Eli Conaghy Sr.

ELI EDWARD CONAGHY was born in Camden, New Jersey on August 24, 1900. His father, James P. Conaghy, operated a business called the Eagle Coal and Ice Company along with his uncle, Joseph Henry Conaghy. The business was located at 246 Pine Street in 1906.

Theodosia Hunt Conaghy was born in Gloucester City, New Jersey in March of 1875 to James and Mary Hunt. The family was living at 316 Line Street by 1894. James Hunt was then Fish Warden and was later a constable in Camden. Theodosia married coal and ice merchant Joseph Henry Conaghy sometime after 1900. The 1906 City Directory shows the Conaghys living at 246 Pine Street, where Joseph Conaghy also conducted his business, the Eagle Ice & Coal Company.

The 1910 Census shows that Joseph Conaghy had gone into the tavern business. He was then operating a bar at 601–603 Kaighn Avenue, where he and Theodosia made their home. Eli Conaghy’s father James stayed with the Eagle Coal and Ice Company. He also got involved in real estate.

The 1914 City Directory shows that Joseph’s younger brother James P. Conaghy of 812 South 6th Street was then running the Eagle Ice & Coal Company. Joseph and Theodosia Conaghy were living at and operating a bar known, appropriately enough, as Conaghy’s, at 950 South 5th Street. The bar venture did not fare well, however. By September of 1918 Joseph and Theodosia Conaghy had purchased a home at 814 South Sixth Street, next door to James Conaghy, who had moved his home and business to 812 South Sixth Street as far back as 1914.

Joseph Conaghy’s health appears to have began to break down; this may be the reason that Eli Conaghy lived at 814 with his uncle and aunt while his father James lived next door at 812. Joseph Conaghy died shortly after the 1920 Census was enumerated. In 1923 his widow, Theodosia Conaghy, was appointed matron at the Camden County Jail, a post she held until 1950. When he registered for the draft in September of 1918 Eli Conaghy was working at Keystone Leather at South 16th and Mickle Streets in East Camden.

During the late 1910s Eli Conaghy took up boxing, and was good enough at it to turn professional, boxing under the name “Kid Conaghy.” In his later years he jokingly spoke that his name was Kid Linoleum because he found himself getting up off the kitchen floor. His uncle Joseph had also boxed under this name and as Joe Conaghy in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

In the late 1920s Eli Conaghy was running with what can politely be described as some pretty fast company, including Joseph “Mose” Flannery, Russell Sage, Joe O’Connor, and John Doris. In the space of 17 months, from late September 1928 through early April of 1930, Flannery, O’Connor, and Doris were all murdered, all three crimes gangland hits, and in all three cases, the victims refused to name their assailants, taking their killers’ names to their graves.

Eli Conaghy was still living with his Aunt at 814 South Sixth Street as late as April of 1940. Also living at that address was his uncle, Camden fireman Eli M. Hunt, and a cousin, Nellie Conaghy. Eli Conaghy had married Evelyn G. Terrel, but was separated from his wife at the time of the Census enumeration. He was then working at the RCA radio factory in Camden.

Although well past the age of 40, Eli E. Conaghy was drafted into the United States Army at Camden, New Jersey on October 10, 1942. When he was inducted he had been working as a structural ironworker, a trade he returned to after World War II.

When the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled, Eli Conaghy was living with his wife Evelyn at 558 Line Street. His father, James Conaghy was still living at 812 South Sixth Street. His aunt, Theodosia Hunt Conaghy had moved to 543 Roberts Street.

Mrs. Conaghy retired in 1950 after serving as a matron at the Camden County Jail for 27 years. Although she was about 75 years of age, her retirement was very probably due as much or more to the institution of a mandatory retirement age of 65 in 1950 for police, firemen, and certain other government employees in New Jersey than due to age. There were at least one police officer and one fireman in Camden who were of the same age who retired that year due to the new regulations.

In her later years Theodosia Hunt Conaghy again lived with her nephew Eli. Last a resident of 704 Berkley Street, she died on December 7, 1957, survived by her nephew and a sister, Mrs. Katherine Abrams.

Eli E. Conaghy and his wife divorced during the 1950s. He resided at 704 Berkley Street until about 1958. He had purchased his aunt Theodosia’s property at 543 Roberts Street and moved to that address. Around 1965 he suffered a stroke and was confined to Cooper Hospital for six months, at which time he was moved to the Camden County Hospital at Lakeland where he remained until his death in December of 1968. He was survived by one son and two daughters (daughter Eileen passed in 2007), five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Eli Conaghy was a member of Ironworkers Local 399 and was a veteran of World War II. He is buried at Harleigh Cemetery.

