Introduction
STANLEY GEDA was well-known to police in Camden and vicinity in the early 1930s. He was born in New Jersey on September 4, 1914 to Stefan and Sophie Gieda. By the end of 1919 the family owned a home at 1273 Whitman Avenue in Camden. Stefan Gieda then worked as a laborer at a shipyard. He later worked for the John R. Evans Company in North Camden.
By the time Stanley Gieda was 19—he used the Geda surname when he applied for his Social Security Card—he was associating with some very shady characters, including Joseph Putek, Leroy Jenkins, John Lenkowski and Mitchell Sadowski. In June of 1933 he was held as material witness to the June 2, 1933 robbery of the Radio Condenser Company’s payroll at Thorne and Copewood Street. After being released he was again arrested in connection with the break-in at a garage in Collingswood. He was released again for lack of evidence before the month ended. The following year he received a suspended sentence in connection with a hold-up. He was arrested again in October of 1940 in regards to an attempted hold-up of a numbers banker. This appears to have been his last brush with the law.
Stanley Geda was still living at 1273 Whitman Avenue as late as 1959. He was still a resident of Camden when he passed away in February of 1984.
4 YOUTHS HELD IN HOLDUP AT RADIO PLANT
Camden Courier-Post —
2 in Jail at Time ‘in on Plot,’ Cops’ Say; Booked as Witnesses
PAIR CAUGHT IN PENNA. TO FACE CHARGE TODAY
Condenser Company Payroll Robbery Planned in April, Sleuths Reveal
Two Camden youths, released from Camden county jail, were held by local police yesterday on suspicion of implication in the $11,790 holdup of the Radio Condenser Company, Thorne and Copewood streets, last Friday.
They are Leon Grinkewicz, 18, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue.
Although both denied knowledge of the payroll holdup, detectives said they admitted having been close pals of Le Roy Jenkins, 23; of 1161 Mechanic Street, and Joseph Putek, 23, of 1462 Louis Street, who were arrested in Lykens, Pa., on Monday.
Grinkewicz and Gieda are being held on suspicion but, according to Detectives Clarence Arthur; Benjamin Simon and Clifford Del Rossi, they will be charged today with being material witnesses, while Jenkins and Putak will be charged with the holdup and will be arraigned in police court.
Grinkwicz and Gieda were arrested yesterday morning on their release from county jail. They had been committed May 9 by Recorder Joseph Patton, of Haddon Heights, for 30 days on charges of loitering with intent to steal. They were questioned all day by detectives.
Detectives said they learned Jenkins and Putak were with Grinkewicz and Gieda in Haddon Heights “to do a job” but that the other two disappeared when Grinkeicz and Gieda were arrested. Although they were in the county jail at the time, the detectives said they learned they had participated with Jenkins and Putek in planning the Radio Condenser job five weeks ago.
PANCOAST REFUSES TO LET COPS BARE HOLDUP EVIDENCE
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Judge Then Holds Two Camden Suspects Without Bail
CASH NOT RECOVERED
After refusing defense counsel’s request that the city police bare their evidence, Police Judge Pancoast yesterday held two suspects without bail in the recent $11,790 Radio Condenser Company holdup and two other youths as material witnesses.
Frank M. Lario, attorney for the quartet, appeared in police court yesterday with William McDonald, court stenographer, and declared he wanted the police through witnesses on the stand, to reveal what evidence they have in the robbery.
But when Judge Pancoast asked Lario if he was willing to have the prisoners submit to cross examination by the court the attorney refused. Judge Pancoast thereupon declared that the formal complaints against the defendants were sufficient to establish a prima facie case, that no hearing was necessary and that the police therefore were not obliged to disclose any testimony.
Leroy Jenkins, 23, and, Joseph Putek, 23, who gave addresses at 1113 Mechanic Street and 1212 Lansdowne Avenue, respectively, were committed to the county jail without bail on charges of holdup and robbery. They pleaded not guilty.
Those held as material witnesses were Leon Grenkwicz, 18, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue. Lario pointed out they were in jail when the holdup occurred but, Judge Pancoast said he would hold them for the prosecutor’s office which would probably fix bail for them.
City Detective Benjamin Simon, who signed the complaints, stated prior to the hearing that he has obtained information from North Jersey which is vital to his investigation of the robbery. But he would not reveal its nature.
None of the money stolen by the bandits, who herded 11 persons in a vault after forcing one of them to open the safe containing the payroll, has been recovered by the police.
HOLDUP SUSPECTS FREE IN BAIL OF $3000
Camden Courier-Post —
Held without bail for the Grand Jury by Police Judge Pancoast, two suspects in the $11,790 Radio Condenser Company payroll holdup were ordered released in $3000 bail by Prosecutor Clifford A. Baldwin yesterday.
