Joseph Bermel

Joseph Bermel (April 8, 1860 – July 28, 1921) was a Democratic politician who served as borough president of Queens, New York City, from 1906 to 1908.

[1] Bermel was born in Brooklyn, but by 1882 he had moved to Middle Village in Queens and established a stone cutting business, making cemetery monuments.

Bermel was largely responsible for the city's purchase of land for the creation of Kissena Park in Flushing.

[3] It was rumored that he was planning to flee the country the following day on the ocean liner Slavonia, so the district attorney served a subpoena requiring him to testify.

He gave testimony in the morning, but was given permission to leave upon his promise to return by 2 o'clock that afternoon at the courthouse in Long Island City.