Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-05-26

BV STAFF Correspondenf.
| NEW BRUNSWICK, May 26.-The
| first of the four men arrested In Perth
J Amboy on March "a for the alleged
conspiracy to steal three barrels of
| whskey from John Moritko was
placed on trial in court before Judge
Peter f. DAILY and jury this morning
| after considerable trodble had been
experienced in getting jurymen which
satisfied both the state and the de-
, fense.
Twenty-one challenges were made
| by the counsels and finally after the
! entire jury panel had been exhausted
It was necessary to press into service
J four New Brunswick men who were
! in the court house at the time. The
case of Joseph Brombart. alias Brown,
| of South Amboy was the first to come
! before the jury. The other three men
| against whom charges are made. for
| mer Detective William II. Hartmann,
Stephen n. Vereb and Andrew Gadek,
all of Perth Amboy, will be placed on
trial separately.
The jury trying Brombert consists
of the following men: Fritz Wittig,
New Brunswick; Ignatz Klein, New
Brunswick; Frank Oughton. New
Brunswick; Joseph @. Burns, Perth
! Amboy; George Hammond, New
Brunswick; George c.. Renna, New
Brunswick; James Wright, New
Brunswick; Laurence Weller, New
| Brunswick. Thomas Gavin. New
| Brunswick; Daniel DAILY New Bruins
, wick: John Fee. South River. Thus
1T viii be seen that nine of the twelve
Jurors are New Brunswick men. A
number of Perth Amboy men were
called but excused and challenged
Alderman Thomas Patten. of that
city, was one of those called, but ex
cused from duty.
When the case opened Prosecutor
Joseph f.. Stricken was himself rep
resenting the state and Senator
Thomas Brown the defendant. Near
Prosecutor Stricken were Mayor
Frank Dorsey. of Perth Amboy, and
Chief of Police Patrick ]. Burke, also
of that city. Many Perth Amboyans
including Aldermen Patten and Ben
Jamin A. Riedy were in the court room
together with u number of Perth
Amboy patrolmen.
Prosecutor Stricken in outlining the
states case against Brombert, declar-
ed that the man was charged with
robbery by assault" on the person of
, John Moritko. of 726 State street,
Perth Amboy, on the night of March
Il. The prosecutor declared that
Brombert held up Moritko at the
point of n gun. forced him to drive
/ out of the city towards FoTds. and
robbed him Of about S35 and a ring
Tle state also claimed that Brom-
bert made written statement TO the
effect that he admitted stealing the
ring and $40 from Moritko. Prosecu-
tor Stricken emphasized the fact 1t
mattered little whittier II was $40 or
mattered little whether ii was $40 or
taking 1t from Moritko.
Brombert, according to the prose-
Z Of hO
had concocted a plan whereby they
could dispose of three barrels of
whskey after they had stolen IL from
Moritko, IA saloonkeeper. Brombert,
who is charged with having done
the actual holding up of Moritko's
car, wore n badge which he used 20
pose as a revenue officer. He jumped
upon the running board of Moritko's
machine and ordered him TO drive out
OF the CITY, Mr.. Stricken said in order
that the other three men might get
away with the three barrels of whis-
key.
At the completion OF this outline
by the prosecutor, Moritko was sworn
in and took the stand He testified
that shortly after IL o'clock on tho
night In question he, accompanied by
a man known as sam" was going
along Barracks street when he was
held up by a man with revolver,
wearing handkerchief mask over his
face and having badge on his coat.
After standing for ten or fifteen min
utes. MoritkO said, the man jumped
on the running board OF his car ard
ordered him 10 drive out New Bruins
wick avenue towards Fords, holding
a revolver at his head all the time.
Upon getting near Fords he was or
|dered to turn the car around and pro
coed towards Perth Amboy again.
When he reached the Florida Grove
road the man forced him to stop and
took ring and S35 from him, Moritko
said. He claimed he could read the
words Perth Amboy" on the badge
worn by the masked man but could
mot discern the number of the badge.
Moritko claimed to recognize Brom
bert's voice. Moritko stated that after
Brombert had jumped from the car he
returned to the city and at corner of
met horse and wagon belonging TO
his (Moritko's) brother-in-law The
wagon contained three barrels which
were supposed to have whiskey In
them and It was driven by Andrew
Gadek.
Moritko had testified further that he
had heard Brombert make state
ment to Prosecutor Stricken IN the
Perth Amboy police station shortly
after his arrest, that the badge and
revolver were given to him by BILLY"
Hartmann. Attorney Brown objected
TO this. claiming that 1t was the re-
suit OF promises. Stricken jumped at
this remark stating. from who?"
Brown replied. from those higher
up"