New-York tribune., 1922-03-26
kidnapped, Held
In Pawn for
Rum, He Says
Tire Salesman Alleges He
Was Imprisoned in Hotel
After Obtaining 50, 600
Check in Whisky Deal
BIames Another for Fraud
Couldn't Find Liquor Nor
Man Who Col Money; 3
Arrested as Abductors

Charges OF kidnapping were brought
yesterday by Edwin +. Stoeckcl, thirty
one years old an auto tire salesman, Of
Bellmorc, L. l., against three men for
whom he asserts he became a human
pawn ticket to secure a debt of s. 900
growing out of an alleged whisky deal.
Stoeckel asserts he was forcibly alb
Quoted by the men, who held him pris-
oncr in a hotel room from March 19 to
March %.
The accused in the case arc Charles
Alessi, forty-one, a truckman. 43 West
Fifticth Street; Romeo Forini, twenty
eight, broker, of 1922 University
Avenue, the Bronx. and Morris Roth
cnberg, thirty-three, a salesman. Of 800
st. J ohm Avenue, the Bronx All were
arrested yesterday at 145 West Forty
first Street. where Aicss and Forlini
conduct a real estate business under
the firm name Of Forliui & Co. The
police charge that Rothenberg had n
revolver when he was arrested.
Planned Big Whisky Deal
1.-TWO weeks prior to- March 49,"
Stoeckel said in a statement to the Dis
trict Attorneys officers, "T told For
lini and Alessi Of an acquaintance who
told me he could get SIPS gallons Of
whisky if a check for $4,000 were
given him as an evidence of good faith.
check for $4,000 was given me by
Alessi and Forlini, and | turned the
check over to the man who said he
could furnish the whisky. But the man
disappeared with the check and I have
not been able to find him since.
81 went to the real estate Office Of
Alessi and Forini and told them Of my
misfortune. They told ne to 20 out
and get him. ! tried but without sue
ce "a, and was forced to return to the
Office each succeeding day without the
money. On March l9 reported that
| had found no trace Of the man. Roth
enberR, who was in the office. asked me
to go with him to the Marlborough Ho-
tel, at Thirty sixth Street and Broad
way, where we both registered.
"Rothenbere forced me to occupy the
same room with him under pain of
threatened death and did not allow
me out Of his sight. Each day | went
to the real estate Office under guard of
Rothenberg, and each night went back
to the hotel, ! was permitted TO tcle-
phone relatives and friends, but only
for the purpose Of asking them to try
and help me raise the 50 900. MY wife
was permitted to call and see me and
repeatedly impIored my captors to let
me go, but they would not. Yesterday
my wife came to see me and said she
would have to mortgage our home to
get the money to get me out of pawn.
Obtains Lawyers Aid
81 old not think | should he made
to so this far and, pretending was
trying to get the money. | telephoned
Edward ]. Welsh, lawyer. Of 20 Broad
Street, TO come and see me-
At the real estate office, the lawyer
said, Stoeckel told him all that had
happened and the lawyer was permit
ted to leave unmolcsted on pretense Of
going to his Office to get the money to
redeem Stoeckel. Instead. the lawyer
returned with the police and arrested
the three men.
Alessi and Forlini insisted that the
$4,000 was paid to Stoeckel in an olive
oil deal and not whisky deal They
denied holding him against his will