Judge Pancoast remanded Leroy Jenkins, 23, and Joseph Putek, 23, who gave their addresses as 1113 Mechanic Street and 1212 Lansdowne Avenue, respectively, to jail after defense counsel failed in an effort to have the city police reveal their evidence against the men.
Two others refused bail as material witnesses in the holdup by Judge Pancoast were released in $500 bail by Prosecutor Baldwin. They are Leon Grenkwicz, 19, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue.
Counsel representing Jenkins and Putek appeared before Baldwin and asked that the bail be set, inasmuch as the police had not disclosed any evidence against them.
FIFTH SUSPECT HELD IN PAYROLL HOLDUP
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Say Pool Room Owner Knew of Robbery Plot
A fifth man was arrested in the recent Radio Condenser Company $11,790 payroll holdup and held as a material witness yesterday after city detectives alleged he attempted to escape from them in his automobile. He is Nicholas Kubiak, 34, of 1301 Decatur street, owner of a pool room on the corner of Decatur and Norris streets. Arraigned before Judge Pancoast in police court, Kubiak was committed to the county jail without bail as a witness.
City Detectives Benjamin Simon, Clifford Del Rossi and Clarence Arthur stated they went to the pool room this morning and told Kubiak he was under arrest. He accompanied them to the sidewalk and suddenly stepped into his own automobile parked at the curb. The detectives said he started the engine, whereupon the police car was driven in front of him so he couldn’t move. Simon declared that he jumped on the running board of Kubiak’s car and reached in to grab the ignition key. Kubiak tried to push him off the running board. Simon said, and the key was obtained only after a tussle.
Simon said he has three statements signed by persons who charged they heard Kubiak declare the holdup was planned in his poolroom and that Leroy Jenkins and Joseph Putek were the actual bandits. Jenkins and Putek are charged with the holdup and are held under $3000 bail each. The bail was fixed by Prosecutor Baldwin.
Simon stated he previously had questioned Kubiak, but could learn nothing to warrant holding the man until he received the statements late last night. Simon said if he had been able to obtain the statements prior to yesterday, he doubted that bail would have been fixed so low.
Two other youths, arrested as material witnesses in the case, were released by Prosecutor Baldwin today under $500 bail each. They are Leon Grenwicz, 18, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman avenue.
MAN SHOT BY COP RUNS FROM BUILDING 43 MINUTES LATER
Camden Courier-Post —
Bandits Trapped in Boulevard Garage Ram Through Auto Doors and Flee
Thieves Steal Machine for Getaway; Abandon Own Loaded With Tools
ONE SUSPECT ARRESTED
Shortly after burglars rammed a stolen car through the locked doors of a Collingswood garage early yesterday and fled before shots from police revolvers, one suspect was arrested in Camden and the discovery made that one of the burglars was wounded.
The burglars, either two or three, were surprised shortly before 3:30 a. m. by Sergeant William Ruth and Patrolman Earl Wilson at the Airport Garage, Crescent Boulevard near Haddon Avenue. Three-quarters of an hour after police left the darkened garage, a woman declared she saw a man run from it, his right arm bound in a handkerchief.
The suspect, said to have a police record and now awaiting questioning at Collingswood police headquarters, is Stanley S. Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue.
Geda is also suspected by Collingswood police of implication in the theft of three new automobiles last Tuesday from the show rooms of the Community Motors at 622 Haddon Avenue.
Recorder Herbert R. Schooley committed him without bail last night for a further hearing today so that police would have time in which to check Geda’s fingerprints against specimens taken from the three recovered automobiles.
Ruth and Wilson were touring Collingswood in a police car when they found a parked car in the rear of the garage on City Line avenue.
Wilson went to the front of the garage, gun drawn, and called to Patrolman Samuel Bell, who was stationed on the Crescent Boulevard-Haddon Avenue corner. When he returned to the garage, Ruth was entering through a window. Wilson went to another window, in time to see a man inside walking toward Ruth.
When the man refused to halt, Ruth fired and the intruder fell, presumably wounded. Just what happened after that is uncertain because the garage was dark, and many cars were parked inside at all angles. At the sound of a shot another man ran downstairs and a large sedan, parked facing the locked front doors, was started. Before Ruth or Wilson could interfere, the machine rammed its way through the doors and to the boulevard, nearly hitting Bell.
As the car sped away, it was fired on by the three policemen.
Three-quarters of an hour later Mrs. Charles Pinto, of Crescent Boulevard and Haddon Avenue, saw a man run from the garage, his right arm bound in a handkerchief. Mrs. Pinto called to policemen but the wounded man escaped.
Police had thought he was one of two men who escaped in the car. The bandits’ original car was abandoned where it was parked.
