Introduction
Nicholas Scarduzio
NICHOLAS SCARDUZIO was born June 16, 1899, according to Social Security records. Census records and newspaper accounts have him as being a year younger. He was born in Pennsylvania to Italian immigrant parents. The Scarduzio family had moved en masse to Camden’s Eighth Ward by 1930. Members of the family became active in politics, real estate, law, and on occasion were caught up in situations involving them with law enforcement.
At the time of the 1930 Census, Nicholas Scarduzio was living with his brother Anthony at 427 Emerald Street in Camden. Both brothers were then serving on Camden’s police force.
Politics in the Eighth Ward was not a game for the faint of heart. One political leader, Joseph “Mose” Flannery, was gunned down on September 14, 1928. Flannery was known to be involved in various underworld activities, primarily connected with illegal slot machines. A Scarduzio relative, Joseph “Cuzzy” Scarduzio, was present when Flannery was shot, and was held as a material witness.
In 1934, Nicholas Scarduzio led a “victory parade” in the wake of the May 17th primary election to determine control of the Republican Party in Camden County. The parade turned into a riot when the participants stopped in front of the bar owned by opposition candidate William Tansky. At least two shots were fired, several arrests were made, and Nicholas Scarduzio was reported to have been badly beaten.
At the end of the 1930s, he resided at 419 Webster Street. Nicholas Scarduzio was no longer on the police force when, on December 24, 1939 he was in the company of his older brother Andrew, who was also a political worker in the Eighth Ward. The brothers tried to enter a taproom in Bellmawr NJ long after closing time. Andrew was shot to death. One month later Nicholas Scarduzio was arrested and held without bail after a shooting incident at a restaurant at 1806 Broadway by County Detective Wilfred Dube on orders of Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando. Orlando ordered County Chief of Detectives Lawrence Doran to launch an investigation, while Camden Director of Public Safety Mary W. Kobus ordered then Chief of Police Ralph Bakley to conduct a similar probe after reading the incident reports filed by Camden Police Officers Carl Fredericks and Oliver Morgan.
In April of 1944 another Scarduzio relation, Albert “Swifty” Scarduzio, was questioned in relation to the gangland murder of Vincent “China” Scola, who had been implicated in the sale of counterfeit gasoline ration stamps.
Nicholas Scarduzio lived in an apartment at 1709 Broadway when the 1947 City Directory was compiled. He remained a Camden resident until his passing in August of 1968.
Political Paragraphs
Camden Courier-Post —
The Regular Eighth Ward Republican Club will hold a Baird rally tonight at its headquarters, 521 Ferry Avenue. Freeholder Benjamin W. Sykes, president of the club, will preside. The rally committee includes Maurice Di Nicolo, Richard Scarduzio, Nicholas Scarduzio, John Clements, George W. Hess, William Lane and Louis Quinton.
Announcement was made at Republican headquarters that a special meeting will be conducted tomorrow evening in Brooklawn borough hall by the Baird for Governor Men’s Club in recognition of the Republican gubernatorial nominee’s successful efforts toward bringing about the sale of the U. S. Shipping Board’s holding in Brooklawn.
The Elizabeth C. Verga First Ward Women’s Republican Club will hold a rally tomorrow night at 6.30 p. m. at the home of its president, Mrs. Annie Pappon, 607 North Third Street. Mrs. Etta Pfrommer will be among the speakers.
Runnemede Republicans will stage a big rally tonight with Mayor Robert G. Downer presiding. Harry Fluharty, regular Republican candidate for an unexpired term in borough council, faces a three-cornered fight. Wallie Becker, a candidate in the personal choice column while John W. Schoeler is the Democratic aspirant.
The Women’s Republican Club of Gloucester, of which Mrs. Annie E. C. Moffett is the president, tonight will hold a meeting at 104 North King Street when county and local candidates will speak.
Two Men Nabbed as Numbers Aides
Camden Courier-Post —
Nicholas Scarduzio, 32, of 427 Emerald Street, and Joseph Tavolieri, 33, of 421 Emerald street, were arrested yesterday afternoon by Detectives Clarence Arthur, Clifford Del Rossi and Benjamin Simon on charges of collecting numbers slips.
