Holdup by Jack Kofoed

  Black Book Detective, June, 1947

  The fear of vengeance lives and grows with a boy who was sole witness to murder, and when the dread day comes—

  LL boys enjoy the game of cops and

  job in the world.

  robbers. When I was a kid, I loved it.

  When I was about twelve years old, I

  A Ever since I’ve remembered it. When lived in Philadelphia, and the cop on our beat I was little, I wanted to be a policeman. It was a big, red-faced man named Tim Murphy.

  seemed like the biggest and most important He was nice, and never interfered with our

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  street ball games. He even fixed it with the know a holdup when I saw one happen right neighbors whenever we broke a window pane.

  under my nose. At first, I thought of running We were all crazy about Mr. Murphy and

  for Mr. Murphy, but just about this time each thought him better, and more important, than day he stopped in at Hess’ saloon for a glass the President of the United States.

  of beer. It would take too long to reach him.

  One summer afternoon, Mom sent me

  The Warnock Street gang would be gone by to the grocery to get a loaf of bread. I had just the time I got back.

  come out of the shop when an automobile It never occurred to me that I could tell stopped in front of Schmidfogel’s jewelry Mr. Murphy who they were, and they would store. At that time of the day there weren’t be arrested anyway. I was afraid they would many people on the streets. The men were get me for it. But, I wanted to help Mr.

  working, and the women were home, getting Schmidfogel if I could do it without being dinner started.

  hurt, for he was a nice man, who bought me It was very hot, and the sweat was

  ice cream cones once in a while. Then I running down the back of my neck. I thought thought: “They’ll need that car to get away in.

  how nice it would be under the trees at Willow They can’t run around Germantown Avenue Grove, with a picnic basket, but we didn’t with masks on.”

  have much money then, and picnics were few The men in the store were too busy to

  and far between.

  notice me, so I went around to the street side I stopped in the doorway of the store,

  of the car. I yanked the ignition key out of the looking at a pile of chocolate bars, and switch, and threw it across the street. Then I wishing I had one. That’s the only reason the ran, because those guys would kick my teeth men in the automobile didn’t see me. They out if they found out what I had done.

  were busy tying bandanna handkerchiefs, such But I couldn’t pull myself away from

  as railroaders use, over their faces.

  drama like that, so I stopped halfway up the I knew who they were, because they

  block, and waited to see what would happen. I lived on Warnock Street just back of us. They had dropped the loaf of bread, and was scared hung around Hartman’s poolroom, and played to go back for it, even though I knew Mom snooker all day. Their names were Harry would give me plenty for that when I got back Wisnewski, Danny Phillips and Les Burcher. I home.

  didn’t like them, because they were bullies The robbers came out of the store. One

  and always kicked the little kids around.

  of them carried a big, canvas bag. No sooner The men jumped out of the car, were they on the sidewalk than the burglar leaving the motor running. All of them had alarm above the door began to jangle and pistols in their hands, and they rushed into the shrill. Afterward I found that Mr. Schmidfogel store, where Mr. Schmidfogel was standing had locked the door, and lain down on the behind the counter. I came out of the doorway floor with his hand on the button that started and peeked. Mr. Schmidfogel had his hands the alarm.

  up in the air, and his chin was hanging. He The Warnock Street men jumped

  was the most surprised man I ever saw in my nervously. They had done little jobs before, life. Two of the thieves were back of the but this was their first big one, and they were counter, grabbing things out of the showcases easily startled. They went for the car, and and cash register.

  when they saw the key was gone, they cursed like I never heard anyone curse before.

  OF COURSE I had been to enough movies to Mr. Murphy came running up the

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  3

  street. He must have heard the alarm while he up the bag and was talking very fast and loud.

  was finishing his beer, because there was a

  “What happened?” Harry asked, and

  wisp of foam on his mustache. His face was made a clucking sound with his lips, when he almost purple from the heat and exertion, and saw Mr. Murphy.

  he panted and yanked at the pistol in his A patrol wagon rumbled up, and a half

  holster. The men threw down the canvas bag, dozen cops and plainclothes men jumped out, and pelted past me as fast as they could go.

  including Mr. O’Brien, the detective

  They were too busy to notice a small boy at lieutenant, who was in charge.

  that moment. One of them turned and fired twice. The sharp reports made me jump.

  THE Warnock Street crowd separated, and Mr. Murphy fell down on the hot mingled with other people, and kept saying: pavement. He twitched a little, and lay very

  “Ain’t it too bad about Mr. Murphy?” and still. I began to cry, because I knew he was things like that.

  dead, and I loved Mr. Murphy more than any That is, Danny and Les did, but Harry

  other man in the world except my pop. It was didn’t say anything after his first remark, and then that I made up my mind I was going to he didn’t look at Mr. Murphy again.

  get the three men for what they had done.