Tools, including an electric drill, were found on the floor near the doorway, apparently ready for loading into a machine. The tools included cutters, a hack saw and other equipment. An attempt was being made, it was said, to steal a new car and one of the burglars was attempting to exchange a new battery for the get-away when the police appeared.
Geda was arrested when a car said to have been in his possession and owned by the Watson Shallcross Company was found parked near his home without tags. The arrest was made by Robert Ashenfelter and Clarence Arthur, city detectives.
Geda was arrested as a material witness in the Radio Condenser Company holdup a few weeks ago and is still under bail.
YOUTH FREED IN QUIZ AFTER GARAGE ROBBERY
Camden Courier-Post —
After being detained by police 24 hours for questioning after the robbery of the Airport Garage early yesterday, Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue, was released on “probation” last night by Recorder Herbert R. Schooley, of Collingswood.
The car that crashed the door of the garage to permit the robbers to escape bore license tags issued to Geda. He was arrested at his home by Camden police and turned over to the Collingswood authorities.
Geda maintained the car had been stolen from his garage and the police did not produce evidence to the contrary at the hearing. Geda was also questioned in the Radio Condenser Company holdup and released.
5 Men and Woman Held in P.S. Bus Barn Holdup, Marlton Bank Robbery
Camden Courier-Post —
Four of Notorious ‘Forty’
COPS ARREST 4 IN PHILA. HOTEL COUNTING CASH
Camden Police to Seek Extradition of Gang at Hearing Thursday
LICENSE NUMBER OF CAR LEADS TO RAID ON ROOM
Scores of Crimes Charged to Members of ‘Band of 40 Thieves’
Five men and a woman, reputedly members of Camden’s notorious “band of 40 thieves,” were arrested yesterday and formally charged with the holdup of the Public Service bus garage at Fifteenth and Mickle streets.
Efforts are also being made by local and state police to link the sextet with the $4000 Marlton National Bank holdup last Friday, and more than a score of other recent crimes throughout South Jersey.
All six will be given hearings Thursday. The five men are held without bail; the woman is in jail in default of $5000 bail.
Stanley Powell, 28, of 1256 Whitman avenue, and Stephie Ciesla, 22, of 1224 Chase street, were taken into custody in Camden.
John Lenkowski, 28, of Chestnut and Louis streets; Stanley Geda, 22, of the 1200 block Everett street; Stanley Krause, 19, of 1252 Sycamore street, and Mitchell Sadowski, 18, of 1200 Sycamore street, were arrested in Philadelphia. Lieut. George Ward, of the Camden detective bureau, is preparing extradition papers to have them returned to this city.
Suspected in Holdups
The six are also suspected of complicity by local and state police in the holdup ten days ago of the Genova Cafe, Third and Arch streets; the $900 payroll robbery last month of the Young and Metzner Company at Sixth street and Atlantic avenue; the attempted robbery of a Westville chain store last Friday when shots were exchanged with police; the holdup of an ice cream stand at Central Airport; the larceny of an automobile from the Cadillac-LaSalle agency in Westville, Friday, and the theft of more than a score of other automobiles.
A total of $187.50 was found in the possession of the quartet nabbed in Philadelphia yesterday. This was described as part of the loot from the Public Service garage job by Lieutenant Ward.
The spectacular capture of the four was hailed by local authorities as the first step in the breaking up of the notorious gang that has been operating in South Jersey for so long. The arrest of Powell and the Ciesla girl came a few hours later.
Lieutenant Ward and Detective Sergeant Gus Koerner, aided by (Continued on Page Two)
STANLEY POWELL (Above) STANLEY GEDA (Above) JOHN LENKOWSKI MITCHELL SADOWSKI
Lenkowski, Geda and Sadowski are three of the four suspects in the Public Service garage holdup early yesterday nabbed in Philadelphia and held without bail to await extradition at a hearing Thursday. The other is Stanley Krause. All are Camdenites. Powell was arrested with Stephie Ciesla in Camden, and also held without bail for a hearing Thursday. Bail of $5000 was placed on the girl. The six are suspected of complicity in the Marlton bank holdup last Friday, also.
5 Men, Woman Held in Bus, Bank Holdups
(Continued from Page One)
Philadelphia detectives, swooped down upon Irving Hotel, 917 Walnut street, Philadelphia, and smashed in a door to a second-floor room. There they found the four men, according to Ward.
Were Dividing Money
“They were dividing up some money,” explained the detective head. “It was stolen in the Public Service holdup yesterday. We are lodging a detainer against them with a warrant accusing them of that job. The Marlton bank holdup is a Burlington county matter. Once we get them over here we will question them about other local jobs.
“We have been looking for them for some time. We understood they had been living in Philadelphia for the past six weeks, and yesterday we learned they had moved to the Irving Hotel. So we planned the raid. The biggest factor in finding them was the cars they have been using. Police in both states were on the lookout for the car used in the Marlton holdup.”
