Douglas died when he was in the fourth grade. Mrs. Rich was his teacher that year. He was murdered by his older brother on Jan. 15, 1964 at the age of 10.
Dougie was my neighbor and best friend. I was supposed to eat dinner at his house the day he was killed. We walked home from school that day. I thought we would see each other after we did our homework. A while later there were police cars and an ambulance at their house. Mr Cheetham came home(he was a bus driver then) He pushed his way into the house and came out crying and saying no, no ,no. Our neighborhood was never the same. People wondered out loud, how could the oldest son, John have killed his mother and 2 youngest brothers with a claw hammer. Fortunately the second oldest son, Ed wasn't home at the time of the attack. Our family kept in touch with Mr. Cheetham over the years until his passing. He remarried had a second family and although difficult life went on. Fouth grade was really hard that year. We had Mrs. Rich as a teacher. We lost Dougie and Marcia Hortz both in our class that year. A lot for 9 years olds to handle.
I remember Douglas as well and going to to his birthday party in his house. So unspeakably tragic as I also remember how much he idolized his older brother and talked about him all the time. It was a difficult year with both Douglas and Marcia passing away at such young ages. I was too young to really appreciate what had happened but I do know that I felt incredibly sad for quite some time.
Douglas, Paul Bodo and I shared the same locker in gym class.
It was our first year where we changed into gym clothes, so we needed a lock for our locker
It was Douglas' lock and only Douglas could open it, no matter how hard Paul and i tried to figure it out.
The morning after Douglas' slaying, we had gym class
To tag onto what Helene said, as 9 yr. old’s, most of us did not fully understand the magnitude of this tragedy.
Paul & I knew the combination, yet could not get it to open
We call Mr. Nicholas, the boys gym teacher to help.
Paul and I explained that it was Douglas' lock and he’s not coming.
I can still see in my mind’s eye, Mr. Nicholas' face when I said that, as I had no clue how ridiculous & insensitive that was, at that time.
Regardless, Mr. Nicholas explained the secret to the mystery to open the lock.
To this day, I will use that combination as my pin on certain accounts [Paul, don't give it out!]
Marcia was totally different, yet just as tragic. She was diagnosed with leukemia, as she missed a lot during 4th grade. My mom was friends with Mrs. Hortz and I remember when she told me Marcia had passed. What I remember about Marcia was her singing a solo during a talent event we had.
While I did not understand what it was to mourn in 1964, I am saddened today, especially as I think about what I am writing.
Dougie liked Cadbury Hazelnut chocolate bars. One Saturday in the Fall of 1963, he took the bus from the stop at Third and Raritan to the Suburban depot his dad worked at in New Brunswick. Changed buses there and took one to Princeton. And went to a Tiger football game at Palmer Stadium. Took the bus back to the depot, and his dad drove him home.
He enjoyed movies at the Albany and Rivoli Theatres, Girl Valley, Meyers Toy Store, and walking over the bridge to New Brunswick on a Saturday afternoon.
He was standing in line in the Krauzer’s store next to the laundromat at the corner of 5th and Raritan when the radio announced that shots had been fired in Dallas. He was waiting to buy a hand-dipped ice cream cone. By the time the laundry was dry, the news came that the President was dead.
In the last month of his life, Doug made a model stagecoach diorama for Mrs. Rich’s class. His brother John, home on leave from the Navy, built most of it. Doug painted the box’s outside black, then painted his name on a cellar wall.
On a Wednesday afternoon Dougie was murdered by his brother John who built the stagecoach. The brother also killed his mom and murdered his little brother Andrew. He served 15 years in prison and was out before 1980.
Douglas had a type of confidence and maturity that was unique. He could have become anything he wanted to be in life. And should have had that chance, but for his brother.
Anne Shure
Douglas died when he was in the fourth grade. Mrs. Rich was his teacher that year. He was murdered by his older brother on Jan. 15, 1964 at the age of 10.
Elaine Meyer (Broyles)
Dougie was my neighbor and best friend. I was supposed to eat dinner at his house the day he was killed. We walked home from school that day. I thought we would see each other after we did our homework. A while later there were police cars and an ambulance at their house. Mr Cheetham came home(he was a bus driver then) He pushed his way into the house and came out crying and saying no, no ,no. Our neighborhood was never the same. People wondered out loud, how could the oldest son, John have killed his mother and 2 youngest brothers with a claw hammer. Fortunately the second oldest son, Ed wasn't home at the time of the attack.Our family kept in touch with Mr. Cheetham over the years until his passing. He remarried had a second family and although difficult life went on.
Fouth grade was really hard that year. We had Mrs. Rich as a teacher. We lost Dougie and Marcia Hortz both in our class that year. A lot for 9 years olds to handle.
Helene Nagel (Scharf)
I remember Douglas as well and going to to his birthday party in his house. So unspeakably tragic as I also remember how much he idolized his older brother and talked about him all the time. It was a difficult year with both Douglas and Marcia passing away at such young ages. I was too young to really appreciate what had happened but I do know that I felt incredibly sad for quite some time.
Robert Berkowitz
Douglas, Paul Bodo and I shared the same locker in gym class.
It was our first year where we changed into gym clothes, so we needed a lock for our locker
It was Douglas' lock and only Douglas could open it, no matter how hard Paul and i tried to figure it out.
The morning after Douglas' slaying, we had gym class
To tag onto what Helene said, as 9 yr. old’s, most of us did not fully understand the magnitude of this tragedy.
Paul & I knew the combination, yet could not get it to open
We call Mr. Nicholas, the boys gym teacher to help.
Paul and I explained that it was Douglas' lock and he’s not coming.
I can still see in my mind’s eye, Mr. Nicholas' face when I said that, as I had no clue how ridiculous & insensitive that was, at that time.
Regardless, Mr. Nicholas explained the secret to the mystery to open the lock.
To this day, I will use that combination as my pin on certain accounts [Paul, don't give it out!]
Marcia was totally different, yet just as tragic. She was diagnosed with leukemia, as she missed a lot during 4th grade. My mom was friends with Mrs. Hortz and I remember when she told me Marcia had passed. What I remember about Marcia was her singing a solo during a talent event we had.
While I did not understand what it was to mourn in 1964, I am saddened today, especially as I think about what I am writing.
James Scott
Dougie liked Cadbury Hazelnut chocolate bars. One Saturday in the Fall of 1963, he took the bus from the stop at Third and Raritan to the Suburban depot his dad worked at in New Brunswick. Changed buses there and took one to Princeton. And went to a Tiger football game at Palmer Stadium. Took the bus back to the depot, and his dad drove him home.
He enjoyed movies at the Albany and Rivoli Theatres, Girl Valley, Meyers Toy Store, and walking over the bridge to New Brunswick on a Saturday afternoon.
He was standing in line in the Krauzer’s store next to the laundromat at the corner of 5th and Raritan when the radio announced that shots had been fired in Dallas. He was waiting to buy a hand-dipped ice cream cone. By the time the laundry was dry, the news came that the President was dead.
In the last month of his life, Doug made a model stagecoach diorama for Mrs. Rich’s class. His brother John, home on leave from the Navy, built most of it. Doug painted the box’s outside black, then painted his name on a cellar wall.
On a Wednesday afternoon Dougie was murdered by his brother John who built the stagecoach. The brother also killed his mom and murdered his little brother Andrew. He served 15 years in prison and was out before 1980.
Douglas had a type of confidence and maturity that was unique. He could have become anything he wanted to be in life. And should have had that chance, but for his brother.