The Penn's Grove record., 1913-06-20
The PENIS Grove Record
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1918.
Alleged Blackmailing Case a Hoax

Alleged Matchmaking Case a Hoax
The legal and political vaudeville
performance which was held III Magis-
trate Gorman's court in Philadelphia,
on June 6, 13 and 10th wherein the suit
was heard of David W. Moore. one of
the Moore Brothers Glass Company, at
Clayton, against Jos. j. Summerill,
Prosecutor of Gloucester County, Geo.
w. Dickensheets, president of Wood
bury National Bank, Joseph Best and
Harry Stille, added much TO the gaiety
Of public entertainment and for senSa-
tional newspaper reporters and the read
ing public acquainted with the persons
concerned.
1t turned out to be a veritable polite
al mares nest, inspired by Lee L. Hal
lock, a reputed millionaire OF Philadel-
phia, who made a political squatterS IeSi-
dence in Franklin township Gloucester,
county a few years ago, and aStOnlshed
some of the natives by his supercillous
knowledge of public affairs when he
sailed forth to show how little the old
denizens knew and how badly they had
been governing themselves for many
years.
MI. Hallock, unlike j. Edward Ad-
dich's i'll Delaware, did not aspire to
high honors at first, but sought TO re-
form an old fashioned democratic town.
ship by getting control of the local Of
ices, Stacking up taxable valuations ON
political enemies and giving discounts
Oh taxes to political friends. he so as
tonished the Republican county leaders
by his political legerdemain that he was
nominated fol- The Assembly but the
voters turnout the county preferred a
native to a carpet Dagger. At the cleo
tion last November the citizens of
Franklin township made the issue Hal
lock and anti-Hallock and the anti.
Hallock ticket won. After the old deni-
Zens got control of affairs they discover
ed the maiteasance i'll office which the
''defOrmers" had done. 1t was called
to the attention OF the Gloucester cOun-
ty grand jury which found bills of i'll
dlctment against MI. Hallock and his
committeeman.
Moore Brothers, Glass Company at
Clayton, capitalized at $500, 600 and
bonded for $500, 900, had been bail by
the father who sold out and went west.
1t went to industrial and Financial
smash under the Management Of the,
sons, the brothers.
Money was borrowed where ever pos
sible and many who loaned lost. The
bond holders had to buy i'll the plant to
ave as much as possible. One of the
Moores failed Tor SIC, 900 did not have
5000 assets. Another it was alleged,
had got away with some thousands as
an official of the company.
Jos. j.. Summerill was the attorney
for the bond holders who wish to recover
AS much OF their honest money invested
which had been lost by the Wreckless
management of the Moore Brothers,
who let a big industrial establishment
go to smash and drew i'll all from whom
they could borrow money.
The meeting in the B~elleyue-Strat-
ford Hotel, Philadelphia, on May 31st,
with Lee Hallock and detectives to listen
on detectiphone to the agreement with
the bond holding committee to sell all
their interest with the deeds and papers
for So, 900 a cash and to guarantee the
payment Of the $200,0 0O bonds, was
made as spectacular as possible by hay
ing warrants sworn out previous and
officers to make arrests and newspaper
reporters to make the affair as sensation
al as possible for political effect.
Magistrate German, before whom the
prosecutors brought charges rendered
his decision on Monday. As it did Lot
suit the prosecutors they withdrew
Their case before him and sought war
rants before Magistrate Beaton for the
arrest of the New Jersey persons far Il
rehearing this Friday.
Magistrate German i'll his decision
says:
mo luntsman III the jungles has pur-
sued his prey mOI6 rentlessly than has
the prosecutor and his counsel, the de-
PENDANTS i'll this case. They have ig-
nOIed the amenities ard ethics that pre-
vail among the bar and forgotten the
courtesy due the Court, which alone
make The orderly procedure of justice
possible. III a protest directed to theDis
trict Attorney and made public i'll the
press, these counsel have criticised the
luling of the court i'll refusing to admit
testimony OF acrime which had not been
committed until some hours afier the
warrants We're issued for the arrest of
the defendants.
"Of course, neither the District AT
toIney, nor any other dis'nteresled
member of the bar, would aglee TO The
abSured proposition of law as declared
10y counsel i'll this case"
"Where is the testimony that Summer.
i'll endeavoTed OF agreed to levy black
mail or eXtort mouey, ETC., by intimida-
ton and threats TO arrest M0ore?"
""The only act of Summerill's there
fore that is considered justilying the
complaint and charge il this case is
his promise that no prosecution would
be commenced III his Office, and under
the circumstances in tins case as have
been mentioned above, it was quite
natural he should be unwilling to stand
in tue way of settlement of a very lrage
and important business affair in which
many people were Interested. This is
10 crime III Pennsylvania and it is not
1nflequent that public prosecutors re
fuse TO initiate criminal proceedings in
their office. 1t is TO be borne in. mind
too h a Summerill had no personal in
teresU IN the affair, but simply acting
for the bondhOlderS who had entrusted
their interests in his hands and those Of
his four colleagues"
The failure of the Glass Company
and the loss Of much moLey by the
honest investors may have been accord
ing to the technical rules of statute
law, yet the moral turpitude of the case
may be such that those responsible for
it should make honest investors loose
as little possible.
The endeavor of the bond holding
committee with their attorney Jos. J..
Summerll to get the Muores 10 pay
$1,000 III cash and secure Tie payment
of the 100000 bonds for the turning
over all property and books which
shows all alleged shortage in Charles
w. Moore's account which they would
be purchasing, may i'll some mems
political views be an infringement on
H. -