1861 – First US transcontinental telegram is sent (from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.)
1931 – Gangster Al Capone is sentenced to 11 years for tax evasion
1946 – Netherlands and Indonesia sign cease fire
1960 – Disaster on USSR’s Baikonoer launch pad, kills missile expert Nedelin and team (165 die-unconfirmed); USSR claims killed in plane crash
1980 – Iraqi troops occupies Khorramshar
1984 – 11 members of Colombo crime family arrested
1988 – Typhoon Ruby sinks Philippine ferry; hundreds drown
1988 – NY Islander’s and NHL high scorer, Mike Bossy retires
2002 – Twyla Tharp’s rock ballet “Movin’ Out”, set to songs of Billy Joel, opens at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, NYC; runs for 1,303 performances
2012 – Libyan militias capture Bani Walid resulting in 130 civilian deaths