Tansky's Cafe
William H. Tansky Jr. was a Navy veteran. His family was operating the bar at 1903 South 6th Street as early as 1918, Walenty (Valentine) Tansky being listed as the proprietor in the 1918–1919 Camden City Directory and 1921 R.G. Dun Mercantile Agency Reference Book. William Tansky was managing the bar by the time of the 1930 census.
William H. Tansky was active in Republican politics in Camden’s 8th Ward. On May 16, 1934 there was a riot outside of the cafe between different factions over the results of the bitterly contested Republican primary elections held that day. Control of the Republican Party in Camden County was being fought over by David Baird Jr. and Albert S. Woodruff. Tansky’s brother, Benjamin D. Tansky, a bartender at the cafe, was involved in the melee.
Walenty Tansky was the licensee in June of 1939.
By 1946 William H. Tansky Jr. was no longer involved with the bar. It was being operated by Dominick Kasilowski and was known as Dominik’s Cafe in the mid and late 1940s.
The bar at 1903 South 6th is no longer standing.
Camden Courier-Post — June 23, 1933
Four Camden Men Are Among Those Who Get Paroles
Leslie Orr, ‘Polack Joe’ Devon, Jackie Hindle and Walter Kennedy Freed — Public Not Informed
Four well-known Camden county men who had been in the state penitentiary at Trenton for at least one year are now at liberty on parole. It was revealed at Trenton yesterday that the State Board of Pardons had granted paroles last week to Leslie W. Orr, Haddonfield real estate broker; Joseph “Polack Joe” Devon, South Camden sportsman, Jackie Hindle, former Camden cop, and Walter Kennedy, formerly a boxer and cafe owner.
The pardons court followed its custom of making no public announcement of the paroles, but admitted upon questioning yesterday that the four local men had been liberated.
Orr, who resided at 112 Avondale avenue, Haddonfield, and had a real estate office in Collingswood, was sentenced May 24, 1932, to two years after he pleaded non vult to 20 allegations that he embezzled a total of $12,000. He had surrendered when a warrant was issued for him on behalf of the widowed mother of seven children. She had charged him with embezzling $1500. Sentence was imposed after Orr had made an abortive effort to make full restitution.
It was Devon’s second parole. He served two years of a five-year “stretch” for manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Joseph Cimini in the Sixth Ward Republican Club, and was paroled in 1930. Less than five months later, he and a companion drove into the yard of an alleged disorderly house at Atco as state troopers were raiding it. Devon, who was driving, attempted to drive away, but troopers stopped the machine. A .38 caliber pistol was found on Devon. He was subsequently sentenced on March 30, 1931, to two and one-half years for carrying the weapon. At that time, it was also believed he would have to serve the remaining three years of his first sentence for violating his parole.
Kennedy was sentenced June 8, 1932, to one year for attempting to rob a bus driver at Sixth and State Streets and also to six months more for carrying a gun.
Hindle and George Schaeffer were each given two and one-half years for breaking into the soft-drink establishment of William Tansky at 1903 South Sixth Street, where a wrist watch was stolen. Sentence was imposed February 2, 1932.
Camden Courier-Post — May 8, 1934
William H. Tansky Jr. — Camden Courier-Post, May 8, 1934
Club Endorsement Denied in 8th Ward
Action Rescinded Due to Choice of Running Mates, Candidate Says
Denial was made yesterday by three Eighth ward candidates, Walter Sekula, William Tansky, Jr., and Mrs. Theresa Maloney Di Lello, that their opponents have the endorsement of two political clubs.
Sekula is candidate for re-election as freeholder; Tansky is a candidate for Republican county committeeman, and Mrs. Di Lello is running with them for county committeewoman.
All three are “Regular Organization Republican” candidates, and announce their endorsement by the Baird-Baker faction.
Opposing them are Mrs. Mamie F. Piraine, for committeewoman; Dr. Oris W. Saunders, for freeholder, and Edmund A. Welsh [sic], for committeeman. Their designation is “Regular Republican.”
The Regular Organization Republican candidates deny their rivals have the support of the Eighth Ward Republican Club, 1718 Broadway, and the William Jones Republican Club, 707 Ferry avenue.
