Carl Kisselman
CARL KISSELMAN—Among the younger members of the legal profession who are prepared to fill the ranks as the older and noted men of the legal fraternity come to years of retirement, is Carl Kisselman, who was admitted to the bar of the State of New Jersey in February, 1922. David Kisselman, father of Carl Kisselman, was born in the Ukraine district of Russia, and after receiving a practical education in the local schools served an apprenticeship in the Russian Army. He saw no active service, and in 1871, when he was eighteen years of age came to America and located in Camden, where he engaged in the real estate and insurance business, opening an office at No. 1019 South Fifth Street. He married Dora Handle, also a native of Russia.
Carl Kisselman, son of David and Dora (Handle) Kisselman, was born in Elmer, New Jersey, April 23, 1899. After attending the Washington Grammar School of Camden, from which he graduated in 1914, he entered Camden High School, and graduated with the June class of 1918. He was now ready to begin his professional study and he matriculated in the University of Pennsylvania, but before completing the course there made a change and became a student in Temple University of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before his University course was completed he passed the examinations for admission to the New Jersey bar and later, while still a student, began reading law under the direction of Albert S. Woodruff. He was admitted in February, 1922, and at once prepared to engage in general practice at law.
Politically, Mr. Kisselman gives his support to the Republican party. During the period of the participation of the United States in the World War he was a member of the Students’ Army Training Corps, but, of course, saw no active service. He is a member of Camden Lodge, No. 293, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is an interested member of the Sixth Ward Republican Club. His religious affiliation is with the Reformed Hebrew Church.
Court Attache Scours City To Round Up Jury for Trial
Camden Courier-Post —
High comedy was furnished spectators in the District courtroom of Judge Frank Neutze today when lawyers in a $220 damage suit demanded a jury trial.
Leon Maragin, of South Camden, was the defendant. The plaintiff was Stanley Motyl, who owns a jewelry and phonograph shop at Tenth street and Kaighn avenue. On July 30, 1927, Maragin bought a phonograph and a number of records from Motyl. He was to pay for them in 60 days. A short time after the purchase was made Motyl and his wife separated.
When the storekeeper asked Maragin for the $220, he was informed the sum had been paid to his wife. Motyl claims his wife was not his business partner and that Maragin still owes him the money in spite of the fact that he has a receipted bill.
Carl Kisselman, representing the plaintiff, surprised the court by asking for a jury trial. William Sauerhoff, senior sergeant-at-arms, was dispatched to seek twelve men who would serve.
The first juror thus secured was Frank Green, a former board of education employe. He was drafted as he walked through the county building. Juror 2 was William Brecker, an uncle of Attorney Walter Keown.
Sauerhoff, after delivering the first pair, made a “raid” on the Elks clubhouse, where he enlisted the services of John McDougall, owner of a soft drink parlor at Ninth and Market streets.
The sergeant-at-arms then made a sortie down Federal street and picked up Charles Howarth, until recently owner of a cigar store at Eighth and Lawrence streets. On his way back to the courtroom with Howarth he picked up Isaac Robinson, a collector, and a few steps farther he added another collector to his “army.” Lorenzo Entriken, an insurance company employe.
In front of the courtroom Sauerhoff picked up two more “recruits,” Harry Knight and John O’Brien, a former water department employe.
On his next trip, the sergeant-at-arms signed up William M. Davis, a painter; Thomas Kirk and Martin Brown, summer policeman. He received the congratulations of Judge Neutze, who added that only one more man was required. It took Sauerhoff five more minutes to get the twelfth man, Louis Brown, a contractor.
The case was quickly completed, the jury took its place, and the dozen jurors retired to consider a verdict.
After they had been out of the courtroom for five minutes a knock was heard on the door of the jury room.
“We choose to have some ice water sent to us,” the jury shouted back.
Another five minutes. Another knock on the door.
“We wish to know when we eat,” came the voice again.
Late today the jury was said to be deadlocked because one of its members, wished to spend the night in a hotel.
Carl Kisselman Fails to Appear on New Job
Camden Courier-Post —
Carl Kisselman, who was to have assumed his duties as second assistant city solicitor today, failed to appear at City Hall. At the office of the legal department, it was said Kisselman probably would report tomorrow, following a rearrangement of the office.
Kisselman was appointed an aide to Harold W. Bennett, city solicitor, by the city commissioners last week. The post, which was created by ordinance two weeks ago, pays $[?]3,500 a year.
Committee to Arrange Banquet for Kisselman
Camden Courier-Post —
A meeting of the Carl Kisselma[n] dinner committee will be held Satur[day] at the offices of Albert S. Woodruff, 328 Market street, to complet[e] plans for the testimonial banquet [in] honor of the newly appointed seco[nd] assistant city solicitor.
The dinner will be held in Hotel Wa[lt] Whitman on April 24. Former Sena[tor] Woodruff will be toastmaster. Lew[is] Liberman is chairman of the commit[tee] in charge of the event.
Keown Named Head of County G.O.P. as Wallworth Resigns
Camden Courier-Post —
Mrs. Verga Re-elected Vice Chairman at Reorganization Meeting of Committee
OTHER OFFICERS CHOSEN
When the Camden County Republican Executive Committee reorganized last night Walter S. Keown was elected chairman without opposition.
He succeeds former State Senator Joseph F. Wallworth, who was Republican county chairman six years, and a member 12 years. At a dinner preceding the executive session a silver set and a vase were presented to Wallworth by the committee. The retiring members of the committee received bronze elephants as emblems of the party.
At the executive session Mrs. Elizabeth Grotty Verga was re-elected vice chairman; Harry C. Sharp, treasurer; William D. Sayrs, assistant treasurer; Howard B. Dyer, secretary, and Mrs. Laura Silbers and Mrs. Lottie Stinson, assistant secretaries. Harold W. Bennett, Edward R. Diebert, Bernard Bertman, L. Scott Chercesky, Carl Kisselman and Frank Voigt were chosen solicitors.
Wallworth Reviews Work
Upon retiring as chairman Senator Wallworth said:
“During the six years I acted as your chairman considerable political history has been made in our county. The Republican party was on the rocks and loyalty seemed to have drifted away when Frank Patterson, Al Matthews, Penn Corson and Senator Baird begged me to take the chairmanship. In doing so I quickly discovered I had undertaken one of the hardest up hill battles of my life.”
When Keown took over the gavel he pointed out to the committee members they were political leaders of their districts. He said it was their duty to find out the cause of unrest.
“In some of your districts the trouble is your tax rates are too high,” said the chairman. “High taxe [sic] rates are an evil and it is your duty to find the cause and remedy the situation. When there is a spirit of satisfaction in your district there is satisfaction throughout the county.”
Wolverton Favors Plan
Congressman Charles A. Wolverton complimented the new chairman on his advice. Sharp and Sayrs, who have been identified with the committee more than 20 years, were also speakers.
Keown then turned the gavel over to Mrs. Verga, who thanked the committee for her re-election. She introduced Mrs. Silbers and Mrs. Stinson, who urged loyalty and work on the part of the women members of the committee.
Keown was nominated by Daniel Silbers, Pennsauken township. Colonel George L. Selby nominated Sharp and Dyer. All of the officers received a unanimous vote.
Ten new members took seats from the five boroughs recently created out of Clementon township. Among them was Clinton L. Bardo, president of New York Shipbuilding Corp., who was elected from the new borough of Pine Valley last Tuesday. Twelve members of last year’s committee retired either as a result of the primary election or not being candidates.
C.F. Squillace Gets Suspended Sentence
Camden Courier-Post —
After he had changed his pleas of not guilty to non vult Charles F. Squillace, former Camden attorney, was given one year in state prison by Judge Samuel M. Shay yesterday afternoon and then the sentence was suspended.
Squillace was charged with embezzlement, larceny as bailee and issuing a worthless check. He had been a fugitive from justice six years. The court suspended sentence after it was announced he had made restitution to former clients.
When he went into court yesterday Squillace entered pleas of not guilty to five indictments through his attorney, Carl Kisselman.
Squillace said he would have pleaded non vult at the morning session if he could have reached an agreement with a former client, Mrs. Marie Fanelli, West Berlin. He passed a worthless check for $600 on her and she demanded six years interest through her attorney, Francis G. Homan. A compromise was affected.
Fugitive Since 1923
A fugitive from justice since the December, 1923; grand jury returned nine true bills against him, Squillace was arrested in Washington, D. C., last July by County Detective Fiore Troncone, who found him and his wife operating a beauty shop.
Squillace is said to have readily admitted his guilt and agreed to return to this city and face the consequences. He was released in $3500 bail on August 3, 1929, his bond being signed by Ralph Cavallo of Kaighn Avenue near Third Street.
During the time that Squillace has been at liberty, his lawyers declare he has been making weekly payments on the total $2865 which he is charged with diverting from funds clients entrusted to him for real estate transactions in 1922 and 1923.
Rather than face disbarment proceedings, Squillace resigned as a member of the Camden County Bar Association shortly before he hastily left Camden after discovering that he could not repay the money which he had received and used in several personal real estate deals.
The indictments for larceny as bailee, his accusers and amounts involved, are: Frank Canola, $800; Mrs. Marie Fannelli, $600; Albert Covitto, $245; Antonio Di Maio, $350; Angelina Palaia, $600; Aorozio Martines, $125, and Nick Monocchio, $100.
The embezzlement true bill was returned against Squillace at the instance of Canola, who charged him with swindling him out of $45.
6 Fined $300 Each in Big Still Seizure
Camden Evening Courier —
6 Fined $300 Each in Big Still Seizure
Shay Frees Three Men Who Were Visitors Only When Rhone Led Raid
Six of nine prisoners taken by the police in a spectacular raid on the largest distillery ever confiscated in Camden were fined $300 each by Judge Shay in special session of criminal court today.
Charges against three others who were arrested were withdrawn by Prosecutor Baldwin when their attorney pleaded that they were not employed at the distillery but merely had been visiting a friend when the raiders arrived.
Those fined were Jesse Seybold, 39, of 423 St. John street; Frank Varro, 35, of 1902 South Fourth street, both of Camden, and Michael Magglio, 33, of 1513 South Fairhill street; John Saggese, 40, of 645 Erie street; Joseph Rosa, of the South Fairhill street address, and John Lapone, 32, of 823 Catherine street, all of Philadelphia.
They all pleaded non vult to charges of possession of apparatus used in the manufacture of liquor. Their attorney, Carl Kisselman, pleaded for leniency, asserting that the men were merely employes and had no other interest in the distillery, which was at 535-37 Chestnut street, four doors from the Second District police station. The raid was conducted under the personal supervision of Director of Public Safety David S. Rhone on Oct. 23.
Kisselman said the “real owner” of the place “has skipped out and left these men in the lurch.” None of the defendants has been in trouble before, he said, and all were men with families who had taken jobs at the distillery only a few days before it was raided. No finished product was found in the raid, just the ingredients, he said.
Charges were withdrawn for Lewis Cohen, 31, of 935 St. John street; John Delena, 42, of 421 Walnut street, and Mitchell Davis, 21, of 840 Pine street, all of Camden. Davis was not in court due to illness, according to Kisselman.
Vandals Rifle 19 Offices in Center of City
Camden Courier-Post —
Intruders Wreak Havoc in Building at 6th and Cooper Streets
$5 CASH, SMALL ARTICLES ALL LOOT OBTAINED
Method of Entrance Mystery But Thieves Leave by Aid of Wire
Ransacking files and strewing valuable papers as they went, thieves during the night entered 19 offices in a building on the northwest corner of Sixth and Cooper streets and escaped with only $5 in cash and articles of small value.
