Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-03-27
READY TO CLEAN UP CITY, SAYS
STRIcKER, If POLICE DEPT. HAS
NOT FACILITIES TO DO WORK
Prosecutor StriCker Answers
Alderman Wilson in No Un-
certain Tone as to Cleanup
NEW DEVELOPMENTS SURE
Another State Witness Placed
Under Arrest dorsey Does
Not Want Paper Controversy

NUl wall dpCi SUiiuoVCioy
When questioned this morning as to
any new Developments in the notorious
hold-up case, which involves William
T. Hartmann one of the city's detec-
ttves, Prosecutor Joseph e. Stricken
stated that there was practically no
additional features at this time, but
wished to make it clear that If the
local police department has not the
facilities to cleanup" this city he
would be pleased to accept Alderman
William C. Wilson'S request to pro-
ceed with this work.
Prosecutor Stricken stated that he
took his action in arresting the four
men, said to be implicated in the
affair. after being informed by Chief
of Police Patrick J. Burke that Alder
man Wilson, who Is chairman of the
police committee, had directed that
nothing further be done until his re-
turn from hunting trip to South
Jersey.
Mr.. Stricker's statement to the
press follows:
MY time does not permit at pres
ent of indulging In any extended news
paper interviews in regard to yester-
days EVENING NEWS articles. /
shall only be too glad to accept Alder
can Wilson's request to proceed, as
suming of course, that the police de-
partment has not the facilities to clean
up.
"As regards to the holdup, might
say that when the matter was present
ed to me by Mayor Dorsey In the
shape of two sworn statements giving
in elaborate detail last Monday nights
affair, / took the responsibility of or
dering the arrest of the parties In
volved as we'll as bringing into the
presence of Mayor Dorsey and two of
WI isnn'q CO1lP9 MpSSrS
Anderson and ReidY all the persons
alleged to have knowledge of the af-
fair. 1 did this after having been In
formed by Chief Burke that Alderman
Wilson had directed that nothing fur
ther be done until his return.
MY limited experience in criminal
matters which undoubtedly has
created an honest difference between
Alderman Wilson and myself, impell-
ed me to take immediate action as
there was nothing else practical to do
after having the matter placed be-
fore me by Mayor Dorsey, who ap-
parently had already given the task
considerable amount of intelligent
effort. The situation as 1t appeared to
me called for immediate action, and
the time spent between $50 ok
Wednesday night and 2 o'clock Thurs
day morning resulted in the arrest OF
the four persons involved as well as
,U UTlnSluS pGlOIe lllc StilklCAISh tlbONS
named and myself and to my office,
several witnesses, one of whom at
. least had already been seen and who
tried to protect at least one of the
defendants then under arrest.
'It is possible that Alderman Will
son had spread net for the purpose
of apprehendng the guilty parties,
but my own view is that If prompt
action had not been taken, number
of holes would have been found in
this net If permitted to float upon the
waters of uncertainty and indecision,
which of course, would have furnished
an opportunity for the parties in
volved or some of them to escape or
to haxo fixed UP such story as to
seriously interfere with the prosecu-
tion of the case.
II might say that Chief Burke after
receiving my instructions acted with
intelligence and expedition, and that
he would have undoubtedly brought
about the asme result on Tuesday as
he did on Wednesday had he been
ordered to do so by proper authority.
Regardless of the entertainment
that the newspaper articles have fur
nished to the so called fans, l trust
that this transaction will rebound to
the benefit of the City of Perth Amboy,
as hope that it will not be repeated"
Another arrest was made last
night by Detective Joseph Gutowski
of man who will be held as q ma
terial witness in the case. This makes
a total of four men who have been
taken into custody and being held
under bail as witnesses. 1t is be-
lieved that two of these men are the
ones spoken of as ABE" and "Mor-
ris'' in the statements made to the
mayor and the prosecutor following
the arrests on Wednesday night. A
third man, known only as sam" is
said to be still at large. These three
men are said to have been the COM
bination which had negotiated with
Detective Hartmann and Andrew
Gadek to buy the three barrels of
whiskey at purchase price of $1,000
per barrel
Andrew Gadek has been released
from the county Jail under $4,000 bail
furnished by George Gilman of
Perth Amboy. Joseph Brombert.
alias Brown. of South Amboy. the
other man arrested on the holdup
charge, is still in Jail waiting the
furnishing Of $4,000 bail.
Mayor Frank Dorsey this morning
stated that he would not enter in
any newspaper controversy with the
chairman of the police comm ttee of
the Board of Aldermen, William C.
Wilson. For a long time" the
mayor said "the affairs of the police
department have not been conducted
as / would like to see them, but in
asmuch as the city attorney has ruled
that the police comm ttee, headed by
Alderman Wilson Is In fun charge
of this department, they must assume
the responsibility, whether good or
bad, of the department. l hope that
this recent trouble W IL lead to some
action for the batterment of the de-
partment whether it Is done w tn or
without the assistance of the mayor"
Although the hold-up case was
brought before the grand jury yester-
day by Prosecutor Joseph E. Stricken
it Is not known as yet whether or
not the four men arrested on the
charge of highway robbery were In
dicted. 1t is believed by those familiar
with the details of the case and the
evidence presented to the grand jury
that true bills were found against all :
four men.
Hoboken Five representing Auditorium