North College Hill Marshal Peter Dumele | North College Hill

 

North College Hill Marshal Peter Dumele
Age: 53
Served:  3 years
1925 to April 8, 1928

 

OFFICER

Peter was born in Hungary.  He served in the police department in his native country, rising to the rank of Sergeant, and then in the military (artillery) for six years.  Peter immigrated to the United States about 1907.

The Village of North College Hill elected him Marshal during 1925.  He was a popular and dedicated servant of the people of North College Hille and serving his second term in 1928.

 

INCIDENT

During the early hours of Easter Morning on April 8, 1928, a gang of six to eight men armed with sawed-off, semi-automatic shotguns and revolvers, each wearing a black mask over his chin and mouth, entered William Warnken’s Pelican Club Poolroom at Hamilton and Sunshade Avenues.  The club was clearly a speak easy, gambling enterprise common to almost every local community during Prohibition.

The leader of the gang stepped to the center of the room and ordered; “Everybody step to the walls and put up your hands up! … If one of you moves, we’ll blow your brains out!”  He then went over to Lee Staib, who had not yet put his hands up, grabbed him by the shoulder, jerked him around and smashed him in the face with the butt of his revolver.  They gang then coolly and methodically robbed each of the twenty patrons of his cash and ordered Warnken to open the safe. . .

 

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