Although nothing of much value was taken, the burglars wrought such damage with their ransacking it will require several days for occupants to straighten out their records and equipment. Seven of the offices are unoccupied.
Camden detectives are puzzled as to how entrance to the building was effected. There were no signs that windows or doors had been forced from the outside. The robbers made their escape from an office on the second floor by tearing electric wire from the walls, tying the strands together and lowering themselves from a window into an alley.
A wire, fastened to a radiator, and the open window were discovered in the office of F. A. [?]eickert, an insurance man, where the thieves smashed open steel filing cabinets and strewed their contents over the floor. [?]eickert found a jimmy in the hallway outside his office which the intruders had used to pry open drawers and other containers.
Norris Rollen, janitor, discovered the robbery when he went to the building at 5.45 a. m. today and reported it to Miss Julie Carey, the real estate agent, of 521 Cooper street, who called the detective bureau.
Detective Anson Kelly was detailed to investigate. All the offices entered are on the second floor.
In the offices occupied by Carl Kisselman, Barney Brown and Benjamin Asbell, attorney, the thieves took $5 in cash, a fountain pen, a roll of stamps and a box of cigars. They broke open all the office cabinets and left the place in disorder.
A cabinet safe was opened in the office of Benjamin Natal, lawyer, but no money was taken. However, legal documents and valuable records were left in a muddled heap. Cigarette butts were left on the floor by the burglars.
A box containing valuable microscopic instruments was taken from the Kebler chemical laboratory of F. Victoria Kebler, but was left in the hallway outside.
The offices of P. R. Davey, dentist, and Imogene N. Marcus, public stenographer, were ransacked, but nothing of value was reported missing.
Baird to Address Hebrew League
Camden Courier-Post —
David Baird, Jr., Republican nominee for governor, will make his final appearance in the current election campaign Monday night, in his “own home town,” when he will address a monster rally at the Hebrew Republican League, at the Talmud Torah, 621 Kaighn avenue.
The Hebrew league reorganized formally at a luncheon in the Hotel Walt Whitman. Lewis Liberman, assistant city solicitor, was elected president; Sig Schoenagle, Samuel Shaner, Israel Weitzman, vice-presidents; L. Scott Cherchesky, secretary, and Samuel Label, treasurer.
Trustees of the league include Hyman Bloom, Mitchell E. Cohen, Benjamin Friedman, Jacob L. Furer, Isadore H. Hermann, Carl Kisselman, Edward Markowitz, Louis L. Markowitz, Harry Obus, Maurice L. Praissman, Samuel Richelson, Meyer L. Sakin, Julius Rosenberg, Jacob Rosenkrantz and Jack Weinberg.
In addition to former Senator Baird, speakers at the Jewish rally will include Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga, Republican state committeewoman and vice chairman of the county committee; Congressman Charles A. Wolverton, Congressman Benjamin Golder, of Pennsylvania, and State Senator Samuel Salus, of Pennsylvania.
Haines and Reinert Head G.O.P.; Madden To Lead Democrats
Camden Courier-Post —
JOSHUA C. HAINES
Baird and Mrs. Verga Decline Posts During Spirited Committee Session
Joshua C. Haines, Camden county register of deeds, was elected chairman of the Camden County Republican Committee at its reorganization last night in one of the most spirited contests held within the Organization in a decade.
Mrs. Isabella C. Reinert, of Collingswood, nominee for Assembly, was elected vice chairman.
Haines succeeds Walter S. Keown and Mrs. Reinert takes the post held by Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga.
Their election came at 11.30 p. m., after more than three hours of heated argument behind closed doors, and after former U. S. Senator David Baird and Mrs. Verga had declined to accept the offices.
Keown, Hanna Mentioned
Others nominated were Keown and Camden City Commissioner Frank B. Hanna, for chairman, and Mrs. Etta C. Pfrommer, of the Eleventh Ward. Mrs. Pfrommer twice declined.
In previous years reorganization of the county committee had been effected without dispute, and with unanimous action by the members. Last night, however, the discussion waged long and loud.
Though newspapermen were excluded from the meeting, the voices of the debating members coming through the locked doors left no doubt as to the progress of the election.
Other officers were re-elected as follows: Howard B. Dyer, secretary; William D. Sayrs, Jr., treasurer, and Mrs. Lottie B. Stinson, assistant secretary. Mrs. Anna G. Holl, of Collingswood, was elected assistant treasurer to succeed Mrs. Reinert.
Keown opened the meeting and then Baird spoke.
The former Senator presented the recommendation of the Republican executive conference committee that the members elect Haines and Mrs. Reinert in view of the fact that Keown and Mrs. Verga had resisted all requests to continue.
Then Mrs. Margaret Wermuth, of Delaware township, and Carlton M. “Cy” Harris, of the Twelfth Ward, presented a petition signed by virtually all the committee, asking Baird and Mrs. Verga to accept the chairmanship and vice chairmanship.
Baird Declines
Baird then declared that he was unable to take over any additional work.
“I must not be chosen, but must work with and for you, and I ask that you respect my wishes.”
He then proposed that Haines and Mrs. Reinert be chosen unanimously.
Despite his proposal, Mrs. Wermuth moved the election of Baird and Mrs. Verga. The vote was virtually unanimous. Immediately J. C. Remington, Jr., of Haddonfield, moved to adjourn. The chair refused to recognize the motion.
Several members threatened to resign from the committee unless Baird and Mrs. Verga accepted. To this Baird answered:
“I’m still fighting for the party, no matter who quits. If you quit, you’re not worthy to be members.” His remarks were greeted with applause.
In announcing her decision not to accept renomination Mrs. Verga said her duties as state vice chairman, taking her into all the 21 counties, made it impossible for her to continue to devote the time to the county committee which it deserved. She explained that her term as state vice chairman still has two years to run.
Haines Finally Elected
Then Baird announced his resignation from the chairmanship and Mrs. Verga from the vice chairmanship.
Keown was nominated for re-election and Haines and Hanna for election. Baird was renominated by Remington. Keown reiterated his insistence, announced several weeks ago, not to stand for re-election. Baird again declined.
Then Keown moved the election of Haines and Mrs. Reinert. The discussion which followed continued for three hours. Finally the vote was taken at 11.30 and Haines and Mrs. Reinert were declared elected.
Mrs. Reinert, however, declined the office, stating her candidacy for assembly would consume all her time. Then Mrs. Pfrommer was nominated, but she turned it down twice. After much persuasion Mrs. Reinert agreed to accept with the provision that she serve through the summer and that she be permitted to resign later, if she wished.
In a telegram to the committee, Congressman Charles A. Wolverton urged the election of Baird and Mrs. Verga.
The committee elected the following solicitors: Carl Kisselman, Edward R. Deibert, L. Scott Cherchesky, William E. A. King, J. Claud Simon, T. Philips Brown, J. H. Reiners, Jr., Rocco Palese and Morris Praissman.
The conference committee, which suggested Haines and Mrs. Reinert, comprises Baird, Keown, George R. Pelouze, Albert S. Woodruff, Mrs. Verga, Remington, Commissioners Hanna and Clay W. Reesman, Sayrs, William Wimer, Horace G. Githens, J. Wesley Sell and A. C. Middleton.
Members of the Republican County Committee, which organized last night, follow:
Camden City
(*-Indicates New Member)
First Ward—Robert Brennan and Marie Mackintosh.
Second—*William H. Heiser and Mary McCready.
Third—James Corea and *Susie Marchiano.
Fourth—James E. Tatem and *Mary A. Ivins.
Fifth—*Martin A. McNulty and Madeline Salvatore.
Sixth—Howard B. Dyer and Mary S. Hartung.
Seventh—Edward A. Kemble and Mary D. Guthridge.
Eighth—*Edmund A. Walsh and Mamie F. Piraine.
Ninth—Edward Holloway and Deborah Schuck.
Tenth—*Henry I. Haines and Lillian M. Walker.
Eleventh—Horace B. Beideman and Etta C. Pfrommer.
Twelfth—Carlton M. Harris and Mary E. Hamel.
Thirteenth—*Henry Knauer and Louella I. Whaland.
Fourteenth—*Jesse M. Donaghy and Lottie B. Stinson.
Gloucester City
First Ward—Walter H. Craig and E. C. Moffet.
Second—James A. Lewis and *Nellie Keebler.
Third—*James M. Officer and *Margaret P. Powell.
Suburban Districts
Audubon—*Marshall N. Hammon, Jr., and Laura Williams.
Barrington—Harry J. Stone and Margaret Taylor.
Bellmawr—*William C. Stillwill and Katherine Dyer.
Berlin Borough—Leslie M. Ewing and Esther B. Jaggard.
Berlin Township—Frank M. Tyson and Lydia M. Eckstein.
Brooklawn—Morton S. Broomall and C. Mae Marsh.
Chesilhurst—*William Wiegand, Sr., and Mary L. Lyons.
Clementon—J. Palmer Earl and Mabel Rogers.
Collingswood—Edward B. Rogers and Isabella C. Reinert.
Delaware Township—Leonard Hoffman, Sr., and Margaret E. Wermuth.
Gibbsboro—*P. Richard Cummings and *Ethel H. Bone.
Gloucester Township—*William E. Cozens and Mary W. Frazer.
Haddon Township—*Milton E. Hanson and *Eve W. Hannum.
Haddonfield—J. C. Remington, Jr., and Anna G. Holl.
Haddon Heights—Robert E. Bromley and Mary H. Tegge.
Hi-Nella—Samuel D. Mansfield and Elsie H. Castor.
Laurel Springs—Charles V. Osborne and Anna M. Hess.
Lawnside—Horace J. Bryant and Maidie M. Gibson.
Lindenwold—George T. Neely and Irene A. Haney.
Magnolia—*Charles T. Wood and *Lillian Shoemaker.
Merchantville—E. Durell Parker and Ruth K. Yarnall.
Mt. Ephraim—Harvey L. Jacoby and *Theresa Osler.
Oaklyn—John Beasley and *Mae Walker.
Pennsauken Township—*Andrew Stewart and Catherine Brooks.
Pine Hill—*Conrad Schmidt and Mary J. Smith.
Pine Valley—Clinton L. Bardo and Anna E. Howe.
Runnemede—*John S. Adams and *Mrs. John Gaunt.
Somerdale—Edward Arentzen and Louise Brusius.
Stratford—John T. Matthews and L. Mae Titus.
Voorhees Township—*George Ziesch and *Elizabeth Ebert.
Waterford Township—Thomas A. Fanelli and Catherine Zoppel.
Tavistock—Frank B. Middleton, Jr., and no committeewoman.
Winslow Township—Samuel Withers and Kathryn Wuertz.
Woodlynne—Thomas W. Leeson and Edna M. Fritsche.
Palese Peddles Tickets For His Own Testimonial
Camden Courier-Post —
Selling tickets for his own testimonial dinner is a distinction enjoyed by Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese.
The dinner, arranged as a testimonial to “the Polish Ambassador,” proved a surprise to Palese last night when 28 friends, members of the “Srelsihc Club,” let him share the secret in Hotel Walt Whitman.
The dinner, among other reasons, was tendered him because he was the only member of the club to put together a Courier-Post “Hi-Ho” puzzle. For a week prior to the affair he sold tickets to friends, not knowing the affair was in his honor.
