NYPD Commish Visits Heroes

May 23, 1965 - Police Commissioner Michael Murphy paid visits of gratitude today to two men who had never met until they faced a threatening mob together in the Bronx Friday night. 

One was Philip Siegel, a policeman who was set upon by the crowd as he was arresting a young burglary suspect at Bathgate Ave. and 174th St. The other was Enrique Negron, a bantamweight, 56-year-old grocer who made his way to the beleaguered officer in the midst of the melee and said, “That’s all right; I’m with you.”Negron lay in Ward 6 of Fordham Hospital. He had been stabbed in the back as he stood at Siegel’s side. As Murphy clasped his hand today, he tried to explain why he had helped.

“The only thing I think about,” he said, struggling with the words, “is to do nothing I’m ashamed of. I see that guy try to kill that officer, I think maybe I can stand up and save a life. I don’t know why I do what I do — but I do anything I can to help somebody from getting hurt.”Negron, who stands 5-5, continued: “I am not afraid of anything. I see four, five people jump on one, I get mad. I see that around sometime. Kids don’t fight like men any more. I see them beating up old men and old women, I jump in. What I do, I would do for anyone.”

“Let me try to explain,” he said has he shook Murphy’s hand, “I don’t have much education, but we should all help policemen.”Murphy, who is leaving his post in two weeks, called first at Siegel’s home in Maspeth, Queens. The 43-year-old policeman sat with his wife in the living room of their row house.

“I can talk easy about it now,” said Siegel, “but I’m still shaken up.” He was punched in the chest and back during the fracas, and his nightstick was knocked from his hand.

On Bathgate Ave. Friday night, he fired one shot in the air in an effort to subdue the mob. Today, he said he had not fired at his attackers because he was afraid of hitting a child.

“Thank God nothing else happened,” said Murphy. “You handled it well.” He asked Mrs. Siegel how she felt.

“It was bad yesterday,” she said, “and I still think about it. I didn’t use to worry too much, but lately its getting tougher. There’s so much criticism, even from people you don’t expect it from.”“Well, you had Mr. Negron out in the middle of the street who didn’t criticize,” said Joseph Martin, Deputy Commissioner for Community Affairs.

“I was happy to see him,” Siegel said.

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