“Mrs. Piraine,” said Tansky, “was endorsed by the Eighth Ward Republican Club with the understanding she would run with two other candidates. After secret meetings, she picked up two candidates who were not members of the club, Walsh and Dr. Saunders. As a result, the club held a special meeting and rescinded its motion endorsing Mrs. Piraine.”
“Dr. Saunders cannot rightfully claim affiliation as a Regular Republican by virtue of his candidacy in 1927 on a Non-Partisan ticket,” Tansky added.
Tansky has served in the United States Army and Navy with three overseas enlistments. He has resided 24 years in the Eighth ward, is married and has two children. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 980.
Camden Courier-Post — May 17, 1934
Dozen Battles Draw 1000 as Victory March Pays Serenade
Youth Cut in Chest by Bullet; Bystander Cut on Head
Political Leaders Put to Quiz by Detectives
At least one person was shot and many were hurt in a street battle last night that was the aftermath of a bitter political contest at the primary election between rival Republicans factions in the Eighth ward.
When nearly a score of police arrived in response to a riot call from Sixth and Viola streets a crowd of 1000 excited residents of the ward had gathered there and a dozen or more individual combats were in progress.
Bullet Hits Boy
Nicholas Sustich, 15, of 1804 Hale street, was treated at Cooper hospital for a flesh wound of the chest, which police said was caused by a ricocheting bullet.
Joseph Samenich, 1005 South Sixth street, was treated at the West Jersey Homeopathic hospital for cuts on the forehead. He claimed to be an innocent bystander.
Others were treated for minor injuries by local or family physicians, having been taken away from the scene of the riot by friends before the arrival of the police.
Detectives investigated a report that Isaac D. Shute, former city detective and former county committeeman from the Eighth Ward, had been shot in the leg. According to Detective George Zietz, he learned from a member of Shute’s family that he had received treatment by a physician for cuts of the right hand resulting from a fall.
After questioning a score of persons at detective headquarters last night, including leaders of each of the rival Republican factions, John Hess, 24, of 1825 South Sixth street, was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of firearms and held in $1000 bail for a hearing in police court this morning.
Parade Starts Melee
According to Zeitz, the melee started when a parade led by Nicholas Scarduzio, of 1963 South Fourth street, a former summer policeman, stopped in front of the saloon of William Tansky, Jr., 1903 South Sixth street, two doors below Viola street.
Tansky was unsuccessful candidate for the post of county committeeman in the Tuesday primaries. He was reputed to be backed by the Woodruff-Verga faction.
The parade was in celebration of the victory of Dr. Orris W. Saunders, who won the Republican nomination for freeholder, defeating Walter Sekula, the incumbent, of Edmund A. Walsh, who defeated Tansky, and of Maime F. Piraine, re-elected county committeewoman over Theresa Malony Di Lello. The successful candidates were of the Baird-Baker faction.
Walsh and Miss Piraine were in the parade, according to Zeitz. The celebration of victory had started the night before and centered largely throughout the day in the saloon of Celie Ellis, across the street from that of Tansky.
More than 100 persons were in the procession, which was led by an improvised band of accordians, fifes, drums and bugles.
When it stopped in front of the Tansky place, according to the police, Benjamin Tansky, 30, a brother of the proprietor, came to the door of the saloon and objected to the political jibes that were hurled by the parading factionalists.
Bloody Free-For-All
When the paraders remained, the police said, hot words were exchanged, a dozen or more others who were in the Tansky place came out, and the battle started.
Eye-witnesses described it later as a bloody free-for-all in which fists and “billies” were used. The riot call was sent to police at 7.30.
Motorcycle policemen converged to the scene and a squad of detectives arrived led by Zietz and including Leon Branch, Fiore Troncone and Richard Donnelly. Many of the combatants fled, but hundreds remained as police and detectives strove to locate the injured, most of whom had been removed.
Scarduzio Beaten Badly
They learned that Scarduzio had been badly beaten on the head and that two shots had been fired in the melee.
According to Zietz, Hess admitted at detective headquarters that he had fired the shots from a revolver which he had procured from back of the Tansky bar, and that he had aimed the shots at the pavement for the purpose of “scaring” the parade crowd away.
