Stanley R. Wirtz

78 Departments Represented at Benevolent Association Session

More than 300 state officers and delegates representing 78 New Jersey police departments were present yesterday at a meeting of the State Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association at Tenth Street and Kaighn Avenue yesterday.

All state officers were present at the afternoon meeting, including State President Dennis Byrne, of New Brunswick; First Vice President Henry Miller, of Rahway; Second Vice president, August Harasdzira, of Garfield; Recording Secretary Michael McKeever, of Trenton; Financial Secretary Thomas Higgins, of West Orange, and State Treasurer William Mallon, of West New York.

Police work used in various cities was discussed. Plans were made for the state convention in Wildwood September 14, 15 and 16. Everett Joslin, Herbert Bott and George Weber were named local delegates to represent the local union, No. 35 at the Wildwood convention.

Chief of Police Lewis H. Stehr welcomed the delegates. A telegram of welcome was read from Director of Public Safety David S. Rhone, who is in Washington.

The committee in charge of yesterday’s meeting consisted of Clifford Flenard, president of Local No. 35; Stanley Wirtz, Edward Cahill, Frank Wilmot, John McTaggart, James McTaggart and Howard Henery.

Police were searching today for a blonde girl, about 18, and two youths who abandoned their stolen automobile after it had crashed with a taxicab last night at Morgan boulevard and Broadway.

Duncan MacKenzie, 27, of 1154 North Thirty-fourth street, driver of the cab, told police the stolen automobile careened around the intersection on two wheels, crashed into his car and ended up at the curb. He was waiting for a traffic light to change, he said.

Immediately following the crash, a youth and the girl, who had been in the front seat, and a second youth sitting in the rear, jumped out of the car and dashed away. One ran south on Broadway; while the girl and her companion ran north on the same street.

Accident Investigator Stanley Wirtz investigated and learned the abandoned car had been stolen at 7 p. m. from in front of the American Iron Works, 1455 Broadway, about two miles from the accident, which occurred at 10.30 p. m.

Herbert Bott Is Unopposed for Presidency of Camden Association

The Camden Police and Firemen’s Association will hold election of officers today at its headquarters, 1175 Whitman Avenue, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Herbert Bott is unopposed for re-election as president. William Thorn is unopposed to replace Richard Middleton for financial secretary and Walter Vecander is unopposed for the new post of assistant financial secretary. All these are police officers.

The police trustees will be named from the following nine candidates: William Marter, George Ward, William Britner, Joseph Shreeve, William Schriber, Joseph Mardino, Joseph Dunnett, Leon Feltz and Russell Young. Two police sergeant-at-arms will be chosen from among Stanley Wirtz, Harry Cattell, Joseph Schultz and George Clayton.

Three candidates are seeking the post of vice president, which goes to a fireman. They are William Spencer, Charles Edwards and Albert Dukes. Warren Rich, a fireman, is slated to succeed himself as recording secretary and Winfield Leviseur is unopposed for the new post of assistant recording secretary, which goes to a fireman.

Four fireman trustees will be chosen from ten candidates. They are Charles Cook, Henry Baumgartel, Walter Eastlack, Arthur Batten, William Getner, William Toy, Lawrence Newton, James Young, Russell Anderson and William Taylor. Three firemen are seeking two posts as sergeants-at-arms. They are William Judge, John Mulligan and Furman Price.

Spencer Wins 3-Corner Fight for Vice-President of Association

Lauded by the members for his splendid work in behalf of the club, Herbert Bott, a patrolman attached to the Third Police District, last night was re-elected president of the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association.

The praise was heaped upon the patrolman following announcement that he had received 107 of 110 votes cast in yesterday’s balloting. He was unopposed for reelection.

In a three-cornered fight, William Spencer, a fireman, was elected vice president of the association. He received 73 votes. His opponents were Charles Edwards, given 12 votes, and Albert Dukes, 18 votes. Both are firemen.

Others unopposed for office were: William Thorn, financial secretary; Walter Vecander, assistant financial secretary; Warren Rich, recording secretary, and Winfield Leviseur, assistant recording secretary. The last two are firemen while the first two are policemen.

Lieutenant George Ward, Patrolman William Marter, and firemen William Taylor, William Getner, James Young and Lawrence Newton were elected to the board of trustees.

Sergeants-at-arms named were Stanley Wirtz and George Clayton, police, and William Judge and John Mulligan, firemen. All had opposition.

After the ballots had been counted William H. Iszard, former assemblyman, appeared on behalf of the Elks Crippled Kiddies Committee, and asked police to support the wrestling show to be staged by that group February 13.

