We had 42 members and guests at February’s meeting hosted at the American Legion Post on Wehrle Drive. Food was provided by John Fleming of the Smokin’ Little Diner, 4870 Broadway in Depew. The meal was plentiful and delicious! John does a great job catering, and his diner is a good stop for dinner or take-out. Marty Kerl won the split club receiving $75.00! It pays to attend meetings! Keep our Club strong, attend our meetings and participate in our fundraising efforts.
Our first Chicken BBQ will be held on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 from 3pm to 6pm at the Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Department located at 4591 Lake Shore Road in Hamburg. We need your help with pre-sale ticket orders and assistance at the Fire Hall the day of the BBQ to make this fund raiser a success.
History continued…In 1940, H. William Pollack was Sheriff of Erie County. The world was in havoc with Hitler’s insurrections and invasions in Europe. In the USA there were major spying concerns within our borders. The authority and power of the elected Office of Sheriff became most important in national security matters. Annually, all elected officials had to file an annual report with the then County’s Board of Supervisors (now the Legislature.) I’d like to share a few items with you contained in Sheriff Pollack’s 1940 year-end report:
- In addition to various meetings relative to National Defense and subversive activities, the FBI has on several occasions assigned to the Department (Sheriff) cases for investigation pertaining to espionage, sabotage, or subversive activities.
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democra,t defeats Republican Wendell Willkie, in a landslide being elected to an unprecedented 3rd term. On November 2, 1940, he visited our area, detraining in the Town of Tonawanda, visiting the Bell and Curtis plants, then moving on to Lackawanna and a stop at Bethlehem Steel before getting back on a train in Blasdell and departing the area. The report lists 60 deputies, working with the US Secret Service, assigned to the President’s visit at various locations throughout the city and county. Next month watch for more information and some interesting statistics to share with you on the 1940 annual Sheriff’s report.
The answer from last month’s newsletter question concerning the 62 Counties of New York State and having only 58 Sheriff’s is: On January 1, 1942, New York City’s five county sheriff’s offices were merged to become the Office of the Sheriff of the City of New York. The city’s five county (boroughs) sheriffs were abolished and replaced with borough “chief deputies” (later Undersheriffs) reporting to the NYC Mayor’s newly appointed citywide Sheriff. The Sheriff kept his civil, court, and jail responsibilities. The NYPD undertook all policing duties in the boroughs and later a NY City Corrections Department assumed responsibility for the jails. Now you know!