Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-11-13
PARKER AND AIDS
RELIEVED OF DUTY
State Trooper Takes Charge of Bur-
lington County Detectives Office

/ Ellis Parker, chief Burlington coun-
ty detective, and his two assistants
have been relieved from active duty,
pending the outcome of the Burling-
ton County Grand Jury investigation
of the Rancocas Creek liquor scan
dial.
The work of the office is being
taken over by Herman Bading, of the
New Jersey State Police; William A.
Mccormick, constable of Burlington,
and George NJ Hillman, Jr., son of
the prosecutor of Burlington county
The two assistant county detectives,
who are thus displaced, along with
their chief, are Clifford Cain and Ar
thur Carabine
The action to relieve Parker and
mis- aide was taken by Prosecutor
Hillman, in order to avoid any criti-
cism by the public, which it was fear
ed might have arisen, if the investi-
cation proceeded with Parker and his
men retaining their offices, and dis
charging their ordinary duties.
Parker has had noted career as
detective of Burlington county for
nearly thirty-five years. He has
solved many important cases during
that time
Burlington county officials at Mt.
Holly were anxious to make it clear
that their action casts no reflection
upon Parker and his assistants
developed from an alleged long con-
The entire grand jury investigation
tinued system Of smuggling liquor by
way Of the Rancocas Greek, in Bur
lington county, to notorious bootleg
gers in Philadelphia and New York.
Investigation thus far has shown
that the creek was being used by Mq-
uor smugglers for nearly two years.
Their rum-running activities, however
were brought to an abrupt ending on
October l, when four State troopers,
headed by Lieutenant William Mich
OILS and Charles Garslake, a former
prohibition officer, raided the ocean
going barge at Adams Wharf, one
miles from this city,
They arrested fifty men and
seized liquor valued at nearly $780,
900. A further seizure was made two
weeks later in house near the land
ing.
The affair, and the fact that bail
averaging from 5000 to $500, was ac-
cepted from the bootleggers, caused
a demand by Supreme Court Justice
Frank T. Lloyd for a sweeping in
vestigation. Justice Lloyd asserted,
| in a charge to the Burlinbton County
Grand Jury on October 10, that be-
fore Carslake and the state troopers
made their raid, Burlington county
officials had received a tip concern
ing the presence of the liquor barge
in Rancocas creek.
He stated also in his charge that
@at least two of the county detec-
tives" had been sent to investigate
and had "done nothing" 1t has
since developed that the county de-
tectives who were sent to make the
investigation were Cain and Carabine
of Parker's office.
Since October IS, when Justice
Lloyd delivered his charge to the
Grand Jury, Carslake has been made
special county detective. This has
not been in connection with Parker's
own office, but Carslake has been
working with Lieutenant Nichols and
other State police Investigations,
since the night of October 1.
Last week, at his own request, Mr.
Hillman, the County Prosecutor, was
relieved by Justice Lloyd from direct
ing that part of the liquor smuggling
investigation which deals with Park
er's office. This was done because
Mr.. Hillman felt the office of the
County Detective was so close to his
own that it would be undesirable for
him to attempt to direct the probe.
Bading, the State police officer who
has taken charge of Parker',s office,
has worked before in Burlington
county.