The arrest of Powell and the girl came as a result of the Philadelphia raid. The license number of the car in which the four had driven to the hotel was checked, and traced to the girl’s mother.
Patrolmen William Feitz and Joseph Schultz went to her home and waited for the car to appear.
Powell was driving the car as it approached the Chase street address. When it stopped, the two policemen placed both Powell and Miss Ceisla [sic] under arrest. The man jumped from the car and ran, with Schultz in pursuit. After a chase of half a block, the cop fired a shot over Powell’s head. Powell stopped and surrendered.
Powell Denies Holdup
Powell denied any part in the garage holdup, saying he had slept at the Ciesla home Sunday night. He was held without bail as an accessory after the fact, however, and the girl was placed under $5000 bail as a material witness. They will be given hearings Thursday.
The four arrested in Philadelphia were given preliminary hearings today before Magistrate Charles Medway at Twelfth and Pine streets police station. They were held without bail for another hearing Thursday, when Lieut. Ward will ask that they be extradited to Camden.
At today’s hearing, all four denied any connection with the garage holdup. They testified that two men had come to their room in the hotel and left a bag in their care. They were in the act of counting the contents of the bag—$187.50 in nickels, dimes and quarters—when the police entered, they said.
Lankowski and Sadowski told the Court they did not know the identity of the two men, saying they were friends of Krause. But Krause said he didn’t know them either, whereupon Magistrat [sic] Medway held all four without bail for a further hearing Thursday.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia police are checking on recent holdups there in an effort to link the quartet with them.
Identified by Victims
Witnesses to the Public Service holdup yesterday were taken to Philadelphia and identified the suspects, according to Lieut. Ward. They also identified a photograph of Powell, he added.
Corporal George G. Small, of Berlin barracks, New Jersey State Police, and Detective Sergeant William P. Kelly, of Hammonton headquarters, went to Philadelphia last night in an effort to link the quartet with numerous robberies throughout South Jersey, including two chain stores in Pine Hill last week. Sergeant Kelly was the only one to question the men. Lieut. Ward did not, but explained that he will Thursday.
Thomas Thorpe, chief of Pennsauken township police, today asked Lieut. Ward for permission to question the suspects when they are returned to Camden, in an effort to link them with holdups in that community. Chief of Burlington County Detectives Ellis Parker is also interested in the case. The Marlton holdup comes under his jurisdiction.
Four Youths Get Terms in Prison
Trenton Times —
Convicts Also Wanted for Burlington County Bank Raid
CAMDEN, N. J., July 2 (P).—Four boys, 16 to 19 years old, were sentenced in Camden Criminal Court today to terms of seven to ten years each after they pleaded guilty to a series of holdups.
A detainer was lodged against them by Burlington County authorities who charge the group robbed the Marlton National Bank on June 14, when $4,119 was taken.
The prisoners are Stanley Geda and Stanley Krause, 19; John Lenkowski, 18, and Mitchell Sadowski, 16. Two others allegedly involved in the same crimes pleaded not guilty and will be tried. They are Stanley Powell, 20, and Edward Guegryc, 19.
Old Holdup Charge Keeps Youth in Jail
Camden Courier-Post —
Krause, Involved in Marlton Bank Robbery, Must Face Offense of 3 Days Later
Stanley Krause, 22, was held in county jail here last night awaiting arraignment today on a robbery charge.
Krause and Stanley Geda, 24, both of Camden, drew suspended sentences yesterday after pleading non vult to a charge of holding up and robbing the Marlton National Bank in 1934. After Judge Frank A. Hendrickson disposed of the case, Krause was turned over to Camden police.
Both were released from State Prison in Trenton several days ago, where they had been sentenced to from five to 10 years for holding up a Public Service garage at Fifteenth and Mickle streets in Camden. This occurred three days after Krause and Geda, with two other men, held up the bank.
Geda was released after being placed on probation.
John Lenkowsky and Mitchell Sadowski, also arrested in the garage holdup, have yet to complete their sentences. At the time the four pleaded guilty to the garage holdup, they also admitted robberies of the Genova Cafe, Third and Arch streets, and of a Gloucester grocery.
Parolee Seized in Stolen Auto by Camden Cop
Camden Courier-Post —
PAROLEE SEIZED IN STOLEN AUTO BY CAMDEN COP
Sadowski Was Freed by Judge in 20-Year Term for Bank Holdup
ARRESTED AT WHEEL OF ELUSIVE MACHINE
Mitchell Sadowski, 21-year-old paroled convict, who was given a “break” five months ago in Federal Court by Judge Philip Forman, was under arrest again last night after being found at the wheel of a stolen Pennsylvania automobile.
