NEW BIRDS: A red-winged blackbird was among the starlings on
Monday in Kathy Gotshall’s yard in Port Allegany.

This is the news we’ve been waiting for since this is the true
harbinger of spring – not the robin, or so we’re told. We must say
his arrival is just in the nick of time. Our sanity was on the line
as March came in like a snowy lion on Saturday.

CHURCH CANDY: The subject of chocolate jogged a couple readers’
memories:

Gemma Galati of Honolulu writes, “An innovative chocolate maker
was at St. Francis of Assisi Church, headed by Lillian and Father
Ritchie. It was called ‘The Chocolate with a Heavenly Taste.’ You
could only assist if your hands were the right temperature – cool.
If your hands were warm, it would leave fingerprints on the
chocolate and that was unacceptable. It really was ‘heavenly
chocolate’ and it was fun dipping chocolate and boxing it for the
hundreds of buyers, especially at Easter time.”

Carol Cucuzza of Mahopac, N.Y., adds, “Your story about candy
making in Bradford brought back wonderful memories of my mother
working with the other women of St. Francis Church in the ‘Candy
Kitchen!’ I remember it was at Easter time and one of the items
that they made were these delicious thin green mint/dark chocolate
square candies that came in a long white box – similar taste to
Andes Candies but crisper. I think there were white and pink
variations, also.

“My best candy story of Bradford days was the year that my
family won the gigantic chocolate Easter Basket that DeSelle’s
raffled off each year! P.S. The best molasses sponge on earth came
from DeSelle’s.”

SPECIAL BOOK: Jerry Kleisath of Preble, N.Y., gives us a review
of a book relevant to the “Little Chicago” movie: “There was a book
published about a lawyer named Margotti (spelling) called ‘Tiger at
the Bar.’ Each chapter was about murders in Lewis Run, Ridgway,
Emporium and a few others. Trials were held in Smethport
Courthouse. I read it but was lost in the ’72 flood. Possibly your
local library may have a copy. He never lost a case as defense
lawyer.”

We’re pretty sure the book was re-printed a few years ago. It
would certainly be worth a read for anyone interested in Bradford’s
gangster past.