This Day in History: 1925-02-18

There was a murder in Suffern.  Thomas Cheche was shot several times by Cerry Palmarozza in front of the Gas Company Office on Lafayette Avenue.  Palmarozzo, 45, was reported to have believed that Cheche had attempted to seduce Palmarozza’s eighteen-year-old daughter.  According to the report in the Ramsey Journal, Cheche had left town around Christmas time and went to Connecticut because the situation got too “hot”.  When he thought the matter had blown over he returned to Suffern.  Palmarozza was said to have gone to court but gotten no satisfaction so he took the matter into his own hands.  He fired both barrels of a shotgun into Cheche’s back and then emptied a revolver into his victim.  After the shooting he fled up the street but was caught by “a pursuing posse”.  He was brought to the offices of District Attorney Morton Lexow and was held until the coroner could make his report.  The murdered man left a widow and nine children.

(Bristow)