Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-04-14

Lawrence Marmon and Louis Han
sen, Perth Amboy policemen charged
with shaking down. a South River
bootlegger in the sum Of S2SS are on
trial here today, the state having
begun its case after considerable
time had been consumed in drawing
a jury.
The court ordered the original jury
thrown out and a new one drawn
after it was found that eight jurymen
were in the court room but their
tickets were not in the box. The
order by the court that the entire
panel be redrawn consumed more
than an hour and finally twelve men
were selected, the defense challeng-
ing three and the state six.
The jury is composed Of the fol-
lowing: Isaac T. Berdine, of New
Brunswick; william ]. Hogan, of
Highland Park; John Conlon, OF
New Brunswick; John E. Maryott,
of Jamesburg; John Cortelyou, of
New Brunswick; George D. Rutan,
of New Brunswick: Frederick Deer,
of South Brunswick township;
Adam weiland. of New Brunswick
Edna Skewis. of Midtown; James
GLADDEN., of New Brunswick: owen
Leary of South Brunswick town.
ship; Michael Fenton, of Perth AM
boy.
Assistant Prosecutor John z
Toolan Is appearing for the state
and former Senator Thomas Brown
represents the two accused patrol
men. The men are charged with
malfeasance in Office in that on No
vember 9 they did not do their duty
in arresting William Langfeld, the
South River man, when the officers
knew he was transporting and SELL
ing liquor in violation of the prohi-
bition law. The men are also charg-
ed with shaking down Langfeld
for $2S8, which the state alleges
was given the policemen by the
bootlegger in order to get the pro-
lection of these officers. Attorney
Brown asked that the state be more
specific as to what the term shake
down" implied but the court allow
ed the charge to stand as originally
stated.
The states case was outlined IN
the jury by Toolan after which the
flrst witness was called, he being
CITY Clerk Philip Costello of Pert h
Amboy who was asked to submit the
police laws under which the depart
ment is conducted.
Langfeld took the stand for the
state and at once identified Marmon
and Hansen as the two officers who
mad forced him to turn over the S2SS.
The witness said he was met in the
open field in the rear of Roth's Cafe
at the corner of Fayette and Oak
streets by Marmon who said: 1--WE
got you now, you from South
River. Wait until I call the chief =
Langfeld said Marmon then banged
his club and in a few minutes Han
son appeared. whom Marmon intro
duced as the chief.
The witness said he told Peter
Schweikert of the shake down" and
the following day the two came to
Perth Amboy and saw both of the
officers on duty. Two weeks later
Langfeld said. he met Marmon al
Smith street and Watson avenue
and said: "I would like to have
my money back. l need it,. Mar.
mon said he did not know Langfeld
the testimony continued. Langfeld
said the following day he approach
ed Hansen and that officer denied
having ever seen him before. Han
sen went so far as to threaten tc
lock up Langfeld. according to Lang.
felds testimony. In leaving Han.
sen. Langfeld said. he hinted thai
he was going to report the case tc
the prosecutor.
Langfeld testified that he told
Hansen he only had sI50 with him
Hansen then ordered him 70 take
the three cases of LIQUOR into Ans
saloon and sell it, Langfeld said
Wnen he came out of the saIoor
with the $13S he received for the
three cases, Langfeld testified. Han.
sen ordered him to turn this money
over to him, which Langfeld did
The witness said that Hansen said
to him as he left the saloon: when
you come again you want to bring a
bottle".
Langfeld testified that he then re-
ported the case to the prosecutor
office. A few days later Marmon
came to his home IN South River,
he said, and asked him if he had re-
ported the incident to the prosecu-
tor. The witness said he told the
officer No, wehereupon Marmon
said 1t would not be wise to do II
as it would cost both Langfeld and
Marmon money. An attemnt to
show that representatives OF the
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association
went to South River to interview
Langfeld and learn whether or not
Marmon had paid back all of the
money. said to have changed hands
In the deal. was ruled out OF the
testimony in the court
Shortly after Marmon's visit &c
his home in South River. Langfeld
testified, he went 20 Perth Ambo,
and again met Marmon. They wen,
to thS Tub Of Blood together, hs