sister might have been involved in, before conferring with U. S. Consul George Shaw. Miss Ageloff has insisted she knew nothing of any plan by Jackson to kill the exiled Bolshevik....

Had she been my father's daughter, I'm 99% comfortable that he'd have left her in Mexico and just gone on about his day. You make your bed and all that.

...("Good thing that pooch 'at got Fat Freddie was in Chicago," says Joe. "He still oughta get checked," says Sally. "They're all rabid out there.")...

It is all but unbelievable that that happened to FFF. We'd laugh it off as ridiculous if it happened in a novel.

...In Cleveland, Ohio, a 69-year-old woman planted a hedge in her front yard, and complained to police when stalks from the hedge began to disappear. Police investigated and advised that the woman that the hedge was marijuana....

...Speaking of Alice Marble, tennis's favorite nightclub crooner makes the front of Trend this week......

No kidding, last night, I just started the new Alice Marble bio we talked about last week.

So far, I'm up to the 1910s and Alice is an infant on a poor farm in California. Wimbledon is still far away.

... (In Los Angeles, DA Buron Fitts grabs the phone. "LANA TURNER'S A RED! SUMMON THE GRAND JURY!")...

Re Hirohito: I think he just wrote the plot for "Roman Holiday."

Re Lana Turner: We still don't have definitive proof.

...[
(You know, there was a time, not so long ago, when Bill was a genuinely heroic figure in this strip, fighting off hoods and swindlers with his bare fists. Now he's just comedy relief. There's a lesson there for YOU, John Blackston!)...

Heck, being comic relief would be a step up for John; right now, he just gets in Mary's and Leona's way by being stupid.

... (FACE EATING DOG! FACE EATING DOG! Hey Dan, you better stay out of Brooklyn for a while.)...

Seriously, how can Marsh not know about thought bubbles?

... "I Want A Divorce," the movie, was based on a distressingly mawkish radio show that was, sadly, Joan Blondell's only starring series on the air. She deserved better.....

So, Priscilla St. George (nickname Prune), daughter of George B. St. George, married Angier Biddle Duke (nickname Bunny) to become Priscilla St. George Duke and the two had a baby St. George Biddle Duke, but now Mr. Duke has been stepping out with Sis Crosby Bagley. Okay then. Even comic strip writers would be hesitant to make up names like that.

Good thing Mrs. Clyde Pangborn didn't go to see "The Women."

Quite the busy day for Reno.

... And that, neighbors, is how you do a cliff-hanger. Better drink your Dari-Rich!...

The Dragon Lady is all you said she is - no hesitation in shooting Stoop. And she's forcing Pat to up his game, which he is. Raven, though, seems a bit shell shocked by the DL.

...[ The "Awful Awful" was a genuine soda-shop fad in 1940, and that's a genuine recipe for one. DRINK UP!....

Sounds like it would be incredibly sweet and rich. Also, hard to imagine what flavor would come out of that combo.

...
And again Walt models a fetching Davega sportswear ensemble, his flex-knit polo shirt expanding comfortably over his cool broadcloath khaki slacks, accented by lightweight perforated tan shoes. Give us a twirl!...

How much does Walt weigh?

... Bible-Quoting Sam ventures further afield today for his material.

You can tell though, Gray's getting tired of all this holier-than-thou stuff.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Poor Walt. He's always run to pudge, but now he's giving FFF a run for his derriere. That full-on shot of his beam in panel six is terribly cruel.

I'm getting right along on the Marble bio myself -- up to where she's working out with the San Francisco Seals. Pity she wasn't ten years older, or she'd have been a star with the Bloomer Girls.

That no recordings exist of Miss Marble's nightclub crooning is a real shame. That whole angle would be like Martina Navratilova pausing at the prime of her career to cut a folk-rock album.

The whole Ageloff story feels like a Warner Brothers potboiler from 1937, starring Glenda Farrell as Sylvia and Lionel Atwill as Trotsky.

All of this that's happened in TOTP over the past week is taking place within the space of maybe ten minutes elapsed time. Adrenaline is your friend.

Pop's "Awful Awful" sounds a lot like what we used to call a "suicide," which was a squirt of every flavor from the fountain into a single large cup. We used soda water for a base, though, not milk, and nobody ever drank two of them in a sitting, let alone three. Shadow must be a medical marvel.