|
New York Times; Feb 21, 1931; pg. 1 END CRIME BY FORCE, MAYOR TELLS POLICE Violence Grew When Science Ousted Brass Buttons and
Night Sticks, He Declares. Brass buttons and nightsticks, symbolizing the rough but effective methods of the old-time policeman, are needed more than the new ideas of crime prevention to clear New York of lawbreakers, Mayor Walker warned the Police Department yesterday, while a score of officers worked to find the survivor of two hold-up men who killed Detective Christopher W. Scheuing on Thursday. Police Commissioner Mulrooney listened to the Mayor's remarks at a Board of Estimate hearing involving the crime prevention bureau established by former Commissioner Grover A. Whalen. A few hours previously Mr. Mulrooney had commented on Scheuing's death before 200 detectives, describing how the policeman had been shot down by one of two men whom he and his comrade had surprised at 49 Lexington Avenue. Warns Police to Be Ready. Scheuing had been unable to use his service revolver because he was wearing gloves and the weapon was under his buttoned coat, Commissioner Mulrooney pointed out. He ordered all policemen approaching suspects in the future to carry their revolvers in their hands or in an outside coat pocket, or some other easily accessible place, and that in case of shooting, policemen should be "quick in going into action." One of the men who fired at Detective Scheuing was killed by Detective Dominick Pape, who managed to reach his revolver and to open fire. The dead robber was identified as Albert Checcia, 32 years old, with a criminal record. Search for the other gunman centred on hospitals and doctors' offices, since he was believed to have been wounded by Detective Pape. Mayor Walker's remarks were made after Commissioner Mulrooney had appeared before the Board of Estimate branch of the Municipal Assembly to urge passage of a local Continued on Page Two. MAYOR BIDS POLICE END CRIME BY FORCE Continued from Page One. bill to increase the number of police women in the department from thirty to fifty. The crime prevention bureau was mentioned when Miss Pearl Bernstein, representing the New York League of Women Voters, urged that the new policewomen, if authorized, should be appointed from the list of crime prevention investigators on the ground that civil service examinations for policewomen were too lax and that the list from which the new appointees would be drawn was four years old. "It seems to me," said Mayor Walker caustically, "that the crime prevention bureau had better begin to prevent crime. "This is no reflection upon the Police Department as such, but when we deviated from the old policy of brass buttons and nightsticks, and substituted science and crime prevention, we suddenly awakened to find the city full of crime. At least that's what they tell us, although I do not know it to be a fact." The bill was passed by the Board of Estimate, however, without the provision advocated by Miss Bernstein that the policewomen should be drawn from a new list. Commissioner Mulrooney had said earlier that the shortage of policewomen in the department constituted an emergency. Scheuing and Pape, who were working on the murder of Frank Marco, Chicago racketeer whose body was found in front of 612 East Nineteenth Street, had decided that the two men who later killed Scheuing were suspicious characters and had followed them for some time before the men entered the premises at 69 Lexington Avenue, the commissioner pointed out. "Scheuing should have drawn his gun before he started in after them," Mr. Mulrooney continued. "He was a brave officer and a fine man, but he lost his life because he was not prepared. When he needed his revolver he had his gloves on and his gun was in a holster under his coat. If he had put his revolver into his outside coat pocket when he first decided that the men were suspicious, he would probably never have been killed." Mr. Mulrooney then ordered the commanding officers present to instruct their men to keep their revolvers within easy reach. "It necessary," he said, "keep the revolver in an outside coat pocket with your hand on it and shoot through the coat." The slain detective was rated one of the best pistol marksmen at the West Twenty-second Street station, to which he was attached, fellow-officers revealed. He was rated better than Detective Pape, who shot Checchia through the heart. Funeral services with departmental honors are to be held Tuesday at Detective Scheuing's home, 145 Yetman Avenue, Tottenville, S. I. Burial is to be in St. Joseph's Cemetery. A check for $600 from the Detectives' Benevolent Association was sent yesterday to his widow. Two men arrested in the café charged with possessing liquor were arraigned before United States Commissioner O'Neill and released in S500 ball each for hearing March 4. They were Paul Goldstein, said to be the proprietor, and Harry Panzer, described as a waiter.