Sadowski was arrested yesterday by Detective August Pfleiderer after Camden police searched the city for the elusive car since Monday when it was stolen in Philadelphia.
The car was sighted Wednesday by a Parkside resident who called police but the machine disappeared again before detectives arrived. The car, a 1938 Packard coupe, is owned by John Holdstein, of 7614 Brewer avenue, Philadelphia.
Sadowski’s last escapade with the police occurred when he was given a sentence of 20 years in State’s prison which was suspended by Judge Forman on the gunman’s plea he “had a job.”
Judge Forman placed the youth on probation for five years after a jury found him guilty as the getaway driver in the $4119 robbery of the First National Bank of Marlton.
At that time Sadowski had just finished a two-year term in the state prison for holdup near Atlantic City. He was convicted on two indictments in the bank holdup and sentenced to 20 years on each count. Judge Forman ruled the sentences would run concurrently and ordered probation in each instance.
The machine in which Sadowski was arrested was first reported in front of 1310 Park boulevard by Calvin Hunsingur, who called police giving them the license number. Detectives Clifford and William Casler told Hunsingur to watch the car until they could send a tow wagon out for it. A few minutes later Hunsingur saw
(Continued on Page 4—Column 5)
(Continued from Page One)
a young man get into the machine and drive it away.
Detectives Stand Watch
The next time it was reported seen in Camden was at 4 p. m. yesterday when George Mayo, of 812 Kaighn avenue, called and said the car was in front of 824 Kaighn avenue and had been there since 6 a. m. Pfleiderer with Detectives Carr and Joseph Mardino and Detective Sergeant Thomas Murphy went to the address and tore out a wire from the distributor to prevent the machine from being started. They then took stands to watch for anyone entering the machine. At 5:30 p. m., when no one appeared Sgt. Murphy, Carr and Mardino returned to the Detective Bureau leaving Pfleiderer standing at Ninth street and Kaighn avenue.
At 6:30 p. m., Pfleiderer said, he noticed someone get into the machine and try to start it. The detective with gun drawn approached the driver and told him he was under arrest. Pfleiderer immediately recognized the man as Sadowski.
When the detective accosted Sadowski, the youth is alleged to have pleaded with Pfleiderer to shoot him and kill him instead of returning him to state prison.
“Go ahead and shoot me,” cried Sadowski, according to Pfleiderer. “I would rather be shot than go back to prison.”
Pleads Innocence
Last night while Sadowski was in the detention cell in Detective Bureau he paced the floor constantly, pleading with detectives he was innocent and not to send him back to prison.
The gunman’s criminal career began in January, of 1933, when he was arrested for stealing an automobile in Camden and attempting to rob a Mantua chain store.
In 1934 Sadowski was arrested with five others for the holdup of the Public Service bus garage at Fifteenth and Mickle streets and robbery of the cashier of more than $300. He was found guilty of participation and sentenced from seven to 10 years in prison and released on parole in July, last year after serving less than four years.
On his release Sadowski was arrested again for the Marlton bank robbery in which he and three others escaped with $4000. The others were Stanley Krause, Stanley Geda and John Lenkowsky. The four bandits were the same quartet which robbed the Public Service Garage. Each was arrested as he was released from prison. Krause and Geda both drew suspended sentences on March 21, before Judge Frank A. Hendrickson after entering pleas of non vult on the bank holdup charges.
At the time when the four pleaded guilty to the garage holdup, they also admitted robberies of the Genova Cafe, Third and Arch streets, and of the Mantua chain store.
Detectives last night were attempting to link Sadowski with the holdup last Tuesday afternoon of the Dublin National Bank, at Dublin, Pa. Three bandits, all armed and two of them masked, cowed a woman employe and a customer into a corner and forced the cashier, Henry Schanbacker, to hand over $3500 in cash from the cashier’s cage.
Police Photo Aids in Holdup Arrest
Camden Courier-Post —
Suspect in $2046 Robbery, Identified by Victim, Will Face Grand Jury
A man identified from a rogues gallery photograph as one of a pair who held up and robbed an East Camden man was held without bail for the grand jury yesterday when arraigned before Police Court Judge Gene R. Mariano.
He is Stanley Geda, 26, of 1273 Whitman avenue. John Miller, of 2827 Clinton street, who was held up and robbed of $2046.49 at the point of revolvers by two men, picked Geda’s photograph from the police gallery. Miller said that he recognized Geda despite the fact that he had a black handkerchief over the lower part of his face. Miller declared that he remembered the voice and also that the man had pimples on his forehead.
Miller told police, prior to the arrest of Geda, that he was standing in the driveway to his garage waiting for a companion to come from the house, when he was held up.
After Geda had been identified, City Detectives Gus Pfleiderer, Joseph Mardino and Frank Crawford learned that he was on parole from State’s prison.
