Queens Man Accused of a Tavern Slaying

Less than 10 hours after a retired policeman was shot to death in the Queens tavern where he worked as a night bartender, one of the regular customers, a 25-year-old apartment-building doorman, was arrested and charged with murder. The police said they believe Charles Schaefer and the bartender, 52 year old Louis Angelos who retired from the PD four years ago as a patrolman had been alone in the bar as Mr A was closing up at about 4 am.

The cash register was open and the victim was clutching $440 in his hands, the police said. When Mr S was arrested at about 1:30pm the police said he had a 38 caliber revolver that Mr Angelos had worn when he worked behind the bar. Three years earlier the police said Mr S had shot another bartender in the Steinway Terrace three times in the back. That time, the bartender lived. Mr S had been convicted of assault, the police said, and spent “a couple of years” in a state prison.

excerpt NYT 3/20/77 Joseph Treaster