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Sarnac Lake police blotter, 1938

My fans are just screaming for another column about the exciting activities of our beautiful village almost 80 years ago. Some events are funny, some not so funny; I think the attraction for readers are the exact details, at the exact time and exact date of a small happening in their home town.

No drugs recorded back then but John Barleycorn was the cause of many calls to the police. That term, meaning alcohol abuse, was first used in 1620, according to Sir Google; then he went on to explain how to use that phrase in a sentence; “She blamed the breakup of their marriage on John Barleycorn.”

I am really reaching now to connect this first blotter entry that may have been the forerunner of a significant event brought about by Sue Dyer when she was Executive Director of the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Sue was mentioned in the Enterprise edition of Sept. 16 as the founder of the 90-miler canoe race; she was the founder of the Alpo Dog Sled races (top prize $50,000) and among various activities started by Sue she came up with the “brand” “the Green Side of the Big Apple” which was developed into a much treasured pin (pictured at far right) … a real winner.

However, her biggest contribution, in my opinion, is this lasting one; she came up with the idea to ask Gary Trudeau of Doonesbury fame to do “something” for Winter Carnival. I worked with Sue in the Chamber office for a couple of months after my job ended with the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee.

So, one day, she says, “I wish we could get Gary Trudeau to do something for Winter Carnival?” So I says, I’ll call his Dad, Dr. Frank Trudeau, who had become my friend while working for LPOOC, and gave him Sue’s suggestion … and as they say, whoever they are, the rest is history

I believe I have convinced Harrietstown Supervisor Mike Kilroy to order a few hundred of those green-side pins as the town board works to highlight the chamber. The chamber has new offices in the town hall and the new Executive Director Adrienne Reylea is just chomping at the bit to get things cranking. The million dollar renovation to the town hall goes hand-in-hand with the opening of the Hotel Saranac, which will be perfect to host small conventions here again.

Well, anyway,

here is the green side

July 24, 7:30 p.m. — Complaint from the New York Central that as a train was pulling into the station some boys on the roof of J. J. O’Connell’s mill threw a green apple and broke the baggage car window. Investigated and found the following boys were on the roof throwing apples. Billy Furlong, 67 Margaret Street, age 12; Raymond Cassavaugh, 180 Broadway, age 12; Harold Schefetal, 8 Lawrence Street, age 8; Paul Proctor, 149 Broadway, age 8 (later one of my pals in high school); Ernest Cassavaugh, 180 Broadway, age 15; Bobby Kingston,. 39 Neil Street, age 5 and Teddy Rielly, 193 Broadway, age 12. Gave the conductor the boysnames in order that he might make a report to the company. Officer Brown and I saw the parents of the children, all except Rielly’s parents who weren’t home. — Higgins

Trouble at the

Chinese restaurant

July 27, 11:30 p.m. – Call from the Chinese restaurant. Investigated by Brown and Tyler found that Lefty Jones had been in there and got something to eat and wouldn’t pay the check. Found Jones further up on Broadway drunk. Brought him to station where he got abusive with his language and tried to fight us and said we couldn’t lock him up. Locked him up for D.I. — Tyler

Very strange —

Lost on horseback

July 29, 11:45 p.m. — Complaint from Paul Blondo that 2 women and I man on horseback were lost back of Weir’s farm at Kiwassa. [Walter Weir’s farm was at the very end of what is now the Branch Farm Road. Walt with his horses and equestrian skills were part of the silent films produced in Saranac Lake.] Went out at 7 p.m. and were due back at 9 p.m. Thought they had wandered off the bridle path as they had found no sign of them yet. Were organizing a searching party and needed flashlights. Let him take my flashlight and Officer Ryans. — Higgins

[I believe if those amateur riders would have let go of the reins the horses would head back for the barn. Having some experience on the farm with draft horses…and believe me, they always wanted to head for the barn. I also briefly took care of horses one winter at the Last Chance Ranch. One got away from me as I was bringing two in from the paddock. My heart sank as I watched this multi-thousand dollar horse race out of sight around the barn. I found him waiting to get into the barn at the back door.]

Looked exactly like a bear

Sept. 1, 12:30 a.m. — Report from a party on Church Street that they had seen a cub bear walking up the driveway of the Santanoni Apartments. Investigated by Higgins and Brown.Found a black Chow dog walking around there. — Brown

Why was only the

woman arrested?

Sept. 6, 3:45 p.m. – While on duty on Broadway near the bridge, Mrs. Ferris, 36 Broadway requested that an officer go upstairs and remove a drunken woman out of one of her rooms. Was in there with one fellow who rooms there and another man. Investigated and found doors locked. Finally gained entrance and found one John Doe hiding in the clothes closet and Jane Doe under the bed. Joe Doe, roomer there, was standing in the middle of the room. All three had been drinking. Jane had her shoes off and dress partly torn. Admitted being in bed with both men. Arrested her for D.C. Sec. 43 Penal Code. — Brown

Called her a “crazy” woman

Sept. 12, 12:25 a.m. — Complaint from Mr. Isadore Lesperance of Virginia Street that a crazy woman just walked into his house with some rocks in her hands. Investigated by Garwood and Higgins. Found Jane Smith sitting in a chair, couple of rocks on the floor. Lesperance family had never seen her before. Took her out of their home and brought her to the station. Said she had a couple of drinks and went out with some man and he tried to take advantage of her. The way she talked and acted she seemed unbalanced. Called the matron, Mrs. Fletcher, and booked her for disorderly conduct.

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