Looking Back: September 14, 2012
100 Years Ago
1912 Real estate magnate Harris Diamond, recently retired, had become depressed and pessimistic after the death of his wife. His children tried to cheer him up, but without success. Recently he was found dead in his Manhattan apartment, on Lexington Avenue. His death was a suicide. Diamond had closed all the windows and doors, pulled a small bed next to the gas pipe and put his mouth on the pipe. After his children discovered his body, they also found a note he had written to them. It read: “Dear Children, I apologize for this act. I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year. You will fi nd money in an envelope on the table, and also my bank book and my jewelry. Your loving father.”
75 Years Ago
1937 There are two things that are never permitted at the fancy Lake Placid Club in the Adirondack Mountains: normative spelling, and Jews. The wealthy aristocrats that belong to this club have a program to reform the spelling of English, and everything they write is spelled according to their unique system. As for Jews, the club simply doesn’t allow them, even if they are wealthy, cultured and assimilated. The cultured group at the club recently held a contest, with a $1,000 prize, for the best musical composition. Advertised in newspapers and on the radio, the contest was a big deal. Dozens of composers entered. To make it fair, their names were kept secret from the judges, and wouldn’t you know it, who wins but a Jew named Louis Greenberg! Because of the publicity the club couldn’t keep it a secret, but it still didn’t let the winner inside.
50 Years Ago
1962 Israel has sent a warning to Syria after three separate attacks occurred from Syrian territory within a 15-hour period. Israeli general Yitzhak Rabin stated that Israel is losing its patience with the frequent Syrian attacks on Israeli fi shermen and farmers in the area of the Sea of Galilee. No one was injured in the three most recent attacks, but property and homes were damaged. Syrian soldiers have a tendency to take random shots at farmers and fi sherman, and stop only when Israeli soldiers return fi re. Rabin added that Israel wants quiet on its borders and reserves the right to protect its citizens.
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