Patrolman William A. Moore

William A. Moore

Patrolman William Toot and Patrolman William Moore were shot and killed at the city jail when two inmates attempted to escape. The inmates had obtained two pistols that had been smuggled into the jail inside of a baked turkey.

The two men, who were in jail for murdering a mail-driver, were captured in New York in January 1935. They were extradited back to Virginia and subsequently executed on February 2nd, 1935.

Patrolman Moore suffered severe wounds during the incident and remained hospitalized for almost one year. He succumbed to complications of his wounds on November 2nd, 1935.

Police suspected that Anthony Cugino, a member of the infamous Tri-state gang who was responsible for several murders in the northeast, sent the turkey to the inmates, who were also members of the gang. On September 9, 1935, Cugino was arrested in New York City. He confessed to the murder of Policeman Charles Stockberger of the Philadelphia Police Department on July 14, 1933, before hanging himself in his jail cell later that night. He was also the primary suspect in the murder of Policeman James Garvey, of the New York City Police Department, on April 21st, 1934.

Patrolman Moore had served with the Richmond Police Department for 25 years.