Slips totaling $25 were found in Scarduzio’s possession. Tavolieri had only a few. The arrests were made near Fourth Street and Ferry Avenue. They will be arraigned in police court to-day before Judge Garfield Pancoast.
Former Cop Is Fined as Numbers Collector
Camden Courier-Post —
Nicholas Scarduzio, 32, of 427 Emerald street, a former policeman, and Joseph Tavolieri, 31, of 421 Emerald street, were fined $25 each by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast yesterday on charges of collecting numbers slips.
They were arrested Monday afternoon near Fourth Street and Ferry Avenue by Detectives Clarence Arthur, Clifford Del Rossi and Benjamin Simon. Numbers slips were found on both.
Boy Shot, Many People Hurt in Eighth Ward Riot
Camden Courier-Post —
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 Republican 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 Zietz, 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 Zietz. 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 accordions, 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.
Police Seeking Hidden Motive in Bar Slaying
Camden Courier-Post —
Doubt ‘Brawl’ Explanation in Fatal Bellmawr Shooting of Andrew Scarduzio
COUNTY DETECTIVE CHIEF ORDERS MORE QUIZZING
Police sought a “hidden motive” for the slaying early Sunday of Andrew Scarduzio, Eighth ward political worker, in a Bellmawr taproom.
Little credence was given to the story that the shooting occurred during a brawl which followed the barring of three men from the taproom at 5.30 a. m.
County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran today ordered the questioning of two women, one a resident of Camden, who were at the establishment when the shooting occurred.
Fresh Quiz Ordered
Doran also ordered further questioning of Dale Rose, proprietor of the saloon where the shooting occurred, on the Black Horse pike, at Bellmawr.
A third man was taken to City Hall early today for questioning by police, but whether he was held was not disclosed.
He is Joseph Romanowski, 28, of Mt. Vernon street, near Orchard street. According to Doran the latest man questioned denied he was present at the time of the shooting of Scarduzio, but was there two hours before when there was an argument over who was to pay for the drinks.
Romanowski was taken into custody in a tavern near his home by Detective Sergeant Thomas Murphy.
“I was at the Bellmawr saloon at 3 a. m., when the bartender closed the place for the night,” Romanowski told Doran, the detective chief said. “But I did not return at 5 a. m., when the murder was committed.”
Two Others Held
Police said the only criminal record against Romanowski was an arrest 10 years ago for carrying concealed deadly weapons. Disposition of the case is not on record.
The second man questioned and held in connection with the investigation is Joseph Lenkowski, 29. According to Dominic “Mickey” Hanley, bartender, who had an argument with five men over payment of drinks at 3 a. m., Lenkowski was one of them. Lenkowski is being held as a material witness.
Stephan Jaskiewicz, 22, a criminal registrant who came here from Pittsburgh in 1937, was held for investigation Sunday night.
Two other men are being sought. They are believed to have been members of the trio which forced its way into the Black Horse pike tavern, engaged in a free-for-all battle, fired seven shots from three guns and ran out.
Scarduzio, Eighth ward political worker, was shot in the groin and the ankle and died several hours later in West Jersey Hospital. The dead man was a brother of Nicholas Scarduzio, recently employed by City Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety, to check parking law violations. Nicholas was a witness to the shooting.
Lenkowski, who was arrested yesterday, first broke into police records in May, 1931, when he was convicted of being one of four bandits who broke into the old Bridge Cafe at Front and Pearl streets. One of the bandits was killed by Policeman Everett Joslin. A jury convicted Lenkowski and on its mercy recommendation he was sent to Rahway.
Still Seeking Motive
When arrested by Chief Doran and City Detective Harry Kyler, Lenkowski gave his address as 535 South Eighth street. He was booked after being taken to Bellmawr for identification.
Hanley told the police that when the men refused to pay for what had been served to them, he said: “Okay. It’s my mistake and we’ll call it a little Christmas party on the house.”
A. B. C. Enters Case
No guns were flashed on the first visit and no reports of threats by the departing quintette have been made public.
Three agents for the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission entered the case yesterday to determine why Rose’s place was open at 5.30 Sunday morning. The agents are William Brooks, Bayard Sullivan and Roscoe Lockwood. They went to Bellmawr and took statements from Rose and others who were in the tavern at the time of the shooting.
