00 Tr. Rr, 0 Ie WESTFIELD LEADER
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rr.rv ;. c 00 tr. rr, 0 iE WESTFIELD LEADER USPS6KBQ Published •' -HYEAR.NO. 46 Second CUu PoMifr Piid WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, THURSDAY, JUNE 8. 1989 28 Pages—30 Cents •I *tuf«U, N.J. Every ThursctBy 4rchives... O LEADER, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9,1971 John List's Capture Ends o in Family Found Slain; 17V2 Years of Wondering a By Kathleen L. Gardner and itate Alarm Seeks Dad Ellen Scott Brandt Police blockades remained at a floor and called headquarters. Seventeen and one half years section of Hillside Ave. yester- Police forced their way into the ago today The Westfield Leader's day, scene of a tragic mass house where they found the editor learned shortly before murder discovered Tuesday bodies of Mrs. List and her three press time that five members of night. children on blood-stained sleep- a local family had been brutally Found shot to death were Mrs. ing bags in the sparsely- murdered in their Hillside Helen List, 46; her children, furnished ballroom of the home. Avenue mansion. Father, hus- Patricia, 16; Frederick Michael, The body of the elder Mrs. List band and son of the victims, John 13; and John Frederick, 15; and was discovered in an upstairs Emil List, then 46, could not be her mother-in-law, Mrs. Alma room in the 75-year-old home. found for questioning. He had dis- List, 84. Police said the five members of appeared among autumn's Police are checking a gun the List family had been dead a decaying foliage, leaving local found in the List home. month. Police chief Moran yes- police a chilling discovery and a A SO-state alarm is out for John terday theorized that the ponderous amount of in- E. List, believed to have left with murders had taken place in the criminating evidence at the family's 1963 Chevrolet, who early evening; the bodies were scene of the crime. is not been seen for several fully clothed and washed dishes, The next day, Dec. 9, 1971, iks. possibly from supper, remained marked the beginning of the The family pastor, the Rev. on the kitchen sink. gruesome unfolding in news- Eugene Rehwinkel of Redeemer The absence of the List family paper stories across the nation of (Lutheran Church, is aiding in the had drawn no previous inquiries a horrendous crime and the lanning of funeral services for because several people had been search for a fugitive that would ie victims of the tragedy as notified by Mr. List that the fami- baffle and frustrate the police local police and county detec- ly expected to be away on an ex- and FBI for years to come. tives continue to sift through tended trip to North Carolina. A The ease would also leave its svidence at the List home at 431 letter explaining the children's mark on Westfield, a serene town Hillside Ave. and curiosity- absence from schools had been John E. List, who is sought In a 50 better known for the excellence ers drive by the 18-room received around Nov. 9 by the of- slate alarm in connection with of its schools and shops, the beau- e. A Rake and Hoe open fice of Superintendent of Schools the fatal shooting of his wife, ty of its parks and its stately louse and show yesterday on LiJlard E. Law. mother, and three teenage chil- homes. A dark stain of notoriety noke Rd. practically backed Patricia was a junior at West- dren. spread rapidly across the town, up the murder scene. field High School and par- tified as a certified public ac attracting the bloodthirsty, eager A FORENSIC SCULPTURE of Westfield fugitive John E. List, 63, The bizarre slaying was ticipated in the work-study pro- countant and an insurance sales- to lap up the sensationalism was viewed nationwide during the airing of Fox Network's discovered Tuesday night when gram there. Her brother, John, man with the State Mutual generated by a shocking crime "America's Most Wanted" on May 21. John McGinley, FBI special police were alerted by neighbors also worked part-time and he and Association of Orange. Originally that so seldom visits quiet subur- agent in charge of the Newark office, said List closely resembled the that members of the List family Frederick were students at reported as an officer of the bia. sculpture. had not been seen for about a Edison Junior High School. The American Photograph Co. in The stain will never disappear tion. splitting r'YAHOOO!" month. Patrolmen George family had moved to Westfield New York, that company said he — no cleansing agent is strong Then came the call from an un- Elation broke out in the Zhelesnik and Charles Haller' five years ago from Rochester, had not been employed there for enough to rub it out completely — identified woman who