By: Dennis Beyer
The car pictured below is a classic automobile. At first glance I had no idea what make it
was, or anything about 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 Detective, 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. To be sure you can run the plate which is still clearly visible.
The
document below is a copy of a newspaper photograph, showing a burned out
automobile. It was the scene of a homicide near Newark Airport.
The
page was pasted inside a scrap book that belonged 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
last 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. Newark 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 Moran's own death, appears to be the motive for the killings
likely 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 actually was.
Hope
you enjoyed the story and the pictures. They are part of our history.