With former Judge John B. Kates as toastmaster, wit and repartee passed the festive board, while entertainment was furnished by Bobby Heath and Billy James, famous writers of popular songs.
Those who did honor to Palese are: Judge Kates, Prosecutor Clifford A. Baldwin, Chief of County Detectives Lawrence T. Doran, John R. DiMona, Carl Kisselman, Herbert H. Blizzard, Robert Brest, Charles F. Knapp, Edward V. Martino, William Freeman, William Duby, Louis J. Gale, Edward Gorman, John J. Fitzgerald, City Commissioner Clay W. Reesman, Anthony Maltesta, F. J. Haws, Edward Neuman, Clifford Stratton, Jules Derowski, Bronislaw Derowski, Richard Troncone, T. Harry Rowland, William F. Lehman, William McDonald, Judge Frank F. Neutze and Robert W Saeger.
U.S. Court Awaits Wallace Affidavit
Camden Courier-Post —
When counsel for Charles Edgar “Blondy” Wallace failed in U.S. district court here yesterday to produce an affidavit to the effect that Wallace was in a hospital and unable to respond to the charge of evading income tax payments, the government made protest.
Carl Kisselman, attorney for the one-time University of Pennsylvania football player and coach, declared earlier in the day that Wallace was in a Connecticut hospital undergoing treatment for diabetes. Kisselman was told to produce an affidavit to that effect for the afternoon session of court.
When the affidavit failed to arrive Judge John Boyd Avis postponed the case indefinitely over the protest of Assistant U. S. District Attorney Isadore S. Worth, who said the government had gone to considerable expense to have 50 witnesses ready to testify, asked that the action be continued through the day, pending some word from hospital authorities.
Wallace was one of four men whose cases were before the court yesterday on the same charge, income tax dodging, as a result of seizure of books and effects of the Egg Harbor Brewery and revelations made through the records, according to government investigators. The alleged evasions were in 1929 and 1930.
Worth contended that Wallace already had been given many “breaks” and that action must be had forth with Kisselman admitted that he had no authority to enter a guilty plea for his client, but said that was admittedly what the plea would be.
The others whose names were called to enter pleas to indictment were Edwin N. O’Donnell, 50, president of the Egg Harbor Beverage Company, operators of the now closed Egg Harbor Brewery; James J. Curran, 45, of 436 Liverpool Avenue, Egg Harbor City, and William C. Muller, 49, also of Egg Harbor.
All four were indicted following seizure of the books and records of the Egg Harbor Brewery which disclosed, according to the government, income tax evasions in 1929 and 1930.
O’Donnell, son of former Postmaster James O’Donnell, of Hammonton, was accused of evading payment of $11,258.86 in 1929 and $24,474.66 in 1930.
Represented by former Judge William A, Carr, or Philadelphia, and Charles H. McCarthy, Washington, D. C., attorney, O’Donnell retracted a plea of not guilty to one of guilty.
The change came following a conference between Carr, McCarthy and Worth, who asked that an indictment of perjury be nolle prossed. Bail was continued at $5000 while, at the request of counsel sentence was deferred to a date to be fixed by Worth.
Wallace is accused of evading payment to the government of $4196.72 in 1929 and $1953.52 in 1930.
Curran, indicted with the others, was represented in court by L. Scott Cherchesky. In the morning he entered a plea of not guilty and action was held up pending the arrival of a copy of the indictment from Trenton. Curran is accused of evading payment of $195.63 in 1929 and $785.24 in 1930. Cherchesky entered a guilty plea for his client in the afternoon and sentence was continued pending application to the government for a compromise payment. Curran’s bail was continued at $3000.
Muller’s action, through his attorney, Mark F. Casselman, was similar. He entered a not guilty plea in the morning, pending arrival of a copy of the indictment. Muller was accused of evading payments of $1204.04 in 1929 and $135.89 in 1930, as allegedly revealed in the brewery records. Muller entered a guilty plea in the afternoon, and his bail, $2000, was continued with sentence pending settlement.
‘Blondy’ Wallace to Appear in Court
Camden Courier-Post —
Charles Edgar “Blondy” Wallace, one-time University of Pennsylvania football player and coach, will appear before Federal District Judge John Boyd Avis here tomorrow to answer charges of evasion of the federal income tax.
This was announced yesterday by Assistant U. S. Attorney Isidor S. Worth, of Riverside, following receipt of word to that effect from Carl Kisselman, counsel for Wallace.
Wallace was to have appeared for trial on Monday but when his name was called his attorney said he was confined to a Connecticut sanitarium where he is being treated for diabetes. He promised to produce an affidavit to that effect but instead told Worth that the defendant would come into court Friday.
“Seizure of the records of the Egg Harbor Brewery led to the indictment of Wallace and four others for failure to pay income taxes on their profits amassed from the brewery business in 1929 and 1930.
8 in Camden Pass State Bar Tests
Camden Courier-Post —
Nine Camden law students and 14 others from South Jersey cities passed the April state bar examinations and may practice as attorneys in New Jersey.
That was announced at Trenton yesterday by Rue Brearley, secretary of the State Bar Examiners. Brearley stated that in the entire state, 206 students passed the tests. The counselor-at-law results were not announced.
Those in Camden were:
Howard G. Kulp, Jr., studying at the law offices of Carr and Carroll.
Norman Heine, law office of his brother, Aaron Heine.
Louis L. Goldman, firm of Orlando and Kisselman.
Franklin L. Deibert, offices of his brother, Edward R. Deibert.
Joseph Lipkin, offices of Judge Frank F. Neutze.
Stanley L. Bennett, law offices of his brother, City Commissioner Harold W. Bennett.
John F. Ruck, law offices of Walter S. Keown.
James D. Stockwell, law firm of Bleakly, Stockwell and Burling, of which his father, Henry F. Stockwell, is a member.
Bartholomew A. Sheehan, law offices of Walter S. Keown.
Among the other South Jersey students who were successful was Harold B. Wells, Jr., son of Judge Harold B. Wells, of Bordentown. The others are: Fred A. Gravino, John B. Wick and Frank Sahl, all of Woodbury; I. Harry Levin and W. Howard Sharp, of Vineland; Wheeler Grey, William B. Brooks and Morgan E. Thomas, of Atlantic City; Thomas H. Munyan and John E. Boswell of Ocean City; Francis Tanner, Toms River; James Edward McGlincy, Bridgeport, and Charles J. Berkowitz, Lakewood.
Richards Opens Camden Quarters
Camden Courier-Post —
Jack Weinberg in Charge of Senator’s Campaign for Governor Here
Camden campaign headquarters for State Senator Emerson L. Richards, one of the four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for governor, was opened yesterday in the Hotel Walt Whitman building on the Broadway side.
At the same time, Jack Weinberg, who is supervising the campaign of Senator Richards in Camden, announced a committee of 50 business and professional men of Camden county who will aid him. Weinberg stated a similar committee of women will be announced later this week.
A speakers’ committee is being formed by Edward Martino, Camden attorney, and will meet at headquarters Friday morning. Distribution of Richards campaign material has been started and speakers will begin a tour of the city and county this weekend.
Weinberg has been an active figure in Republican politics in this city for many years. In 1927, he took a prominent part in settling factional differences that existed between State Senator Albert S. Woodruff, former U. S. Senator David Baird, Jr., and Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga. Weinberg was in charge of the Republican headquarters in that campaign which resulted in the election of the Price-Smith-Sayrs-Reesman-Rhone ticket. He has been an adherent of the Republican organization all his life.
It was because of his personal friendship with Senator Richards that Weinberg agreed to supervise his campaign here. It was at Weinberg’s request that Senator Richards introduced the Sunday sports and amusements bill in the 1933 legislature.
Richards will make two or three speeches in Camden county next week. Noon-day meetings also will be held in the headquarters every day beginning Monday, according to Weinberg.
Weinberg announced the personnel of the general committee as follows: Former Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese, Jack Reiners, L. Scott Cherchesky, Carl Kisselman, Barney Brown, Benjamin Asbell, Eugene Verga, Jay Remington, William D. Sayrs, Jr., Neil Deighan, former Police Captain Charles T. Humes, Meyer Adelman, James Roberts, Neil Zeidman, Dr. Marvin Segal, Byron Edwards, Ellis Goodman, Edward Callow, Morris Bloom, Milton D. Sweiger, Horace Acco, Abe Lippman, William Mead, Ellis Kircher, George B. Ulizio, R. L. Brest, Henry Jones, Samuel Lippman, John McCarroll, Anthony Balatesta, William Kelly, E. L. Kappel, William Felt, James McCarroll, Herman Greenberg, John Sappio, Benjamin Hardy, Joseph Fuhrman, Harry Chew, George Maggee, John Frost, George Smith, John Weber, Frank Evans, R. Radcliff, John Plum and William Udell.
Klostermans Identified as Numbers Kings by 5 Witnesses
Camden Courier-Post —
Storekeeper Says His Place Was Used as ‘Drop’ for Gaming Slips
5 CONVICTS RECALLED FROM STATE PRISON
Five witnesses in Criminal Court yesterday placed their fingers on the Klosterman brothers, Joseph and Fred, as Camden numbers “barons,” as they went on trial on 12 counts charging them with operating a lottery.
Each of the witnesses admitted under direct examination by Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando they had been in the employ of the Klostermans at two of the three establishments they are alleged to have maintained.
John Frenia, 57, proprietor of a delicatessen store at 1413 Mt. Ephraim avenue, testified he worked for the Klostermans at the Young Republicans Seventh Ward Club, 1411 Mt. Ephraim avenue. He said the Klostermans used the club as a headquarters for their numbers bank. He further admitted his store was used as a numbers “drop” for the Klostermans and that packages of numbers were left at his store daily by “pick up” men and called for by either Fred or Joseph Klosterman. His wife, Pauline, corroborated his testimony.
Chester Topolski, 25, of 1230 Dayton street, testified he was employed as a janitor at the club and received money from the bank operators to be turned over to “pick up” to pay off winners.
Tells of Numbers Party
Another witness, Albert Magee, 45, colored, of Davistown near Westmont, told of a party which Fred Klosterman “threw for his ‘numbers’ writers at a Black Horse pike roadhouse. It was strictly a formal affair, Magee testified, and he was introduced to Fred Klosterman as “one of his numbers writers.”
John Szalanski, 30, of 1188 Chestnut street, another witness testified he was employed by the Klostermans as a “pickup” man in the number business for three years. He worked for them until a few days after they were acquitted January 17 last in Criminal Court here of 30 joint “numbers” indictments.
The court adjourned at 4.03 p. m. until 10 a. m. today after Mrs. Frenia finished her testimony.
Seated in the court room near the exit to the county jail were five numbers writers, who suddenly lost their memory at the first trial of the Klostermans in January and were resentenced to serve from two to three years in state prison. They were Crawford Smith, 53, of 702 Carman street; Thomas Kirk, of 935 Carpenter street; Walter Hart, 28, of 1245 Thurman street; Andrew Pointkowski, 1475 South Ninth street, and Arthur Woodridge, 40, of 7910 Park avenue, Pennsauken. They were returned from Trenton for the trial and probably will be called by the state this morning.
It was indicated last night by the prosecutor that these men are willing to talk.
Szalanski further testified he saw both Klosterman brothers in the Young Men’s Seventh Ward Republican Club and at a taproom called the Chez La Joy, 1050 Mechanic street. The state charges the taproom and another establishment at 1051 Mechanic street were used by the Klostermans as headquarters for their illegal “numbers” racket.
