Fred Dunajek Sr.
Fred Dunajek Sr.
FREDERICK DUNAJEK SR. was born in Hungary around 1880. After marrying around 1905, he came to America in 1907 with his wife Catharine. They were living in New Jersey when a daughter, Stephanie, was born around 1908. The family moved to Pennsylvania by 1910. They were living at 1332 Palethorpe Street in Philadelphia at the time of the 1920 Census. Fred Dunajek was then working as a driver for a dairy. The family resided in Pennsylvania through the 1920s. Children Julia, Fred Jr., and Barbara were all born in Pennsylvania.
By 1930 the Dunajek family was living at 35 Oak Avenue, just off Coles Avenue, in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) NJ. Fred Dunajek was then working as a shipper in a “manufacturing plant.” The family moved to Camden at some point thereafter, settling at 50 North 33rd Street in East Camden.
By the 1940s Frederick Dunajek was working as a night watchman in his East Camden neighborhood, patrolling the neighborhood east of 32nd Street on both sides of Federal Street. On March 29, 1944 he was out on his rounds, on Fremont Street near Myrtle Avenue, when he heard shots and, in his own words, “a big black sedan” sped past him. The men in the car had just murdered gangster Vincent “China” Scola on Myrtle Street, just around the bend in the road ahead.
Frederick Dunajek was still living at the North 33rd Street address as late as 1959.
Vincent Scola Killed Driving Car Near Home
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Suspect Link With Brennan; Black Market Angle Also Probed
DEATH AUTO NUMBER IS REPORTED TO COPS
The bitter gangland feud for control of South Jersey gambling and black market rackets broke out again early today with the shotgun slaying of Vincent Scola, 3[?], one-time petty racketeer grown big through illegal wartime operations.
Scola, known as “Cheeno” and “China,” was mowed down while driving his car at Thirty-eighth street and Myrtle avenue, only a few blocks from his home at 5[?]01 Sherwood terrace, Pennsauken township.
Seven slugs entered Scola’s body, four in the neck and three in the head. The left side of his face was almost shot away. The expensive car burst into flames after it overturned following the shooting.
Two Theories Studied
Camden detectives advanced three possible motives in the racketeer’s death:
1. That it was in retaliation for the gangland slaying several weeks ago of John P. Brennan, Philadelphia mobster who was rubbed out when he tried to muscle in on South Jersey gambling rackets.
2. That Scola was the South Jersey representative for a large North Jersey counterfeit ration stamp gang and was slain because he was infringing on the territory of local racketeers here.
3. That the killing may have been in some way connected with Scola’s declaring himself “in” on several legitimate businesses in Camden and vicinity recently.
The place where Scola was killed is in a residential section of East Camden near the Pennsauken borderline. A number of residents heard the shooting and saw the car burning.
Fred Dunajek, 64, of 50 North Thirty-third street, a night watchman in the section, heard the shots and then saw the murder car, which he described as “a big black sedan,” speed past him near Myrtle and Fremont avenues.
Several Witnesses Reported
It was authoritatively reported that there were several eyewitnesses to the shooting and that the police have been given the license number of the killer’s car. The machine bore New Jersey tags, it was said.
The shooting occurred between 12.30 and 12.45 p. m. The police believe Scola was on his way home from the 4 p. m. to midnight shift at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., where he was employed in the electrical department, when he realized he was being followed.
Detectives said they have learned that Scola stopped at a restaurant operated by his brother, Joseph, at Fourth and Walnut streets, before starting for his home. That he knew he was being followed was evidenced by the fact that he was driving in a direction away from his home instead of toward it when the killers caught up with him.
Gangster Is Slain in East Camden
Vincent Scola Mowed Down With Shotgun; Brennan Link Suspected
Investigators have advanced the theory that members of Brennan’s gang may have decided to erase Scola in the same manner as Brennan was wiped out--by waiting for him near his home and blasting him as he drove up.
Pursuit Suspected
However, it was believed Scola may have seen the murder car as he drew close to home and kept going with the slayers in pursuit.
The Scola car was going west on Myrtle avenue, away from the Scola home. At a point between the intersection of Highland avenue and Thirty-eighth street with Myrtle avenue, the car swerved to the north side of Myrtle avenue, jumped the curb about 20 feet and grazed a tree with the front fender.