Victim Near Home When Accident Occurs; Driver Held

John A. Ashton, 36, a salesman, of 316 Boyd Street, was injured fatally last night when his automobile and a Public Service bus collided 100 feet from his home. He died in West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital at 8:10 PM, an hour and five minutes after the crash.

The bus was driven by Joseph Clark, 50, of 504 North Fourth street. He was held in $1000 bail for the grand jury on a charge of man-slaughter. The crash occurred at Boyd Street and Baird Boulevard. According to Policeman Russell Young, on duty at the traffic light at Baird and Admiral Wilson Boulevard, a man whose name he did not obtain told him both cars were proceeding on Baird Boulevard and that Clark attempted to pass Ashton’s car on the right as Ashton turned right into Boyd Street. Ashton’s car was forced onto the island separating the two traffic lanes on Baird Boulevard. Ashton was thrown to the road.

According to Motorcycle Policeman Thomas Welch, who arrived a moment after the accident, the bus continued a block after hitting the car before it was stopped. Ashton was picked up by Welch, who commandeered an automobile and took him to the hospital. He died of a fractured skull and internal injuries. Coroner Arthur H. Holl issued the death certificate. Lieutenant Nathan Petit, who lives nearby, assisted Welch.

Clark was arrested at the Public Service car barns by Welch and Policeman Stanley Wirtz.

Ashton was employed as a salesman for the W.S. Quinby Coffee Company, Philadelphia. He is survived by a widow, Miriam, and a daughter, Marilyn, one year old.

Richard Thawley, 4, of 1221 Walnut street, was treated at West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital yesterday for injuries to the legs after he was struck by an automobile while he was attempting to cross the street near his home.

George H. Reis, of 4 North Logan Avenue, Audubon, driver of the car, took the injured child to the hospital and reported the accident to police. He told Policeman Stanley Wirtz the child darted across the street in the path of his car.

Suffering cuts and bruises, Kline H. William, of 2203 East Madison avenue, Collingswood, was treated at the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital on Saturday after he was struck by an automobile at Haddon Avenue and Mt. Vernon Street.

The driver of the car, Harry Shaner, 44, of 1120 Kaighn Avenue, had no driver’s license, according to Patrolman Stanley Wirtz. He was held in his own recognizance for a hearing in police court.

‘Still in the Dark,’ Cops Say After Three Weeks of Vice Probe

BLAIR LAWYER SCORES ‘FARCE’

Lawyer Flays Police

The conflicting stories, coming from the police department, yesterday drew a scathing fire of ridicule from Blair’s attorney, Edward V. Martino.

In a review of Blair’s surrender, Martino flayed the police for “many contradictory statements” and said their handling of Blair is a “disgrace to the department.” The handling of the case drew this comment from Martino: “Such conduct on the part of an intelligent police force is detestable.”

Martino’s criticism of the department and the announcement that Mayor Roy R. Stewart will present such facts and evidence as he has gathered in his probe of police connivance with vice or dereliction in duty to Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd constituted the only developments in the case yesterday.

Double-cross Hinted

Stewart said he will give Justice Lloyd and Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando his complete data on the police and Feitz probes and is ready to present the same data to the grand jury if Lloyd and Orlando consider this course advisable.

Martino, describing step-by-step the events leading to Blair’s surrender and his subsequent examination drew the conclusion that Police Chief Colsey is “either tell-

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“On Saturday past, I received a New York telephone communication from Mickey. I told him at that time that he had been advised that the police were looking for him. He indicated at that time in our talk that this was true, and if so he would give himself up to police.”

“I talked to Lieutenant George A. Ward on Sunday afternoon, and he told me the detectives had seen Mickey. I talked with Mickey that evening, and he told me that he would come to Camden at about 1 p. m. on Monday.”

“He came to my office at about 12 noon, and after talking to me for about five minutes, during which time he told me absolutely nothing about the shooting, I accompanied him to the detective bureau alone.”

‘Still in Dark’

The prosecutor’s statement was the first confession by police that Camden county authorities are still in the dark.

Police Chief Colsey echoed Prosecutor Orlando’s statement by telling newspapers, when urged upon him, that he “wished he did know who killed Feitz.”

“We’re entirely in the dark,” he added.

Held in $2000 bail to await the action of the grand jury on charges of running a “numbers” game before Police Judge Switzer were Crawford W. Smith, 846 Carman street, and Herbert Deronio, 52, of 44 North Thirty-first street. Smith pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Stolen Car Located Near Hospital But Vigil of Police is in Vain

After abandoning a four-night vigil, kept in the hope that thieves would return for a stolen automobile left in the Cooper Hospital parking lot, the police have learned that another car was stolen from the same place.