Passed Bags of Slips
Frenia asserted that both Fred and Joseph Klosterman came into his store with bags containing “numbers” slips.
“I would pass them over to Leon Dabrowski, who worked in the Republican Club or to a man called “Sparrow” or another known to me only as ‘Peaches’,” Frenia testified.
Frenia told Prosecutor Orlando under direct examination that he could look from his second floor window directly into the second floor room of the Republican Club which is spearated [sic] by a five-foot alley:
“I could see men working over adding machines computing the daily play of the ‘numbers’ game,” Frenia testified.
“One one [sic] occasion the adding machines were passed from the Republican Club across the alley into my second story room.”
The witness said he was formerly employed by the Klostermans in their saloon business.
He further declared he received “numbers” slips from the Klostermans before and after their first trial in Criminal Court which resulted in acquittal because of lack of evidence produced by the state.
Szalanski further declared that he saw both Klosterman brothers in the Young Men’s Seventh Ward Republican Club at 1411 Mt. Ephraim avenue and at a taproom called the Chez LaJoy at 1050 Mechanic street, which the state alleges were two of the three headquarters of the “numbers” bank operated by the Klostermans.
Tells of ‘Counting Room’
“I saw both Fred and Joe Klosterman at the Republican Club last Summer in rooms on the second floor in which there were five adding machines for computing the daily ‘numbers’ play,” testified Szalanski.
“On one occasion when one of the ‘numbers’ slips which I picked up, hit the daily number, Fred Klosterman paid me $500 to distribute to the writers who then gave it to the winners.”
The Klostermans, represented by Carl Kisselman, are on trial on 12 joint indictments charging the operation of a “numbers” lottery. The true bills allege the brothers “unlawfully did keep a place with the intent that persons might resort thereto for the purpose of gambling at so-called game of numbers.”
The indictments further charged the political club was used for unlawful lottery purposes between September 22, 1934, and January 31, 1935; that the taproom, Chez LaJoy and a dwelling at 1051 Mechanic street was so used between March 1, 1933, and July 31, 1934.
Szalanski, the first witness to definitely hook up the Klostermans with the “numbers” racket in Camden, said that he was employed by the brothers after a conference in a saloon at Mechanic and Liberty streets.
“I told the Klostermans I had no car and they advanced me $100 to buy an automobile,” said the witness.
When the witness said he continued to work for the Klostermans as a “pickup man” during and after the first trial, which resulted in the court directing a verdict of acquittal because of lack of evidence, Judge Neutze questioned him:
“Do you mean to say that you turned money over to the Klostermans at the Republican Club after their last trial?”
“Yes,” the witness replied.
Denies Intimidation
Szalanski admitted he was arrested two weeks ago in Philadelphia on “numbers” charges and is at liberty under bail.
Cross-examination of the witness by Kisselman failed to move Szalanski.
“Didn’t the prosecutor’s office try to intimidate you into testifying here?” asked Kisselman. “Didn’t they tell you what happened to other ‘numbers’ witnesses when the prosecutor’s office deemed their testimony was not satisfactory?”
The witness denied he had been intimidated or threatened into testifying.
“I know what is going on—I read the newspapers,” he asserted.
Szalanski corroborated statements of Topolski, as to the identity of persons seen about the club.
Szalanski was recalled to the stand when court reconvened after the noon recess. He testified he worked
Again on Trial
JOSEPH KLOSTERMAN
FRED KLOSTERMAN
Brothers, who were identified yesterday by former employes of Camden numbers operators.
as an “extra” at the Seventh Ward Republican Club for $1 a day.
“Who gave you to understand that you were to take $1 from the money you received in the numbers business?” Orlando asked.
After giving several evasive answers, Szalanski finally admitted that Fred Klosterman had told him he was entitled to $1 a day for his labor.
Puts Finger on “Joe”
Magee was the third witness called at the afternoon session.
Q. What is your business? A. I am a “numbers writer.”
Q. How long were you in the business. A. Three years.
Q. What district did you cover? A. I covered Blenheim, Hilltop and surrounding territory.
Q. How much did you take in a day from your collections last year? A. Oh, about $20 a day.
Q. To whom did you turn over this money? A. I turned it over to a man named George Smith.
Q. What percentage of the proceeds were you paid? A. I got 25 percent.
Q. In December, 1934, you had some differences with the pickup man over your total sheet and a shortage? What did you do about this? A. I went to a saloon on Mt. Ephraim avenue in Camden and asked for the Klosterman brothers.
Q. Did you see either of the Klosterman brothers and if so, which one?
At this point, Prosecutor Orlando asked the witness to point to either one of the two brothers and asked them both to stand up which they did.
“That’s the one there—in the blue suit,” said the witness pointing to Joe Klosterman.
Q. Did you ever meet Fred—the man besides him—his brother? A. Yes, I met him on the Black Horse pike in the Summer of 1934.
Party for Writers
Q. What was the occasion of that meeting? A. Well, it was at Charley Lutz’s place—that’s a roadhouse.
Q. What were you doing there? A. Well, it was a party to the “numbers” writers and we were all there for a good time.
Q. Well how did you happen to meet Fred Klosterman? A. Well, somebody took me up and introduced me to him and said I was one of the boys—one of his “numbers” writers.
Q. And then what happened? A. Well, Fred shook hands with me, turned around at the bar and ordered beer for the house.
At this juncture the witness was examined by the prosecutor as to his reasons for going to the Mt. Ephraim avenue saloon and he repeated his testimony that it was because of a shortage in his “numbers” slips account.
“Joe Klosterman treated me very nice and he said he would fix the thing up for me and I wouldn’t have any more trouble with my total sheets,” Magee said.
“After I saw him I didn’t have any more trouble,” the witness added.
Through a Polish interpreter, Frenia testified under direct examination that he had worked for Fred Klosterman in the latter’s saloon on Mt. Ephraim avenue in December, 1933. He also testified that previously Joe Klosterman employed him in another saloon at Green and Mechanic streets.
“What would you do with the numbers slips when you received them in your store and from whom did you receive them?” Orlando asked.
“Sometimes I received slips from Leon Dabrowski and from Fred Klosterman and his brother Joe only once or twice.”
Orlando then directed five or six men to stand up in the courtroom. He asked Frenia to point out any of those standing among the men who delivered slips at his store. Among those identified by the witness were Walter Hart, Kirk, Piontkowski and Szalanski, who had previously testified.
Saw Counting in Club
Q. How near was the rear of your store to the Seventh Ward Republican club? A. It was only about five feet across an alley.
Q. Could you see into the club from the second floor of your store? A. Yes. I could see into the second story window of the club.
Q. Did you ever look across there, and if so, what did you see? A. I saw Leon Dabrowski, “Sparrow” and “Peaches” counting out slips on adding machines.
Q. Were those machines ever moved across to your house? A. Yes.
Q. How were they moved across this alley to you? A. They were just lifted across and I took them in with my hand. It was only about five feet distance.
Q. Had you previously discussed moving these machines with either of the Klosterman brothers? If so, what was the reason? A. Sometime in November of 1934 I talked it over with Fred Klosterman and the only thing he told me was that the machines were needed.
Q. When these men brought “numbers” slips to your store how did you receive them? A. Sometimes I received them in paper bags and sometimes I received them on paper. Fred Klosterman told me it was O.K. to turn over the slips to Leon Dabrowski. I also received slips from Fred Kolsterman [sic] and Joe Klosterman once to my place.
Q. Did you receive slips at your store before and after the last trial of the Klosterman brothers on January 17? Answer yes or no. A. Yes.
Frenia, in answer to a direct question of the prosecutor as to when was the last time he had an adding machine in his store or home, said it was three days before he was arrested on “numbers” charges.
He also testified he received $10 a week for about four months for “receiving numbers” in his delicatessen store. He said he was told by Fred Klosterman he would get that amount each week and that the money was paid to him each week by Dabrowski.
Gives Confused Testimony
The last $10 he received, Frenia testified, was paid to him in January of this year. For this money, Frenia asserted, he was to “take the slips and help around the club.”
He said that on the second floor of the Republican club, were tables and chairs and the money they brought in, but there were no adding machines there. In earlier testimony, Frenia testified he had adding machines in his home which had been passed over a second-story window from the clubhouse.
Under cross-examination by Kisselman, Frenia gave confusing and contradictory testimony as to whether or not Joe Klosterman had received or taken any of the “numbers” slips from his store. Finally, he declared Joe Klosterman did take “numbers” slips from the store on one occasion.
Frenia denied that any county detectives sought to intimidate him in telling his story as Kisselman charged, by reminding him that other witnesses who told stories not satisfactory to the prosecutor’s office, were sentenced to prison terms of two to three years.
Knew of Punishments
Frenia said he knew that phase himself as he had read it in the newspapers. Prosecutor Orlando objected to Kisselman’s questioning along these lines, asserting it was unfair to infer that “something would happen to witnesses because of anything displeasing that they may say and the prosecutor might not agree with.”
“We are not responsible,” Orlando said, “for the condition of witnesses’ minds brought about by something over which we have no control.”
Kisselman was permitted by the court to ask the question, explaining that “whatever it is Mr. Kisselman is seeking to bring out, the jury would get later.”
“Do you know why these other witnesses got 2 to 3 years?” Kisselman asked.
“Yes, I know that because it was in the paper and because they were working in the ‘numbers’ business,” said the witness. “They got more than three months because they did not tell the truth.”
Mrs. Frenia, called as a state witness, testified both Fred and Joseph Klosterman came to their store for “numbers” slips.
She testified she gave the slips to Fred Klosterman five or ten times and that she gave the slips to Joseph Klosterman about five times before Christmas, 1934.
Asked to name who brought the slips to their store, the witness said Walter Hart, Arthur Woodridge, “Sparrow” and another man whose name she did not know.
Gave Klosterman Slips
She disclosed that Dabrowski would come into the store to collect the slips. “They started to bring the slips into the store around Christmas time and they stopped in January a couple of days before my husband was arrested,” the woman testified.
The witness said the slips were sometimes in a bag and on other occasions wrapped in a rubber band. She testified to delivering some of the slips to Fred Klosterman not wrapped up in a bag.
“Between five and seven people would bring the ‘numbers’ slips to the store,” Mrs. Frenia said.
Under questioning the woman said she was in the store when the adding machines were transferred from the club next door to her house. She asserted the men who brought the machines from the club to their house were Dabrowski and “Sparrow.”
Mrs. Frenia further testified that she could see from her second floor of the house, men adding numbers on the second floor of the clubhouse next door. She also said she saw both Fred and Joseph Klosterman on the second floor of the club but did not remember whether she saw them there when they were adding numbers.
“I saw Leon Dabrowski and “Sparrow” in the clubhouse adding numbers,” she testified.
Testifies of Slips
Relating how she first came to pick up the “numbers” packages left in her store, she explained that Fred Klosterman told her that “if anyone brought a package there to take it.” That was about a month or two before Christmas, 1934, the woman declared.
Asked if she had a similar conversation with Joseph Klosterman, she said she did not.
She testified the last time Fred Klosterman was in the store to pick-up “numbers” slips was in December before Christmas. Joseph Klosterman was in the store also before Christmas which was the last time she saw him, Mrs. Frenia testified.
Under cross examination, Mrs. Frenia said she never played the “numbers” or banked or sold “numbers” slips. She testified her husband was not in the store when Joseph Klosterman came in and she knew the packages contained “numbers” slips because she saw them.