County Detectives Contend Philadelphia Gangster Was Slain in Quarrel Over Woman

POLICE CLAIM HOLD-UP ATTEMPT CAUSED FIGHT — Deven Charged With Crime, Flannery and Taxi Driver Held Without Bail

With city and county authorities definitely divided on the motive and circumstance of the Sixth Ward Republican Club slaying, Joseph “Polack Joe” Deven was arraigned in Camden police court today and held without bail on a murder charge.

Through County Solicitor Walter Keown, retained as his attorney, Deven waived a police court hearing and was held to await grand jury action in the slaying of Joseph Cimini, Philadelphia gangster, at the political club early Saturday morning.

At the same time County Prosecutor Ethan P. Wescott announced his operatives had abandoned the theory Cimini was killed as the aftermath of an attempted hold-up, and were concentrating their investigation in the case on an effort to “find the woman.”

Statements of witnesses to the fatal shooting, the prosecutor added, made no mention of a hold-up, but contained the declaration that Cimini had been shot as a result of a feud with Charles “Chick” Hunt, former South Camden pugilist, concerning the affection of “Chick’s girl.”

Police Claim Holdup

On the other hand, Captain John Golden, chief of the city detective bureau, declared he was unable to recall any mention of a girl in the statements obtained from witnesses, and added emphatically that his department still held the shooting had followed an attempted holdup of the club by Cimini and Joseph ‘Mose’ Flannery.

Flannery and Hunt were both witnesses to the shooting by Deven, picturesque figure in Third Ward politics, which occurred at the Sixth Ward Club’s headquarters, 908 Broadway.

After Deven had appeared in Police Court today, Flannery was arraigned as a material witness and as an accessory to the crime, with an additional charge accusing him of carrying concealed deadly weapons. Similar charges were made against Russell Sage, a taxicab driver, who arrived at the club with Flannery and Cimini early Saturday morning. These two were committed to the county jail without any bail by Judge Bernard Bertman.

Hunt, however, was released under $1,000 bail as was Martin O’Brien, 27 years old, a former New Jersey State Trooper, and Harry Waterhouse, 28 years old, 1102 Marion street.

Three Others Arrested

During the day the police continued to build up their case against Flannery by arraigning him on the charges made by Milton Feinstein and Henry Mehrer. They also arrested Joseph Genther, 29 years old, 414 Atlantic Avenue; Robert Wolfe, 21 years old, 1106 Mechanic Street, and Eli Conaghy, 27 years old, 814 South 6th Street. Wolfe, who is Flannery’s brother-in-law, and Genther were held “on suspicion” of having been with “Mose” at the time the latter is declared to have attacked and attempted to rob Mehrer, an Audubon policeman, outside the Ringside Inn, on the Black Horse Pike.

Conaghy, Flannery and Sage were arraigned and held without bail on charges of threatening to kill Feinstein and of carrying concealed deadly weapons. Feinstein declares these three with Cimini, the slain man, entered his cafe on January 2 and attempted to hold him up, threatening to kill him if he refused to “come across.” When he defied them by telling them to “go ahead and shoot,” Feinstein says, they departed.

Wolfe, Genther, and Conaghy were arrested by City Detectives George Ward and Thomas Cheeseman. It was Cheeseman who lodged the formal complaint of murder against Deven.

Two Others Released

Two other men who were questioned in connection with the murder case were in court this morning but neither was held. They are Newton Blanchard, 923 St. John Street, a former boxing referee and alleged “stick man” at the crap game declared to have been in progress at the club before the shooting, and Michael Dandrea, 26 years old, of 1657 Norris Street. Both men had been released after questioning on Saturday. Police say they are the men who told police that trouble was imminent at the club and that “Flannery and another fellow are trying to stick up a bunch of other fellows.”

The city police hold-up theory was further attacked today by Francis J. McCarthy, a Philadelphian, who arrived before noon at the county prosecutor’s office and said he would co-operate with the authorities. He wishes to clear the dead man, he said, of the stigma of suspicion that he was slain while engaged in an attempted robbery.

Hearing in Police Court was brief. There was no testimony and Keown merely announced Deven would waive a hearing. Appearing also as attorney for Hunt, O’Brien, and Waterhouse, he said the other three men were “present at the unfortunate shooting” and thus should be held as material witnesses. He added the prosecutor’s office had permitted the release of the three under $1,000 bail each and requested Judge Bertman follow suit. The court acceded to this request but stipulated that new bail must be provided. The three men were freed shortly afterward when the bond was furnished by James Louis, 603 Kaighn Avenue, who had provided the bail yesterday in the prosecutor’s office.

