The FBI today announced the recovery of 82 postage stamps valued at $500K that were stolen from the NY Public Library in 1977.
The recovered stamps were among 153 that were stolen. The stamps were recovered in 1983.
On a May weekend in 1977, when the library was closed, the stamps were removed from 10 of the 100 panels stored in recessed oak cabinets on either side of the information counter. Among the stolen stamps was a rare 24-cent air mail stamp known as the “inverted Jenny.”
The FBI had identified suspects in the library burglary, but the five-year statute of limitations for such cases has expired.
excerpt from NYT 10/17/84
Wednesday, October 17, 1984
Thursday, February 28, 1980
Witness Is Struck by Arrow On Brooklyn Subway Steps
An assailant using a bow and a three-pronged arrow with razor blades at the end of each prong seriously wounded a man in the back yesterday as he started down the steps of the Botanic Garden subway station in Brooklyn. The 27-inch arrow was aluminum and the razor blades were attached with wires.
The 36-year-old victim, Alexander Hudson, was reported in satisfactory condition. He had been a prosecution witness in a trial charging a former police officer with attempted murder, which ended with a hung jury in November 1978. He was a possible witness for either prosecution or defense in a coming new trial.
Mr. Hudson told transit police that a man wearing a green hooded jacket emerged from a white van just before he was struck by the arrow at 6:55am.
Bleeding, Mr. Hudson staggered down to the Franklin Ave shuttle’s token booth and fell against it. The arrow snapped, leaving its forward end six inches in his right shoulder blade. Surgeons removed the shaft in a four hour operation saying that it had reached a lung.
He had testified in a case in which Mark McCurdy, the a city police officer, was charged with shooting Alexander Bradford, a sanitation man and his former record-store partner, on March 13, 1977. Mr. M. claimed self-defense.
NYT 2/28/80
The 36-year-old victim, Alexander Hudson, was reported in satisfactory condition. He had been a prosecution witness in a trial charging a former police officer with attempted murder, which ended with a hung jury in November 1978. He was a possible witness for either prosecution or defense in a coming new trial.
Mr. Hudson told transit police that a man wearing a green hooded jacket emerged from a white van just before he was struck by the arrow at 6:55am.
Bleeding, Mr. Hudson staggered down to the Franklin Ave shuttle’s token booth and fell against it. The arrow snapped, leaving its forward end six inches in his right shoulder blade. Surgeons removed the shaft in a four hour operation saying that it had reached a lung.
He had testified in a case in which Mark McCurdy, the a city police officer, was charged with shooting Alexander Bradford, a sanitation man and his former record-store partner, on March 13, 1977. Mr. M. claimed self-defense.
NYT 2/28/80
Tuesday, June 12, 1979
Prisoner Convicted in 1977 East Side Murder Flees Jail on Rikers Island
A 20-year-old Manhattan man who was sentenced last month to 15 years to life imprisonment for a burglary-murder in 1977 escaped yesterday from the Rikers Island Adolescent Reception and Detention Shelter.
The man, Sean Ryan, was awaiting transfer to the crowded state prison system.
He burned a hole in one of three plexiglass louver window panels in his cell and then, with a five-inch hacksaw blade, sawed through the panel frame. He then let down a 15-foot rope that he had braided from blanket, pushed out the glass, squirmed his 145-pound, 5-foot-6 inch body through the opening and climbed out and dropped down to the ground 20 feet below. A correction officer heard a crash at 3:30am and found the cell empty.
Ryan was found guilty of the 11/12/77 death of Harry Kassoff, 68, at the Sovereign, 425 East 58th Street. Willis Jackson, 22, had admitted stabbing Mr. K and had testified that Mr. Ryan participated in the burglary.
Excerpt from The New York Times 6/12/79
The man, Sean Ryan, was awaiting transfer to the crowded state prison system.
He burned a hole in one of three plexiglass louver window panels in his cell and then, with a five-inch hacksaw blade, sawed through the panel frame. He then let down a 15-foot rope that he had braided from blanket, pushed out the glass, squirmed his 145-pound, 5-foot-6 inch body through the opening and climbed out and dropped down to the ground 20 feet below. A correction officer heard a crash at 3:30am and found the cell empty.
Ryan was found guilty of the 11/12/77 death of Harry Kassoff, 68, at the Sovereign, 425 East 58th Street. Willis Jackson, 22, had admitted stabbing Mr. K and had testified that Mr. Ryan participated in the burglary.
Excerpt from The New York Times 6/12/79
Thursday, July 13, 1978
Just 110 of 3,076 Arrested in Blackout Sentenced to More Than Year
Only 110 of the 3,076 people arrested on looting and other blackout-related charges during the citywide power failure that began last July 13 have been sentenced to jail terms of a year or more, according to a report issued yesterday by NY State court and criminal officials.
Fewer than half got any jail time at all. This contrasts with the usual felony burglary conviction pattern, in which jail terms are imposed in nearly three out of four cases.