asked Leader's usually tranquil office were dispatched to the scene N.Y, some time. although it may fade in time. The Leader editor, Kathleen L. Gard- and spilled out on to the sidewalk. where they saw a body on the The missing father was iden- Described as a soft-spoken, memory of the List murders will ner, whether it was true John List Brandt ran into Jarvis Pharmacy qujet*<5eoply religious man, List haunt this town forever — like the had been taken into custody; the next door and told owner Kitty ^presumed by police to be alive .bogeyman of childhood — out- woman said that a friend had Duncan of List's capture, then re- and in this cpuntry. He was nqt grown, but never quite called her after hearing a report turned to Elm Street to share the believed 16 have large sums of "'forgotten.. • ' orithe radio. news with any available passers- cash with hith and a checking ac- .. .Which brings us to the pre- Keeping the caller on the line, by. Meanwhile, the woman on the count book found in his home sent day . Westfield's bogey- Gardner gesticulated to her phone with Gardner was enjoying listed a balance of only $7.94. man has re-surfaced in a quiet associate editor Ellen Scott her contribution to the excite- Memorial services for the List suburb in Virginia, now suffering Brandt, conveying the message ment. family will be held at 10 a.m. a stigma similar to West- that she should call Westfield A few minutes later, Gardner Saturday at Redeemer Lutheran field's... police headquarters. and Brandt were on their way to Church. Mrs. List and her * * * Brandt was immediately con- a press conference at FBI head- children will be buried in Fair- The Westfield Leader staff ar- nected to Det. Lt. Bernard Tracy, quarters in Newark. view cemetery and the elder rived at work June 1 expecting who said drily: "So, you've Among the first to arrive at the Mrs. List in Bay City', Mich., nothing more eventful than Tues- heard," confirming the caller's Gateway I Building, along with •where the Rev. Herman Zchnder day's primary election results to rumor. He was treated to an entourage from New Jersey of Zion Lutheran Church will con- be tjie top story in the next edi- Brandt's jubilant (albeit ear (Continued on page 3) duct services. Gray's Funeral Home reports that no visiting hours will be held. Mrs. List, daughter of Mrs. Eva Howell Morris of Elkon, N.C., and the late Edward Mor- ris, was born Jan. 1, 1925, in Greensboro, N.C. She and her POLICE ARE CONTINUING THEIR investigation at this husband were married Dec. l, house at 431 Hillside Ave. where five members of the John E. 1951, in Baltimore, Md. Mrs._ List List family were found shot to death late Tuesday. {Continued on page 3) 26.2% Cast Ballots Locally In June 6 Primary Election By Wendy Miller Pzena candidates Peter J. Genova and Three freeholders will run in the Tuesday's primary election Ronald J. Frigerio as their general election for the three brought 4,665 voters to polls here, nominees for these positions. year term. Westfield democrats offering resident Chuck Hard- Westfield democrats selected chose Casimar Kowalczyk, wick 67.7% of Westfield's Ralph Froehlich as their Walter McLeod, and Elmer M. republican votes in the guber- nominee for the three-year term Ertl for the nomination. natorial race. Statewide Hard- of Union County Sheriff, while Republicans named unchal- THE LIST CHILDREN (from left), Patricia Marie. 16, John Frederick, 15, and Frederick Michael, 13, wick placed third with 21% of the republicans designated un- lenged Paul J. O'Keefe, Mattie J. were described by a former resident and fellow student as withdrawn and not a part of the "in" crowd at vote, losing the nomination to challenged John DeSimone. Holloway, and Joan Papen. school. Jim Courter. Members of Board of Chosen The nominations of State Com- James J. Florio, the state Freeholders were also proposed. (Contlnued on page 2) democratic nominee, was the John List's Children: favorite democrat here in the gubernatorial race, taking 41.3% Narcotics Investigation of their vote. Gone, But Not Forgotten Republican Kenneth L. Mac- Culminates in Arrests Ritchie (Westfield Homeowner) "I'm glad he was caught — mushrooms," Callahan said, very, "impressionable at the won the race for the Third Ward Police authorities recently an- was taking place at the house. he's got a big debt to pay," said recalling impromptu football time," and after moving to Ship Town Council candidacy. He nounced the successful culmina- Since that time Detective Rowe Henry Callahan, a 30-year games and other out-door ac- Bottom, Long Beach Island, Hub- joins unchallenged candidates tion of an eight-month-long nar- has been conducting Hillside Avenue resident in a tivities.