Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-05-13
BOB STEGAWAY
ON TRIAL TODAY
Former Perth Amboy Gang
Leader is Charged With
Theft of rs, 900 Cigars.
USE SIX TALESMEN
StegaWay Being Tried With
Ernest Teschke Despite
Motion for Separate Trial
USE SIX TALESMEN
fBy Evening News stafr Correspondent

fBy Evening News Staff Correspondent
NEW BRUNSWICK, May 13.-
Robert Stegaway, of Keasbey, and
Ernest Teschke. of the Fords section
of Woodbridge township. are being
tried here today before Judge DAILY
and a jury on a charge of larceny
and receiving. This case is the one
in which a consignment of 1000 CT
gars was stolen from a freight train
at Metuchen and distributed among
many dealers in Perth Amboy.
Considerable difficulty was exper-
fenced in securing a jury to try the
two men when the case was begun
yesterday afternoon. The entire jury
panel was exhausted with the result
that only six men had been secured.
AS result it was necessary to call
six talesmen from outside the court
room.
The jury as finally selected consist
ed of the following men: Fred j.
Maudsley. Richard Barry. Thomas
Gavin, Joseph Gibbons, James
Wright, William B. Rhode, Fred
Kline. Charles II. Huston. Thomas
O'Niel. J. C. McKenna. Edward c.
Rolfe, William Dewhurst.
Stegaway is represented by David
Wilentz and Senator Thomas Brown,
while Walter Sedan appears for
Teschke. At the opening of the
trial Attorney Wilentz moved for a
severance of the indictment as he
claimed that it would be more diff
cult for Stegaway to prove his inno-
cence if tried with Teschke than
if he was tried alone. His motion
was refused.
Assistant Prosecutor John T..
| Toolan represented the state and
said the men had been indicted on
a charge of larceny and receiving
there being two counts against the
men. The first of the theft of 25,-
900 Avlon cigars and the second
with receiving them.
The consignment Of cigars left
Perth Amboy on the Pennsylvania
railroad. the assistant prosecutor
said and at Newark were trans
ferred At that point the cases
were inspected and sealed, one case
being placed in each of two freight
cars. On the night of April the
train left Newark and at Metuchen
it was forced to slow down because
of a block signal set against the
train. The train upon arrival In
Philadelphia was found to be minus
the two cases of cigars.
According to Mr.. Toolan, a truck
er by the name of Oriscz living In
Keasbey was SUNNI 2 O'Clock In
the morning on the night of April Z
by the defendants and truck was
taken to Metuchen where the cases
of cigars were picked up from a
Oriscz' home where they were held
>during the night. The next day, the
State charges, a meeting was ar
ranged with a Perth Amboy store
keeper by the name of Epstein and
bargain was made whereby he
purchased the cigars for $35 per
1,0OO-about one-half their value.
The state claims $500 was paid on
account and 10000 cigars were de-
livered to Epstein who then dlstri-
buted them to dealers in Perth AM
boy. About one-half of the cigars
were recovered on search warrants.
The first witnesses called by the
state yesterday afternoon were en-
ployes of the cigar factory in Perth
Amboy who told of packing and crat-
ing the cigars. Employees of the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad testified to
the cars in which the two cases of
cigars were being moved towards
Philadelphia being properly sealed
after they had been transferred. The
testimony showed the cigars to be
valued at $1,000.
Capt. John NJ. Coakley, of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Police, was
examined at length by Attorney Sc
dam with reference to statement
said to have been made by Teschke
that Stegaway and himself were the
actual robbers. The attorney for the
defense endeavored to show that
Coakley had succeeded in persuad-
ing Teschke to make this statement
by making him promises of freedom
or leniency. The railroad chief de-
MED this, but said he had urged Tes-
chke to tell the truth. He also de-
MED that any threats were made
against the man in order to bring
forth a statement admitting his own
guilt together with that of Stega-
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