The New York herald., 1921-08-28
HELL'S KITCHEN GANG
MURDERS POLICEMAN
Neville, With Long List of Ar
rests, Is Second Lured to
Death Within Year.
TRAPPED IN VACANT LOT
Ten Years on Beat in One Of
Worst Sections of West 30th
Street Precinct.
TRAPPED IN VACANT LOT

Policeman Daniel J. Neville Of the
West Thirtieth street station was shot
TO death last night in q lot in West
Thirty ninth street, between Tenth
considered to be the heart of Heil's
Kitchen, and the place where Police
man Joseph Nolan was murdered a
year ago. Neville's murder, the police
said Immediately, could be explained
only as a bit of gang vengeance. With
in an hour after he was killed, the
HeIl's Kitchen district was being
searched by scores of detectives for
men who were suspected OF knowing
who killed him.
The police sent out a general alarm
for William Hoey OF 425 West Thirty
fifth street, who was wanted. it was
said. in connection with the case.
Hoey, it was said was arrested July Is
on a robbery charge and is out on
$4,000 bail. What connection he had
with the murder, il any. could not be
learned.
The lot in which Neville met his
death was one that he had searched
nightly for the last ten years. 1t was
one in which he had made many inn
portant arrests. He had taken into
the West Thirtieth street police sta
ton from there long line of gunmen,
drug users and thieves.
Neville fought usually when he made
his arrests. He was a big fellow and
knew how to take care OF himself In
mixup. Most of his prisoners were found
with gangs OF their pals and when he
made an arrest it meant that he had to
break up the gathering.
There was a fight In the lot last night.
Neville. evidently lured into it from the
street, was surprised In the darkness
and, so the detectives investigating the
shooting read from the condition of the
ground near where he fell, set upon by
at least a dozen men. But there was
proof that even the dozen assailants
didn't down him at once. His hands
showed plainly that he had struck back.
foo. away was his revolver. He drew
It too late apparently FOR none of the
cartridges in It had been discharged.
Neville was shot once. The bullet
penetrated his heart. DR.. Sutton of New
York Hospital said IL was fired at close
range.
The shooting occurred about 8 80
oclock. At that time Thirty ninth street
was stil crowded with boys and men
and women. Later. when questioned
about the murder, the detectives found
none able to remember hearing the re-
port of the shot.
Policeman Charles Schfer. Nevilles
partner, was at Tenth avenue and
Thirty-ninth street at S:45 o'clock tele-
phoning to the station house when
small boy ran up to him.
Hey, officer" the boy shouted Il
just found dead cop in the lot UP the
street"
Schfer dropped the telephone receiver
and dashed after the boy, who had run
toward Eleventh avenue. The boy lodged
out OF sight before the lot was reached.
Schfer got out his fiashlight and. with
his gun ready. for he knew what to cx-
pect there. searched the lot for the body
He found II almost In the middle OF
the lot and about twenty-five feet from
shanty used by watchman.
While Schfer was searching the lot he
thought he saw the figures of men fit
ting from the shanty toward the fences
at the west side but he was intent on
running down the boys story and for
the minute failed 10 investigate the
movements of the men.
Schfer sent passersDy 10 notify the
station house and remained beside the
body until Capt. Joseph Howard and the
detectives arrived.
There was nothing TO be learned from
an inspection OF the lot except that
Neville had been killed while battling for
his life. All around the spot whore the
body lay the weeds and earth were tram
pied and torn up A few feet away
stood an empty truck, one of several
that are left there nightly.
Capt. Howard said that Neville must
have been lured into the lot by one OF
the gang that killed him. He said the
detectives believed the men who were
waiting for him were hidden In the
waichmap's shanty. a search OF the
shanty disclosed fully loaded revolver,
but there vas no sign OF the gun with
which Neville was Killed.
Capt. Howard connected the murder