Preamble: in the last essay I wrote about Al Capone and his visits and business interests in Deerfield Beach. Consequently, an anonymous correspondent sent me old Broward County legal documents showing Capone Island (now called Deerfield Island) was foreclosed on in 1934 by the City of Deerfield for non-payment of taxes. A Hollywood bank bought the tax deeds and then sold the property to the Inland Navigation District for $1200 in 1934. The anonymous correspondent implied that this proves that our story about the Capone connection to Deerfield was false. However, the anonymous writer overlooked the fact that Capone had been active in Deerfield in 1928, was convicted by the federal government for tax evasion in 1931 and by 1934 had already been in prison for three years. Thus, his property taxes weren’t paid, and our story stands as correct.

My father, Marlin Eller, was a natural born mechanical “genius,” at least in my opinion.
The proof of that on paper is that he was the recipient of a number of patents on mechanical products later on in life.
However, his genius started to show in 1930 when he was only 14 years-old. He and his best friend, David Long, (who I was named after) built fully functioning airplanes in Granddad Eller’s garage in Deerfield on North Dixie Highway in year 1930. Both boys were enthusiastic mechanics and bought and studied Mechanics Illustrated magazine on how to build your own airplane.
Using Granddad Eller’s tools and shop, and utilizing small gasoline engines, they were able to craft working models of airplanes, one of which they intended to expand to full size and fly themselves.
In fact, it was the feature story on the Deerfield News front page on July 4, 1930.
Unfortunately, however, they were never able to complete their project and fly their own plane. It seems someone (my Grandfather probably) arranged for them to get an inspection from the U.S. government agency in charge of airplanes, or at least from an Air Force officer, to certify their main airplane design as appropriately air- worthy. When this occurred, the officer complimented them on their plane, but told them they would not be permitted to fly it even if completed.
Dad was disappointed but never lost his enthusiasm for airplanes and flying. Up until the time he passed away in 1977, he could quickly identify any airplane he saw as to manufacturer, and vital statistics such as speed, altitude rating, distance capability, etc.
However, his best friend, David Long, actually put their hobby into practice by joining the Army Air Corps right out of Fort Lauderdale High School. He became an experimental pilot for the military airplanes being developed just prior to World War II. Unfortunately, he died in a test flight crash in one of them in 1938. Dad honored him by naming me after him when I was born a few years later.