Week of December 5

December 4, 1875 – 150 YEARS AGO

Rockland County Journal

A CALL TO THE CHARITABLE

     On Friday evening, 10th inst., a public meeting of the citizens of Nyack will be held at Association Hall for the purpose of devising measures to raise a fund which shall be expended in behalf of the deserving poor of our village and vicinity. As this is a matter that should appeal to the benevolence of all, we trust that our representative citizens will be present and aid the officers of the Society by their advice and contributions.

AROUND HOME

  ☞  Query—Can our young ladies skate in their pinbacks, and if so, can they get up without assistance if they fall down? This is a very important matter.

  ☞  Don’t get on your knees and pray for the poor unless you are willing to put your hand in your pocket and assist them practically. Unless you do this your prayers will not get any higher than the ceiling.

  ☞  The best place we know of for our young men to spend their evenings is in the Free Reading Room in Commercial Building. The best of papers, magazines, etc., are constantly found on the tables and files.

  ☞  Van Wagner has the largest assortment of frames at lower prices than any store in Rockland County. New albums, chromos, &c., at less than one half their regular price. A full assortment of holiday goods.

  ☞  It was William Hess, our Burd St. barber, who gave the prize of a three-month’s shave at the shooting-match, Thanksgiving Day. Well, we suppose it don’t make any difference to Eugene, so long as he gets his shave.

  ☞  A team of horses belonging to E. G. Van Houten ran away down Broadway on Wednesday, their wagon colliding with that of Victor Waldron which looked afterward as if it had been dropped off the Hook Mountain.

  ☞  If our Village Board would only appropriate money for a stove on each of our street corners, the intellectual young men of our village would not be compelled to sit on the counters in the various places of business.

December 3, 1925 – 100 YEARS AGO

Pearl River News

RHYMES FOR THE 1925 CHRISTMAS SEAL SALE

Christmas wishes will come true

If you spend a penny—

Buying Health with Christmas Seals

For those who haven’t any!

Candles are for wishing

And wishing health for you,

The candles bought on Christmas Seals

Will make this wish come true.

SLAYER TO PAY IN FULL FOR CRIME HERE — His Death in Chicago Will Bring the Scales of Justice to a Balance for the Death Here of Two Bank Employees — District Attorney Lexow Welcomes News of the Conviction and Sentence

[Image: Henry Fernekes, 1926. Chicago Tribune historical photo.]

        Henry J. Fernekes, indicted in Rockland County for the murder of the Pearl River Bank officials, was convicted of murder in the first degree by a jury in Chicago on November 21st, 1925, and sentenced to be hanged. If the judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed on appeal, Fernekes will be executed and will pay the penalty in Chicago for the many crimes that he has committed.

        The attack on the Pearl River bank was committed on December 29th, 1921. Fernekes at that time was living in Westwood under the name of Henry J. Darche.

        At the time of Fernekes capture in Chicago last winter, District Attorney Lexow immediately left for Chicago for the purpose of extraditing Fernekes to Rockland County to answer the charge of murder of James Moore and Siegfried Butz.

        The Chicago authorities, however, refused to permit Fernekes to leave their city until he had been tried on a murder charge growing out of the shooting of a Secretary of the Polaski Building and Loan Association of Chicago.

        In commenting upon the verdict District Attorney Lexow said:

        “I am glad to hear that Fernekes has been convicted of murder in Chicago. If this judgment is affirmed by the Appellate Courts, and no pardon granted, the ends of justice will be fully satisfied, and the taxpayers of Rockland County saved securing [sic] Fernekes in Rockland County the expense of extraditing and pro-ty.

        My extradition papers, however, will be left on file with the Cooke County authorities, so that if any miscarriage of justice should occur in that jurisdiction, I will be able to bring Fernekes to Rockland County to answer the indictments charging him with the murder of James Moore and Siegfried Butz.”

        Note: On December 29, 1921, Henry J. Fernekes attempted to rob the First National Bank in Pearl River. During the attempt, assistant cashier James B. Moore and junior clerk Siegfried W. Butz were shot and killed. A railroad watchman was also wounded. Fernekes escaped without any money.

December 4, 1975 – 50 YEARS AGO

The Journal News

ANIMAL STILL SOUGHT

     Almost three weeks have passed since seven-year-old Lillie Petkovich lost her cat, but the family is continuing its efforts to find the animal.

        The family, residing, at 203A Charles Boulevard in Valley Cottage, has received dozens of letters in support of Lillie, who has a heart condition. The letters came from people who thought they had spotted the cat, and from others who wanted to give the girl another cat.

         “We’re not going to give up,” said Diana Petkovich, Lillie’s mother. “We still think Mickey (the cat) is alive.”

        Mrs. Petkovich said that she has distributed more than 100 posters with Mickey’s description in the Valley Cottage area.

        The animal was struck by a car on Lake Road near the Petkovich home and taken to an animal hospital. It was then released near where it was struck.

        Mickey is full grown with a white face, legs and torso and has a dark gray back tail, and a similarly colored patch on the top of his head.

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan for the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2025 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.