The New York herald., 1922-05-12
Proved Alibi, as He Was
Not Near Family Home
Near MOntclair.
POLICE HOTLY ASSAILED
Magistrate Sees Too Much
Laxity in Indiscriminate
Arrests.


the family Of Rudolph p. Compton, Al
Norman road, Upper Montclair. was
fetched to headquarters in Manhattan
yesterday to try to pick out OF line
Of men the one who attacked Eer
Tuesday in Mountain Side Recreation
Park, between Upper Montclair and
Cedar Grove.
She failed to find the man. Then
she was asked to look at one man
taken out Of the formation. This was
not the man. She started for her New
Jersey home with a son Of her en-
ployer and Detective Sergeant Riley
of the Montclair police. Therefore the
New York police found themselves
faced by predicament that may cause
them much annoyance.
Last night two detectives from Po-
lice Headquarters and a representa-
tive from the office of the prosecutor
for Essex county, New Jersey, ap-
peared before Magistrate Oberwager
in Night Court with Alexander A.
Macarthur, the young man who was
accused by two women last September
and October of attacking them in the
same manner and same location as
Miss Lawson was.
Sees No Reason for Secrecy.
One detective handed Magistrate Ober-
wager a slip OF paper. The magistrate
saw no reason for such secrecy and he
spoke in loud, firm voice.
''Your Honor" began one detective
In low tone. I'VE arrested this man
on a telegram from the Chief of Police
Of Newark. We ask you for the courtesy
OF dismissing him."
This isn't an act OF courtesy" re-
piled the magistrate. This man is ac-
cused of a felony. The inferior court
act does not give me the authority to
do what you ask. have no Jurisdiction.
You should never have made the arrest.
you should be more careful whom you
arrest 1 shall have nothing to do with
the matter. You win have to take him
to a day court"
Your Honor" pleaded the detective.
couldn't you parole MIN until to-nlor-
row."
mo, SIR" insisted Magistrate Ober-
wager This is out OF my hands. This
is out of this courts jurisdiction"
The detectives left with their unwel-
come prisoner. At Police Headquarters
the records have it that Alexander A.
Macarthur, 175 East Seventy-eighth
street, was arrested yesterday at the
request of Capt. Walter Godfrey of the
Essex County Prosecutors office and
charged with being n fugitive from jus
tice. He was the man viewed by Miss
Lawson and whom she declared not to
be the man who attacked her.
Held on Two Other Charges.
Last fall Macarthur, who is the
adopted son Of John r. Macarthur, a
contractor with offices at 12o Broad
way, was arrested on charges preferred
by Mrs. Helen O'Neill, mother Of five
sons, and by Miss Mary Louise Brad
shaw, a student in the Montclair
Normal School Miss Bradshaw charges
that she was attacked on September
II. She identified Macarthur as her as
sailant Mrs. O'Neill said she was at
tackled October 10. She identified Mac
Arthur. Subsequently Macarthur was
released when he produced alibis that
satisfied Gov. Miller. who refused to
sign extradition papers.
Macarthur was locked UP last night
in Police Headquarters. Detective Ser
geant Riley said that Miss Lawson was
sure she had never seen Macarthur be-
fore.
The attack upon Miss Lawson in
augurated something like panic in the
Cedar Grove and Upper Montclair dis
trict. About ten minutes after Miss
Lawson was seized by the mysterious
one, whom she describes as about 30
years old, dark. heavily built and wear
ing dark trousers, q cap ard a cotton
undershirt with onc-quarter sleeves
Mrs. Walter o. Graham. 25 Warfield
road, Upper Montclair. met the same
man in virtually the same spot, but
was not molested as she was accom-
panied by two small boys.
The Montclair police aided by Wat
son Ryno, Chief of Police in Cedar
Grove, and four police dogs began
searching Montclair Mountain and the
adjacent hills OF the Orange Mountain
chain.
The searchers cut through the Mac
Arthur place on Rudge road nut found
rf,.l-