The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-19
ONCE A POLICY SHARK
Driven From Trade He
Takes to Cronheim'S
Sacred Rum.
WHICH COMPLETES HIS DOWNFALL
Charles Loefer Concludes q De-
bauch by Choking His Little
Son Almost to Death.

About year ago Charles Loefler, a
powerful German weighing about 300
pounds. opened policy shop in the rear
OF his cigar store at No. 100 Park avenue.
Hoboken. Loefer was well known to
the police. He was in the habit of going
on periodical sprees, on which occasions
1t generally required the efforts of sew
eral policemen to land him in a cell.
He generally escaped with light SEN
tence and his policy shop was not inter-
fered with until Mayor Stanton ordere d
the police to close ali the policy dens in
the city. Then Loefier was compelled to
close his shop.
Since that time Loef1er has been drink
ing heavily. Last night he entered
Cronheim's Theatre, where the City
Sports Burlesque Company was the. at
traction.
Loeder was drunk when he entered the
dingy barroom where the tickets for the
theatre are sold. Clinging to his big over
coat was his nine year old son. The lad,
knowing his fathers disposition when
drunk, held on to his coat and endeav-
ored to prevent him from entering the
theatre. When Loefer asked for two
box seats he staggered up against the
bar and 1t was plain to be seen that he
was drunk. His son asked the ticket
seller not to sell the tickets to his father.
But the ticket seller, seeing Loefer's roll
of bills handed out two tickets.
DIsGRACEFUL SCENES
Loefler staggered into box with his son
who was crying piteously. On the stage
were several females in tights. One of
Cronheims industrious walters was in
the box as soon as Lofier was seated and
brought in two whiskies. Lofler drank
enc himself and endeavored to force his
boy to drink the other. Not being sue
cessful Loefler swallowed the whiskey
himself. Then he became boisterous,
and began in very audible tone to criti-
else the forms of the female performers.
Policeman McAleer. who is the official
Douncer. entered the box to eject Loet1er.
A waiter intercepted McAleer and whis-
pered to him that Loefer had plenty of
money which he was disposed to spend
freely.
Ali the time the little boy was crying
piteously and asking his drunken father
to go home. Suddenly Loefer became
violent. One of the male performers had
made reply to one of his remarks and he
endeavored to climb over the railing of
the box on the stage. Then Policeman
McAleer was compelled to interfere.
After considerable difficulty he succeeded
in eiecting the drunken man.
CHoKED HIS son.
Loeher went up TO Miller's restaurant
on Washington street and while waiting
to be served became abusive. 1t took five
of the walters TO put him on the sidewalk.
When the drunken man reached the
sidewalk ne grabbed his son around the
throat and was choking him to death
when Sergeant Rathjen and Policeman
Sylvester Ryan ran up. One of the
officers hit the madman over the arm
which made him release his murderous
hold on the boy The lad fell to the side
walk unconscious. while his father furi-
ously fought the officers. He was finally
dubbed into submission. Then he threw
himself on the sidewalk and refused to
bulge. The patrol wagon was sent for
and he was brought to the station house.
The boy is seriously injured. TIE
father was sent to Jail this morning.