  Mr. O’Brien began asking questions,

  The men ran around the corner. I but no one had any answers. Mr. Schmidfogel edged along the store fronts and took a look.

  couldn’t tell who the bandits were, because of There was nobody else in sight, except the the bandanna handkerchiefs. But he was so three of them. They stopped, took off the flustered he wouldn’t have been of much use bandannas and threw them and the pistols anyway.

  down a sewer culvert. They were all pretty No one else had seen what happened.

  white and shaken, and didn’t seem to know The automobile wouldn’t prove anything, what to do.

  because it had been stolen from Mr. Harrison,

  “You killed Murphy,” said Burcher,

  who lived on Somerset Street. I knew the hi*, voice shaking. “Why in blazes did you police would not find any fingerprints for all have to do that?”

  the men had worn gloves.

  Wisnewski tried to swagger it through.

  “So nobody knows anything, hey?” the

  “So all right,” he said. “So you’re all lieutenant said in a flat and disgusted voice.

  in it as much as I am. He had it comin’ to him, I edged up to him, and whispered:

  the fool. There’s only one thing to do. Nobody

  “I do, Mr. O’Brien. Don’t talk loud,

  saw us. Let’s go back, and say we heard shots,

  ’cause I’m awful scared.”

  and what’s the matter? It’s the only way out.”

  “All right, son,” he said. “What is it?”

  Danny Phillips began to sniffle.

  I told him about taking the key out of

  “Shut up,” said Harry Wisnewski. “If

  the switch, and throwing it across the street.

  you tip this off, I’ll kill you just as quick as I By this time the ambulance had arrived, and did Murphy.”

  the men in white were putting Mr. Murphy’s I just had time to duck int
o Orr’s body on a stretcher. This caused everybody to hardware store next to the corner when they crowd up as close as they could. Nobody paid came past, running. I ran after them.

  any attention to Mr. O’Brien or me. Then I A pretty big crowd had gathered by

  told him about how they shot Mr. Murphy, this time. They all stared at Mr. Murphy, who and ran around the corner, and threw their lay crumpled and still on the sidewalk, and pistols and handkerchiefs down the culvert.

  listened to Mr. Schmidfogel, who had picked Mr. O’Brien’s face kept getting

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  brighter and brighter, and he patted me on the them before. I kept thinking that, if it hadn’t shoulder. Of course, we were talking low, been for me, they would be in Hartman’s because I didn’t want the Warnock Street poolroom, playing snooker, instead of being bunch to hear me. It was still scared, and if tried for their lives. It made me

  they hadn’t killed Mr. Murphy, I would have uncomfortable.

  gone home without saying anything.

  Maybe it was because I was the only

  A policeman went across the street,

  witness, but while they were convicted, it was and scrabbled in the gutter until he found the for armed robbery and manslaughter instead key. That proved to Mr. O’Brien I had been of murder, which would have meant the death telling the truth.

  sentence. So, they were given twenty to thirty

  “Look, boy,” he said, “you’d make a

  years in the Eastern penitentiary.

  better cop than most of the lunkheads who are When the judge pronounced sentence,

  workin’ for me. Just one more thing. Think Harry Wisnewski turned around and looked at hard. Would you know these men again if you me.

  saw them?”

  “You dirty little rat,” he said. “If it

  “Sure, I know them, Mr. O’Brien,” I

  wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be in this jam. By said. “They are Harry Wisnewski and Danny the time I get out of stir you’ll be grown up, Phillips and Les Burcher. It was Harry who but you can’t go anywhere I won’t find you.

  shot Mr. Murphy. They’re right here in the I’ll kill you for this. I’ll cut the heart out of crowd, because they thought if they came you—”

  back nobody would know they did it.”

  Well,

  Mr.

  O’Brien

  called a couple of

  QUICKLY the policeman grabbed his arm,

  his men, and they grabbed the Warnock Street and jerked it. He was a big man and must have boys without warning. They screamed bloody squeezed pretty hard, because Harry winced, murder.

  and the sweat came out on his forehead.

  “It’s a bum rap,” Wisnewski kept

  “Shut up,” the cop said, “or I’ll give

  saying. “You ain’t got a thing on us, copper.

  you a goin’ over you won’t like when we get We’ll sue you for false arrest.”

  out of court.”