New York Times; Apr 8, 1931; pg. 6 IDENTIFIES YOUTH AS POLICE SLAYER Detective Dominick Pape of the, East Twenty-second Street station arrested yesterday a man who later was identified, according to the police, by three witnesses as one of the two hold-up men who, on Feb. 19, shot and killed his partner, Detective Christopher Scheuing, in an alleged speakeasy at 49 Lexington Avenue. Pape was assisted in the arrest by Detective Stephen De Rosa of the bomb squad. The man arrested, Harry F. Cashin, 19 years old, denied the killing. He said he was a bricklayer's helper, and that he was "out with his sweetheart" on the night of the killing. The police said Cashin is a former bartender. He was arrested yesterday at his home, 124 Tenth Avenue. He is a blond youth with a mole over the right eye. Detective Lieutenant Charles Mooney said the two men had made the arrest "through good, consistent detective work." Pape's story was that on the night of the killing Cashin entered the place with Albert Checchia, for whom he had worked at times as chauffeur of a beer truck. The two went to the bar and ordered drinks. Cashin stood at the bar next to Gladys Clayton, 19 years old, of 302 West Fifty-first Street. Then the two informed the customers that it was a hold-up. Checchia started to rifle the till as Cashin kept every one covered. At this moment Scheuing and Pape, who had been trailing the two as suspects in the killing of Frank Marco, entered. The hold-up men opened fire without warning, killing Scheuing. Pape ducked, drew his pistol and shot and killed Checchia. Cashin backed to the door, shooting, and escaped. Cashin, according to Pape, entered a taxicab and ordered the driver to take him home. He was pursued by the police, and at Eighteenth Street and Tenth Avenue was seized as he left the cab. He was taken back to the scene 'of the shooting, where Miss Clayton, as well as Paul Goldstein of 239 Rodney Street, Brooklyn, alleged owner of the place, and Harry Panzer of 138 Ludlow Street, alleged bartender, were being detained. As Miss Clayton was confronted with Cashin, according to Pape, he gave her a "pitiful" look. She shook her, head, as did the other two. The police were forced to release Cashin, but ever since had shadowed him. Pape learned that a blond bartender with a mole over his right eye had worked at an alleged speakeasy in East Eighth Street, owned by a man named Mecker. He learned that this bartender was Cashin, he said. Then he learned that Miss Clayton and a sister-in-law had visited the Eighth Street place several times. Armed with this evidence, Pape and De Rosa rounded up their witnesses on Monday. Yesterday they went to the home of Cashin and arrested him. When confronted again with Cashin, together with the new evidence, Miss Clayton broke down and. identified him as the killer. The other witnesses also confessed, the police said. All four were taken before Judge Morris Koenig in General Sessions, who fixed bail for the three material witnesses at $15,000. Cashin was held without bail.
New York Times; Dec 10, 1931; pg. 10 WEIGHS POLICE MURDER Jury Debates Fate of Man Accused in Speakeasy Hold-Up. The jury in the trial of Harry F. Cashin, 19 years old, accused of participating last February in the fatal shooting of Detective Christopher Scheuing in the hold-up of a speakeasy at 149 Lexington Avenue, was still deliberating late last night. The case had been placed in its hands by Judge Koenig shortly after noon. Scheuing was slain by Cashin's alleged confederate, Albert Checcia, an ex-convict, who, in turn, was shot and killed by Detective Dominick Pape, Scheuing's partner. The two detectives entered the place, a restaurant, as the hold-up was in progress, and Checcia opened fire on them. Cashin, whose home is at 124 Tenth Avenue, was alleged to have escaped through a side door, but was arrested three weeks later. He denied he took part in the robbery or murder. The jury returned to the court shortly before 5 o'clock in the afternoon and the foreman, in asking that parts of the testimony be read, made the unusual request that all the spectators be ordered out of the court room while the stenographer was reading them. "I can't entertain such a request," Judge Koenig replied. "This is a public trial." Soon afterward it was reported that the jurors were hopelessly deadlocked.
