L. Scott Cherchesky

L. SCOTT CHERCHESKY (the “L” stood for Louis) was born overseas around 1904. He was a prominent lawyer in Camden from the 1920s until his death in the late 1940s. The 1929 Camden City Directory shows him living on Garfield Avenue in Collingswood NJ, with offices in the Wilson Building, then called the West Jersey Trust Building, at Broadway and Cooper Street.

In 1937 he sailed to Europe, returning aboard the steamship Ile de France at New York on April 21, 1937, having sailed from Southampton, England.

The 1947 City directory shows that he was still living on Garfield Avenue Collingswood, and that his offices were still in the Wilson Building at Broadway and Cooper Streets. He passed away shortly thereafter.

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 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.

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.

Apartment House Owner Held Under $500 Bail on Man’s Complaint

ACCUSATION IS DENIED

Edwin C. Cades, 26, one of the owners of the Cades apartment houses in North Camden, was held under $500 bail yesterday pending grand jury disposition of a charge that he assaulted an employee in an attempt to kill him.

His accuser is Walter Devlin, 54, of 111 North Third Street.

When asked why his employer would want him dead, Devlin testified in police court that he has two insurance policies, one for $3000 with double indemnity for death by accident and another for $1500. In both policies, Devlin declared, Cades is named as the beneficiary.

Cades did not testify yesterday, but entered a plea of not guilty.

Devlin was found unconscious at Nineteenth street and River road late at night on May 16. Taken to West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital, he was found to have suffered a fractured skull and broken jaw. Police at first believed he was a hit-run victim but nevertheless, City Detective Edwin Mills was assigned to investigate the case.

Devlin testified yesterday that Cades invited him out for an automobile ride, alighted somewhere to look at a soft tire. Devlin asserted he found the tire to be hard and was getting back into the car when something struck him on the head. That was all he remembered, he said until he regained consciousness in the hospital.

He could not positively say that Cades was his assailant, but asserted that no other person was present.

L. Scott Cherchesky, attorney for Cades, said he had a statement obtained by Cades from Devlin in the hospital on May 17 in the presence of Detective Mills. In the statement, Devlin purportedly asserted that Cades did not attack him and he did not know who his assailant was.

Tells of Affidavit

Cherchesky also had two affidavits from tenants in the same apartment house where Devlin resides. They are William H. Dougherty and William Widerman. Dougherty attested he saw Cades return at 8.30 p. m. with Devlin and the latter went into the house, “mumbling drunkenly.” Widerman also added that at about 9:45 a. m., he saw Devlin leave the house, alone.

Devlin declared he did not remember making any statement in the hospital to Cades, but that a nurse told him “later, when I came out of my daze and the room stopped swirling,” that he had made such a statement.

The accuser’s complaint charges Cades with assault and battery with intent to kill by beating him over the head with a blunt instrument.

Cherchesky objected to Detective Mills testifying, demanding that Devlin go on the witness stand.

“I’ve been working for Cades for 13 years,” testified Devlin. “On the evening of May 17 at about 7 o’clock Mr. Cades called for me to take a ride with him in his car. We rode around the city in circles and while we were passing over a rough road somewhere Cades told me he thought he had a soft tire. He got out of the car and looked at it and then told me to get out and come around and help him fix it.

“I looked at the tire, felt it and it was hard. I told Cades it was all right. As I started to get back into the car, I was struck over the head and that is all I remember until I woke up in the hospital.”

Under questioning by Judge Pancoast, who held a statement given earlier to the police by Devlin, the latter said that Cades bought him a bottle of whisky on that night. He asserted it was his job to collect rents and take care of the apartments in the North Camden section and as pay he received an apartment and food gratis.

Did Not See Assailant

Devlin said he could not positively swear that it was Cades who struck him as Cades was behind him. He declared, however, that he saw no one else in the immediate vicinity and no one else was in the car.

“Why did you say in this statement which you gave to Detective Mills that you thought Cades positively struck you?” asked Judge Pancoast.

“Because there was no one else there,” declared Devlin.

“Why would Cades want to strike you or kill you?”

“Because he is carrying a big insurance policy on me and has been for two years,” responded Devlin. “One is a $3000 policy with double indemnity for accidental death, and the other is a $1500 newspaper policy.

