Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-09-24
MURDER TRIAD
STARTS MONDAY
Two to Face Jury Charged
With the Killing of Arthur
kupfer and Edith fanny.

,
more than two years from the time
they are alleged to have shot to
death at 2 o'clock in the morning a
young man and young woman who
were in the act OF doing them a
friendly service, Charles Perchand
twenty-eight years old, and Harold
v. Lamble, thirty, will stand trial
for their lives in the Union county
court of oyer and terminer here
Monday morning. The trial prom
ises to arouse nearly as much public
interest as the crime which was its
cause. 1t will be an exposition OF
the Importance Of small things in
shaping human destinies. The chief
links In the chain of evidence to be
presented to the jury, in the belief
guilt Of these two men, were forged
from almost inhnitesimal begin
nings. For more than eighteen
months, in fact. 1T seemed that the
tragic Staying OF the young Perth
: Amboy couple at Railway on the
night Of August %. 1918, would &C
down In the police annals as an un-
solved mystery. 1t is anticipated
that the trial, for more than one
reason, will develop dramatic Stu
atoms Of unusual character.
The victims OF the murder were
Arthur L. Kupfer, superintendent
OF Perth Amboy cigar factory, and
Miss Edith fanny. q cashier in the
Hotel Madison, that city. They were
slain while riding in Kupfer's auto
mobile. Kupfer was twenty-nine
years old and Miss fanny was eigh-
CURED in front Of the home of DIR.
Frank Moore, superintendent Of the
Railway Reformatory, in West Mil
ton avenue. Kupfer's body was inn
mediately thrown out. Scared off
then, through fear that another
moments delay might be fatal to
escape, the murderers drove Off in
the Kupfer car and carried Miss
Janny's dead body along until it
could be disposed of more safely.
1t was found next day in the lower
road, from Railway to Linden, near
the Linden line. The stolen auto
mobile also was found abandoned
still further along the route of the
fugitives' flight, in Wood avenue,
Linden. -
The crime caused the greatest sem
sation that has been experienced in
this part of the state in many years.
The police authorities were utterly
baffled in their efforts to solve the
mystery of the double murder. And
then the little things" trivial and
fnconsequential in themselves, were
pieced together by Chief County
Detective John A. Galatian. of Prose-
cutor Hetfeld's staff, and the chain
Of circunastantial evidence was
fp1ged, link by link, on which PERCH
and and Lamble, were charged as
the alleged slayers. When found.
both men were serving sentences In
New York state prisons, under con-
victions that followed the Railway
murders. These prison sentences
were commuted by Governor Smith
in July at the request of Prosecutor
Hetfield and Governor Edwards. to
permit extradition of the accused
men to>this state for trial.
From so much of the states case
as has become public SO far it is GER
tain that the little things" will be
OF supreme Importance. An anonym-
Gus note: the impression of smudgy
finger on the windshield of the
Kupfer car: the peculiar infection
and cadence of a voice heard in the
dark; the halting of the fugitive car
after the murder to inquire road
directions: the eventual disab bling of
the car and its abandonment because
Of slightly to heavy pressure on
the accelorator pedal: the jealousy
OF woman; a confession by Perch
and accusing Lamble as the slayer
and a counter-accusation by Lamble
accusing Perchand: the illustration of
a robbery plot which Is declared to
have led to planning the theft of
Kupfer's car as a substitute crime.
These and other elements of the
story of the murder and the working
up of the case against Perchand and
Lambie which have already been
made known hint at the possibilities
OF dramatic developments. in the
trial.
1t is undetermined yet whether
both men will go on trial at the same
time, or whether they will ask sepa-
rate trials. Perchand, at the time
of his arraignment to plead to the
murder charge. asked for a sever
ance of the Indictment. Supreme
Court Justice Bergen at that time
said he would hear Perchand's
counsel on that point at later time
The motion has not been made yet
by counsel. There have been evil
dences of marked animosity be-
tween Perchand and Lamble, and at
the time of their arraignment to
plead court attendants kept them
widely separated. They were
shackled when they made their ap-
pearance in court.
Neither of the accused men has
the appearance of criminal of the
common type. They are of sturdy
physique, although showing in their
pallor the effects of their prison and
Jail confinement. Both possess plen-
ty of NERVE" according to those
who have had opportunity to observe
them closely. and are awaiting the
ordeal of trial with surprising COM
posufe.
Attorney Robert Moore, of New
York, and former Assistant Prose
cutor Martin p. O'Connor. of this
city. will be counsel for Perchand.
Attorney Frank McDermitt. of New
ark. is Lamble's lawyer. Each or
these counsels Is regarded highly
In the profession, as having unusual
skill in the trial of homicide cases.
Prosecutor Walter l.. Hetfield, Jr., of
Piainfield, will present the states
case and Supreme Court Justice
James J. Bergen will preside. Both
the state and the defense win have
experts 20 testify on the fingerprint
Identification evidence, and it is hint-
ed that noted alienists also may APP
CONTINUED on Page Five.)