When Geda appeared at the office of Albert Brager, parole officer, who summoned him, he was arrested.
Miller was then called to the detective bureau and positively identified Geda, police said.
Geda pleaded not guilty. Miller charged in court that Geda was making an effort to change his voice, which Geda denied saying that he had a cold.
Pair Believed Seeking to Rob Numbers Auto
Camden Courier-Post —
Flight Ends with Crash into Pole; One Captured in Newton Creek Swamps
MASKED MEN PURSUED WHILE CHASING VICTIM
Pistol shots spitting from a speeding sedan at a fleeing coupe ahead—
Police in red cars and private motorists in wild pursuit—
A splintering crash against a pole, two men firing in the air to scatter playing children as they ran in headlong flight—
One frightened fugitive captured by a doughty citizen trying to hide in a garage.
The second trapped in the swamps of Newton Creek by squads of police and firemen and finally tracked down in the glare of floodlights as hundreds of curious watched—
Real-life Drama
That’s the outline of a real-life melodrama enacted on the southern fringe of Camden last night with the resultant capture of two ex-convicts and subsequent detention of a third man in what detectives believe was an attempt by hijackers to rob a numbers writing banker believed to be carrying a large sum of gambling money.
The spectacular shooting—at 80-miles-an-hour—started near Gloucester and the grim man-hunt ended in the marshes of Newton creek south of Collings road, Fairview, with half a dozen public servants and private citizens performing heroic deeds at the risk of their own lives in a drama whose meaning they did not learn until hours afterward.
The two men held as the attempted hijackers are Stanley Geda, 25, of 1273 Whitman avenue, a paroled convict, who only last Monday was held without bail in Camden police court on a charge of holdup and robbery, and Stanley A. Gasior, 25, of 930 Mechanic street, another police character with a criminal record.
Bullet Hole in Car
The man taken in custody for investigation as the intended victim of a number bank hijacking, is George Pestridge, 46, of the Milner Hotel, Second and Penn streets, who was convicted of number writ-
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2 Ex-Convicts Seized in Gun Chase After Auto Crashes into Pole
(Continued from Page One)
ing and fined $50 in Camden police court October 8, 1937. Police say they recovered his coupe with a bullet hole through the right side window and other marks of having been the target of marksmen.
The alleged hijacking attempt first came to notice at Crescent boulevard and Market street, Gloucester, about 4:10 p. m. Edward Garrity, 21, son of Chief of Police James Garrity, of Bellmawr, said he was driving his father’s car and had stopped for a red light.
“I saw two speeding cars cutting in and out of traffic from Gloucester,” said Garrity. “One man in a coupe seemed to be trying to get away from two pursuing men in a sedan, each of whom wore Halloween masks on his face. The coupe sped through the red light and swerved in a sharp turn on two wheels into Crescent boulevard, headed for Fairview. The sedan followed it an instant later through the red light and around into the boulevard.
Joins in Chase
“My father’s shotgun was in the car and I gave chase. I opened up the siren (my father uses his car for police business) and we did 80 miles an hour to the West Collingswood Circle on the Black Horse pike, with the masked man beside the driver in the sedan blazing away out his window at the coupe ahead with a revolver, and the coupe swerving from side as if to duck the bullets zig-zagging.
“At one point I saw the coupe miss a woman pedestrian by inches. At the pike both cars ahead swung around the island at the circle and the coupe suddenly pulled by with screeching brakes before a row of stores. The men in the sedan, seeing they were being pursued, swung off the pike into one of the streets of Fairview. I followed them and a moment later saw the sedan, approaching a right angle turn in the rear of the Church of St. Joan of Arc, leap the curb, dash across the lawn and smash against a pole. The two men got out and ran.”
Fire Into Air
Accounts varied as to exactly what happened there, but several Fairview residents said the two fugitives from the badly damaged sedan, still wearing false faces, flourished revolvers and fired into the air to scatter children playing on the lawn of the combined church and school at Collings and Alabama roads as they darted toward the Fairview baseball park and adjoining swamps along Newton creek.
George Hess, Sr., 38, of 1332 Merrimac road, a husky electrician at the New York shipyard, who was a Summer cop from 1927 to 1930, saw the first fugitive run past his windows, then the second. At some distance back came a group of citizen pursuers. Hess, shirt-sleeved, dashed after the fugitives and caught the second as he tried to hide in a vacant private garage. That man was Geda.
Struggles With Suspect
Hess struggled with the suspect and was aided a moment later in subduing him by George Datz, High street, Mullica Hill, and Elmer Ulrich, 119 Virginia avenue, Audubon, both used car salesmen at a lot on Black Horse pike near Alabama road, and other citizens who had joined the chase.
