TOP COP COLLECTION: LEONIA CHIEF

TOP COP COLLECTION: LEONIA CHIEF

*****

Leonia is in Bergen County, N.J.  It is number Twelve in my TOP COP COLLECTION.

This Community is only a few minutes away, except during the morning rush hour, from New York City. Then it takes days to get over the George Washington Bridge.

When it is time to go to work the population of roughly 9000 sees itself drop to near ghost town numbers. There are only a few souls left in the community. The kids are present along with their teachers. Also present is the Leonia Police.  

The Cops do a good job, keeping this community safe. Even though this is a safe place to live, it also has a horror tale in its' history. An infamous Shoe Maker, and his thirteen year old son, put Leonia on the map almost fifty years ago. The exact date was Jan. 8, 1975.

"The Shoe Maker," was one Joseph Kallinger. He gained entrance into a home  by pretending to be an Insurance Salesman. Once in the house he subdued all occupants, and then waited for other family members to return home.

Maria Fasching , age 21, was the final person to come into the house that day. She was a Nurse, and stopped in to make a routine check on a neighbor. She found utter horror that day. The young woman didn't cave in to the threats of her captor. She held her ground. She boldly confronted Kallinger. She died for her efforts. 

A surviving witness stated that Miss Fasching, "admonished Kallinger for his aberrant behavior."  He admonished her by cutting her throat. 

Kallinger was eventually captured in Pennsylvania. He drew a 40 year sentence for his crimes in that State. While institutionalized the crazy-man repeatedly verbalized a desire to "kill every person on Earth."  As an inmate he somehow got lighter fluid and poured it over himself,  lighting it, and then tried to "fry an egg on his head."  I'll have mine well done !

I am glad this "Shoemaker Story" is not an every day event in Leonia.  I am also very glad to have this old shield from their good community. It is very simple, and traditional. It simply reads: Leonia  Police Department. The rank panel reads: CHIEF.

Like the others in this Collection I keep this Badge in a locked Display Case. I see it every day, and it triggers the memory of that horrible day fifty some years ago.