Asked how she would know they were “numbers” slips if she did not play them, the woman said “they asked for them.”
Mrs. Frenia was asked if she did not know it was against the law to take the “numbers” slips. She said “Yes, I did, but I took them because my husband worked for them at the club.”
“How often did you see what was going on in the second floor of the clubhouse from your home?”
“About twice a week—only when I looked over there.”
Exposes Brothers
Testimony of John Szalanski:
Q. Did you ever turn over numbers to Fred and Joe Klosterman at the Young Men’s Seventh Ward Republican Club? A. Yes.
Q. What were you in the business? A. I was a pickup man for about three years.
Q. When did you first start in the numbers business with Klosterman? A. I can’t tell exactly. I would say about three years ago.
The witness then identified each defendant from the witness stand.
Q. Before you started with them, with whom did you do business? A. With Griffith, of Haddon Heights or Haddonfield.
Q. Why did you go to Klosterman? A. I went with them because I made no money out of Griffith.
Q. Whom did you first see at the Klostermans? A. I saw Fred. I had no car, and they gave me $100 to get one. I talked it over with Fred. They gave me a $100 check at the saloon on Liberty street where I saw both Fred and Joe and I bought with it a Chrysler coupe.
Dealt With ‘Fred’
Q. With whom did you do your business? A. With Fred. I handed him the slips. I would turn the slips over to Fred at Mechanic and Green streets. That was before they moved to the Young Men’s Seventh Ward Republican Club.
Q. Did you turn the slips over to Fred or to Joe at the club? A. To either of them.
Q. To either or both? A. Yes. If I was late I would turn them over sometimes to Leon Dabrowski or to someone else in the office. That would be about once a month, or sometimes once or twice a week. I would turn them over at the club better than a year.
Q. Would you ever turn them over at Fred’s home? A. Yes.
Q. How long have you known Leon? A. About six years. He is supposed to be a brother-in-law of Fred.
Q. What was your daily average in the money you delivered from pickups? A. About $100 a day. I would get 5 percent. I would turn the money over to Leon, and I have turned it over to Fred already a few times at the Young Men’s Seventh Ward Republican Club.
Trial Failed to Halt Them
Q. You turned money like that right after the trial this year? Before the witness could answer, Judge Neutze interrupted to ask: “Do you mean to say that you turned money over to them right after the trial?” The witness answered, “Yes.”
Prosecutor Orlando then asked the witness whether he could identify Frenia or Mrs. Frenia. He identified both as the ones who conducted a delicatessen store next to the club. He testified that he would turn the slips in to John Frenia every day for a few months up to last Christmas.
Q. Why did you turn them in at Frenia’s place instead of at the Seventh Ward club? A. Fred or Leon told me to turn them in there instead of at the club.
Q. Where did you turn in the money? A. I turned it in to the club, upstairs on the second floor.
Asked by the prosecutor to describe the second floor, the witness said it contained rooms much like the second floor of a home, and in one of the rooms was a table at which Leon sat. There were four or five adding machines, and numbers slips in the room.
Q. Did you ever see Joe and Fred Klosterman on the second floor? A. Yes, about once a week.
Q. When do you recall seeing Joe there, in particular? A. There was once last Summer in the afternoon, between 2 and 5.
Q. Who else was there? A. There was Leon Dabrowski, Andrew Piontkowski, who were adding up slips; myself and Fred or Joe, whoever came in.
Tells of Getting Money
Q. On the hits, who would deliver the money? A. I delivered the money.
Q. From whom would you receive the money? A. Sometimes from Fred, if there was a big hit and the people won a lot of money. If it was not such a big hit, I would receive the money from Leon.
Q. Did any of the players make large hits? A. Yes. Fifty cents and a dollar. That means if they hit a dollar it would mean $500, and Freddy or Leon would give me that money.
At this point, the voice of the witness was almost inaudible, and the prosecutor requested him to speak out loudly and clearly. Orlando next asked the witness whether he had any difficulty before he quit the Klostermans. He answered that he had, because he had borrowed $50, and Fred had told him that if he made any other loans, he was to know about it. Fred also told him, he said, to be a “good boy” while he was away.
In the back room of the Chez La Joy, he said, he received the full amount of a big hit. At the time there was there with him, Fred Klosterman, Leon and a man called “Flori.”
“At this time,” the witness said, “Fred ordered Leon to give me the full amount.”
Gave Brothers Slips
Q. To whom did you give the money? A. I gave it to a fellow I knew as ‘Bill’ on the East Side.
Q. Did you give him all of the money? A. No.
Q. Did you take any of it out for yourself, for commission? A. No.
Q. How much did you give him? A. I gave him between $400 and $500. He was the writer.
Q. Did you ever deliver slips to Fred or Joe Klosterman at the Chez La Joy? A. Yes, whoever was around.
Q. When, in particular? A. Well, on one occasion last summer I handed them to Joe, and at other times, I also handed them to Fred in the summer. I would say about a half dozen times in the past year.
The witness testified he delivered slips to Leon at the Chez La Joy but that he never delivered slips to Mrs. Frenia, but he did to her husband for about two months. He said he gave the slips to Frenia in a paper bag. He also testified that he knows a man by the name of “Peaches,” and that he saw him at the Republican club, turning in numbers.
He also turned in slips to Andrew Pointkowski, he said.
Orlando Overruled
“I also saw Walter Hart turning in numbers at the club and the store, as did Tom Kirk,” the witness testified.
That ended the direct examination. On cross-examination by Kisselman, the witness said that he first told the prosecutor what he knew about a month ago.
Q. Did the prosecutor come after you? A. Yes. They called me on the phone and told me to come to the prosecutor’s office.
Q. Are you charged with anything here in connection with this case? A. No.
Q. Did they tell you there were witnesses in jail; that these other fellows were in jail? A. I knew it.
Q. Did Mr. Doran, chief of detectives, tell you that because the previous testimony of these witnesses was unsuitable, their sentences were increased? Prosecutor Orlando objected; to which Kisselman replied:
“It seems that we have a right to show intimidation.”
“I can’t see the relevancy of such testimony,” replied Orlando.
Judge Neutze allowed the question and the witness answered:
“I knew it because I read it in the newspapers.”
Asked why he appeared as a witness, whether because he was a public-spirited citizen and wanted to tell the truth, he said that was the reason. He admitted later under cross-examination, that he was arrested in Philadelphia because he was in the numbers business.
Parries Cross-Jabs
Q. You come here and profess to be a public-spirited citizen, yet you were arrested after what you told the prosecutor in connection with the case? A. Yes.
Q. When did you last see Fred in connection with the numbers business? A. On a Saturday after the trial. (The date of the trial was January 17, 1935.)
Q. Did you know that Fred was in the hospital? And did you do the numbers business with him when he was in the hospital? As a matter of fact, didn’t Fred go away the day after the trial? A. He went away on a Saturday, and I did business in the meanwhile with Leon. I would see Joe around.
Q. Did you see him every day before the trial? A. Yes, I would say about every day.
Q. Do you remember seeing him after the trial? A. I don’t remember seeing him after the trial.
Luncheon recess was declared. The court warned the jury not to discuss the case with anyone on the outside.
Tells of Transfer
Topolski, who testified he was employed as a janitor at the clubhouse by Fred Klosterman but paid by a man named Leon Dabrowski, said he often saw Dabrowski, Charlie Smith, Walter Hart, Andrew Piontkowski, Crawford Smith, “Gassy” and “Peaches” about the place.
Topolski said he also was employed as “pickup man” in the “numbers” business and that he took the slips and money to the delicatessen store of John Frenia next door to the Republican club. Dabrowski, according to the witness would then gather the slips and receive the money personally from Topolski.
Jury Quickly Chosen
It required only 45 minutes to select the jury to try the Klostermans. The state used seven challenges and the defense ten.
The courtroom which was slow to fill up at the opening of the trial, was crowded by the time the jury had been selected and the prosecutor made his opening.
Topolski, who said he was a leather worker before engaging in the “numbers” business, was the first witness called by the state.
“I was a pick-up man in the numbers game,” Topolski replied in answer to a question by Prosecutor Orlando. “I used to meet a fellow on the corner known as Charles Stewart. He gave me number slips and books which I took to the delicatessen store of John Frenia.
“Do you know Fred and Joseph Klosterman, the defendants on trial here?” the prosecutor asked.
“Yes I met them several times. I saw Fred Klosterman come into the club several times but I never saw Joe there.
The witness identified the two Klostermans seated at the defense counsel table. Questioned by Prosecutor Orlando as to whether he did any “numbers” business with either defendant, Topolski said, “I never did any business with either of them.”
“No, I Didn’t”
“Did you ever deliver any ‘numbers’ books or ‘numbers’ slips to a tap room called the Chez LaJoy at 1050 Mechanic street?” he was asked.
“No. I didn’t.”
That address as well as the Republican club are alleged by the state to have used together with a house at 1051 Mechanic street, as headquarters for the operations of the “numbers” business of the Klosterman brothers.
Names Three Men
“Did you ever deliver any “numbers” books to 1051 Mechanic street?”
“No, I did not,” answered the witness.
In connection with seeing the Klostermans, the witness said it was in the Republican Club that he met them, where both were members.
Questioned concerning his activities in the “numbers” business, Topolski said he started working as a “pickup” man sometime in June or July, 1934, and continued up to about three weeks before Christmas.
“How much business would you do?” he was asked.
“I would pick up anywhere from $40 to $50 daily. I would pick up from three different men.”
“Who were they?”
“Joe Miller, Charles Smith and John Jankowski.”
Questioned further, Topolski said he made arrangements to leave the slips at Frenia’s store for Leon Dabrowski, who he identified as “the guy who got me the job.” He testified he met Dabrowski in Chez LaJoy in June of last year.
‘Sort of Grab Bag’
“I would just hand Frenia the bag which had the slips in. I don’t think he knew what was in the bag,” Topolski testified.
“Sort of a prize bag, eh,” broke in Judge Neutze and the courtroom tittered in laughter.
Hired by Klosterman
“Who did you give the money to which you collected?” Prosecutor Orlando asked.
“To Leon Dabrowski.”
“Did you ever see Fred or Joe Klosterman at Frenia’s store?”
“No.”
The witness then said he did see them at the Republican Club where he had been engaged last July as a janitor to clean up the place.
“Fred Klosterman hired me but Leon Dabrowski paid me,” Topolski said. “The first couple of weeks I was paid $3 a week but then they raised me to $6 a week.”
Under grilling he said he did not think it was strange that Fred Klosterman gave him the job and Dabrowski paid him.
“Did you ever see any adding machines on the second floor of the club?” Prosecutor Orlando asked.
“No,” was the answer.
The witness then testified he cleaned up newspapers, slips of papers and long pieces of tape paper which were blank. He further testified he would see Dabrowski at the club in the evenings and also about when he was cleaning up.
Got 5 Percent Fee
Topolski said he was to receive 5 percent of the $40 or $50 of “numbers” playing which he collected daily. He said he deducted it from the money he turned in. Asked by Prosecutor Orlando to tell who appeared around the club when he was there, the witness said:
“Well there was “Gassy,” Charlie Smith, “Peaches,” Walter Hart, Andrew Piontkowski, Crawford Smith . . . and I also saw Fred Klosterman walk in and out but he never stayed long.”
