March 1944 and 1938

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The Saranac Lake police duties were certainly different 80 years ago in our beautiful and peaceful village along the banks of a flowing river that empties into Lake Champlain … no drugs … just barking dogs, kids and adults raising hell, drunks lying in the street, domestic disputes, stealing gas and batteries out of cars or in many cases stealing the cars. The police had to unlock the town sheds for the storm workers, look after the furnaces and take direct orders from the mayor and the village manager.

However, 80 years ago there were six to eight police officers and one car, not in very good shape, and they had to deal with 10,000 residents. Today we have 13 officers, 3 police cars and 5,000 residents but it all equals out because the crime scene is so different.

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1944

“Drove police car from police office to McVeety’s Restaurant [ located then next to Sturdy’s Supply] and when stopped it blew steam like a porpoise. Could not use car for prowling. Smelled of ether.” Wallace

“Complaint from Mrs. Burkett, 11 Baker Street. People upstairs making noise.Investigated and told Mrs. Mag Barclay to tell her friends to get to hell of there and stop making noise or I would lock them all up. She promised to do so.” –Ryan

“Call for police at 6 Forrest Hill Avenue. Investigated by Wallace who found that Mrs. Carl Simmons complained of her husband slapping her face.When arrived he was orderly and I could find no evidence of a slapping so I told Mrs. Simmons to see the judge. Simmons left the house.” – Wallace

“Call from McVeety’s that a G.I. was causing a fight. Checked by Ryan M.P. and Jewtraw. Told the G.I. to leave the diner.” Jewtraw

“Call from St. Regis that a G.I. was in the Hotel drunk. Answered by Ryan, Jewtraw and an M. P. Brought G.I. to police station. M.P. took G.I. to Lake Placid.” — Jewtraw

[The soldiers were all over the village at that time because the Lake Placid Club had been turned into an R&R facility for soldiers returning from combat in World War II. They were treated with respect and never arrested or identified in any of the records I have read.]

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1938

“Call from Mayor Ward. Someone peddling apples on Ampersand Avenue. Investigated. Looked around town forpeddlers but could not find them. Found out that a couple of farmers from Plattsburg come up here peddling once in awhile.” — Brown

“Report from Troopers. Had received a T.T. [teletype] message that a 1936 Gray Ford Couple Registration DLR – 26-624 was stolen in Buffalo last nite. Might try to get across the border.Ralph Briggs, Bank Bandit supposed to be driving car.” – Brown

“Complaint from Mrs. Rogers, 45 Shepard Avenue. A man hanging around in front of the house molesting girls working there.No one around when we arrived.” – Higgins & Brown

“Call from Hotel Saranac Coffee Shop. Wanted an officer right away. Found Ernest Wilson there, not very drunk. Hotel did not want him arrested. Put him out and sent him home.” — Garwood

“Called out Morrow, Welles, Paul LeClair, Spencer Branch, Glen Ryan, Joe D’Onofrio, Hyman Hall, Frank Buck and Ed Lamy to sand streets and sidewalks. Let the boys in the sheds to get their trucks.” — Higgins & Ryan

“Complaint from Roy Darrah, 44 Broadway that his clothes line broke about a month ago and his wife missed a table cloth. Suspected Mrs. Kasson, Dorsey Street of taking same. Said the table cloth was on her line now. Requested me to go down with him as he had a couple of napkins that matched the table cloth. Investigated and found that the napkins and the table cloth were of the same material, design and color. Mrs. Kasson not home. Advised Darrah to see her in the morning.” – Higgins

“Report from Monty Fisher of Fisher Motor Car Company [site of today’s Nori’s Village Market] that while his car was parked at the Mt. Baker Club a couple of nights ago someone stole a spare tire and wheel and a kit of tools out of his new Packard sedan. Tire mounted on a wheel with chrome-plated rim. Value $50.00. Would like police to watch for tire and wheel.” – Duprey

“Call from Manager Smith at the Hotel Saranac. Wanted to see an officer. Investigated and was informed by Smith that a woman had gone up to a room to see a man whom she said was her brother. [Very suspicious.] Smith said she was there last week with another man. He also thinks it was the same woman who was there last week and stole some things from the Hotel drug store. He claims she then sold the stolen items back to Mrs. Baker. [?] Smith says he can’t put her out of the room as long as the door is open. [?] But if they close the door he will call us.” [Very,verysuspicious] – Duprey

“Call from Mrs. Hathaway, 304 Broadway about Bert Hickok’s place across the street. Noise at all hours of the morning, very annoying. Claims that Bert sells liquor after hours. Investigated and talked to the woman running the lunch room. Says there has not been any noise there at all. Claims Mrs. Hathaway is sore because she wrote her a letter about her complaining about Bert’s place.” — Brown