Benjamin Tansky told police that when he remonstrated with the rival political group about 15 of them attacked him. They knocked him down, he said, and poked him in the eye with a pole. He exhibited a black eye to substantiate his story.
Zietz said he found a loaded revolver, with two shells fired, in a radio cabinet in the living room behind Tansky’s barroom.
Camden Courier-Post — May 18, 1934
Shooting Suspect in 8th Ward Riot Held in $1,000 Bail
John Hess Accused of Firing Two Shots; Denies Illegal Possession of Pistol
Faction Spite Revealed
Alleged to have fired two shots in a riot at Sixth and Viola streets Wednesday night, staged by groups of political factions in the Eighth Ward, John Hess, 34, of 1825 South Sixth street, was held in $1000 bail for the grand jury yesterday by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast.
Hess pleaded not guilty to a charge of illegal possession of firearms. A 15-year-old boy was slightly wounded by a ricocheting bullet and several persons were badly beaten in factional melees.
It was learned yesterday that among the injured was a 14-year-old girl, Stella Wojciechowski, 1907 South Sixth street, who said that someone punched her on the mouth. She and the boy who was shot, Nicholas Sustich, of 1804 Hale street, were treated.
The disorder was over the ward contest between Republicans in the primary contest, it was stated yesterday by Walter Sekula, defeated candidate for the freeholder nomination, who said he arrived at the scene of the riot at the time the police patrol appeared in response to a riot call.
Sekula asserted that candidates on both local tickets had worked on behalf of the Baird-Baker county slate, but that he had been accused of working for the Woodruff-Verga ticket. He said he confronted his accuser with David Baird, Jr., and forced the admission that the accusation was without foundation.
During that conversation, Sekula revealed, Edmund A. Walsh, successful candidate for county committeeman, asserted there had been “cutting of the head of the Baird-Baker ticket.” It was in front of Tansky’s saloon, at Sixth and Viola streets, that the riot occurred when an impromptu parade in celebration of the victory of the opposing faction halted there.
The man who allegedly fired two shots during Wednesday’s Eighth Ward rioting, John Hess, 34, of 1825 South Sixth street, is shown at left in police court yesterday. To the right is his counsel, Edward V. Martino. Hess pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of firearms and was held for the grand jury.
Camden Courier-Post — September 17, 1934
Orlando Assumes Charge of Vice War
Prosecutor Directs Cleanup and Pushes Probe of Feitz Murder
Weekend developments in the general drive against crime resulted in the raiding of at least 30 gambling houses, illicit saloons, and alcohol stills with police spurred to feverish activity by Mayor Roy R. Stewart’s probe of the department, which he said will end this week, unless new evidence develops to extend it.
Lieutenant Walter Welch, new commander of the Second Police District, conducted an intensive cleanup of his bailiwick over Saturday and Sunday, raiding 25 alleged violators of liquor and gambling laws.
Aided by Patrolmen William Marter and Carmin Fuscellaro Sr., Lieutenant Welch conducted a series of raids Saturday night and yesterday morning. The saloon of Mary Niewinski, at 400 Mechanic Street, was raided early yesterday and two customers arrested.
Lieutenant Welch Leads Raiders
Welch, who took over the duties of Lieutenant Ralph Bakley when the latter was suspended by Mayor Stewart yesterday, declared he was seeking violators of the city’s Sunday closing ordinance, which states that places selling liquor must close “between the hours of 2:00 AM Sunday and 7:00 AM Monday.”
Welch and his squad visited a house at 1903 South 6th Street, reputedly operated by William Tansky, 33. Tansky, charged with violating the closing ordinance, was released in $500 bail as proprietor, and Edward Krown, 65, of 1705 South 4th Street; Edward Judd, 41, of 721 Ferry Avenue; and William Sampey, of 729 North 10th Street, charged with being frequenters, were released in $100 bail.
Welch declared he was unable to enter some of the places visited because he did not hold warrants. He said he would procure warrants today and return to several of the places. In the other instances where raids were made, Welch did not reveal the addresses or names.
Welch announced last night he is not seeking “personal notoriety” through his activities, but is merely doing his duty as a police officer. He declared “the lid has been clamped on the second District and will stay on.”
Mayor Stewart commended Welch’s activities, and declared he will recommend suspension of liquor licenses in all the places where violations were uncovered.