New-York tribune., 1921-05-18
4 'olicerllarl Put
ODff u Orce ON
Girls Charges 9,
Passa;c Patrolman Will BE
Tried Also il, Clifton
ON Accusation He Threw
Her From an Automobile
Denies Story of Attack
Let Coverness Leave Car
at Her Request, Cava-
naugll Explains TO Chief

PASSA1C, N. j., May 17.-John j.
Cavanaugh jr., Passaic patrolman, ac-
cuscd by Miss Nellie Nelson, nursery
governess Of 1000 st. Nicholas Avenue,
Manhattan, of having struck her and
thrown her from a moving automobile
near Clifton Sunday night, after pro-
longed struggle in the car, was sus-
pended from duty last night by Com
missioner of Public Safety Abraham
Preiskel.
simultaneously Chief of Police Will
liam j. Coughlin of Clifton, N. j., with
in whose jurisdiction the attack on
Miss Nelson is alleged to have taken
place, announced that Cavanaugh and
his companion, Max Siegendorff, who is
the attack, will be arranged in the
Clifton Police Court before Recorder
William Barbour tomorrow morning,
charged with assault and battery.
Cavanaugh went to the home of
Chief of Police Schmidt of Passaic
Monday noght and admitted that he
and man named Max Siegendorff had
taken Miss Nelson into their automo-
bile at Palisades Park, but, according
to his statement, the young woman left
the car of her own volition and unin
Jured at Union Avenue Bridge in Ruth
erford.
He told Chief Schmidt that no famil-
iarities were attempted with Miss Nell
son, insisting that she must have rid
den with some other man after he left
her. Cavanaugh said it was shortly
after o'clock when Miss Nelson left
the car. Union Avenue Bridge is half
a mile from the spot where Miss Nell
son was found bleeding and hysterical
She is still said to be in a serious con-
dition at st. Marys Hospital Passaic.
Chief Schmidt told newspaper men
that Miss Nelson was too hysterical
to be seen by visitors, but she made a
statement yesterday afternoon, describ-
ing her treatment by the men who she
says struck her and threw her from
the automobile.
81 would never have ridden with the
men," said Miss Nelson, "but | found
that ] had only few cents in my
pocketbook and l hoped these gentle
men would drive me home. They did
look like gentlemen 10 me and trusted
them because of that.
81 wanted to sit in the back seat, but
they made me get in the front seat be-
tween them. We had net gone very
far before both men began to use vile
language | asked them TO stop, and
to let me out of the car. Then one of
the two displayed policeman's badge.
They stopped in front OF a tirehouse in
Passaic. and one of the men introduced
me to firemen as his little French baby
doll, but they drove on before l could
get out.
"When we were in very lonely spot
the man who had the police badge be-
gan struggling with me. 1 pleaded with
him and with the other man to let me
out of the car. | told them | was able
to walk back, and they said l didn t
know the road. | fought both men SO
hard that [ tore my clothes and hurt
myself. Then the man who had the
badge stopped the car He seized me
in his arms and threw me over the side
of the car, at the same time striking
me on the head with his fist, | don't
remember anything distinctly except
that the number of the car seemed
burned on my brain and [ wrote it
down. | was crying when some people
found me and took me to the hos
pital."