Evening star., 1942-01-10
Hero Policeman and
; Others Arrested
On Robbery Charge
Charles A. Scott Held
With Former Singing Cop
Nestor in Old Case

Four men, including a police pri-
vate who last year won silver medal
for bravery and a former policeman.
were being held today on charges OF
robbery involving $500 holdup here
last August.
Charles A. Scott, 81, of IA Fourth
street Sc, attached to the Fifth
Precinct, was taken into custody
yesterday by Assistant Chief of De-
tectives Robert j. Barrett at the
Fifth Precinct Station, where Scott
was Immediately suspended from
duty. Scott is being held at the
Twelfth Precinct.
Henry Charles Nestor, former po-
liceman known as the Singing
Cop" who was out on bail after
being indicted in December and
awaiting trial on charges of break
ing into two laundry company
branches, was arrested in Lebanon,
Pa, Thursday night by 1t. Clyde N
Strange, chief of the robbery squad,
and was returned to Washington
early yesterday. He is being held
! at the Third Precinct.
The third man. cab driver,
| Anthony P. Passero. 36, of $751;
Fourth street NE, came into police
headquarters yesterday afternoon
when he learned Capt Barrett was
seeking him. When he appeared. a
warrant was served on him and he
is being held at the Fifth Precinct.
The fourth man, Harry E. Thomas
80. was arrested last night and
taken to the Fifth Precinct. He
gave his address as 334 F street
NE. Warrants for the four men
were issued Thursday by United
States Commissioner Needham c.
Turnage on information developed
by Capt. Barrett.
1t is charged that the four men,
each being principal in robbery
by prearrangement," robbed Nestor,
then a collection agent for the
Palace Laundry, of 5000 at Eighth
and streets S.W. on August 80.
At the time of the robbery, Nestor
told police man, whom he could
identify. stepped on the running
board of his car as he pulled away
from the laundry branch at SOL
Seventh street S.W., and pressed
a revolver against his temple. He
also related at the time that the
man forced him to drive around
the block, demanded his money and
then noticed a bulky envelope on
the front seat. The envelope con-
tanned cash collected from the laun-
dry branches. The man. Nestor re-
lated, then escaped with the money
in taxicab parked less than block
away.
When held up, Nestor was accom-
panied by a helper, Bernard john
son, 10, colored, of 4406 Hayes street
NV. johnson, who will be brought
into the case as witness, according
to Barrett, now is serving four
months to q year in jail on a charge
of attempted robbery.
In discussing the case yesterday,
Capt. Barrett said johnson was
completely innocent Of the alleged
hoax. The detective named Thomas
las the actual trigger man."
Capt. Barrett said Scott had made
no formal statement. Scott was first
assigned to the Traffic Division in
1896. He was awarded the medal for
bravery last year for pursuing a
gunman on foot and disarming him
in a Columbia road rooming house.
He was also instrumental in the
capture of the men who shot and
killed Herman Sirkis during hold
up of the latters liquor store in
May, 1910. In recognition Of his
work, he was transferred to the Fifth
Precinct where he was assigned to
scout car duty. The four men prob
ably will be arraigned Monday.