We go back to the age of tophats and pocket watches for this photograph of the dapper fellows of Englewood’s Bowling Club.
Much about this photograph is a mystery. We don’t know what year it was taken, but historical records from the time can give us some idea. These mustachioed gents are identified as J. Booth, E. Gruber, G. DeMott, E. Koster, C. O’Brien, M. Boland, H. Booth and G. Aldous. Late 19th century U.S. Census records show men by these names living in Englewood, all born in the late 1850s or 1860s.
The man second from right is holding a trophy, indicating the group was probably posing for this photo after having won a tournament. The man at far right is holding a bowling ball, which would have been made of wood in those days.
Also take note of their little mascot, a pug dog standing in the foreground. If the pup looks different from what you would expect, there’s a good reason for it. This was how pugs looked years ago, before they were selectively bred for flatter faces.
—Kristin Beuscher
Burglar had sights set high, 1912
The following article appeared in The New York Times on Dec. 6, 1912. The tale names Highwood, a neighborhood in the northern section of Englewood. Highwood was a town within a town, having its own train station, post office, school and fire department.
BURGLAR HAD ‘JOHN D.’ LISTEDThe names and addresses of John D. Rockefeller, Countess Leary of 1032 Fifth Avenue, and “Diamond Jim” Brady, together with directions for reaching Mr. Rockefeller’s home at Pocantico Hills, were found in a small notebook in possession of Michael Ryan, a youth who was arrested in Jersey City yesterday on suspicion of being the man responsible for many recent robberies in Englewood, Tenafly, and Highwood. Ryan was caught through the instrumentality of Frank Rosette, who was employed by James A. Brady of Highwood.
Brady’s home was robbed on Nov. 26 of several hundred dollars’ worth of clothing, and as there had been many other robberies in surrounding towns, as well as in Highwood, Mr. Brady hired private detectives and also instructed Rosette to take the early morning train daily into Jersey City and keep watch for any suspicious-looking characters. Rosette spotted Ryan yesterday and had him arrested.
Ryan carried a bundle, and in it were found all sorts of loot, some of which was identified later by E.E. Wadbrook of Highwood and Alexander Kaiser of Tenafly. Ryan broke down and confessed that he was the robber.
Judge Queen in the Second Criminal Court in Jersey City held Ryan on $1,000 bail for examination today, when he probably will be sent to Englewood or Tenafly for prosecution.