Then it made a wide arc in the intersection, jumped the east curb of Thirty-eighth street and came to rest on the sidewalk facing south with its left side against a hedge.
The police believe the odd movements of the car either was caused by Scola attempting to evade the murder car or that he was killed instantly as the two cars were still moving, and the car went out of control.
By an odd coincidence, the murder scene was across the street from the home of City Solicitor Morrissey who recently represented Scola in chancery court. Morrissey lives at 3821 Myrtle avenue. Mrs. Morrissey heard the shots but said she thought it was a car backfiring.
Like Prohibition Days
Scola’s attempts to muscle in on legitimate businesses came to light March 6 when a suit against him was heard in Chancery Court in which he was charged with using strong-arm tactics reminiscent of the prohibition days.
The complaint, by Antonio Amato, of 326 Spruce street, and Antonio Farina, of 676 Fairview street, declared they put up $4200 to open the Victory Cafe, 417-419 Walnut street, on Nov. 10, and that Scola appeared a short time later, put up $400 and “declared himself in.”
After that, the two men charged, they received no profits from the business and Scola was in complete charge, even bringing in his own cashier. When they asked for return of their investment, Scola threatened them with bodily harm, it was alleged. Scola denied the charges. The case has not been decided.
Having encountered brushes with the law many times, Scola recently was suspected of participation in the sale of illegal gasoline coupons. On another occasion he was arrested for possession of automobile tires.
According to police, Scola is suspected of attempting to “muscle in” on the floating craps game racket run by Brennan in Camden and Burlington counties at the time of his death.
Lists 2 City Addresses
Scola had cards in his pocket bearing his name and addresses at 839 and 1114 South Fourth street, Camden. The city directory listed Dominick Scola as residing at 839 South Fourth street and the same man as having a restaurant at the other South Fourth street address.
Firemen were summoned to extinguish the burning car after Scola’s body was removed.
Scola’s record at the city identification bureau shows he has been arrested in this city nine times since 1929. The charges include: robbery and carrying concealed deadly weapons; on suspicion for investigation; assault; possession of stolen goods; crap shooting, interfering with officers and no draft card.
Fist Fight Reported
Detectives injected another angle into the shooting today when they learned that Scola and Alfred Gasperone, 30, under arrest as an armed black market gasoline and fuel oil operator, had a fist fight near Fifteenth and Federal streets two weeks ago.
The sleuths said they intended questioning Gasperone in an attempt to learn what the fight was about. They said they had reports the two men had an argument over the disposition of a quantity of gasoline ration stamps.
Atlantic City detectives last night arrested a former Collingswood woman as a suspected accomplice to Gasperone.
Makes Admissions
The woman, Mrs. Maude Jackson, 36, of 3 North Pennsylvania avenue, admitted to the detectives she had lived with Gasperone during the past month in the Presston apartments at that address, and that she had left Gasperone’s car in Collingswood while he was enroute to a Gloucester gasoline station where OPA agents had lured him last Friday.
When apprehended Gasperone had ration coupons on his person, valued at 100,000 gallons of gasoline and fuel oil, and coupons for 437 pairs of shoes.
Mrs. Jackson is charged with possession of untaxed liquor, harboring of a criminal and suspicion of complicity in the black market. She was being questioned by OPA agents today.
The former Collingswood woman is an attractive brunette, short and buxom, and was wearing a Persian lamb coat and neatly dressed when taken into custody by Detectives Arch Witham and William Rickert at Atlantic and North Carolina avenues.
Both detectives had been cooperating with OPA officials in investigation of the case. The charges against her stem from a raid made upon her apartment, where 50 bottles of untaxed liquor was found, as well as two automatic guns, watches and several rings. The apartment has not been tenanted since Gasperone was arrested.
Read of Arrest
Mrs. Jackson explained to police she had read of Gasperone’s arrest before returning to Atlantic City from Collingswood, and feared to return to the apartment. Instead, she returned here and lived with her mother on North Carolina avenue, a short distance from where she was apprehended.
She said she came to Atlantic City from Collingswood on February 29, and previously had worked in a Fairview taproom. While here she worked in a local taproom. She said she was “relieved” when arrested; and expected it “any day.” She said she had separated from her husband in Collingswood nine months ago.
Mrs. Jackson denied any complicity in black market activities.
Photos
Fred Dunajek Sr.
Credit
Thanks to his grandson, also named Fred Danejuk, for his help in creating this page.