Opinion ID: 2379131
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the huberty case

Text: These defendants were indicted on the same charges as the Bennys and Ziccardis, but specifically with reference to the general election of November 3, 1953 and the primary elections of April 21, 1953 and April 20, 1954; and as in the other cases it was stipulated that these defendants had in fact voted in Avalon on the dates specified in the indictment. Michael J. Huberty is employed by the Radio Corporation of America in Camden, New Jersey, and has been with that company for 41 years. Prior to his marriage to the defendant Mary V. Huberty in 1952, he was a resident of Gloucester, New Jersey. Mary V. Huberty is employed by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in Philadelphia and has been with that company for 27 years. Mrs. Huberty was previously married to George Rennenberg, who died about 1942. At the time of her marriage to Michael V. Huberty in 1952 she owned in her own right, by virtue of her first husband's death, a two-story brick row type city house at 5728 Colgate Street, Philadelphia. Up to that time, she says, she always considered herself as a resident of the City of Philadelphia. In 1949 she bought a house in Avalon, New Jersey, looking forward to the time when she could request a pension and retire from work. Following the marriage of these defendants, Michael went to live with his new wife at her Philadelphia house. The employment records of the Radio Corporation of America show the residence addresses of this defendant prior to 1952 to be 705 Hunter Street, Gloucester, New Jersey. Since December 17, 1951 it is listed as 5728 Colgate Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The personnel records of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company show the continuous residence of Mrs. Huberty at the same Philadelphia address on Colgate Street since at least 1939. The records of the gas, electric and telephone companies serving the Philadelphia house show substantial and continuous service during the years covered by the indictment. The records of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Motor Vehicles show that the defendant Michael Huberty was issued an operator's license for 1953 and 1954 and automobile registrations for the years 1952, 1953 and 1954, all of which indicated his address as 5728 Colgate Street, Philadelphia, and that the defendant Mary Huberty was also issued an operator's license for the years 1952, 1953 and 1954 showing that same address. Especially significant is the fact shown by the State and admitted by Michael Huberty that a non-resident driver's license was issued by the State of New Jersey to Michael V. Huberty for the year 1953 and on this, too, he gave the Philadelphia address as his residence. The United States mail carrier who delivered mail to the Colgate Street house testified that he had been delivering the defendants' mail at that place from February 1952, through 1954 continuously and without interruption. Mrs. Huberty had a daughter by her first husband. This child's school records show that she was regularly in attendance at the Philadelphia public schools until December, 1954, and that her home address is listed as 5728 Colgate Street. It was also stated by the school representative that as far as the school district knew the child was a resident student. If she were a non-resident student, there would be some indication of it on the records because tuition would be charged. Mrs. Huberty filed her federal income tax returns in Philadelphia while her husband, Michael, filed his in the Camden, New Jersey, district. The Avalon house is described as a fully furnished, four-room bungalow, where the electricity and gas are continuously connected the year around. The utility companies serving the house indicate that gas and electric consumption is substantial during the summer and fall, but was none or within the minimum during the remainder of the year. The Avalon postmaster could not recall ever handling any mail for these defendants. The tax collector and treasurer of the Borough of Avalon testified that his records called for the mailing of all tax bills on the Avalon property to the defendants at the Philadelphia address. The defendants claim that they occupy the Avalon house during their respective vacation periods and on weekends or days off in almost every week of the year. Mary Huberty states that the first time she ever voted was in Avalon in 1953 and has voted nowhere else since then. Michael Huberty also testified that after he began voting in Avalon he voted at no other place. In this case no motions were made by the defendants either for dismissal or for a judgment of acquittal. The jury found the defendants guilty as charged and they were fined $500 each.