Evening star., 1951-07-21
Atlantic City Officer
Expects the Sticks as
Reward for Testimony
By w. n. Shipnen

y
A patrolman who told Senators
that racketeers dominate the
Atlantic City police department
expects to be back on some OBJ
scure beat today, minus his radio
car.
They won't station you out in
the ocean, will they?" he was
asked.
We'll, they'll probably send me
as far out of town as you can
get" replied Pvt. Jack Portock.
The patrolman's testimony came
late yesterday, as the Crime In
Ivestigating Committee shifted its
attention from the ocean resort to
lush gaming establishments in
Covington and Newport, KY,
across the Ohio River from Gin
lcinnati.
| After hearing Pvt. Portock tell
of his misadventures while raid
ing gaming establishment on his
of hours, the Senators wound up
the Atlantic City phase of the
inquiry and called an open hear
ing Monday morning on the Ken
lucky rackets.
Third Raider to Testify.
Pvt. Portock was the third men,
Der of Atlantic City's -Four
Horsemen' to tell how they waged
an of duty crusade despite oppo-
sition of their superiors in the
department, political bosses and
top racketeers. The fourth police
man varied from raid to raid.
Pvt. Portock testified he per-
Isonally tested the power of bosses
who can Danish a policeman to the
sticks as rapidly as they can re-
store him to a seat in a radio pa
troll car beside a favorite partner.
Testimony that no such "in-
huence" ever came his way was
given earlier by Herman (Stumpy)
Orman. hotel owner described as
the "undisputed boss of rackets'
in the big resort city.
"Stumpy is a liar" Pvt. Por-
tock told the Senators, g or per-
haps should say a prevaricator.'
The policeman. who kept a de-
tailed diary and his own photo.
static records of evidence. for feal
lit might get misplaced" at head
quarters. went on to say when
where and how Stumpy prevari.
Gated.
I He was pulled out of a radio
car and assigned far out in the
sticks, where no policeman ever
lpatroled before" Pvt. Portock tes-
titled, after he helped the "Foul
lHorSeman" raid various bookmak-
ling and numbers banks sacred tc
their superiorS on the force.
The officer said he was patroling
the boon-docks on foot one after
noon last May when Stumpy drove
up in his 1851 Cadillac and invited
him inside.
You're not trying to trap me
of my beat and get me suspended
again?" the officer said he asked
Stumpy. The other replied he
was on the level. wishing only to
know what Pvt. Portock and his
partners wanted to make them
happy.
The witness explained that q
trusted friend had advised the
-Four Horsemen" to lay low until
the city opened up again before
they renewed their uphill crusade.
Pvt. Portock said he told Stumpy
the officers wanted their old jobs
back, but he would confer with
them first before giving his an
tswer. On the following day he
said, he returned with Pvt.
Francis Gribben, his former radio
car partner, and a previous witness
before the committee.
IT Stashed Gribben in the
bushes to hear what went on. z
lPvt. Portock said. Stumpy drove
up at the appointed time, and
Pvt. Portock said he told him
the others wanted their jobs back
and he wished to be reassigned to
radio patrol with Gribben.
Stumpy. he said, agreed.
did he agree Immediately? 2"
mo. He suggested we ought
to wait awhile for the transfer
Ito save face. ! said. You didn't