The first car, owned by G. R. Wood, of 208 West Holly avenue, Pitman, was stolen Oct. 16. Last Tuesday, Wood was in Camden and noticed his car parked in the hospital yard.

He communicated with Pitman police. Chief Lloyd came to Camden and joined with Detective Stanley Wirtz, Acting Detective John Wilkie and other detectives who took turns watching the car, ready to pounce upon the thieves from places of concealment around the hospital if they came back.

By Saturday evening, however, when no one showed up, they gave up the watch and Wood drove the car home. Over the license plates of his car, the thieves had placed tags stolen from S. Earl Rue, of 914 State street, Camden.

At 11.45 p. m. Saturday, only a few hours after the policemen had left the yard, Mrs. Vera B. Carter, of Cook Lane, Bridgeton, discovered her car had been stolen from the yard while she was visiting an ill friend.

Because of the duplicate license plates, police believed the theft of Wood’s car, and possibly that of Mrs. Carter’s, was the work of bandits, rather than ordinary car thieves.

Carr and Koerner Will Be Questioned In Holdup Case

CAUTION IS URGED BY JUSTICE LLOYD

Doran Accuses Wirtz

County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran yesterday charged that Wirtz had supplied the guns and automobile to be used in the holdup and then posted Carr and Koerner inside the plant to capture the bandits.

Wirtz, Doran said, admitted the charges in a statement given in the office of Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando.

No motive for the detective’s action were revealed by Doran.

Following the questioning of Wirtz and Sergeant Koerner at the prosecutor’s office, both men visited the office of Justice Frank T. Lloyd late yesterday.

Justice Lloyd said later he had conferred with Commissioner Kobus in regard to the case.

“I advised the commissioner,” Justice Lloyd said, “to go cautiously with the investigation and gather the facts before taking any action. It is a common thing for officers to lay traps for men who are prone to commit crime, although they have no business to encourage crime. I think it is bad policy to suspend any policeman before the facts of the case have been heard.”

The charges against Wirtz came after an investigation was ordered into a statement made by Walter Lewandowski, 24 of 924 Atlantic Avenue, who was captured when he attempted to hold up a clerk at the wool scouring company, Ferry Avenue and Jackson Street. Lewandoski claimed he had “been framed” and named Joseph Powell, a police stool pigeon, as the one who planned the holdup and then informed Wirtz of the plans.

Powell has been a police informer for some time, according to Chief Colsey. The latter said he had taken Powell into custody for questioning and had released him in his own recognizance. Chief Colsey admitted Powell had given police the tip resulting in Lewandowski’s arrest.

When Lewandowski was nabbed, his gun was loaded with blank cartridges. This gun, according to Chief Doran, was given by Wirtz to Powell, who in turn gave it to Lewandowski. Another youth, Leonard Rogalski, 20, of 1219 South Tenth Street, was supposed to take part in the holdup, but “got cold feet and ran away” police were told by Lewandoski.

Doran’s statement follows:

Stanley Wirtz, Camden city detective, supplied the gun and the automobile used in the attempted hold-up of the Eavenson & Levering Company payroll office Friday night. Statements were given us by three suspects all tally.

Walter Lewandoski worked at the Eavenson & Levering plant, but was laid off there February 28. On March 3 he had money coming to him and he returned to the plant. Joseph Powell accompanied him. Powell talked to Lewandoski then of the payroll, and suggested the holdup. Powell then got in touch with Stanley Wirtz, and told him that Lewandoski was going to stick up the payroll March 4.

Wirtz on that night loaned Powell a car but someone got cold feet, and the holdup was not attempted. The following week, on March 13, last Friday, Wirtz took a car to Powell’s home and there turned over to him two guns and the automobile. Wirtz then had detectives posted at the scene to arrest the bandits when they made the holdup attempt.

Powell met Lewandowski and Rogalski and drove them to the plant. There Powell turned over to his two companions the two guns that had been given him by Wirtz. Rogalski got cold feet and refused to go through with the holdup. Powell then went into the plant with Lewandowski. After Lewandowski went in the door, Powell ran from the building.

Sergeant Gus Koerner and Detective Clifford Carr, hiding in the office arrested Lewandowski. Powell knew where these officers were hiding.

Wirtz was outside the building. He did not catch Powell.

Chief Doran said that no one implicates Koerner or Carr in any way in the statements received.

Koerner said: “I was doing police work. I was brought into this case on a tip that a holdup was going to be staged and I had no knowledge of the guns or the car. I didn’t know what it was all about but merely was there to perform my duties as a policeman.”

