1938 WB Record Almanac, Capital Crimes in 1937 Pages 37-38 Capital Crime Capital crimes committed in Luzerne County during 1937: January 14 – Stanley Malec, 48, of Larksville, charged with murder when his wife, Felixa, 36, dies in Mercy Hospital of shot and stab wounds inflicted on New Year’s Day, January 1. Malec attempted suicide on January 15 in Luzerne County Prison. He pleaded guilty to a general charge of murder on March 30, was adjudged guilty of murder in second degree on May 15 and sentenced to serve 10 to 20 years in Eastern Penitentiary. January 22 – Theresa Diana, 19-year old Hazleton high school student, fires five shots, killing her father, Nicholas, 52, when, she alleged, he had attacked her. She was acquitted of a murder charge by a verdict of a jury on March 24. February 1 – Joseph Potochney, West Hazleton café proprietor, charged with murder and manslaughter in fatally assaulting Stanley Sussock of West Hazleton in a brawl on October 18, 1936, receives a directed verdict of not guilty. Case unusual in that Mrs. Ellen M. Brown of White Haven was the first woman accepted for murder trial jury in history of Luzerne County. March 19 – Joseph Lashesski, 23, of Larksville, fatally wounds his mother, Mrs. Stefania Lasheccki, 51, critically wounds a sister, Mary, 28, then turns revolver on himself, inflicting fatal wounds. He died in Homeopathic Hospital two hours after crime. May 6 – Body of Joseph Ritter, 16, of Plains, found in pool of blood near home on Hilldale-Inkerman Road. Death was attributed to a fractured skull. Stephen Ritter pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder in fatally assaulting his brother, and was committed without bail. Second degree murder verdict was returned against him November 17, and he was sentenced November 24 to serve six to 12 years in the county prison. Counsel filed petition with the court on November 23 for a new trial. June 22 – Edward Daniels, 12, of Larksville, knifed to death and two brothers wounded in pre-dawn attack. Mrs. Genevieve Daniels, 48, mother, was adjudged insane and committed to Retreat Mental Hospital. July 25 – Edward Hoffman, 57, of Glen Lyon, night watchman at No. 1 Drift of No. 6 Colliery, Susquehanna Collieries Company, Glen Lyon, mysteriously slain. Three bullets in head. Police attributed crime to a left-handed marksman using a sportsman special target rifle. No arrest had been made at the time the Almanac went to press. August 6 – Stephen Basher, 25, of Ashley, slain along Lehigh Valley Railroad’s right of way at Mountain Top. Grand Jury ignored manslaughter charge on September 9 against Railroad Patrolman Henry Matthew of Plymouth. August 14 – Private John J. Broske of State Motor Police fatally wounded in back by two gunmen at Boulevard Inn on East End Boulevard. State Police arrested Horace Bowers, 25, and Victor Andreoli, 22, in Philadelphia homes on August 23. Grand Jury indicted youths on August 31. Bowers, accused of firing the fatal shot, protested in his trial that the gun “exploded accidently.” Jury on October 1 returned first degree verdict after 51 hours’ deliberation, but recommended life imprisonment. Andreoli pleaded guilty on October 4 and also was sentenced to life imprisonment. September 6 – John Zakely, 65, Albert blacksmith, dies in Homeopathic Hospital of injuries presumably suffered in a fight. He was found lying down in a creek near his home. Despite verdict of accidental death, coroner’s jury urged police to continue investigation of his death. September 12 - William H. Scott of West Hazleton, Coxe Brothers & Company policeman, fatally shoots John Yenshaw, 45, near Eckley when the latter allegedly fled after being detected stealing gasoline. Grand Jury ignored a murder charge on November 5. October 3 – Mrs. Eva Lippian, 69, of Wilkes-Barre, dies in General Hospital of internal injuries. Coroner’s jury recommended on October 8 that the district attorney hold a scheduled inquiry into the case and his findings would be accepted by jury. Matthew Wilmick, 42 of Courtdale, adjudged guilty on January 8 of second degree murder in fatally stabbing Peter Radage of Luzerne on night of September 16, 1936, was sentenced to serve eight to 20 years in Eastern Penitentiary and pay a fine of $100 and costs. Typed by Dawn Gabriel