2 Bandits Face Death As Manager of Store Dies of Holdup Wound

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2 Bandits Face Death As Manager of Store Dies of Holdup Wound — Camden Courier-Post, December 1, 1930
Camden Courier-Post, December 1, 1930
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2 Bandits Face Death As Manager of Store Dies of Holdup Wound Shot Fired in Robbery of Grocery is Fatal to John Cullen BALDWIN TO ASK SUPREME PENALTY Shooting is Admitted by Pair, But Plea of Accident is Made The grim spectre of the electric chair today loomed over two Camden youths, one 18 and the other 19, following the death of a chain store manager whom they admittedly shot. The victim, John Cullen, 22, of 1088 South Common road, died at the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital today. ...until he presents the case to the grand jury next Monday, when he will seek murder indictments. The prosecutor pointed out that the youths are held without bail and that rearraignment on a formal charge of murder is not necessary "unless an attempt is made by an attorney to effect their release on a writ of habeas corpus. In the event of such an attempt, the charge will be changed to murder. Cullen made a fight for his life in the hospital. A .32-caliber bullet lodged directly under his heart, penetrating a lung with resultant internal hemorrhages. The bullet missed several arteries by the barest of margins, otherwise Cullen would have died instantly. An autopsy was conducted late this morning by Dr. Edward B. Rogers, county physician, and it was determined that Cullen had died of internal hemorrhages. The bullet was found and will be used by the state in evidence to establish the means of death. The victim's father, William Cullen, of Crisfield, Md., arrived here today to make arrangements for the funeral, which will be in charge of Arthur B. Holl, of Parkside. Services will be held tomorrow evening at the dead man's home, with Rev. Thomas Martin, pastor of the Fairview Community Church, officiating. Then the body will be taken to Crisfield Wednesday for burial. In addition to his wife and child, the deceased is survived by his father, mother, Mrs. Olivia Cullen; a sister in Merchantville and a brother living at a Camden hotel. James Murray, 37, of Florence, gun-toting suspect, pleaded guilty in police court today to a charge of carrying concealed deadly weapons and was held without bail for the Grand Jury. The slain man, who was married and the father of a year-old daughter, was manager of the American Store at 1201 Lansdowne avenue. A clerk and an errand boy were with him in the store as he was about to close for the day, when Makowski and Jones entered. Bandit Hit Cullen With drawn revolvers, the bandits forced the young clerk and errand boy to lie down behind a counter in the rear of the store. One of the bandits obtained $5 from the cash register and then ordered Cullen to open the safe so they could get the day's receipts. Nervous, Cullen obeyed, but when he hesitatingly knelt before the safe, one of the bandits struck him. Again the bandit attempted to hit Cullen, but the manager threw out his arm to defend himself. A single shot rang out, and the bandits fled. The clerk, John Drexel, 16, of 1242 Lansdowne avenue, and the errand boy, Gordon Feltz, 13, of 1417 Louis street, summoned aid, and Cullen was taken to the hospital. Drexel told Detective Sylvester McGrath that he had recognized one of the bandits as John Makowski, against whom he had played football about three weeks ago. McGrath went to the manager of the football team on which Makowski played, obtained his address and was also informed that Makowski's "buddy" was Jones. Makowski was arrested at his home about four hours after the holdup. Jones was captured early Saturday morning at his home. Detectives also found an empty .32-calibre revolver on a bureau in Jones' bedroom, as well as eight cartridges and one discharged shell. Both suspects admitted being in the store that evening, but denied the crime. They were taken to the hospital, where Cullen identified them. However, the wounded man could not say which had fired the shot. City and county detectives continued the questioning, and the two suspects are finally said to have confessed the holdup. Jones is declared to have admitted it was his gun which was discharged, but he said the gun accidentally exploded and that he had not intended to shoot Cullen. Makowski admitted throwing his gun from a bus while going across the Camden Bridge after the holdup. Cullen also identified Jones as one of two bandits who on Nov. 19 confronted him as he was leaving the store and stole business papers from him. He was not certain whether Makowski was in the previous holdup. Although Makowski did not fire the shot, he is as guilty of the crime of murder as Jones, the prosecutor pointed out. Statutes provide that where a murder is the result of a robbery or holdup, all participants are guilty of the worst crime, as it is an outgrowth of the original crime. The most celebrated example of how that law is effected was in the case of the four Olney bank bandits, who were arrested for the shooting of a Philadelphia policeman some five years ago. One of the bandits was under arrest and disarmed before the shooting began. Nevertheless, he was charged with murder along with the other three and was electrocuted with them.

