From the 1935 Almanac (50th Anniversary Issue) The following information is posted for the sole purpose of family research within the Yahoo Group, The Court House Gang. It is not to be published to any other web site, mailing list, group, etc. without prior written permission and guidelines from the group owner, to ensure that proper credit is given to the group and all of our volunteers that helped with this project. CAPITAL CRIMES, 1934 January 30—Louis Ciccone, formerly of Luzerne, who was arrested in Cleveland, Ohio, is guilty of second degree murder for killing Frank Busciglio at Swoyerville, on November 25, 1926. He was sentenced to serve from 3 to 12 years in the county jail. February 1—Joseph Wisniewsky, who was found guilty of second degree murder in 1933 is sentenced to spend from 23 to 48 years in the penitentary on the following charges: Murder, 10 to 20 years; Breaking and entering, 4 to 8 years; Arson, 8 to 20 years. February 8—Paul Baynock, former Swoyerville policeman, was acquitted of charges of murdering Charles Oleshefsky on September 15, 1933. February 14—Clare Winters of Kingston Township is tried for killing Steve Silick on November 7, 1933 and is found not guilty. March 5—John Haleski, 19, of Wilkes-Barre Township, was fatally shot as he is said to have been walk- ing along Central Railroad of New Jersey tracks. George Koch of Hanover Township, railroad policeman, was held for the shooting and later released in $10,000 bail. (Ignored by Grand Jury.) May 5—Alphonse Vite, 21, of Sugar Notch and Louis Rodriguez, 30, also of Sugar Notch, are fatally shot and six other men are menaced when Anthony Fillippini, 38, of Miners Mills fired on them at Conlon Coal Company mine at Plains Township. Fillippini escaped but was caught near Stroudsburg. He was adjudged insane and committed to Fairview. May 26—Guiseppe Sperrazza, 53, mine contractor of Pittston Township, was found dead in his automobile in a lonely section of Plains township with 9 bullets in his body. May 28—Felix Bottno, aged sexton of St. Francis' Church, Nanticoke, was found beaten to death and robbed in the basement of the church. Two Nanticoke youths, Carl Kivler, 22, and Robert Kiley, 19, were arrested. Kivler went on trial in September and on September 14 was found guilty of first degree murder by a jury which fixed life imprisonment as the penalty. Kiley immediately pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment. June 2—Mrs. Mary Kocaj of Nanticoke shot and killed her invalid son, Theodore, 13, and then committed suicide. It is believed that Mrs. Kocaj was grieved over her son's illness of paralysis. June 3—Charles Duda, 26, of Edwardsville, was fatally injured in a scuffle at Harvey's Lake and died in Nesbitt Memorial Hospital. Anthony Burnett and Sidney Ganaposky were arrested and later released in bail. (Ignored by Grand Jury.) July 4—Joseph Morreale, 35, alias Joe Guiseppe of Frothingham Street, Pittston; known to State Police as "Colorado Joe", is shot to death and stabbed and is left along highway at Endicott, N. Y. July 13—George Hudock, 42, of Jessup was slain in a quarrel with Albert Alberigi, 35, of Jenkins Township over the mining rights at a coal stripping. Alberigi was acquitted on September 20 on a self defense plea. July 23—The dead body of Harry Cavalier, 38, West Hazleton night club proprietor, is found near Harwood with 11 bullets in it. Carl Cessaro, 38 and Peter, "Red" Hnatuick, 16, of Hazleton, were arrested. Cessaro admitted firing the shots which killed Cavalier but claimed that he did it in self defense. He was acquitted on September 29. Hnatuick was acquitted on November 27. July 31—Freda McKechnie, 26, member of a well known Edwardsville family, is found dead in Harvey's Lake, her body giving indications of foul play. Robert Allan Edwards, 23, a close friend, also of Edwardsville, is arrested. The case became known as the "Second American Tragedy" and attracted nation-wide interest. The trial was covered by more than 50 newspapermen and women and the courtroom was crowded at all sessions. After several days the case went to the jury which found Edwards guilty of first degree murder and recommended the electric chair. His counsel asked for a new trial but the motion was denied on November 20. On December 3, he was sentenced to death in the electric chair. August 14—Leo Ulrich, 20, of 117 Burke Street, Plains, died of bullet wounds suffered during a fracas at the opening of a new cafe at Plainsville. Walter Pacewicz, 17, was arrested and when brought to trial was acquitted on November 16 on a plea of self defense. August 18—Stanley Marchlewski, 40, of 114 Walnut Street, Plymouth, died of a heart attack after a fight with John McCue, 30, of 592 Fellows Avenue, Hanover Township. McCue was arrested on a charge of manslaughter. (Ignored by Grand Jury.) August 20— Arthur Thompson, wanted for passing counterfeit money at Luzerne and a temporary resident of Harveys Lake and Edwardsville, is "taken for a ride" at Bethlehem. September 12—George Gallagher. 20, of Freeland was shot and killed by Vincent Palamento, 40, of Freeland when Gallagher was allegedly stealing grapes. Palamento was arrested and later was released in $3,000 bail. (Case not disposed of before Almanac went to press.) September 15—Louis Gross, 48, of Grassy Pond, near Sweet Valley died in Nanticoke State Hospital of bullet wounds inflicted on September 14 by his uncle, Andrew Gross, during an argument over the sale of a crate of chickens. Andrew Gross pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter and on November 25 was sentenced to serve from 4 to 12 years in the Eastern Penitentiary. October 9—William P. Bishie of Kingston who escaped from Eastern Penitentary in 1927 where he was confined for the murder of a D. L. & W. Railroad clerk in 1911, is captured in Syracuse, N. Y. and is returned to prison. Contributed by Patty Matthews, June 2005