The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-10

Frank Eofchinski, deputy con-
stable of this city, and Edward Shar-
rak. former special officer of Old
Forge, were held in $500 bail each, by
Alderman Ruddy Saturday, to answer
at court for extorting money from
Old Forge saloon keepers.
kofchinski Is also held to answer for
falsely representing himself to be the
county detective.
The story of raft of witnesses was
to the effect that the two defendants
went among the saloon-keepers of Old
Forge with warrants charging them
with selling liquor illegally and, after
placing them under arrest, settled the
cases for whatever they could extort
from them.
kofchinski is former agent of the
Municipal league. He is also one Of
the three men indicted for killing
Daniel McAuliffe, on Luzerne street,
during a fracas growing out of an
attempt to make arrests for stoning
trolley care and assaulting Scranton
Railway company employees. Sharrak
was a special officer of Old Forge until
last Monday, when the council took
his commission away from him be-
cause of his alleged eXtortions from
sOloon-keepers.
Sharrak was represented at the
hearing by Attorney NJ. J. Donahoe,
Kofchinski's attorney is F. Il. Beers.
Of counsel for the Municipal league.
County Detective Phillips, who is
prosecuting the case, was represented
by County Solicitor H. L. Taylor.
sWORE OUT WARRANTS.
February 20, it appears, Kofchinski
presented himself at Alderman Rud-
dy's Office and swore out warrants
charging illegal liquor selling against
George Hush, William Sussavich and
Paul Prannock, of Old Forge. The
alderman said he would have the war;
rants served forthwith. but Kofchn-
ski told him it would be unnecessary,
as he had engaged an Old Forge off,
Ger to serve them.
That was the last the alderman
heard of the warrants until one day
last week, when Hush appeared at the
alderman's Office for a hearing. The
alderman knew nothing of the hear
ing and questioned Hush as to what
he was driving at. Hush went on to
tell that the county detective and
Special Officer Sharrak had arrested
him for selling liquor on Sunday. and
further that they had tried to get him
to settle by paying money.
County Detective Phillips was in
formed and he set about an investiga-
tion. Word had come to him that he
had been impersonated by "bleeders" in
various parts of the county, and he was
waiting for an opportunity to bring
some one of them up with q quick,
sharp turn.
Saturday, when Kofchinski and Shar-
rak were arraigned to answer the
county detectives charges, they were
confronted by dozen witnesses to COR
roborate the story of Hush.
All three Of the saloonkeepers for
whom Kofchinski had sworn ont war;
rants, together with members of their
families and others, swore to the false
impersonation and eXtortions.
Prannock said he settled for $3.50.
Sussavch testified that he paid $3.50.
Agnes Strulufsky. another saloonkeeper,
told that they threatened to arrest her,
but she bought them off with S1750.
Charles Sussavich testified that they
bled him for $50.
SHARRAK MADE DENIAL.
Sharrak and Kofehnski were al
lowed to testify. Sharrak denied that
he told the victim that Kofchinski was
the county detective, but admitted he
accompanied him when he was serving
some warrants and that he was paid 50.
Kofchnski declined to answer any
questions, after being sworn, basing his
refusal on the ground that his answers
might tend to incriminate himself.
Attorney Donahoe argued that as it
was not shown that Sharrak had i'm
personated an officer or taken any
money from the saloonkeepers, he
ought to be discharged. In Kofchinski's s
behalf, Attorney Beers argued that the
charge of eXtortion was irregular, be-
cause Kofchinski had no authority as
an officer outside the city limits, The
proper charge, he argued, would be
blackmailing,
Alderman Ruddy did not agree with
the attorneys for the defense in either
contention, and required the defendants
.rix- I, &c,