The New York herald., 1921-08-29
FIVE HELD IN DRAGNET FOR
MURDERER OF NEVILLE

the time Neville entered the yard. Neville
knew the yard well. He knew enough
to go directly TO the watchman's shack
II was so dark he stumbled over boxes.
The condition of his trousers testihes to
that But he went straight to the
shack. Obviously he had his baton
ready for use. But 1t IS also obvious
that he did not have his revolver ready,
or. IL he did II was too dark for him TO
see a possible enemy.
He was killed by bullets from a thirty
two calibre gun. His own was OF thirty
eight calibre. Tie bullet that killed
him erered his chest just above and 10
the right OF his shield tprobabiy the
shining tar-et In the dark for the
lnurdererl penetrated the lung and
passed up into the neck. Or. Benjamin
Schwartz. acting chief medical examiner.
made the official autopsy yesterday and
so reported.
And although no one has been found
who remembers hearing two shots, the
dead policeman must have been hit
twice. There is a bullet wound through
the right hand. Apparently the door OF
the watchman's shack was closed.
Neville must have thrust out his right
hand to open the door and some one
from within fired as he did SO. This
would bear out the theory that Neville
had not drawn his gun before he was
shot. This bullet passed through the
hand and along the arm infiicting
superficial wounds on the forearm and
buryng itself in the flesh near the
shoulder.
Ten feet from the watchmans shack
there is a ladder nailed TO the board
fence. AS far as can be learned nobody
tes.fies 10 seeing anybody run out of
the yard into Thirty-ninth street after
the shooting. Therefore the murderer
and his aids must have used the scaling
ladder on the Thirty-eighth street fence.
That Neville was popular was at
tested yesterday by the fact that twenty
of his uniformed comrades. off duty.
came into the Thirtieth street station In
their citizen clothes volunteering to
stay ON duty until the murderer was
caught. Helrs Kitchen does not love the
police. but there We're several OF its
residents who came voluntarily to the
police sta ton to testify that Dan Neville
was "a on the level cop'' and told Capt.
Randle all they knew about the Satur-
day activities of the tough boys OF the
district.
Just before the patrolmen were sent
out at four O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
Captain Joseph A. Howard. command
ing the precinct, lined them UP and ad-
dressed +he,n as follows:
Last night there was in your ranks
Patroln1an Neville. one OF the best
policemen I have ever known. You all
have heard of the fate he met. Neville
was a splendid policeman. He was liked
by the better element In the district he
patrolled. He was a terror to the
gangster in that district.
policemen have died before doing
their duty. II remains for every one
of you to exemplify Neville's conduct
Work hard to arrest his murderer. IN
so doing you will be working to aver5e
the brutal Staying OF q splendid man.
Dan Neville's body was taken yester-
day afternoon from the morguc to the
modest house at 80 Brooklyn avenue.
Jamaica. that was Ills home. His wife
was brave. There are three children
Virginia, s.: Walter, 4. and Muricl ..
Virginia understood, but the others are
too young.
Something kept telling me all Day
Saturday that Dan was going to BE-
hur.," said the wife. when I saw the
policeman coming to the house Saturday
night / knew It was about Dan. It
Is hard for me to be courageous just
now. but Dan was and I'm trying to be.
I'm very proud OF him."
Neville will be buried on Wednesday
The services Will be held in st. Monica $
Church Jamaica. The police band and
the police glee cluo win provide the
music and escort the body to st. Mary's
Cemetery. Flushing.