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News from December 8, 1923 (The Standard Union, via Newspapers.com™)
Police Investigate a Tragic Death in Brooklyn
In 1923, the tragic death of a young boy, Irving Pickelny sent shockwaves through New York City, specifically Brooklyn. The child’s lifeless body was found in a dark cellar on Suffolk street, a mere two blocks from his home.
The investigation led the authorities towards Nathan Schatzky, a leather worker who had been out of employment for two weeks before Irving’s demise. He was arrested on the suspicion of trying to lure another young boy to the roof of a tenement building in the city’s East Side.
After his arrest, Schatzky made a detailed confession about his supposed involvement in the murder of Irving Pickelny. However, considering his apparent “mental defection,” the authorities chose to be cautious, placing Schatzky in the psychopathic ward at Bellevue Hospital for further observation.
Despite Schatzky’s mental condition, he willingly participated in a recreation of the crime, showing investigators how he allegedly killed young Irving. This, however, was treated with caution by authorities due to the suspect’s mental health condition. Schatzky’s friends and relatives dismissed his confession as the result of a distorted mind, muddying the investigation process.
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