Blonde Sobs Story of Brutal Attack Near Riverfront

Camden Courier-Post, June 15, 1932

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Girl Victim Accuses Four Youths on Trial for Beating BLONDE SOBS STORY OF BRUTAL ATTACK NEAR RIVERFRONT Says Camden Men Lured Her to Spot on Pretext of Taking Her Home CRIES TO COP SMOTHERED Martha Tomlinson, of Delaware township, 18, attractive blonde, wept convulsively in Camden county court yesterday afternoon as she accused four young men of attacking her, beating and robbing her. The defendants were William Lopergola, 420 Royden street; Tony Basile, 419 Clinton street; Joseph Girgenti, 305 Benson street, and Frank Corafolo, 210 Senate street, all in their early twenties. They denied the charge. The girl said she attended a dance the night of February 9 at Tenth and Liberty streets. The young man who was to take her home discovered his automobile had been stolen and left her to report it to the police. One of the defendants, she said, offered to take her home, and when she accepted, the others entered the car. She was driven to a dark spot along the riverfront, the girl charged, where she was beaten, attacked and robbed of $1.60 she had in her purse. Her pleas saved her wrist watch, she declared. A police car passed them during the attack, the girl said, but hands were clapped over her mouth to forestall cries for help. She was thrown out of the car in South Camden about 3.30 a. m., took the license number of the car, found a policeman, Miss Tomlinson testified, and the arrest of the four youths followed. Testimony will be continued today.

Girl Victim Accuses Four Youths on Trial for Beating

Says Camden Men Lured Her to Spot on Pretext of Taking Her Home

Cries to Cop Smothered

Martha Tomlinson, of Delaware township, 18, attractive blonde, wept convulsively in Camden county court yesterday afternoon as she accused four young men of attacking her, beating and robbing her.

The defendants were William Lopergola, 420 Royden street; Tony Basile, 419 Clinton street; Joseph Girgenti, 305 Benson street, and Frank Corafolo, 210 Senate street, all in their early twenties. They denied the charge.

The girl said she attended a dance the night of February 9 at Tenth and Liberty streets. The young man who was to take her home discovered his automobile had been stolen and left her to report it to the police. One of the defendants, she said, offered to take her home, and when she accepted, the others entered the car.

She was driven to a dark spot along the riverfront, the girl charged, where she was beaten, attacked and robbed of $1.60 she had in her purse. Her pleas saved her wrist watch, she declared. A police car passed them during the attack, the girl said, but hands were clapped over her mouth to forestall cries for help.

She was thrown out of the car in South Camden about 3.30 a. m., took the license number of the car, found a policeman, Miss Tomlinson testified, and the arrest of the four youths followed.

Testimony will be continued today.