  That didn’t get them anything. They

  That night, on the front pages of the

  were bundled into the patrol wagon. By this Bulletin and Ledger, there were pictures of the time the whole neighborhood knew what had Warnock Street boys, and of me—and I was a happened. Mom came out, and she was so

  hero all over again. But, I kept thinking of excited she forgot to scold me for losing the what Harry Wisnewski said—and how his

  bread.

  eyes glared—and what looked like foam at the I didn’t want anybody to know I had

  edges of his mouth. That made me scared told the police, but in five minutes everybody again, because at home there were no

  did. They said I was a hero, and everything policemen to look after me if anything

  like that, and Mr. Schmidfogel gave me a ten-happened.

  dollar gold piece, because if it hadn’t been for It got so I didn’t sleep well and would me, he would have lost all his jewelry.

  wake up screaming. Finally Mother went to Of course, I was the star witness at the see Mr. O’Brien, and he came to the house to trial. I felt a little funny sitting in the witness talk to me.

  chair, and looking at Harry and Danny and

  “There’s no use bein’ scared, son,” he

  Les. They were all cleaned up, and had new said. “They won’t be out of the pen for twenty clothes, and looked better than I had ever seen years at least. By that time they won’t be so

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  5

  tough, and you’ll be big and husky, and able hoodlums than Harry Wisnewski, and he was to take care of yourself. Don’t worry about it, stuck away in the pen for from twenty to thirty son. Everything will be all right.”

  years. Still, I kept thinking, he might get time Well, it sounded all right, and off for good behavior, and sooner or later he reasonable enough, but I couldn’t get over that would be out. I remembered how he had

  experience in a hurry. Neurotic? Maybe. Or, looked at me in the courtroom, even though I maybe it was only that some things make a was only twelve years old, and how the saliva deep impression on a boy’s mind, and dig in, had dribbled from the corners of his mouth.

  and stay there in spite of everything he can do.

  I knew he would try to kill me some

  While I was living in Philadelphia, I used to day. I was sure of it. No matter how much call up Mr. O’Brien every once in awhile, and time passed, Harry would hate me more than ask if the Warnock Street boys were still in anybody else in the world. I remembered the jail.

  look on his face when he had shot Mr.

  The detective would laugh, and say:

  Murphy. There was something of the rat about

  “Sure. It ain’t often anybody breaks

  him—gray and little-eyed, and you could out of the Eastern penitentiary.”

  almost imagine the musty smell.

  But I always held my breath when I

  The years went by. One after the other, opened the newspaper in the morning, fearing treading on each other’s heels. They went fast I’d see a story that Harry Wisnewski was on for me, but they must have been going very the loose.

  slowly for Harry Wisnewski and his pals in Even when I went to college, I’d have

  the routine of prison life.

  occasional nightmares, and in them

  One day is twenty-four hours. Twenty-

  Wisnewski was gunning for me. I’d wake up four hours make fourteen hundred and forty in a sweat, and it would take a long time for minutes. That amounts to eighty-six thousand me to get back to sleep again.

  and four hundred seconds. In twenty years it I got back to Philadelphia occasionally would be more than sixty-three billion

  after I started working and would see the seconds, and for every one of them Harry people around Germantown Avenue. My old Wisnewski would hate me more and more.

  friends knew how I felt, and they kind of He’d have to kill me. He couldn’t do anything laughed at me for being a silly billy, but that else. No one could endure that accumulation didn’t help.

  of hate without killing.

  Hartman’s poolroom, where the

  I don’t mean to say I went on worrying

  Warnock Street crowd used to hang out, was day in and out, but fear rode in on me at odd closed, and a delicatessen store was in its moments. It might be in a subway train, where place. Of course, the old crowd who had been I’d see another passenger who reminded me of Wisnewski’s friends would have been Harry. Or, perhaps in the middle of the night, scattered by this time, anyway, but I was glad I’d wake up and imagine I saw his eyes

  the poolroom had disappeared.

  burning at me through the darkness.

  “A good thing, too,” Mr. O’Brien said

  There was a feeling of certainty in my

  once when I went to see him. “There were heart that some day he would come looking probably more bums developed in that joint for me.
Then, I’d lie on the pavement, or the than any place in the neighborhood. I always floor, or whatever it was, the way Mr. Murphy thought Hartman was a fence, but I never had on the hot cement of Germantown

  could pin anything on him.”

  Avenue.

  So what? I didn’t care about any other

  It didn’t make sense, but that’s the way

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  6

  it was.

  but what I feared had finally caught up with me.

  MORE years went by and I was doing very I opened my eyes and looked at

  well with the advertising firm I had joined in Wisnewski again. If I had met him casually on New York. I was married to a wonderful girl the street, I wouldn’t have known him. He had and had a couple of swell kids. The memory been tall and good looking in a common sort of Harry Wisnewski and the Warnock Street of way, with slicked down hair. Now he was mob faded so that only occasionally did an old man, with dragged down shoulders, and dreams about him bother me.

  veins on the back of the one hand I could see.

  One afternoon I came back from lunch

  Prison had done a lot to him.

  feeling very happy. The boss had told me I’d If only I had a gun in my desk! Being

  been elected a vice-president of the firm, and afraid, as I had been for so many years, it was my salary was upped along with the criminal that I had neglected to get one. If promotion. I called my wife on the phone, and only—!

  we held a mutual cheering session. It was a At least I would have had the chance

  lovely, lovely day.

  of shooting it out instead of being a target. I My secretary, Miss Allison, came in.

  thought of rushing him, but I was standing

  “There’s a man who wants to see you,”