Frenia was called to the front of the courtroom by the prosecutor and Topolski identified him as the man with whom he left the bag of “numbers” slips daily. The prosecutor then called Frenia’s wife and Topolski identified her but said he never left any “numbers” slips with her.
“Did any of the slips which you picked up ever hit?” the prosecutor asked.
“Yes, there were several hits,” said the witness. “On one hit I received $15 which I gave to the “numbers” writers to distribute to the winners. They went mostly to Charles Stewart.”
New Dealers Prepare To Shift Key Officials
Camden Courier-Post —
General Housecleaning Predicted After Secret Parley of ‘Big Four’; Leaders Reported Not in Full Accord on Patronage
Editorial: “Upholding Faith of the People Is Keeping Faith in the Courts” appears on page six.
A general housecleaning of key city officials was predicted yesterday afternoon following a secret conference of the “Big Four” at Hotel Walt Whitman.
Attending the session were State Senator Albert S. Woodruff and Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga, Republicans, and Harry L. Maloney and Mrs. Emma E. Hyland, Democrats.
Rumors that the charges were to be made today could not be verified last night. Commissioner George E. Brunner said no meeting of the City Commission had been called for today. A meeting could be called if requested by Brunner, Mrs. Mary W. Kobus and Frank J. Hartmann, Jr., New Deal commissioners.
After the conference silence was maintained by the “Big Four.” They declined to discuss what happened.
Other reports filtering from the conference room were that a few surprises await the political public in new appointments to be made at city hall, surprises which will be contrary to the gossip on appointments circulated the last few weeks.
The leaders were together for two hours or more, but they were reported not in entire agreement about the patronage setup when their conference concluded.
Indications were that, with perhaps but one or two changes, the rumored lineup of appointees of the New Deal, as forecast in recent reports, will hold when the appointments are made by the city commission.
Favored for Jobs
Under the arrangements which has [sic] been conjectured by New Deal observers the last few days, the leaders are said to have agreed on these appointments:
For police judge—Firmin Michel, Democrat.
For city solicitor—Carl Kisselman, Republican.
For city prosecutor—Mitchell H. Cohen, Republican.
For assistant city solicitors—Edward V. Martino, Republican, and John Crean, Democrat.
For city clerk—Clay W. Reesman, Republican, former city commissioner, and for assistant city clerk, former Commissioner William D. Sayrs, Jr., Republican.
For director of charities—Pauline Caperoon.
For purchasing agent—Abe Fuhrman, Democrat. In the event Commissioner Harold W. Bennett resigns, as rumored, Fuhrman would be named by the New Deal commissioners to fill that vacancy.
The three New Deal commissioners who are to vote the appointments are Brunner, Mrs. Kobus and Hartmann.
Kobus Assumes Duties
Mrs. Kobus yesterday took over the directorship of public safety after a 15-minute conference with Mayor Frederick von Nieda.
“We spoke of routine matters in the department,” she said. “I wanted to know his ideas that he had started working on so I could continue them.”
Asked whether she intended to confer with police heads soon, Mrs. Kobus answered in the negative.
“I talked to them before the injunction proceedings were started,” she said, referring to von Nieda’s action which restrained her from taking over the duties of the department for several weeks.
“I hope for the co-operation of all members of the police and fire departments,” the city’s first elected woman commissioner added.
In addition to the police and firemen, Mrs. Kobus now has charge of the electrical bureau, bureau of charities, police court, traffic court, municipal motors, transportation department and city clerk.
The appointments may be expedited as a result of the ruling by Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd Tuesday that the board of commissioners has specific legislative authority to allot the municipal departments as it sees fit. The decision validated the action of the city commission assigning Commissioner Kobus as director of public safety in charge of the police and fire departments, and included the ruling that von Nieda cannot be removed as mayor.
When asked whether the commission could remove present holders of key jobs and make new appointments Justice Lloyd said that it is a question he may have to pass on later. In view of his decision, however, pointing out that the commission has special legislative authority to transfer the directorships among the city commissioners, it is believed by observers that he also will permit ousters and reappointments in the key municipal jobs.
3 G.O.P. Rulers in Secret Session
Camden Courier-Post —
Hint Legal Bars Placed Around Jobs During Parley
NEW DEALERS NOT NOTIFIED
A special meeting held in secret session by the three Republican members of the Camden City Commission late yesterday, occasioned wide speculative rumors in political circles last night.
Reports persisted resolutions were passed placing legal barriers about jobs to prevent dismissals by the New Deal Non-Partisan group which takes control of the city today, with seating of Frank J. Hartmann, Jr.
Mayor Tells of Meeting
Reached at his home shortly after 1 a. m. today, Mayor von Nieda admitted the meeting was held to “correct some resolutions.”
“What were the resolutions about, Mayor?” he was asked.
“Why, I don’t know as I should say anything about them right now. You probably will get it all later,” the Mayor answered.
“Did the resolutions have anything to do with adding safeguards to the jobs of any present city employees?” he was asked.
“Yes, they did,” the Mayor replied.
“How many resolutions were there?”
“Oh, I don’t know, three or four, I should say.”
“How many employes are effected [sic]?” he was asked.
“Oh, I don’t know, three or four, maybe.”
“Who called the special meeting of the city commission?” he was asked.
“Why, I am not sure. But I think it was City Solicitor Bleakly who called it. He said the resolutions should be attended to.”
Asked why Commissioners George E. Brunner and Mrs. Mary Kobus were not notified of the meeting, the Mayor said: “So far as I know, they were not notified the meeting was to be held. It is possible, though, they were not notified.”
Another rumor held measures were passed placing various posts under civil service commission rules, while a third rumor, from more authentic sources, alleged several amendments were made to resolutions passed at meetings, of the commission, previous to the naming of Meyer L. Sakin and John R. DiMona as assistant city solicitors.
This rumor occasioned speculation that the measures appointing the two lawyers, as originally passed, were defective in original form and probably would not bear out Republican contentions the New Deal commissioners cannot remove the men from the three year appointments.
Report Finances Discussed
Other rumors indicated the measures concerned city finances.
The commissioners attending the meeting, it was said, were Mayor von Nieda, Harold W. Bennett and Leonard, with City Solicitor E. G. C. Bleakly, Sakin, DiMona and City Clerk Otto E. Braun in attendance.
Leonard said “nothing special” occurred, and he would “talk about it in the morning.” Commissioners George N. Brunner and Mary W. Kobus declared they were not notified.
The session, it was said, was not held in the commission chambers, but in an adjoining room on the second floor, and lasted half an hour, between 5 p. m. and 5:30 p. m. Other reports were the session lasted to 7 p. m.
Braun, reached by telephone, admitted a special meeting had been held but refused to give any further information.
Plums Discussed
Meanwhile, rumor and speculation continued on how the jobs will be divided among New Deal Republicans and Democrats today. The city clerk and city solicitorship posts will go to Republicans, and the city police judgeship and city purchasing agent jobs will be awarded to Democrats.
This was reported as the tentative agreement reached last night between the leaders of both wings in the New Deal forces.
Former City Commissioner Clay W. Reesman, defeated on the New Deal ticket, and Howard B. Dyer, former deputy city clerk, are mentioned as possibilities for city clerk. Reports also mention the name of William D. Sayrs, former commissioner, and until Tuesday an executive in the real estate division of the state highway department. He resigned the office, which paid a $5000 per year salary.
Carl Kisselman and former Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese are mentioned as the chief contenders for the solicitorship, with two Democrats to be appointed as assistants. Among these candidates are Thomas M. Madden, E. George Aaron, John Crean, Jr., Milton Nurock, Mitchell Cohen, John Morrissey and Leon H. Rose.
Sidney Kaplan and Gene Mariano are said to be receiving chief consideration for police judge. Reports were that it would likely go to Kaplan if he prefers it.
Abe Fuhrman is conceded the best chance for the office of city purchasing agent.
Richman Supported
There is a strong sentiment among Democrats to reward Grover C. Richman, former assistant attorney general, and there is a strong rank and file tide to have the Democrats demand the post of city solicitor for him. This may change the tentative agreement.
Because Reesman was a candidate and has been a supporter of Senator Woodruff for years, he is favored for the city clerk job. Reesman was formerly chairman of the Republican county committee.
Dyer was deputy city clerk under the late Frank S. Albright, and was dismissed after the split between former U. S. Senator David Baird, Jr., and the Woodruff-Verga-Sayrs group.
Dyer is a former secretary of the Republican County Committee and was a member of the committee from the Sixth Ward. He moved recently to the Thirteenth Ward. He is now an inspector in the State Alcoholic Beverage Control department under Commissioner D. Frederick Burnett.
It is expected that most jobs will be discussed at a conference to be held by the leaders today.
It is almost equally certain that the contemplated removals or some of them at least, will be subject to legal contest by the organization Republicans. What plans they may have have not been disclosed.
Born Gives Up With 2 Others in Vice Cases
Camden Courier-Post —
Born Gives Up With 2 Others In Vice Cases
Levy and Kissel Join In Surrender; Bail Set for All Three
Former Deputy Sheriff Ray Born, of Atlantic county; Leo J. Levy, former chief investigator for Mayor Charles D. White, of Atlantic City, and Louis Kissel, bodyguard and aide of Enoch L. Johnson, Atlantic county Republican leader, who were indicted by the Federal grand jury in Trenton Friday on charges of conspiracy to violate the Mann White Slave Act, surrendered in Atlantic City last night.
Accompanied by former State Sen. Emerson L. Richards, counsel for Born and Kissel, the men appeared in the office of U.S. Commissioner C. Bruce Surran, who fixed bail for Levy at $2500 and for the others at $1500 each. All provided bail. They will appear in Federal Court to plead to the indictments at a date to be fixed later. Frederic M. P. Pearse, of Newark, Democratic attorney, is counsel for Levy.
The commissioner said arrangements for bail were made through a letter and instructions from Assistant U.S. District Attorney William F. Smith, who presented Atlantic City vice cases to the federal grand jury.
Sentences and a change in one plea occupied the opening session of U. S. District court here yesterday when Judge John Boyd Avis returned after a week’s illness to resume the Atlantic City vice trials.
Longest sentence—18 months—was inflicted on Anthony Denza, 37, of Atlantic City, who previously pleaded guilty to transporting a girl there from Philadelphia.
Second Offense
Although it was his second offense Judge Avis said he took into consideration a statement by Smith that Denza had been of considerable help to the prosecution.
James Orvin, former waiter in the French Casino at New York, and the Ritz Carlton in Atlantic City, was sentenced to a year and a day on a similar charge after his attorney, Angelo Malandra, made a plea of leniency.
Malandra pointed out that Orvin, who was convicted 10 days ago, had passed all examinations and was on the waiting list for appointment to the New York City police, and insisted Orvin had not taken the girl to Atlantic City to place her in a disorderly house.
Robert Hall, 33, of 242 South New Hampshire avenue, was fined $500 and Manny Kinwald, 22, of 28 South Connecticut avenue, both Atlantic City, were fined $500 and $300 respectively and placed on five years’ probation each.
In the case of Kinwald, his lawyer, Carl Kisselman, pleaded that the young man never had placed his girl in a house of prostitution but had been “framed” by a wealthy man who wanted her for himself and who is now living with her.
Henry A. Crist, with Rose McLaughlin, was scheduled to go on trial charged with transporting a woman. But at the opening of court Crist’s counsel, Frank M. Lario, announced after a conference with his client, that Crist would change his plea of not guilty. He will be sentenced later.