“In both of them Cades is named beneficiary.

Planned to Retire

“The payment of the premium on the policies was to come out of the wages I was entitled to and I was to be retired in 10 years, when I was 64, and kept for the rest of my life.”

“Were you ever hurt before?” Judge Pancoast asked him.

“Yes, I was struck on the head with a brick once before and I told my wife to notify my brother immediately if anything happened to me as I thought I was in danger because of these insurance policies.”

Devlin was then cross-examined by Cherchesky and admitted that several months ago he had been beaten by a son-in-law and on another occasion was struck by a man named Conway.

Cades in a statement he requested the Courier-Post to publish after his arraignment in police court, emphatically denied the charges made by Devlin.

“I took Walter Devlin out in my automobile, as had been my custom, at 7 o’clock and took him home at 8 o’clock on the night of May 16. William H. Dougherty, who lives in the first-floor apartment at 111 North Third Street, saw Devlin get out of the car and walk up to his apartment, and has signed an affidavit to that effect, which I have.

“William Widerman, who also lives at the same address, saw Devlin in his apartment that same evening, and also saw him leave the apartment about 10 o’clock that night, and has given me a signed affidavit to that effect.

“I did not see Devlin until the next morning when I was called to the hospital by detectives. I cannot account for Devlin’s whereabouts after I left him at the apartment house at 8 o’clock.

“I voted at 8:30 at the polling place at Cooper School, and after that spent the evening with my family. This case appears to me as one of extortion by either Walter Devlin or some other interested party.

“Devlin has been working for me for the past 13 years, and our relations have been extremely friendly. I am at loss, therefore, to account for this action.”

CHARGES HE SPENT $6563 TO CONDITION 55 FOOT LAUNCH

‘Dapper Don’ Collins’ Liquor Skipper Testifies in Camden Case

JUDGE ORDERS BRIEFS

Inklings of Delaware Bay rum-running crept into an admiralty suit yesterday in U. S. District Court when Reynold O. Gilkes sued to recover $6563 he alleges he spent on conditioning a 55-foot gasoline launch.

The suit was directed against John Henderson, formerly of Bivalve, now of 5110 Market street, Philadelphia. Henderson denied the boat, now known as the “Kashagwigamog,” was ever used in rum-running. He admitted it formerly was known as the “Helen Elizabeth.”

The boat was captured by coast guards in February, 1931, and Henderson and two companies were arrested as rum-runners. He is alleged to have “jumped” bail and was fined $500 in Cape May County along with his skipper mentioned as Allen.

Harry Henderson, a brother of John, who admitted on the stand that he was convicted of a liquor law violations, was one of the principal witnesses. He formerly was skipper of “Dapper Don” Collins’ famous rum boat “Nomad.” Collins is an International confidence man.

Harry testified that his brother was arrested in 1931 by coast guards for a liquor violation and fined $500 in Cape May County. He said the skipper of the “Helen Elizabeth,” named Allen, was fined.

He said his brother owned one-third interest in the “Helen Elizabeth,” Gilkes one-third and Charles Spinnelli, Camden, the other. He testified that he met “Babe” Sugarman in Spinnelli’s “office” at Thirty-eighth and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia, to arrange a loan of $1000 to pay the fines. He said his brother agreed to sign over his share of the partnership in the boat as collateral for the loan.

Both brothers admitted Sugarman never was repaid and he seized the boat and sold it. After passing through three other owners, it is now back in the possession of John Henderson, he admitted.

Harry Henderson was acquitted of a charge of arson in Cumberland County on May 23, 1932, in connection with the burning of a shucking house of the Planters’ Oyster Company at Port Norris.

Gilkes said he spent $6563 on repairs and reconditioning the boat. He denied it was ever used as a rum-runner and that he lost his share in it when Sugarman sold it. Gilkes produced a number of bills which he said he had paid for repairs. He admitted he was treasurer for the three owners. Henderson declared there was no agreement between the partners as to repairs.

Judge John Boyd Avis instructed the attorneys, L. Scott Cherchesky representing Gilkes, and Willard M. Harris for Henderson, to file briefs.

Counsel at Tax Trial States ‘Blondy’ Is Ill—O’Donnell Pleads Guilty

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 forthwith. 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, of 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.