Fewer than half got any jail time at all. This contrasts with the usual felony burglary conviction pattern, in which jail terms are imposed in nearly three out of four cases.
Friday, June 23, 1978
Berkowitz Outbursts Disrupt Court; Sentencing Put Off, Tests Ordered
David R. Berkowitz, who was scheduled to be sentenced yesterday for the six “Son of Sam” murders, battled officers before entering the courtroom, then walked in chanting, “Stacy was a whore.”
The courtroom erupted in turmoil and, only minutes later, he was dragged out by half a dozen officers.
Neya M. heard him chanting and cried out, “You’re an animal!” and ran out of the courtroom. “That’s right. That’s right,” Berk shouted after her. “I’d kill her again. I’d kill them all again!”
Robert Violante jumped up shouting, “You should get killed, you creep!” (His vision is limited to four feet in the one eye that has vision). He collapsed in his seat sobbing.
Those who had observed the .44-caliber killer during earlier court appearances were shocked. He had always seemed pleasant, polite, even slightly repentant, they said. But when he was dragged into the courtroom yesterday, his face was flushed, his eyes distended wildly and his forehead smeared with dirt. His light blue suit – the same one he had worn in other court appearances – was rumpled and soiled.
Later a young friend of the M. family, Daniel Carrique shouted out, “That’s no justice! What about the families? How much do you think they can take?”
Carrique was led from the courtroom by guards. Judge Joseph Corso was visibly angered. “I trust I am presiding in an American court to dispense justice. I will not be influenced by any public clamor.”
Excerpt from June 23, 1978 New York Times
The courtroom erupted in turmoil and, only minutes later, he was dragged out by half a dozen officers.
Neya M. heard him chanting and cried out, “You’re an animal!” and ran out of the courtroom. “That’s right. That’s right,” Berk shouted after her. “I’d kill her again. I’d kill them all again!”
Robert Violante jumped up shouting, “You should get killed, you creep!” (His vision is limited to four feet in the one eye that has vision). He collapsed in his seat sobbing.
Those who had observed the .44-caliber killer during earlier court appearances were shocked. He had always seemed pleasant, polite, even slightly repentant, they said. But when he was dragged into the courtroom yesterday, his face was flushed, his eyes distended wildly and his forehead smeared with dirt. His light blue suit – the same one he had worn in other court appearances – was rumpled and soiled.
Later a young friend of the M. family, Daniel Carrique shouted out, “That’s no justice! What about the families? How much do you think they can take?”
Carrique was led from the courtroom by guards. Judge Joseph Corso was visibly angered. “I trust I am presiding in an American court to dispense justice. I will not be influenced by any public clamor.”
Excerpt from June 23, 1978 New York Times
Tuesday, June 06, 1978
1,058 Bombings in US In 1977 Sets A Record
There were a record 1,058 bombings in the US last year, and labor strife was behind more of them than any other cause, the Treasury Dept reported today.
In 1976 there were 870 explosive bombings.
Thirty-eight people were killed, some of them when their cars blew up.
NYT 6/6/78
In 1976 there were 870 explosive bombings.
Thirty-eight people were killed, some of them when their cars blew up.
NYT 6/6/78
Tuesday, February 14, 1978
Reports of Violent Crime Dropped by 9% in NYC Last Year
The total number of violent crimes reported in NYC declined last year, for the first time since 1973, according to statistics made available yesterday by the Police Dept.
The Dept said that a total of 121,916 violent crimes – murders, forcible rapes, robberies and assaults – were reported in 1977 a 9 percent drop from the 1976 number: 134,153.
The overall number of major crimes – including burglary, larceny and motor-vehicle theft dropped 7% to 610,062.
But even with the one year improvement the overall figure for 1977 was higher than it had been in all recent years but 1976 and even exceeded the total recorded in 1971 which was regarded as an exceptionally high crime year.
(591,9292 major crimes and 126,740 violent).
Criminals were finding it “easier and safer to rip off property than people.”
1977 crime figures were depressed by extreme cold weather early in the year….
The number of homicides was placed at 1,557, 65 fewer than in the year before.
NYT 2/14/78
The Dept said that a total of 121,916 violent crimes – murders, forcible rapes, robberies and assaults – were reported in 1977 a 9 percent drop from the 1976 number: 134,153.
The overall number of major crimes – including burglary, larceny and motor-vehicle theft dropped 7% to 610,062.
But even with the one year improvement the overall figure for 1977 was higher than it had been in all recent years but 1976 and even exceeded the total recorded in 1971 which was regarded as an exceptionally high crime year.
(591,9292 major crimes and 126,740 violent).
Criminals were finding it “easier and safer to rip off property than people.”
1977 crime figures were depressed by extreme cold weather early in the year….
The number of homicides was placed at 1,557, 65 fewer than in the year before.
NYT 2/14/78
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