New York Times; Dec 11, 1931; pg. 22 CASHIN GUILTY OF MURDER Companion of Policeman's Slayer Is Convicted in First Degree. A jury in Judge Koenig's part of General Sessions, after twenty-two hours' dliberation, returned a verdict of murder in the first degree yesterday forenoon against 19-year-old Harry F. Cashin for his part in the shooting of Detective Christopher Scheuing in a restaurant hold-up last February. It was the thirteenth first-degree murder conviction in General Sessions since Jan. 1, within one of the record set under Charles S. Whitman as District Attorney in 1912. Cashin will be sentenced to death Thursday. Albert Chiccia, an ex-convict, was shot and killed by Detective Dominick Pape in the hold-up, after Chiccia had slain Detective Scheuing. Detective Pape was unable to identify Cashin, but Gladys Clayton, 19 years old, testified that she saw him enter the restaurant at 49 Lexington Avenue with Chiccia, draw a pistol and later escape through a side door.
New York Times; Dec 24, 1931; pg. 11 CASHIN SENTENCED TO DIE. Harry F. Cashin, 20 years old, found guilty of murder in the first degree on Dec. 10 for participating in the shooting of Detective Christopher Scheuing last February in the holdup of a restaurant at 49 Lexington Avenue, was sentenced yesterday by Judge Koenig in General Sessions to die in the electric chair in the week beginning Feb. 1. The Judge denied the demand of Cashin't new lawyer, James D. C. Murray, to set the jury's verdict aside on the ground of insufficient evidence. The defense lawyer then requested the court to set a date for argument on another motion for a new trial. The date will be set later. Mr. Murray explained that he expects to produce new evidence to show that Cashin had no part in the hold-up, in which Detective Dominick Pape shot and killed one of the two gunmen, Albert Checcia, after Checcia had shot Detective Scheuing.
New York Times; Jul 20, 1932; pg. 18 CASHIN, IN DEATH CELL, TO GET ALBANY, N. Y., July 19 (AP). -- The New York Court of Appeals ordered Harry Cashin from a death cell at Sing Sing today by granting him a new trial, but affirmed the death sentences of Luke O'Neil and George Harris. All were from New York. Judge Koenig sentenced Cashin, who is 20 years old, in General Sessions on Dec. 10, after his conviction of first-degree murder in the shooting of Detective Christopher Scheuing during a hold-up in a speakeasy in lower Lexington Avenue. O'Neil was convicted on Feb. 26 of strangling Miss Catherine Gore, a cripple, in the hallway of her home at 313 East Seventy-seventh Street on Sept. 13, 1925. He was captured after six years. Harris was found guilty of the murder of Patrolman Patrick Mitchell of the West 152d Street station on June 20, 1930, while fleeing from the scene of a hold-up at Amsterdam Avenue and 126th Street.
New York Times; Mar 31, 1933; pg. 9 CLEARED OF MURDER. Harry F. Cashin, 21 years old, who spent seven months in the death house at Sing Sing under sentence to die in the electric chair for the murder of Detective. Christopher W. Scheuing in a speakeasy hold-up at 49 Lexington Avenue in February, 1931, was discharged yesterday by Judge Donnellan in General Sessions. Cashin was removed from the death house to the Tombs last July, when his conviction was reversed by the Court of Appeals for want of sufficient evidence and a new trial ordered. Gladys Clayton, a dancer, had identified Cashin as the man who shot Scheuing at the same time that Scheuing's partner, Detective Dominick Pape, shot and killed Albert Checcia as one of the robbers. Cashin was arrested several days after the hold-up. John F. Joyce, Assistant District Attorney, told Judge Donnellan yesterday the State had no further evidence. |