The sun., 1919-09-29
-FOUR ARE HELDIN
MURDER OF TWO
Patrolman Manning Captures
Armed Man After Cath
arine Street Battle.
DEATH CAR rs TRAILED
Detectives Quickly Round Up
Gunner in Early Morning
Gang Outbreak.

the proud title, "the finest" was dis
played yesterday in the prompt arrest
Of four Italians after shooting ARRAY
In which two men were killed, another
probably MORALLY wounded, and a
fourth slightly hurt at in the morning
In front of rs Catharine street.
Patrolman Francis Manning OF the
OAK street statiop was much on the
job early yesterday morning when a
touring car was driven alongside tho
curb at Catharine and Madison streets
| and a man slipped out and glided away
In the dim light At this time. Manning
was standing in Oak street some dis
lance away. The man who had alighted
from the automobile crouched in the
shadow near a cafe In IS Catharine
| street, and waited. After a short time
the door of the cafe opened and three
men came out Instantly, so the police
say. the man In the shadow carefully
levelled an automatic and then began
pumping AZ calibre bullets into the
group near him. He moved the men
down as surely as a sickle cuts grass.
The bark of his automatic disturbed
the jumpy nerves of Catharlne street.
Before Patrolman Manning, running at
top speed and whipping out his own
pistol as he ran, reached the scene
twenty or thirty shots had rung out
from various points in the darkness,
Most of them did no harm, but the up
roar might well have daunted or at
least confused the single bluecoat sprint
ing hastily into the midst of the flying
bullets. But Manning came ono heading
toward the centre OF the confusion.
Somebody in the touring car stepped
on the throttle with such emphasis that
haV .o,lat an1 fat - he
than roll from its standing place. 1t
disappeared almost instantly in the
maze Of crooked streets.
The man with the 40 was standing
with his back to wall-a wise pre-
caution in Catharine street-pumping
shots into the body Of one of the men,
who later turned out to be Louis Va
lenti, 80 years old, one Of the proprietors
Of the cafe, according to the story Of
the bluecoat. Other witnesses say Man
ming with his revolver in his right hand
rushed right up to the man with the
automatic.
Drop that gum" Manning shouted.
knocks Gunman Down.
The man with the pistol hesitated.
His was heavy gun, one bullet Of
which would knock a man down whether
ming, too. had a gun. The man who
stood over the body of his victim did
some rapid thinking, but Manning
thought a bit quicker. While the eyes
Of his opponent were fixed on the pistol
in his right hand Manning swung his
left with all the enthusiasm OF a two
listed Irishman. II must be admitted
that Patrolman Manning would never
qualify for the traffic squad. for he is
not six feet in height and his breadth IS
nothing to talk OF. But the man with
the automatic went down, the revolver
gathering to the ground.
Patrolmen Bowers and Gaffney came
charging up the street and Manning
turned the prisoner over to them. The
automobile had disappeared, however,
and there was nothing to do at that
minute save attend to the men on the
sidewalk, call an ambulance and gather
witnesses OF the shooting. Before an
ambulance from Volunteer Hospital ar
rived two OF the men. Valenti and Jo-
seph Gracino, 80 years old. of "a Oliver
street, were dead. The badly wounded
man. John Blocco. 20. OF II Henry
street. was hurried to the hospital.
In the meantime the prisoner who
said his name was Joseph Magnefeco. of
S55A Third avenue. Brooklyn, was taken
Detective Sergeant Patrick Sheridan
and Detectives John Morrisey, John II.
Smith. James f. Fogarty, William
Reilly, James Cronin and Joseph sweet
nan took up the case. They got a poor
description of the car from excited Ital-
ians and then hurried over to the neigh
borhood of Magnefeco's home In Brook
Ign.
All the garages in the vicinity were
visited In a search for the murder car
and finally in a garage In Thirty-third
street. between Third and Fourth ave-
nues. they learned that a car owned by
Dick Magnefeco. brother OF Joseph. was
out Leaving four detectives in the
garage. Sergeant Sheridan made his way
with the others to the Magnefeco saloon
in Third avenue. They found the car
standing IN front OF It, with Sam Clio
dano, 20, OF 1875 East Houston street.
and Michael Contelo, 80. OF 975 Third
avenue. The police detained the two
and then arrested Dick Magnefeco, whom
they found inside the cafe. They be-
lieve the shooting arose from some bust
ness rivalry or money difficulty
Two Charged with Murder.
Later in the morning the two brothers
were charged in the Tombs police court
with homicide and held without bail.
The other two men were sent TO the
House OF Detention as material wit
nesSeA They must furnish 81, 900 bail
to be released. An affidavit was added
to the papers committing them to de-
tainment stating that Detecive-Sergeant
Joseph Sweetnan and Detective Walter
Coffee believed them possible accom-
plices to homicide" All four win be
brought to Tombs court for further ex-
animation tomorrow.
After consigning tho two Magnefeco
brothers TO the Tombs Magistrate Tobias
summoned Patrolman Manning before
him.
Manning, ] want to compliment You
In the highest manner for your brave
work I'm arresting this prisoner" he
said. 81 deem II my duty as a public
officer and a magistrate to communicate
with your superior officers and recon-
mend you for promotion. You showed
exceptional bravery In not even using
your own revolver, but knocking the
man down with your bare fist when he
might have turned on you. have been
assured that your record ever since you
became q member OF the police force
has been a clean one. Your work In this
matter Is especially worthy OF recogni-
ton Again ] want to compliment you"
IT thank your Honor for the kind
words you have said about me-" Man
ming stammered Later Magistrate
Tobias dictated a letter TO Police Com
missioner Enrlght recommending Man
ming.
But the ne plus ultra OF praise of
Patrolman Manning came yesterday
afternoon in the Oak street station
house when Manning was nj home got