The first fugitive—Gasior—disappeared into the high reeds of the creek bank with a dozen or more men at his heels as Geda was taken prisoner to a telephone in the candy store of William Hastings, 73, at 1384 Collings road. Hearing Haddon township police had been chasing the men, Hess telephoned the police there and Patrolman Charles Craig, who had joined in the chase himself, only a short time before, arrived and handcuffed Geda.
While Geda was being taken to Haddon township police headquarters and then to the Camden city hall detective bureau, the alarm was spread and Camden police red cars began arriving with sirens screaming to join in the search. Public Safety Commissioner Mary W. Kobus sped to the scene, surveyed the situation and called out first one, then a second fire department emergency squad, with powerful flood lights on long extension cords.
Blaze of Light
As police deployed along the north bank of the marshland to prevent the fugitive from circling around and escaping, Junior Captain Raymond Smith, of the fire emergency squad, in hip boots and carrying a powerful hand flood light, worked his way into the mud of the swamp and beat the reeds to east and west while more powerful lights atop the roofs of the high emergency trucks pierced the blackness in wide sweeps.
In the course of the search, Garrity had fired several shots at suspected movements with his father’s shotgun and policemen had let loose occasional barrages of pistol fire to keep the fugitive from breaking cover.
After approximately two tense hours combing through the reeds and sloshing hip-deep in mud, John Githens, 1032 Monitor road, a Public Service bus driver among the volunteer searchers, came upon the figure of a frightened, coatless fugitive, more than half-buried in the water and mud of the creek’s edge. It was Gasior, shivering and shaking, and he cried, “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” Githens did not even have a weapon. He brought his prisoner to shore. Gasior was rushed to the detective bureau, stripped of his wet clothes and in nothing but an overcoat taken to Cooper Hospital for treatment for exposure by orders of Mrs. Kobus.
Detective Sergeant Murphy said Geda refused to answer any questions or make any kind of a statement, while questioning of Gasior was postponed until the danger of pneumonia was past. From descriptions detectives obtained of the coupe that had been pursued by the men in the sedan, detectives went to the West Jersey Cafe, Third and Market streets, and took Pestridge into custody for questioning.
At City Hall he told them his car was parked near that corner. It was taken to City Hall and, reputedly, three bullet holes were found in it. Murphy would not reveal for the present whether Pestridge gave them any information. One report had it he is prominent in a numbers bank in or near Gloucester, was known to carry large sums of money at that hour in the afternoon, representing collections from numbers writers, and had been pursued by the men in the sedan for several miles on roads south of Gloucester before young Garrity joined in the chase. It was reported Pestridge had several narrow escapes from being shot and also forced off the road by his pursuers.
‘Looking for Trouble’
According to Patrolman Craig, the coupe disappeared after having stopped in front of the Crescent Theatre on the Black Horse pike in West Collingswood, as the pursuing sedan swept past it with bullets spitting from its right side window at the coupe. Daniel Campbell, 30, of 306 Landis avenue, Woodlynne, proprietor of the gasoline station there, ran up to
the coupe and asked the driver what was wrong, Craig said. The answer was, “They’re looking for trouble,” then the coupe sped off, turned into a side road, and disappeared.
The sedan, an almost new car is owned by Harvey E. Stewart, a commission merchant at 123 Dock street, Philadelphia, and was stolen from the driveway at his home at 430 Thomas avenue, Riverton, sometime between 10 p. m. Monday and 3 a. m. Tuesday, he said. He discovered it was gone when he arose to go to business at 3 a. m. Tuesday.
**Threw Away Guns**
Detectives said Geda and Gasior apparently threw away their guns as they ran from the wrecked sedan. A Halloween false face was found in Gasior’s water-soaked clothes. Patrolman Craig said Geda threw away a similar mask as Craig was taking him, handcuffed, the [sic] police station, leering.
“See, I don’t have anything!”
Haddon Township Patrolman George Hyrup was cruising on Crescent boulevard and saw the speeding coupe, sedan and Garrity’s car in hot pursuit. He joined the chase but his gears inexplicable slipped from high into low as he was making top speed and were stripped, putting the car out of commission.
**Record Listed**
Geda’s police record was given out at the Detective Burea [sic] uas [sic] follows:
Sept. 27, 1930, Camden, larceny; disposition not given.
March 9, 1931, Camden, larceny of auto; disposition not given.
April 8, 1932, Camden, atrocious assault and battery; disposition not given.
July 11, 1932, arrested at Vineland; charge, burglary, nol-prossed.
Nov. 14, 1932, arrested by State police at Bridgeton; charge, burglary; disposition not given.
Nov. 26, 1932, returned to Camden county jail; chair [sic], attempted breaking and entering; disposition not given.
July 7, 1933, arrested in Atlantic City; charge, breaking and entering, released on bail; same date arrested Somers Point; charge, disorderly person and suspicion of breaking and larceny; sentenced to 90 days in Atlantic county jail.
