Andrew Scarduzio was born around 1897 to Italian immigrant parents. The Scarduzio family had moved en masse to Camden’s Eight 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.
Politics in the Eight 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.
The 1924 Camden City Directory shows Andrew Scarduzio married, working as a laborer, and living with his wife Cecelia at 1910 South 4th Street. The 1927 Camden City Directory shows him married, working as laborer, and living at 1909 South 7th Street. This directory states that his wife’s name is Jennie. Mr. and Mrs. Scarduzio are not listed, however, in the 1929 City Directory.
By September of 1933 Andrew Scarduzio was living at 1804 South 4th Street. On the 18th of that month he was charged with atrocious assault and held for the grand jury.
In 1934, younger brother 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.
On December 24, 1939 Andrew Scarduzio was in the company of his younger brother Nicholas, a former Camden summer policeman and 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 regarding the gangland murder of Vincent “China” Scola, who had been implicated in the sale of counterfeit gasoline ration stamps.
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