The McLaughlin woman is alleged to have been the proprietress of a disorderly house, while Crist is accused of transporting girls from Pennsylvania to Atlantic City for immoral purposes.
Frank Palese Surrenders In Racket Quiz
Camden Courier-Post —
Frank Palese, 26, of 900 South Fourth street, wanted as one of the alleged operators of the new “bingo” lottery racket, surrendered yesterday to County Detective Wilfred Dube.
Palese had been sought during the weekend as the “big shot” of the racket after Joseph Marino, Harry Girard and five others were seized in the case.
All but Marino and Girard were released in $500 bail before the surrender of Palese.
Prosecutor Orlando fixed bail at $1000 each for Palese, Marino and Girard. Carl Kisselman, retained as counsel for the defendants, said he would provide the amount for them.
According to Palese he simply lent his automobile to Marino and Girard, who were in Palese’s car when arrested, and he knows nothing whatever about the lottery charge.
Among those out on bail is Fred Rossi, former boxer, who used the ring name of Pee-Wee Ross.
3 Men and Woman Nabbed
Police Judge Mariano overruled police objections and postponed until Wednesday morning the hearing of three men and a woman arrested as the result of a gambling raid at 1149 Lansdowne avenue Saturday.
The request for a delay was made by Benjamin Asbell, defense lawyer, who said he had been retained only late Saturday and had lacked an opportunity to prepare his case.
Sergeant Gus Koerner and Detective Thomas Murphy, Jr., asked that the case go on at once, saying they had enough evidence to hold the suspects for the grand jury. Murphy said Safety Director Kobus had asked that the hearing be held yesterday.
Judge Mariano, however, said that Asbell’s request was not unusual and that attorneys should be allowed time to obtain their evidence or witnesses. He continued the same bail which police set when the four were arrested.
Lines to Tracks Seized
Koerner, Murphy and Patrolman James McLaughlin said that horse race betting was conducted on the second floor of the Lansdowne avenue building, the ground floor of which is occupied by a grocery.
Several racing forms and four telephones with two direct wires to tracks now in operation were seized, according to Koerner and Murphy. The police first arrested Roland Flynn, 36, of 589 Carman street; Neil Zeidman, 43, of 1064 Langham avenue, and James O’Donal, 27, of 1119 Empire avenue, and held them in $1000 bail for violating the State crimes act.
Later Mrs. Rose Koplin, 37, who lives in an apartment over the store, was taken into custody on the same charge and held in $500 bail. Mrs. Koplin’s brother, Milton Katz, posted cash bail for her release.
Katarina Pologruto, 420 West street, posted bail for O’Donal, who also is known as O’Donnell, and Flynn. Frank Davalos, saloonkeeper, of 441 Benson street, furnished bail for Zeidman.
Murphy reported that $700 had been bet on race horses at the establishment up until 3.30 p. m., Saturday, the time of the raid.
4-Month Sentence for Number Writer
Camden Courier-Post —
Judge Disputes Attorney’s Statement on ‘Experience’ of Defendant
Four months in the county jail was ordered yesterday for Joseph Wallace, 27, of 5733 Rogers avenue, Merchantville, after he pleaded guilty to engaging in a lottery.
The term was imposed by Common Pleas Court Judge Clifford A. Baldwin. Wallace admitted he had a small quantity of numbers slips and $5.14 in cash derived from numbers sales in his pockets when arrested at Thirty-fourth and Federal streets by county detectives on May 17.
Carl Kisselman, Camden attorney who defended Lou Barron, Philadelphia numbers baron, recently, was counsel for Wallace. Baron was fined $750 and given a suspended sentence by Judge W. H. Sharp, of Vineland, substituting for Judge Baldwin.
Baldwin, before pronouncing sentence, asked Kisselman: “How long has this man been in the numbers business?”
Kisselman answered: “Two weeks.”
“That’s strange,” Baldwin countered, “I have a paper here which says he forfeited $50 in Pennsauken township two years ago after he had been arrested on a lotery [sic] charge.”
Kisselman answered he did not think the prisoner had jumped his bail on that charge. He asserted Wallace was arrested “on suspicion” and put up the $50 and then forfeited it. The attorney averred the township police had no evidence to substantiate the lottery charge against Wallace.
The numbers writer was arrested by County Detective Elmer Mathis who told Baldwin the prosecutor’s office had received a number of complaints that a man was engaged in a lottery business on Federal street. He and Detective Joseph Benni watched Wallace for some time before making the arrest, he said.
Henry Magin Laid to Rest By War Veteran Buddies
Camden Courier-Post —
Funeral services for City Commissioner Henry Magin were held today with his colleagues in official and veterans circles participating.
Services were conducted in city commission chambers on the second floor of city hall, in charge of Rev. Dr. W.W. Ridgeway, rector of St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church.
The casket was carried by war veteran associates of the public works director, who died from a heart attack Friday. A color guard from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion preceded the casket, followed by the four remaining members of the city commission, Mayor George Brunner and commissioners E. George Aaron, Mrs. Mary W. Kobus and Dr. David S. Rhone.
A guard of honor lined both sides of city hall steps, 22 policemen on one side and 22 firemen on the other, representing Magin’s age, 44 years.
Hundreds of men and women waited outside the building to pay their respects as the solemn procession filed by. Mayor Brunner had declared this morning a holiday for city employees. The casket was borne by Thomas Jackson and Samuel Magill, both past Legion commanders; Leon McCarty, past commander of August Walter Chapter, Disabled American Veterans; Richard Jermyn, past commander of Post 1270, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Benjamin P. Thomas, past captain of Sparrow Ship No. 1269, V. F. W.; and William Miller, past State commander, D. A. V.
Three trucks were required to carry the floral pieces from the scene of the services to the National Cemetery at Beverly, where burial took place.
An estimated 8000 persons from all walks of life paid their respects to the late official by viewing the body as it lay in state in the commission chambers.
The throng of mourners of Camden city and county was the largest to converge on a public building since the funeral of Fire Chief Charles Worthington, who was killed while fighting a fire almost 20 years ago. His body was placed on public view in the rotunda of the old county courthouse.
File Past Bier
A continuous progression of people filed past the flag draped bier for more than three and one-half hours. Scores of Republicans and hundreds of Democrats joined in the tribute.
Services were conducted by Camden lodges of Elks and Moose. Military rites were conducted by the Fairview Post, American Legion, of which Magin was a founder and past commander. The tribute was led by Mitchell Halin, post commander, and C. Richard Allen, past department commander.
James W. Conner, chief clerk of the city water bureau and past State Commander of the V.F.W., conducted rites at the grave.
Mayor Brunner and Commissioners Kobus, Aaron, and Rhone came early and remained throughout the hours of viewing. Mrs. Helen Magin, the widow, and daughter Helen, attired in deep mourning, arrived shortly after 7:00 PM.
Embraces Widow, Daughter
Commissioner Kobus, who knelt in prayer before the bier, arose and went over to Mrs. Magin and her daughter. Mrs. Kobus embraced and kissed the widow and daughter of the late commissioner. They were in tears.
Three firemen and three policemen maintained a vigil as a guard of honor. They were Patrolmen Jack Kaighn, George Weber, and William Deery and Firemen Arthur Batten, Warren Carter and William Reed.
American Legion and V. F. W. members in uniform alternated as members of the military guard of honor. A detail of 50 policemen was under command of Acting Lieutenant John Garrity. Fifty firemen, under supervision of Deputy Chief Walter Mertz, assisted the patrolmen in handling the crowd, which at times choked the stairways leading to the second floor.
Freeholders Arrive
Albert H. Molt, director of the Board of Freeholders and Freeholders John J. Tull, Oscar Moore, Ventorino Francesconi, Stanley Ciechanowski, Earl Armstrong and Emil J. McCall arrived shortly after 7:00 PM. Moore and Tull wore American Legion overseas caps. Albert S. Marvel, clerk of the board, accompanied the freeholders.
Employees of the various bureaus in the department of public works, headed by Commissioner Magin, came in delegations with the highway bureau having 150, the largest number.
Frank A. Abbott, acting director of the department, accompanied by James P. Carr, superintendent of Streets; led the highway bureau employees. Abbott is deputy director of revenue and finance and first assistant to Mayor Brunner. He was named by Brunner as acting director until the City Commission elects Mr. Magin’s successor.
County Clerk Frank J. Suttill, City Clerk Clay W. Reesman, Fire Chief John H. Lennox and James A. Howell, chief of the city electrical bureau, attended, as did Albert Austermuhl, secretary of the board of education. Every city department sent a floral piece.
Outstanding Floral Tribute
Outstanding among the floral tributes was a six-foot broken circle of varied flowers, an offering from Mayor Brunner and Commissioners Kobus, Aaron, and Rhone.
A floral chair was sent by the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association. The word “Rest” was made up of flowers. The offering of the Veterans League of South Jersey, an organization formed by Commissioner Magin and of which he was the first president, was a large floral pillow.
The freeholders and county officials gave a large floral basket. Floral tributes came from the employees of the board of education, the RCA Manufacturing Company, the police and fire bureaus, Pyne Point Athletic Association, the Elks, Moose and several Democratic clubs.
The floral tributes came in such numbers yesterday afternoon that Funeral Director Harry Leonard and his assistants could not find room for them in the commission chamber proper. They were banked on both sides, in the rear and over the casket.
Among prominent officials and citizens who came to pay their respects were Congressman Charles A. Wolverton and his son, Donnell, Assemblymen Joseph W. Cowgill and J. Frank Crawford, Sidney P. McCord, city comptroller, Thomas C. Schneider, president of Camden County Council No. 10, New Jersey Civil Service Association.
Others at Bier
Others were Sue Devinney, secretary to Mrs. Kobus; Fred S. Caperoon; Henry Aitken, city sealer of weights and measures, Horace R. Dixon, executive director of the Camden Housing Authority; George I. Shaw, vice president of the board of education.
Sgt. Ray Smith, chairman of the Elks Crippled Children Committee and commander of East Camden Post, V.F.W.; Albert Becker, commander of Camden County Post 126, Jewish War Veterans; Dr. Howard E. Primas and Wilbur F. Dobbins, members of the Camden Housing Authority; Postmaster Emma E. Hyland; Samuel E. Fulton, member of the Camden local assistance board.
Also former Assemblyman Rocco Palese, former Freeholder Maurice Bart and wife, County Detective James Mulligan, Deputy City Clerk William D. Sayrs, Mary King, secretary to City Clerk Reesman, Charles W. Anderson and John W. Diehl Jr., former members of the housing authority, Walter P. Wolverton, chief clerk of the public works department; Thomas J. Kenney, Maurice Hertz, Isadore Hermann, chief of the city tax title bureau; S. Raymond Dobbs; acting chief of city property, John Oziekanski, building inspector, Harry Langebein, city assessor.
Oliver H. Bond, housing manager of Clement T. Branch Village; former Judge Joseph Varbalow, acting city counsel John J. Crean, assistant City Counsel Edward V. Martino, Paul Day, secretary of city board of assessors, former Assemblyman William T. Iszard, Harry Roye, district director of NYA; Victor J. Scharle and Martin Segal, Democratic and Republican registrars, respectively, of the Camden County permanent registration bureau.
