Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-05-01
Paszterak Questioned by Grief
Tonnesen in Connection
with Firemen's Smoker
KNOWS NOTHING, HE SAYS
Probe of Charges Made by
Mar. CantWell Is Con-
Quoted by the Police

steve Paszterak, proprietor OF
columbia Hall, at 3S7 State street
where the firemens' smoker featur-
ing. 1t is alleged. nude women, was
held on Tuesday night, April 10, was
questioned by Police Chief Niels j.
Tonnesen at police headquarters
Yesterday afternoon in connection
with the charges made by Monsig-
nor William P. Cantwell, In ser
{ non at ST. Mary's church last Sun
day morning.
Paszterak admitted to the chief
that a firemen's affair was held
there, but said that the use of the
nall was obtained over the phone
and that he did not know who was
speaking on the other end OF the
5 telephone. The party asked for the
use Of the hall on April is and the
proprietor looked up his calendar.
and found that 1t was not rented,
the chief was informed.
Inasmuch as the party after the
hall made known that an affair was
to be run for charity purposes, the
+ proprietor figured that $40 was too
much to be charged for the hall and
SIS was too little to bother about, so
no price was collected for the use
of the hall that night, Paszterak
told the police head.
The proprietor of the building
does not know what class of enter
n fainment was put on In his hall on
+ the night in question as he was
{ Kept busy in the front part of the
structure. he declared.
Police Questioned
1t has been learned that four To-
cal policemen. known as members
of the local department police quar-
tet, were questioned in regard to a
4 report that four policemen had rem
dered vocal selections at the fire.
mems affair during Holy Week. The
chief has learned, that men pur-
ported to be policemen from other
cities made up the quartet.
Patrolman John, Reager, acting
sergeant on the night of the alleged
smoker. was before the chief yes
terday and informed the depart
ment head that he did not know of
the f1remen's racket in the State
street hall on the 18th. He did tell
the chief that he heard of the fire.
mems celebration two days later,
but no word of the nude women
performers was heard until last
Sunday.
The chief also questioned Patrol
man Frank Tonghini yesterday af-
ternoon as the man on the beat.
Tonghini pointed out that there is
an affair in the hall nearly every
Z night and that he seldom bothers
going in. He did not recall any
night when the appearances about
the State street building suggested
an investigation. Both officers were
ordered to investigate all public
affairs on their tour Of duty in the
future.
Calls On Prosecutor
Chief Tonnesen called the prose-
cutor's Office to ask the assistance
OF that organization in the immo ora j
dance probe. and Chief OF County
Detectives Ferd A. David Informed
4 the local police head that his de-
partment will do everything in it,
power to aid in the Investigation.
The county detectives will look into
the report that out-of-town resi-
dents were at the local smoker.
A representative of the depart.
ment Is scheduled to cali on Mgr
Cantwell at st. Mary's church. rec
tory today in an effort to obtain
some of the information in the Dos
session of the church pastor.
CONTINUED on Page ~