MUNICIPALS: "L" IS FOR LEONIA

As I work through "My" alphabet this is number nineteen in alphabetical sequence.

This "L" is for Leonia. It is part of my Municipal Collection. Leonia is in Bergen County, N.J.  It is incorporated as a "Borough,"  so it is a proper fit for my "Muni's.

The Borough borders Fort Lee, NJ.  Interstate 95 covers a good portion of  Leonia's outer perimeter. State Highways 9, 46, and US 1 also surround the community. That means New York City is only a few minutes away, except during the morning rush hour. Then it takes days to get over the George Washington Bridge.

When it is time to get to work the population of roughly 9000 sees itself drop to near ghost town numbers. There are only a few souls left in the community. The kids are present along with their teachers. Also present is the Leonia P.D.  

The Cops do a good job, keeping this community safe. The town ranks as one of the better places to live as reported in New Jersey Monthly Magazine.

Even though this is a safe place to live it also has a horror tale in its' history. An infamous Shoe Maker, and his thirteen year old son, put Leonia on the map almost forty years ago. The exact date was Jan. 8, 1975.

The serial killer known as "The Shoe Maker," was one Joseph Kallinger. He gained entrance into a home on Glenwood Avenue by pretending to be an insurance salesman. Once in the house he subdued the three occupants, and then waited for other people to return to the house in the quiet neighborhood.

Maria Fasching , age 21, was the final person to come into the house that day. She was a nurse, and stopped in to make a routine check on a neighbor. She found utter horror that day. The young woman didn't cave in to the threats of her captor. She held her ground. She boldly confronted Kallinger. She died for her efforts. 

A surviving witness stated that Miss Fasching, "admonished Kallinger for his aberrant behavior."  He admonished her by cutting her throat. 

One of the people inside the home managed to escape. The police were summoned to the scene. They freed the remaining victims, but could not find or identify "The Shoe Maker."  His killing spree continued. Safe communities were left  a little on edge. 

Kallinger was eventually captured in Pennsylvania. He drew a 40 year sentence for his crimes in that State. While institutionalized the crazy-man repeatedly verbalized a desire to "kill every person on Earth."  As an inmate he somehow got lighter fluid and poured it over himself,  lighting it, and then tried to "fry an egg on his head."  I'll have mine well done !

I am glad this "Shoemaker Story" is not an every day event in Leonia.  I am also very glad to have this old shield from their good community. It is very simple, and traditional. It simply reads: Leonia, and then Police. The number is 17.