Mrs. Marian Garrity and Mrs. Mary F. Hendricks, vice chairman and secretary respectively, of the Republican City Committee; Dr. Ethan A. Lang and Dr. Richard P. Bowman, members of the board of education; Edward J. Borden, Carl Kisselman, Harry A. Kelleher, Samuel T. French Sr., former Freeholder Walter Budniak, Coroner Paul R. Rilatt, County Treasurer Edward J. Kelleher, William Shepp, of the city legal bureau, Marie Carr, stenographer, mayor’s office; Samuel T. French Jr., member, board of education.
Also John C. Trainor, member of the Camden County Board of Elections; Antonio Mecca, funeral director; Alexander Feinberg, solicitor of the housing authority, former Freeholder John T. Hanson, Sterling Parker and Paul Reihman, member of the county park commission.
James O’Brien, commander of the Camden Disabled American Veterans, was in charge of services by veterans at the cemetery. Former Freeholder Edward J. Quinlan, county vice-commander of the American Legion, directed last night memorial services and was in charge of the firing squad at the grave.
21 Men Plead Not Guilty in Casino Case
Camden Courier-Post —
Mt. Holly, Nov. 17.—Twenty-one of the 27 men indicted in connection with the Maple Shade gambling casino raid of July 28 pleaded not guilty today when arraigned on their indictments before County Judge Drenk.
Pleas for 19 of the defendants—six held as principals and 13 charged with aiding the operation of the gambling joint—were entered by Morton Rigg, Florence attorney. Carl Kisselman, Camden lawyer, represented Dominick Iacovelli, of 3018 Clinton street, Camden, indicted as a principal and owner of the building in which the casino was found.
Kisselman also entered a not guilty plea for William Fishman, 1609 North Marshall street, Philadelphia, but told Judge Drenk he was acting only in a temporary capacity although he might later represent the defendant.
Dec. 8 Set for Motions
After the pleas had been entered, Prosecutor Parker told Judge Drenk he would like to have the cases listed for trial as soon as possible. He suggested Dec. 8 for a conference for counsel on fixing a trial date and disposing of preliminary motions in connection with the charges.
Kisselman and Rigg said they were agreeable and Judge Drenk set Dec. 8 for disposing of any motions that may be made.
After all pleas had been entered, the 21 defendants were taken to the prosecutor’s office where each was photographed. They were fingerprinted by state troopers a few hours after the raid.
Bail Is Continued
The 21 arraigned today, along with five Maple Shade township and police officials, were indicted after a two-month investigation by the Burlington county grand jury. Another indictment returned in connection with the probe has been impounded.
Bail of $5000 in which each of the 21 had been held was continued with the consent of Prosecutor Parker.
In addition to Iacovelli, the principals who pleaded not guilty today were Joseph Putek, Fulton street, Delaware township; Thomas Girginti, of 1208 Haddon avenue, Camden; his brother, Joseph, of 537 Randolph street, Camden; Levi Cicero, 715 Second street, Florence; James Mona, of 19 South boulevard, Maple Shade, and Patsy “Husky” Pillo, of 450 South Third street, Camden.
Others on List
In addition to Fishman, those pleading not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting in the operation of the gambling establishment were:
Nicholas Bocchicchio, of Clifton avenue, Westmont; Anthony Meloni, 5302 Sherwood terrace, Pennsauken; Dominick Di Mattia, 16 South Fork Landing road, Maple Shade; Henry Duncan, 500 Holmes street, Burlington; Harry Donaghy, 3901 Lawndale avenue, Philadelphia; Pasquale Beato, 2820 North Twenty-third street, Philadelphia; Gordon C. Gober, Cedar lane, Florence.
Also Manuel Gattabrio, 312 South Twenty-seventh street, Camden; Christie Scittina, 1027 Callahan street, Yeadon, Pa.; Frank Pollastrelli, 723 Monmouth street, Trenton; Fred Fittipaldi, Mt. Holly; Michael Mona, 3175 Hayes avenue, Camden, and William Bailey, 808 Arbor road, Yeadon, Pa.
2 Surrendered Monday
The two Monas, Pillo and Bailey, surrendered Monday. The others were seized in the raid.
At its final session Tuesday, the grand jury returned indictments against three Maple Shade township officials and two members of the police department. All were charged with nonfeasance.
Released in $1000 bail each were Township Committee Chairman Francis Barber, Police Chief John Siebke and Sgt. Alfred C. Brooks Jr.
Township Committeeman John McElligott is expected to surrender today, while the third township committeeman indicted, Jay Weidman, is hospitalized at Valley Forge General hospital.
Judge Boyle Rites Held After 600 Pay Tribute
Camden Courier-Post —
Judge Boyle Rites Held After 600 Pay Tribute
Nearly 600 persons including jurists, lawyers and business associates paid their respects Tuesday night at the bier of former Common Pleas Judge William T. Boyle.
The viewing was held in a funeral home at Kings Highway and Haddon avenue, Haddonfield. There were many floral tributes.
Requiem high Mass was sung today in Christ the King R. C. Church, Haddonfield. Burial was in Calvary cemetery.
Judge Boyle, one of the most revered members of the bar in this state, was a member of the law firm of Boyle, Archer & Greiner. He died Friday in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital where he had been a patient 13 weeks. He was 79. He resided at 45 Linden avenue, Haddonfield.
Admitted to the bar in 1894, he was appointed Camden county prosecutor in 1912. A year later he was named to the common pleas court where he served until 1917. He was a director of the First Camden National Bank & Trust Co.
Headed Bar 10 Years
President of the Camden County Bar Association for 10 years and head of the New Jersey Bar Association in 1932 and 1933, he was an official of the American Bar Association for six years and a member of the American Law Institute.
A Rotarian and life member of the Knights of Columbus, he served as president of the Catholic Lyceum and was a member of the Holy Name Society. Judge Boyle had been a member of Christ the King Church since its organization.
In 1947, Judge Boyle was made a Knight of St. Gregory by Pope Pius XII in recognition of service to his community and the Catholic Church.
Members of Christ the King Church Holy Name Society participated in services for Judge Boyle at the viewing with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph B. McIntyre, pastor, officiating.
The Camden County Bar Association adjourned its meeting Tuesday night so members could attend the viewing. Also present were members of the Camden Council Knights of Columbus and of the Camden Rotary club.
Judges at Viewing
Among those attending the viewing were Supreme Court Justice Albert E. Burling, Superior Court Judge Elmer F. Woods, Superior Court Judge Ralph W. E. Donges, retired; County Judge Bartholomew J. Sheehan, and District Judge Edward V. Martino, county bar association president.
Also Edward T. Currie, state bar association vice president; Mayor Donald Connolly, of Trenton; Dr. Emma Dillon, state bar association secretary; William C. Gotshalk, city commissioner; Prosecutor Cohen, Assistant Prosecutor Asbell, Ralph W. Wescott, register of deeds, and F. Morse Archer Jr. and Frederick P. Greiner, law partners of Judge Boyle.
Also Gene R. Mariano, former prosecutor; John J. Crean, city solicitor; Miss Maude Lawrinson, assistant trust officer of First Camden National Bank & Trust Co.; J. Hartley Bowen, Haddon Heights councilman; Leo B. Rea, county court clerk; Jerome L. Hurley, head of the Hurley Stores; Eugene F. Verga, contractor; Emmons G. Elzey, real estate broker; William B. Macdonald, former court stenographer; Sylvan Fletcher, Camden Trust Co., treasurer, and Isador Herman, assistant city solicitor.
Also Fred Albert, court stenographer; Howard C. Wickes Sr., Camden industrialist; Herbert Richardson, former chancery court sergeant at arms; Dr. Everett H. Hemphill, of Haddonfield; Robert Y. Garrett Jr., Haddonfield school board president; William Lipkin, federal referee in bankruptcy.
Bar Group Present
Bar Association members and attorneys attending included: John H. Reiners Jr., J. Claude Simon, J. Norman Brierley, Carl Kisselman, Carl Geiges, Frank M. Travaline, Vincent L. Gallaher, Lawrence White, Henry Stockwell, Grover C. Richman Sr., Byron Seabrook, William Zink, Neil F. Deighan Jr., S. Robert Teitelman, Bryan B. McKernan, William F. Hyland Jr., Donald Wolverton and Joseph Lipkin.
Also present were members of the Bishop Bayley Building & Loan Association, of Camden.
Judge Boyle is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Mary B. Armstrong, Haddonfield; three sisters, Mrs. Morris Hertz and Mrs. John Cleary, both of Camden, and Mrs. B. F. Gillespie, Atlantic City; a brother, Frank, Camden, and three grandchildren. Judge Boyle’s wife, Emma W. Boyle, died in April, 1950.
Marco Reginelli Dies in Baltimore
Camden Courier-Post —
Marco Reginelli, once the king of gambling in South Jersey, is dead.
The notorious career of the balding, 58-year-old underworld figure ended at 1 a. m. today in Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore.
Described as the “top hoodlum in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area,” the former Camden baker and garage operator entered the hospital 40 days ago.
Death occurred before completion of deportation proceedings which were aimed at returning Reginelli to his native Italy as an undesirable.
At Reginelli’s hospital bedside when he died were members of his family, five doctors, a private nurse and a bodyguard.
The United States Supreme Court on May 1 refused to review a New Jersey Supreme Court decision that revoked the citizenship Reginelli received a little more than 11 months ago.
The action cleared the way for deportation, sought by the Government since 1953, when a Immigration and Naturalization Service warrant was issued for the dapper numbers king “for having committed two felonies among other crimes.”
Joseph A. and Frank V. Falco, funeral directors at 1018 S. 4th st., left for Baltimore today to bring the body to Camden.
Died of Cancer
Spokesmen at the hospital said Reginelli’s death was due to cancer.
Early this month, an official of the hospital said Reginelli’s condition was “serious, but not critical.” Only members of his family were permitted to visit him.
When Reginelli apparently was destined to return to Italy as unwanted here, his counsel, Carl Kisselman, of Camden, said he “had no idea what steps, if any, might be taken to prevent execution of the deportation orders.”
Three Times Denied Citizenship
Reginelli, who once lived at 426 Line st., Camden, was granted citizenship by Atlantic County Judge George T. Naame at a special hearing on June 21, 1955, after having been turned down three times.
The State Supreme Court, in revoking Reginelli’s citizenship on Jan. 3, cited 16 arrests between 1917 and 1942 and a conviction under the Mann Act in 1942.
The conviction under the Mann Act involved Louise Abate, then 22, of Haddon ave. near Walnut st. She was found dead last year in a Margate motel. A long investigation resulted in the report she had died of natural causes.
The former numbers baron broke into the headlines again as recently as May 3 when it was revealed in a Senate subcommittee hearing that Reginelli was a uniform maker doing business with the Federal Government.
A member of the subcommittee staff told reporters Reginelli became president of Vogue Manufacturing Co., of Vineland, in 1955 at a time when it had a contract to make military uniforms.
As recently as May 16 Reginelli’s name figured prominently in the Senate investigation of blacklisted military uniform makers. His name was brought into the probe by Robert F. Kennedy, counsel for the probing committee.
Sen. McCarthy (R., Wis.) said the investigating committee had information that Reginelli was involved in alleged payoffs to or from Herman and Samuel Kravitz, Atlantic City uniform makers.
It was disclosed Reginelli was once represented by Murray M. Chotiner, California lawyer for blacklisted uniform makers, who was Vice President Nixon’s political adviser and campaign manager in 1952.
Earlier this month Police Commissioner Hepbron and his aides questioned Reginelli in the hospital. The line of questioning was never disclosed.
[caption under the photograph:] MARCO REGINELLI