By: Dennis Beyer
That is a classic automobile. At first glance I had no idea what make it was, or what was the MPG rating.
I can tell you that this picture (4x6) is in my collection of memorabilia from the N.P.D. It is dated on the rear "12/25/1922." That makes this photo an amazing 103 years of age. It is in excellent condition, and apparently got put to use in the investigation of a murder in Newark during the late 1920's.
The picture was owned by a Newark Detectives who was assigned to the murder case dubbed "The Torch Murder." That Detective was Morris Kerwin. He came from a family of Newark P. D. Officers.
I have other documents that I believe were part of Kerwin's personal scrapbook, so that book is the basis of my assumption, that he owned, and used the picture while working this case. On the bottom, still visible, is the marking that this was a "Replica of Torch Murder Car." I believe it is a Studebaker.
The document below is a copy of a newspaper article, showing a burned out automobile. It was the scene of a homicide near Newark Airport.
The page was pasted inside a scrap book belonging to Det. Kerwin. In that book there are numerous newspaper clippings where he is mentioned as one of the Detectives involved with a case, including the Torch Murder.
Eugene Moran was identified by Newark Detectives as the murder victim. It was determined that he was shot in the head, and then burned beyond recognition in this car fire. When the car was set into a burning blaze it quickly became known as, The Torch Murder Car. The murder date was established as August 9, 1929.
The following picture (8x10) is an original picture. It looks like it was the source for the Newspaper photo.
Through excellent detective work it was determined that the victim was one Eugene Moran, of Manhattan.
Detectives linked Moran to Mobsters located in both New York and New Jersey.
Moran was determined to be an employee of one Arnold Rothstein, a Mob Related Entrepreneur. Rothstein was involved in a gangland dispute with the "Diamond Brothers and their Associates." This dispute prompted Rothstein to use Moran as a Bodyguard, at $1000 a week!
In addition to protection, Moran is believed to have been paid $100,000 to do some "hits" on certain gangland members for Rothstein. This led to Rothstein being eliminated in 1928 in NYC.
Moran, in revenge mode took out a few New Jersey mob figures. That work apparently caused a revenge hit on himself in August 9, 1929.
Police naturally would have interviewed Mr. Rothstein. That could not occur as Rothstein was shot, outside the Park Central Hotel in Manhattan. Rothstein died on Nov 6, 1928. This death, nine months ahead of his own, appears to be the motive for the killings performed by Moran.
Newark Detectives were able to link the death of Moran to multiple gang related murders that took place in NJ and NY. While these deaths were stated as "connected" to the Rothstein/Diamond Brothers feud further investigation stalled as anyone of interest was already dead, or otherwise out of reach of law enforcement.
The pictures of the "Detective Shields" are from the same time period, as the killing of Eugene Moran, and his boss Arthur Rothstein. They are part of my collection and are both in excellent condition.
Note that there is no color on this gold tone finished badge with raised letters. There was never a plan to put color on the panels or around the City Seal during the 1920's. A simple gold tone finish was all that was needed back then.
Note the very low numbers on these badges - Numbers 4 & 6. I certainly wish I had Numbers 1 & 2. I also would like to report that one of these Badges belonged to Morris Kerwin, but I simply have no idea what his number was.
Hope you enjoyed the story and the pictures. They are part of our history.
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