Shot Fired in Robbery of Grocery is Fatal to John Cullen

BALDWIN TO ASK SUPREME PENALTY

Shooting is Admitted by Pair, But Plea of Accident is Made

The grim spectre of the electric chair today loomed over two Camden youths, one 18 and the other 19, following the death of a chain store manager whom they admittedly shot. The victim, John Cullen, 22, of 1088 South Common road, died at the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital today.

...until he presents the case to the grand jury next Monday, when he will seek murder indictments. The prosecutor pointed out that the youths are held without bail and that rearraignment on a formal charge of murder is not necessary "unless an attempt is made by an attorney to effect their release on a writ of habeas corpus. In the event of such an attempt, the charge will be changed to murder.

Cullen made a fight for his life in the hospital. A .32-caliber bullet lodged directly under his heart, penetrating a lung with resultant internal hemorrhages. The bullet missed several arteries by the barest of margins, otherwise Cullen would have died instantly.

An autopsy was conducted late this morning by Dr. Edward B. Rogers, county physician, and it was determined that Cullen had died of internal hemorrhages. The bullet was found and will be used by the state in evidence to establish the means of death.

The victim's father, William Cullen, of Crisfield, Md., arrived here today to make arrangements for the funeral, which will be in charge of Arthur B. Holl, of Parkside. Services will be held tomorrow evening at the dead man's home, with Rev. Thomas Martin, pastor of the Fairview Community Church, officiating. Then the body will be taken to Crisfield Wednesday for burial.

In addition to his wife and child, the deceased is survived by his father, mother, Mrs. Olivia Cullen; a sister in Merchantville and a brother living at a Camden hotel.

James Murray, 37, of Florence, gun-toting suspect, pleaded guilty in police court today to a charge of carrying concealed deadly weapons and was held without bail for the Grand Jury.

The slain man, who was married and the father of a year-old daughter, was manager of the American Store at 1201 Lansdowne avenue. A clerk and an errand boy were with him in the store as he was about to close for the day, when Makowski and Jones entered.

Bandit Hit Cullen

With drawn revolvers, the bandits forced the young clerk and errand boy to lie down behind a counter in the rear of the store. One of the bandits obtained $5 from the cash register and then ordered Cullen to open the safe so they could get the day's receipts. Nervous, Cullen obeyed, but when he hesitatingly knelt before the safe, one of the bandits struck him. Again the bandit attempted to hit Cullen, but the manager threw out his arm to defend himself.

A single shot rang out, and the bandits fled. The clerk, John Drexel, 16, of 1242 Lansdowne avenue, and the errand boy, Gordon Feltz, 13, of 1417 Louis street, summoned aid, and Cullen was taken to the hospital.

Drexel told Detective Sylvester McGrath that he had recognized one of the bandits as John Makowski, against whom he had played football about three weeks ago. McGrath went to the manager of the football team on which Makowski played, obtained his address and was also informed that Makowski's "buddy" was Jones.

Makowski was arrested at his home about four hours after the holdup. Jones was captured early Saturday morning at his home. Detectives also found an empty .32-calibre revolver on a bureau in Jones' bedroom, as well as eight cartridges and one discharged shell.

Both suspects admitted being in the store that evening, but denied the crime. They were taken to the hospital, where Cullen identified them. However, the wounded man could not say which had fired the shot. City and county detectives continued the questioning, and the two suspects are finally said to have confessed the holdup.

Jones is declared to have admitted it was his gun which was discharged, but he said the gun accidentally exploded and that he had not intended to shoot Cullen. Makowski admitted throwing his gun from a bus while going across the Camden Bridge after the holdup.

Cullen also identified Jones as one of two bandits who on Nov. 19 confronted him as he was leaving the store and stole business papers from him. He was not certain whether Makowski was in the previous holdup.

Although Makowski did not fire the shot, he is as guilty of the crime of murder as Jones, the prosecutor pointed out. Statutes provide that where a murder is the result of a robbery or holdup, all participants are guilty of the worst crime, as it is an outgrowth of the original crime.

The most celebrated example of how that law is effected was in the case of the four Olney bank bandits, who were arrested for the shooting of a Philadelphia policeman some five years ago. One of the bandits was under arrest and disarmed before the shooting began. Nevertheless, he was charged with murder along with the other three and was electrocuted with them.

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