Vincent Scola

VINCENT SCOLA was born in 1911, the oldest son of Domenico and Maria C. Scola. At the time of the 1920 Census the Scolas were living at 347 Spruce Street, Domenico Scola then working as a construction laborer. By April of 1930 the Scola family lived at 839 South 4th Street, the corner of South 4th and Spruce Streets, where Domenico Scola owned and operated a candy store. Beside Vincent the family at that time included Tony, 14 Joseph, 13, Angeline, 12, and Edith, 10 years of age. Two doors down, at 835 South 4th Street lived the Tenerelli family. The Tenerelli boys, Michael and Frank, boxed professionally as Mickey Blair and Frankie Blair. Mickey Blair's life outside the ring would follow a pattern similar to that of Vincent Scola.

Vincent Scola, also known as "Cheeno" and "China", was first arrested in 1929. 

By April of 1944 he had been arrested on nine separate occasions in Camden, on charges that included robbery, carrying concealed deadly weapons, suspicion for investigation, assault, possession of stolen goods, crap shooting,  interfering with police officers, failure to carry a draft card, and possession of automobile tires, an offense during the World War II years. Apparently he evaded successful prosecutions in all of these cases. 

Crime was paying off for Vincent Scola, and he had moved out of Camden, to a home at 5301 Sherwood Terrace in Pennsauken NJ with his wife Dorothy. He also owned and operated a restaurant at 1114 South 4th Street. Vincent Scola was suspected of being involved with the wartime counterfeit gasoline rationing stamp racket when he was gunned down while driving his Cadillac at 38th and Myrtle Streets in East Camden. Struck by a shotgun blast to the neck and head, his car went out of control, overturned and burst into flames.

The Scola case was front page news in Camden for two weeks. Various theories as to why he was murdered were put forth, including that he had been attempting to muscle in to gambling in Camden and Burlington counties, and he was killed in retaliation for the murder of Philadelphia gangster John P. Brennan, who had attempted a similar power grab in Camden several weeks earlier. It is worth noting that another former South Camden boxer, Rocco "Roxie Allen" Auletto, was working for Brennan as a bodyguard when he was gunned down.

Vincent Scola was buried at New Camden Cemetery on Haddon Avenue in Camden. He was survived by his wife, who joined him in 1966, his parents, and siblings. 

Several suspects were questioned, and the cycle of gang-related violence did not end with Vincent Scola's murder. 

ANTHONY "SWIFTY" SCARDUZIO

Found Slain

HARRY PASSEN

Scola Case Suspect

PAUL CHILLE