The Reincarnation of Teddy Roosevelt (1912)
Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes.
The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations.
Do you know the history of YOUR house?
********************************************************************************************************************************
1 April 1912 – Brooklyn, N.Y. – A well-dressed man appeared in Brooklyn Police Headquarters two hours before sunrise on the 1st of April and, after introducing himself as the reincarnation of Theodore Roosevelt, “promptly dismissed all the lieutenants, detectives and policemen in the structure from the Police Department.
“What appeared to be a merry jest on the part of the stranger was enjoyed until he attempted by rather progressive and aggressive tactics to yank some of the lieutenants out of the chairs and hurl them into the street in order to show his word must be obeyed,” The Evening Telegram of 1 April 1912 observed.
“It then dawned on the smiling lieutenants, detectives and policemen that the reincarnation of the Rough Rider was not in any sense an April Fool joker.”
“Teddy” – or Joseph Condon, of No. 142 Atlantic Avenue – was evidently very much under the impression, though, that he was – if not Theodore Roosevelt, himself – the reincarnation of same.
“Roosevelt” thereupon imposed a three months’ fine on Policeman Franklin and then assigned him to Tottenville, Staten Island. When Franklin asked “Teddy” to show him the way there, Condon said he would not go until the dismissed lieutenants, detectives and policemen had left the building.
After a struggle, Franklin and a few other policemen got him into a police patrol.
At the Adams Street station he “dismissed Lieutenant Stanton and nineteen policemen, after again introducing himself as the reincarnation of Theodore.”
An ambulance was summoned from the Kings County Hospital. Five policemen were required to get him into it.
Police later learned that Condon, before visiting the police, had first appeared at the Telegraph Bureau, ordering the night shift out. He then was at the Information Bureau, where he “smiled and showed his teeth in Rooseveltian fashion when he announced himself.”
Policemen old enough to remember, could think back to a day when Roosevelt had been the City’s Police Commissioner before becoming Governor of New York. They knew that he had stood up to the police force, which was known at the time for being brutal and corrupt, changing it from within, and throwing out unrepentant policemen by the scores.
So, perhaps, these Brooklyn bluecoats could have been excused for not being sure at first if this was a joke, and being extremely gracious with the obviously “confused” citizen when they were shuffling him off in an ambulance.
———————————————————————————————————————–
Brownstone Detectives is an historic property research agency. Our mission is to document and save the histories of our clients’ homes. From our research, we produce our celebrated House History Books and House History Reports. Contact us today to begin discovering the history of your home.
