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Miss J. Kimmey, Costumer
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An image from the 1902 Albany directory, which included some Troy listings as well. Miss J. Kimmey was a masquerade and theatrical costumer, with thorough knowledge of the business and twenty years experience. She had shops at 342 River and 11 Fourth streets in Troy; presumably the Santa Claus outfits were available in both.
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The Five Precinct Station-houses
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A little more from the “History of the Police Service of Albany,” 1902: With an adequate and efficient police force to run down and apprehend wrongdoers, Albany is by no means handicapped by insufficient or badly appointed station-houses. It is quite as important to keep a criminal in custody as it is to arrest…
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Albany’s Final Hangings
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Shall we continue with the recitation of murders from 1902’s “History of the Police Service of Albany”? Yes, let’s do. On April 1, 1858, Emil Hartung of Division Street, just below Green Street, died under suspicious circumstances. “Living in the same house was William Rheinmann, and it was current gossip that his relations with…
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Hanging Weather in Albany
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Ready for some more murder? After the hanging of Jesse Strang, the “History of the Police Service of Albany” tells us that: “The next recorded execution for murder and the first one away from the eye of the general public, is that of Jacob Leddings, who shot and killed his wife Hannah, in the…
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Murder and Drama in old Albany
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The “History of the Police Service of Albany” from 1902, as we’ve noted before, recorded that there had been about 142 homicide cases in Albany and vicinity from 1687 until 1902, and it took the time to detail a number of the more famous ones. It started with the story of Joseph Bettys, who,…
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Three Strikes and You’re Out, Joseph Bettys
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1902’s “History of the Police Service of Albany” kinda buries the lead in its chapter on homicides and malefactions, leading off its account of notable crimes with this brief mention: “In the latter year [1782], Joseph Bettys was convicted of treason and murder, and conditionally pardoned by George Washington. He subsequently violated the conditions,…
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The Life and Dying Confession of James Hamilton
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We mentioned yesterday that in the annals of early crime in Albany, one James Hamilton was hanged for the murder of Major Benjamin Birdsall. Before his hanging, Hamilton gave the account of his life to one Calvin Pepper, “who penned the same from the lips of Hamilton.” The Sheriff and Police Justices certified “that…
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Could it be . . . murder?
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1902’s “History of the Police Service of Albany” includes a chapter titled “Homicides of Two Centuries.” “Were one to fully describe all of the crimes committed in the City of Albany and vicinity, it would take many books the size of this one, so the best that can be done is to mention some…
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