Wirtz is 37 and lives at 1197 Thurman Street. He was one of the first of the new policemen to be appointed to the department in 1924 after Civil Service was put into effect following the adoption of Commission government in 1924. He is a veteran of the World War and got a special rating for that reason when he took the Civil Service examination. In 1931 Wirtz was appointed as an accident investigator in the detective bureau and has served in that capacity ever since. He has a good reputation as a policeman and has never been in trouble before.

About four years ago Wirtz figured in an automobile accident that caused serious injury to one of his legs.

Rogalski was not arrested until County Detectives James Wren and Casimir Wojtkowiak took him in Monday night. The same detectives arrested Powell. Both suspects were charged with attempted holdup and robbery and committed to the county jail.

Lewandowski also is in county jail, committed without bail by police Judge Lewis Liberman Saturday.

Colsey Doubts Cop Will Face Charges; Case to Go to Grand Jury

Decision on any action to be taken against Stanley Wirtz, suspended Camden detective charged with having furnished the guns and automobile for a holdup, will be made today by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus and Police Chief Arthur Colsey.

Wirtz, with Sergeant Gus Koerner and Detective Clifford Carr, was questioned yesterday, and decision was reserved.

Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando, however, said he would place the case before the grand jury.

The charge involved the attempted holdup of the Eavenson & Levering Company payroll, in which one of the alleged bandits was captured at the scene last Friday night.

“No charges have been preferred against Wirtz,” Mrs. Kobus announced after the investigation.

“And I don’t believe any charges will be made,” Colsey commented.

Suspended Tuesday

Wirtz was suspended Tuesday after County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran announced Wirtz had admitted supplying the pistols and car, allegedly used in the abortive attempt to obtain a $800 payroll at the wool-scouring plant.

William B. Macdonald, court stenographer, recorded the statements made by each man.

Koerner and Carr were “planted” in the office of the company before the holdup and frustrated the attempted crime, capturing Walter Lewandowski, 24, of 924 Atlantic Avenue.

“All three made full statements to us,” Colsey said and then declined to reveal what the statements contained.

Denies Stories Clash

Asked if there was any conflict between the statements made to Doran and those made to Mrs. Kobus and him, Colsey said: “No, I wouldn’t say so.”

Wirtz appeared briefly before the commissioner and chief at the start of their probe. He left the room after about two minutes and told reporters, sitting outside: “I refused to make a statement. I made one yesterday and that is enough.”

Mrs. Kobus, however, said Wirtz did not refuse to make a statement but, instead, asked for a little time to consider his statement. “He said he had been in court all day and was nervous,” Mrs. Kobus said.

No Charges Made

Asked for a statement at the conclusion of the investigation, Mrs. Kobus said: “No charges have been preferred against Wirtz. This was not a hearing on any charge. This was an investigation of reports which I read in the newspapers. It is the duty of the police officials to investigate any such report, and Wirtz and the other two detectives who figured in the case were called in to make statements. This was not a trial and I do not care to make a statement now about what went on.”

The suspension of Wirtz came after an investigation was ordered into a statement made by Lewandowski. Lewandowski charged that he had been “framed” by Joseph Powell, a police stool pigeon. He named Powell as the one who “planned the holdup” and said Powell then informed Wirtz of the plans.

Rearrest Made

Doran said Wirtz admitted dealing with Powell and giving Powell two pistols and an automobile for use in the holdup. As a result Powell, who had been arrested and released by city police, was rearrested by the county detectives.

In addition, Leonard “Rags” Rogalski, 20, of 1219 South 10th Street, was arrested by the county detectives. They said Lewandowski told them Rogalski originally was intended to take part in the holdup but got “cold feet,” and backed out at the last moment.

Powell, Lewandowski and Rogalski are held in the county jail.

When informed last night of the statements made by Mrs. Kobus and Colsey, Prosecutor Orlando said: “I have nothing to do with the discipline of the police department. I will present the full facts of this holdup to the grand jury and that body may take any action it desires.”

Jury to Get Case

Asked if he would request an indictment against Wirtz, Orlando said: “I will give the grand jury the full facts. The members will decide for themselves what action to follow.”

Doran was in conference briefly with Mrs. Kobus and Colsey before the three detectives were questioned. He said he gave them statements made by Lewandowski, Powell and Rogalski, and also by Wirtz.

Later Doran returned to Mrs. Kobus’ office with a copy of charge of carrying concealed deadly weapons, preferred in 1930 against Lewandowski in 1930, when Lewandowski was 18.

This charge was no-billed, Doran said. “He was listed as a mental case,” Doran said, “and was examined by the county physician and pronounced O.K.”