Despite the declaration by two Camden district detectives who were present at the time and who said there was no evidence that gambling was in progress at the club, county detectives disclosed today that statements of the shooting contained the assertion that the men had gathered for a crap game.

These witnesses also declared the fatal shooting resulted from an argument over a woman for whose attention Cimini and Hunt were rivals.

Gamble Over Affections

Like actors in a carefully-rehearsed drama, the various witnesses to the shooting made their statements nearly twelve hours after the shooting and, both city and county detectives say they agreed in all important aspects. Prosecutor Wescott declared, however, that no mention of an attempted hold-up was made despite the fact that City Detectives Clarence Arthur and Clarence Bunker — before whose eyes Cimini was shot down — stated Flannery and Cimini were holding the other men at bay when the detectives entered the room.

Instead, the statements of the witnesses described the scene as a dramatic gamble, with death as the stake, over the affections of a woman beloved by both Cimini and Hunt. This woman, who is married and estranged from her husband, is being sought today, Prosecutor Wescott said. According to detectives, Hunt was severely beaten last Wednesday night in a downtown gambling place by members of Cimini’s gang. Cimini, known also as Joseph Gannon, was a brother of William Cimini, a pugilist known in the ring as Billy Gannon.

The stories told by the witnesses place Hunt as one of the players in the crap game which was in progress at the club on Saturday morning. Deven was at the window, looking out, according to the witnesses, when he saw a taxicab draw up in front of the building. Flannery, Cimini and Sage descended and entered the club, it was declared.

“Here comes Mose, Chick, with that guy what’s gunnin’ for you,” Deven is declared to have shouted.

A dozen gamesters fled from the room. “Chick” and a few of his friends held their ground and were waiting when the trio entered. Cimini, it is stated, walked over to Hunt.

“I told you,” he said with a sneer, “to stay away from that dame. She’s my girl. You were warned and now you gotta take your medicine.”

Hunt said nothing.

Flannery drew from his pockets two automatics and flung them on the green-topped table, the stories go.

“C’mon, Chick,” he said. “Don’t be yella. He toldja about the broad and he toldja what he’d do. Take your gun and shoot it out.”

“Chick” demurred.

“I don’t want none of that stuff, Mose,” he pleaded. He eyed Cimini carefully as the latter held one hand on the butt of a pistol which protruded from his belt.

Deven Interferes

Hunt made no careless movements toward the pistols on the table. Then Deven is declared to have interfered.

“None of that stuff, Mose,” he said warningly. “Who’s this guy to come here making trouble? He’s no member, is he?”

Cimini moved quickly, the witnesses say. With an upward flip of his hand he brought the barrel of the automatic sharply against Deven’s chin. The latter lurched forward snatching one of the pistols from the table.

The weapon was discharged, the bullet tearing through Cimini’s heart. He died instantly.

The next moment, Arthur and Bunker, district detectives summoned by one of the players who had fled, burst through the door and lined up the men against the wall.

A short time later police arrested Blanchard and Dandrea. Blanchard, police say, was the man who gave them warning of the impending battle. Both men were released after questioning.

Released from Lakeland

The detectives found Deven cringing with fear under the table, the weapon still in his hand. Four other pistols were picked up in different parts of the room.

Deven was identified as a lovesick husband who appeared in the prosecutor’s office several months ago and asked to be “put away.” His wife had left him, he said, and he was afraid he might harm someone.

He was committed to the asylum at Lakeland. When or how he was released is a mystery. Lakeland officials said they had no record of him. Deven once shot himself in a suicide attempt, police say, in grief over estrangement from his wife.

Gangdom’s prevailing opinion is that Flannery is “in” for it. Attempts and threats against the blond gangster’s life have furnished many lurid tales for the habitués of downtown hangouts.

Further, Flannery has made many bitter enemies through his political activities. In the last election he worked as a Democrat against “Mikey” Brown in the Eighth Ward. His overbearing tactics and bravado among the other downtown characters has increased the feeling against him, it is said.

Thus far, he has succeeded in keeping out of the toils for any length of time. His police record includes arrests for rum-running, carrying concealed weapons, alleged ballot frauds and attempted murder. His most recent arrest came in Philadelphia when he figured in a pistol battle in which a man was slain.