Jan. 22, 1934, arrested in Gloucester; charge, loitering and attempt to steal; fined $25 and costs.
June 18, 1934, arrested in Philadelphia; charge, holdup and robbery and fugitive; turned over to Camden police; June 21, 1934, sentenced to seven to 10 years in state prison.
**Held Without Bail**
Geda was held without bail for the grand jury in Camden Police Court by Judge Gene Mariano only last Monday morning after John Miller, 39, of 2827 Clinton street, who operates a used car lot at 2031 Federal street as the M. and M. Motors identified him as one of two masked robbers who held him up at the point of revolvers and robbed him of $2046.49 in the driveway of his home October 12.
On parole from the state prison, Geda was arersted [sic] when he reported to Albert Brager, parole officer, after Miller had identified his photograph in the rogues’ gallery. He denied the charge and offered and alibi. In court Monday, Miller charged Geda was trying to disguise his voice.
Detective Sergeant Thomas Murphy, in charge of the Detective Bureau last night, said he knew nothing of Geda having been released after Monday’s hearing until Geda was brought in under arrest last night. He said he had no idea how a paroled convict with a long police record, held without bail on a holdup charge, could have obtained his liberty.
Two Ex-Convicts Seized in Gun Chase
Figures and Scenes in Chase and Capture of Suspects
Top view shows flight’s finish for fugitive Stanley Gasior (center), suspected would-be hijacker of a number writing banker, as he was brought out of the swamps along Newton creek, south of Collings road, Fairview, last night, after a two-hour chase and search, by Fire Captain Raymond Smith (right), and a patrolman. Lower photo shows part of the crowd of 300 Fairview residents who watched the manhunt by the light of powerful flood lights brought into play by the Camden fire department emergency squad.
Ex-Convict Nabbed After Gunplay
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photo
Overpowered in Fairview after an 80-mile-an-hour chase along Crescent boulevard from Gloucester, one of two suspected would-be hijackers of a numbers lottery banker, Stanley Geda, 25, of 1273 Whitman avenue, is shown here being escorted out of the Detective Bureau by Detective Joseph Mardino.
Driver Denies Knowing of Shots Despite Bullet Hole in Car
Camden Courier-Post —
Driver Denies Knowing of Shots Despite Bullet Hole in Car
Hijacking Suspects Held on Car Charge
Camden Courier-Post —
HIJACKING SUSPECTS HELD ON CAR CHARGE
Two holdup suspects trapped in a bog near the Camden Athletic Field on October 30 were held without bail for the grand jury yesterday when arraigned before Police Judge Gene R. Mariano on charges of possessing a stolen automobile.
The prisoners are Stanley Gassior, 24, who claims 1015 Atlantic avenue as his address, and Stanley Stevegeda, alias Geda, 25, who says he lives at 1273 Whitman street. They pleaded not guilty.
Both prisoners have long police records and were caught after a sensational chase which was led by Edward Garrity, 21, son of Police Chief James Garrity, of Bellmawr. At the time of the chase, which was participated in by officers of several communities and Camden police and firemen, it was believed Gassior and Stevegeda were trying to hi-jack, an alleged numbers runner.
16 Men Are Indicted as Deserters Here
Camden Courier-Post —
September Grand Jury in Final Presentment Cites 15 for Assault
2 Hi-Jack Suspects Admit Auto Theft
Camden Courier-Post —
2 HI-JACK SUSPECTS ADMIT AUTO THEFT
Men Sentenced by Baldwin May Be Linked to Holdup Attempt
Two ex-convicts suspected of attempting to hi-jack two alleged numbers barons in October pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing an automobile and were given from one year to 18 months in State prison by Judge Clifford A. Baldwin.
They are Stanley Geda, 26, of 1273 Whitman avenue, and Stanley Gasior, 24, of 930 Mechanic street. They also pleaded guilty to the possession of a stolen automobile when they were arrested after a wild chase in a swamp near Fairview in October. The car was owned by Harvey Stevens, of Riverton.
They will be placed in the police standup today to see if employes of a Gloucester factory can recognize them as two suspects who attempted to steal a payroll last Saturday. Geda was identified as one of two suspects who held up and robbed John Miller, of 2827 Clinton street, at Ninth and Elm streets and robbed him of $2046 on October 27.
Geda
Camden Courier-Post —
GEDA
On February 16, 1984. Stanley of Camden. Beloved brother of Mrs. Mary Szramiak of Pennsauken and Mrs. Stella DeCastro of Cherry Hill. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Mass of the Resurrection Tuesday 8:30am St. Joseph's Church, So. Camden. Interment St. Joseph's Cemetery. There will be no viewing. Contributions may be made to St. Joseph's Church, S. Camden.