The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-08-13
INNOCENT MEN : INVERSION WILL
 BE RELEASED

[ New York, Aug. 13.)Ewo men inno- tconf of the crime for which they were convicted have been for r14 months in fEfng Sing, it was announced yesterday bby Owen Bohan. Assistant District At torpey. who prosecuted. the case be- fore Judge MulQueen in General Ses- sions in June of 1asta year. The men arc Frank Pezzulfch and Frank Sgel- irrach, Croatans, and are serving terms of from eight to 16 years after having been convicted of partbcipa- ton in the hold-up of a sailors board ing house at 36 Beach street on March 1 % 1919.
 i As the first legal step looking to their release, an application for a cer- | tfdcate of reasonable doubt was filed lin the Supre eme Court by K. H. Rosen- berg, an attorney of 65 Park Row. The application will be heard today by Justice Burr, and if granted the two men may obtain their liberty on bail pending decision by Judge Mul- queen on a motion made by MT. Ros- i enberg for new trial on the ground l of newly discovered evidence.
 Judge Mulqueen, in a letter written from Lake Placid to District Attorney ] Onward Swann, said he had no objec- ] ton to the granting of the certificate of reasonable doubt by Justice Burr, | provided Mr. Swann thought it should be done.
 7 Seven masked men armed with re- vofvers took part in the hobd-up Of { the boarding house and robbed the nine occupants of various sums of money. The robbers were in the rooms six or seven minutes and sep i aaated immediately after leaving. One of the victims pursued them, overtak- ing and causing the arrest of Frank s3trol1ch at Canal and VartcK streets. estrplJch was identified as one of the robbers. He told detectives that his icoupanions could be found at 4o West Twenty-fourth street. Pezzulicl. and SgeIirrach were arrested at tha { address, though strolich maintain ed
 that they had no part in the crime.
 Pezzulich and Esgelirrach. supported
 hy seven witnesses claimed they had not left the house on Twenty-fourth street on the day or night of the rob- bery. Several of the victims of the
 hoId-up identified them, however. and
 claimed that while the robbery was in
 progress the handkerchiefs dropped from their faces. MT. Bohan said that these mistakes were honest. The two men were convicted on June IF and
 sentenced on June 29, 1919. Strolich
 was rot called during the trial, Mir
 Bonan s'ald, as ne Hao dire1Doy uehAe"
 the men were in the robbery
 Last January Tony Bla0oSk, Frank 5Fratar and John De F-ranza were ar
 rested in Milwaukee and sent here to
 be tried for alleged participation in
 the hold-up. Tony Bla1oik jun ped his
 bail and is now fugitive. The other
 two were convicted and sentenced to
 Sing Sing for terms of from eight to
 16 years. In confessions which they frespudiated before they came to trial
 F,ratar and De Fsranza said that Peg
 zulich and Sgelirrach were not guilty.
 After Judge RoSa1sky sentenced
 F'ratar and De F'ranZa to Sing Sing
 MT. Bohan asked Father Cashin, tho
 Catholic chaplain at the prison, to
 urge them to tell the truth about Pez-
 zuiich and Sgelirrach. They again in.
 sfsted Pezzulich and Sgclfrrach had nc
 part in the robbery.