The A. B. C. entered the case after the borough council at a special meeting Sunday afternoon suspended Rose’s license pending investigation by the council, mayor and county officials.
Scarduzio Jailed by Orlando After Gun Play in Restaurant
Camden Courier-Post —
Action Follows Police Failure to Report On Shooting
PROBE ORDERED BY MRS. KOBUS
Nick Scarduzio, 39, former Summer policeman, was held last night without bail for grand jury action on a charge of atrocious assault and battery and intent to kill as a sequel to a gun-play row at 3 a. m. Saturday in a South Camden restaurant.
Scarduzio was taken into custody by County Detective Wilfred Dube on orders of Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando.
Investigation of police failure to report immediately the shooting affray was promised by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety.
“I wasn’t apprised of this case until 4.30 o’clock yesterday,” Mrs. Kobus said. “Ordinarily our policemen aren’t required to report little barroom brawls. This is different. I intend to investigate thoroughly. I shall interview these policemen this afternoon and until I have talked with them, I will await developments.”
Brother Slain December 24th
Scarduzio was a brother of Andrew Scarduzio, Eighth ward political worker, who was fatally shot in a Bellmawr taproom on December 24 during a brawl in which the brothers sought to eject three men who demanded entry to the place at 5.30 a. m. after the cafe had been closed for the night. Andrew was employed as the cafe handyman.
Arrested by Dube on “information received,” Nick Scarduzio, who lives at 419 Webster street, and who has had numerous encounters with police, allegedly went berserk when requested by a patron of Mike Patsourakas’ restaurant at 1806 Broadway to refrain from profanity in the presence of several women diners.
Lawrence T. Doran, chief of county detectives, said he obtained statements of several witnesses.
Doran said he learned Scarduzio entered the restaurant after visiting a nearby taproom and was in a “disagreeable mood.”
Taking a place at the counter, Scarduzio became loud, Doran said he learned, and was accosted by Robert Wolfe, 32, of 1128 Langham avenue, another diner.
Wolfe requested Scarduzio to calm down, witnesses told Doran, whereupon Scarduzio reached across the counter and seized a knife with which he threatened Wolfe and later picked up a heavy sugar bowl and hurled it, striking Wolfe on the head.
Wolfe raised his hands in defense, Doran quoted the witnesses, and Scarduzio whipped out a gun and fired two shots. His aim was diverted when Patsourakas grabbed his arm and Wolfe dashed toward the rest of the place as the other diners scattered.
More Shots Fired
Scarduzio attempted to follow Wolfe, according to Doran, and the fleeing man hid behind a box in a rear room. Scarduzio raced past him into an alleyway where, the detective chief said, he saw another figure and fired two more shots. Wolfe later was taken to Cooper Hospital where three stitches were used to close the wound caused by the sugar bowl.
Doran said three city policemen arrived later at the scene, but that subsequent investigation revealed no account of the incident was on city police records. No report was made to the city detective bureau.
Orlando ordered the county detective bureau to investigate the case and Scarduzio’s arrest followed. Doran also related that the weapon which was taken from Scarduzio by Patsourakas and “broken” was later taken over by city police.
Chief of Police Ralph Bakley, who was taking reports from the three city officers, said there was nothing said by them about taking the gun from the restaurant owner. He will question them on that phase of the case later today, he said.
Was Special Officer
Scarduzio was employed last month by Commissioner Kobus as a special officer making a check on all-day parkers in the city business section. Doran said he learned the man is no longer employed by the city.
The city police report, made yesterday afternoon, according to Mrs. Kobus, follows:
I have to report that about [time] a. m. Saturday, Jan. 20, we were cruising in scout car south on Broadway. We were stopped by a young man at Broadway and Ferry avenue. He told us there had been a fight in a restaurant located two doors south of Ferry avenue on the east side of Broadway. Officer (Oliver) Morgan and I entered the restaurant and we saw all the patrons sitting down. We asked if there had been any trouble and they said there had been a fight but that it was all over. So we left the place after we searched all persons in the place for a gun, not finding any. ‘One man had been hit on the head with a sugar bowl.’ He refused to make any charge and also refused to go to a hospital.
The report was signed by Carl Fredericks and Oliver Morgan. Policeman Paul Jackson, the foot patrolman on that beat, made a similar report, Bakley said.