Jersey Journal/1926/Cops Praised For Capture

Cops Praised For Capture.

Beggans Lauds Officers Who Brought Back "Blind Pig" Knifer.

Commissioner Beggans today sent a letter to Chief Battersby expressing himself as being much pleased with the work of Inspector Daniel Casey, Lieutenant Charles Ballarene and Detective John O'Neill in clearing up the killing of Felix Szczesny and the atrocious assault made on Andrew Zuilkowski by Ralph Grimaldo, of 329 East Twelfth Street, New York, during a drunken brawl at 160 Steuben Street early on the morning of October 11 last. Zuilkowski is still confined to the City Hospital as a result of severe stab wounds inflicted by Grimaldo during the fracas in which Szczesny was killed. Grimaldo escaped after the assault and killing, but after much diligent search on the part of Inspector Casey, Lieutenant Ballerene and Detective O'Neil, it was learned that Grimaldo and made his way to Carthage, a small town in northern New York State on the edge or the Adirondack wilderness. Lieutenant Ballarene and Detective O'Neil went to Carthage and after much difficulty, located Grimaldo hiding in a patch of woods about a mile from the town and affected his arrest. Grimaldo offered no resistance to the officers who were aided by Chief of Police Andles, of Carthage, in the capture of the fugitive. Commissioner Beggans, in his letter to Chief Battersby, characterizes the work of the officers as "splendid" and commends them for their "initiative, determination and quick wittedness." The Commissioner's letter in part follows: "Through the exercise of much patience and determination, a clue to Grimaldo's whereabouts was discovered by the above named officers who, after an all night ride to Carthage, a town not far from the Canadian border, succeeded in capturing the fugitive, who had taken refuge in the woods on the edge of the town. Grimaldo made a complete confession of the murder and atrocious assault. The work performed by these officers is an example of the kind which has kept crimes of violence at a minimum in our city and I want to heartily congratulate them for their very high standard of efficiency in this particular case, as well as in other cases in which they have been involved during their connection with the police department." "You will please broadcast my pleasure at the work of these officers to the members of the police department in the form of a general order."