Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-05-20
GETS
PRISON TERM
Makes Charges, However,
That the Jury Was Tam
pered With in His Trial.
tBy Evening News STAFF Correspondent

NEW BRUNSWICK, May 20:-
Robert Stegaway. leader of a gang
of holdup men in this city about ten
years ago, was sentenced to serve a
term of from two to three years in
state prison by Judge Peter +. DAILY
this morning. on receiving charge
in connection with the theft of
$4,000 cigars from a Pennsylvania
railroad freight car in Metuchen
carly in April. Ernest Teschke, Of
the Fords section of Woodbridge
-wnship. convicted of grand larceny
and receiving in connection with
the robbery, was sentenced to serve
a term of from two to seven years
in state prison.
After sentence had been imposed
David Wilentz, attorney for Stega-
way, requested the court to instruct
the sheriff to hold the men until
application can be made for a new
trial. This request was made on
aff1davits signed by Stegaway and
Teschke charging that the jury
which convicted them had been
tampered with. The request of the
attorney was granted, Judge DAILY
announcing that the men would be
held pending making of application
for a new trial, providing they had
SuI1lCleUl eNluenCe lOF d new Trial.
The affidavits signed by the two
defendants set forth that while the
defendants were in jail on the even
ing of May 16 they could see into
the jury room where the jurors were
celebrating over the verdict in their
case. Information in the affidavits
points out that the defendants saw
man named Mcneil pass something
to a man named Frank Smith, who
in turn passed same to the jurors,
and it is claimed that Mcneil stood
outside of the jury room while the
jurors deliberated over the verdict.
Since the affidavits were signed it
has been learned that newspapers
and cigars were passed to the jurors
about O'Clock on that night, in
formation was given to the court.
After the prosecutor moved for sem
tence the attorneys for the men
made statements in regard to their
f .rmer records. 1t was pointed out
that Stegaway was released from
the reformatory in 1912 and later
transferred to state prison. The
prosecutor explained TO the court
that after Stegaway had been re-
leased from Railway he violated his
parole and was sent to state prison.
A..orney Wilentz told the court that
StegaWay has wife and five chill
dren, and has been living straight
life since his former arrest.
Alexander Mcneil is one of the
railroad detectives working on this
case. and it is possible the defend
ants in this case refer to him in the
affidavits. He has been working
during the last several months try
ing to clean up the numerous rob-
berries at Metuchen. Frank Smith
is court attendant and it is posi-
BILE he is the second party referred
to in the affidavits.
County Detectives David and Fitz-
patrick and Lieutenant Mcneil of
the railroad force and Captain
Coakley of the Pennsylvania rail-
road police have succeeded in con-
Meeting Stegaway and Teschke up
with numerous other robberies of
goods from the railroad, including
hats, shoes and can-openers. A big
robbery occurred at Metuchen on
March 80, on practically the same
spot the cigar robbery was commit
ted