Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-05-09
CHIEF AND
SIX OTHERS ARE
CALLED IN PROBE
John Campbell, Officer Burke.
Peter Campbell, Schantz
Brothers, MeIko, Baker
DR.. cANTWELL's CHARGES
Investigation by County Of
Immoral Dance at Smoker
Here Is Under Way

NEW BRUNSWICK May -
Seven members of the Washington
Hose & Chemical Company. of Perth
Amboy. and a Perth Amboy motor
cycle officer. are to go before the
grand jury today to tell what they
know about the smoker staged IN
Columbia Hall, on State street,
Perth Amboy. on Tuesday night,
April Is.
The action taken by Prosecutor
Joseph K. Stricken is the climax OF
| a sensation started by Monsignoz
! William P. Cantwell, of st. Mary
church. Perth Amboy. in a sermon
delivered at the masses in his church
on Sunday morning. April 2T.
Those subpoenaed by the prosecz1-|
| tors Office in connection with the,
affair are John Campbell, c71ief OF
| the fire department; Frank Burke
a motorcycle officer of the notice de-
partment, and Peter Campbell. An
drew and Frank Schantz, John Mel
ko, Mic Toft and Thomas Baker. All
OF the men are said to be members
of the Rector street company.
In ais sermon or April n. MGR
Cantwell told of smoker held IN a
hall within stones throw of his
church, Columbia hail. on state
staged during Holy Week, and two
nights after a successful mems mis-
sion had been completed in the Cen
ter and Mechanic street church.
The monsignor spoke for the
moral health of the community and
said that the staging OF entertain-
ments OF this kind where nude
women appear endangers the moral
health Of the people. In his sermon
the monsignor intimated that he had
obtained the necessary information
and knew what he was talking about.
st. Mary's parish head has pointed
out that the smokers where nude
women feature are staged in Perth
Amboy quite often, and that a
month or so before the April Is
event another fire company put on
similar entertainment in the same
hall. He asked for the support Of
the women and the good men of the
town in putting an end to affairs of
this kind
The following day Chief Tonnesen
heard of the monsignor's sernlon
and Immediately started an investi-
cation. In his probe he questioned
stephen Pastzerak. the hall pre-
prietor, several persons who wit
messed the program put on at the
smoker, the acting sergeant snd thS I
patrolman on the beat that night
The chief made known that he would
like to have the information in the
possession of Mgr. c-antweli. but as
far as is known, this was not OBJ
tanned.
Chief Tonnesen then accepted sn
offer of Prosecutor Stricken to as
sist in the investigation and at a
conference in the prosecutors otiiee.
the county head asked the Perth
Amboy police head to obtain a list
of names of persons who could give
information regarding the firemen's
affair.
The men subpoenaed yesterday
afternoon and in this city today,
made up the list believed to be tina.
turned over to the prosecutor bv
Chief Tonnesen. The fire chief was
questioned after .he monsignor's
sermon and he intimated that 1t
would be hard for him to tell of
everything going on in the depart
ment, in the way of entertainments.
and therefore he cannot be called
to account for any illegal affairs.
Police officer Burke was ques-
toned by Chief Tonnesen. but as he
was initiated at a fodge session on
April 10, ne could not say what
went on at Columbia Hall It Is
said he did admit being present at
-he f1rehouse after the smoker. and
that the names of other prominent
men Were also mentioned as being
IN the Rector street building at the
time.
Just what the other members OF
the fire company. one said to be a
janitor, can tell, is not known. The
persons questioned by Chief Tonne
sen regarding the program. pointed
out that the acts were no different
than those put on at any vaudevi1le
house. There was nothing unlawful
about the dress of the entertainers,
as far as the police head could learn.
1t is understood that the prosec1I-
tor viii ask the firemen in regard to
the sale of tickets for So, as charged
by Mgr Cantwel. The general be-
lief is that there must be sometime
special about the fire department. E
events. especially when persons coiHI
in FROM other towns te nag Al n