Camden Courier-Post, October 23, 1931View transcription
Found Guilty
REINO A. THOMPSON
805 Linden street, who with Henry N. Mallet, of 119 North Ninth street, co-defendant, was found guilty of highway robbery by a jury in Criminal Court yesterday. The jury consisted of 11 persons. One was released after he informed the court he was "put on the spot."
'BUS BANDITS' FOUND GUILTY; FACE 15 YEARS
Thompson and Mallet Convicted of Robbing Drivers in Short Time
'CONFESSION' FORCED, DEFENDANT DECLARES
Juror Slugged, Case Goes on With Eleven in the Box
Reino A. Thompson, 19, of 805 Linden street, and Henry N. Mallet, 21, of 119 North Ninth street, were both found guilty of highway robbery by a jury in Criminal Court yesterday after one hour and 20 minutes' deliberation.
The maximum penalty for this crime is 15 years in state prison. Judge Samuel M. Shay will sentence the pair next week.
At the opening of the case yesterday, it was revealed that one of the jurors had his head bandaged. An inquiry from the court brought out the fact that the juror had received two alleged beatings and was "put on the spot."
Judge Shay allowed the man to leave the jury box and proceeded with 11 persons, an unprecedented situation in the history of the county court.
Mallett Scores Police
Thompson in his testimony exonerated Mallet of the crime and told the jurors he did the robbery. Mallet, who had made a signed confession, which was introduced into court, testified he was given rough tactics by the police and compelled to sign the statement.
Mallet said that at the time of the robbery he was eating in a Camden restaurant. Later he met Thompson
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2 Youths Convicted As 'Bus Bandits'
(Continued from Page One)
and they went for a ride through Merchantville. When several policemen approached, Thompson wrecked the car in attempting to escape and Mallet suffered a severe cut over his right eye.
When taken to the station house, Mallet testified, Bangs struck him repeatedly on his injured eye "until I would have confessed anything and signed without knowing what I was doing."
Thompson, who admitted his part in the holdup, corroborated Mallet's testimony.
Charles B. Kay, 53, of 435 Liberty street, was the juror who said he had been attacked by thugs. He declared he suffered four broken ribs and cuts and bruises. His head was swathed in gauze when he appeared in the courtroom.
In further explanation, Kay said he was put "on the spot." He volunteered no further explanation than that, but asked to be excused, as he had to report back to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital today for treatment.
Excused From Duty
He was excused by the court after Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese and Frank M. Lario, attorney for the defendants, agreed to continue with eleven jurors.
Kay walked into the hospital at 4 a. m. and asked for treatment. He said that a man offered to give him a lift in an automobile while he was standing at Third and Mechanic streets. A woman was with the "good samaritan," according to Kay, who averred that instead of going to the Market street ferries the man drove the car out Mt. Ephraim avenue.
Kay asserted that when he protested the man struck him and threw him out of the machine. No attempt was made to rob him. Police investigating the attack stated that Kay had been drinking and told varying stories, first saying he knew the couple and later denying he knew who they were.
Reino, who was exonerated of killing his father last April, and Mallett are said to have confessed to 13 robberies, but they were placed on trial on charges of holding up Leon Garringer, 4725 Poplar avenue, Pennsauken, and Fred Crowder, 6308 Shelbourne street, Philadelphia, on Aug. 5. Garringer and Crowder are bus drivers and were on the witness stand today.
Garringer said he stopped his Public Service bus at Park avenue and Haddonfield road, Pennsauken township, at 11 p. m. that night. Later, Crowder parked his bus and came into Garringer's bus. Garringer was reading a paper and Crowder was counting his receipts when a coupe containing two men pulled up beside the buses.
One of the coupe's occupants entered the bus, levelled a revolver at the two drivers and yelled, "Stick 'em up!" He stole $19 from Crowder and then ran back to the coupe, where his companion had been waiting at the driver's wheel.
Caught After Chase
Crowder corroborated Garringer's testimony, and Chief of Police William H. Linderman was called by the state. Chief Linderman said his men captured Thompson Aug. 9 after a long chase and later arrested Mallett. The following day, Thompson sent for him, saying he wanted "to come clean." Thompson confessed to the bus holdup, Chief Linderman said, and implicated Mallett. Palese succeeded in having the confession accepted in evidence and it was read to the jury.
Policemen Edward J. Hare and Herbert A. Davidson, Jr., of Merchantville, stopped an automobile at Maple and Westminister avenues. They were suspicious of the registration, and bade the driver, who was Mallett, to follow them to the police station. Thompson was in the car. Instead of stopping at the station, the driver turned into Park avenue, where a pistol was thrown out of the automobile. The police gave chase. Near Maple Shade, the car went into a ditch and overturned. Thompson was caught but Mallet escaped. He was later arrested in Camden when his mother allegedly revealed his hiding place to police.
Thompson was arrested when his father died last April of injuries to his head suffered when he fell after being struck by Reino. The youth said he struck in self-defense. Also his mother pleaded his cause. Young Thompson promised to "lead a good life" and help support his mother and her family. He was then released by the grand jury.
Thompson and Mallet Convicted of Robbing Drivers in Short Time
'CONFESSION' FORCED, DEFENDANT DECLARES
Juror Slugged, Case Goes on With Eleven in the Box
805 Linden street, who with Henry N. Mallet, of 119 North Ninth street, co-defendant, was found guilty of highway robbery by a jury in Criminal Court yesterday. The jury consisted of 11 persons. One was released after he informed the court he was "put on the spot."
Reino A. Thompson, 19, of 805 Linden street, and Henry N. Mallet, 21, of 119 North Ninth street, were both found guilty of highway robbery by a jury in Criminal Court yesterday after one hour and 20 minutes' deliberation.
The maximum penalty for this crime is 15 years in state prison. Judge Samuel M. Shay will sentence the pair next week.
At the opening of the case yesterday, it was revealed that one of the jurors had his head bandaged. An inquiry from the court brought out the fact that the juror had received two alleged beatings and was "put on the spot."
Judge Shay allowed the man to leave the jury box and proceeded with 11 persons, an unprecedented situation in the history of the county court.
Mallett Scores Police
Thompson in his testimony exonerated Mallet of the crime and told the jurors he did the robbery. Mallet, who had made a signed confession, which was introduced into court, testified he was given rough tactics by the police and compelled to sign the statement.
Mallet said that at the time of the robbery he was eating in a Camden restaurant. Later he met Thompson and they went for a ride through Merchantville. When several policemen approached, Thompson wrecked the car in attempting to escape and Mallet suffered a severe cut over his right eye.
When taken to the station house, Mallet testified, Bangs struck him repeatedly on his injured eye "until I would have confessed anything and signed without knowing what I was doing."
Thompson, who admitted his part in the holdup, corroborated Mallet's testimony.
Charles B. Kay, 53, of 435 Liberty street, was the juror who said he had been attacked by thugs. He declared he suffered four broken ribs and cuts and bruises. His head was swathed in gauze when he appeared in the courtroom.
In further explanation, Kay said he was put "on the spot." He volunteered no further explanation than that, but asked to be excused, as he had to report back to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital today for treatment.
Excused From Duty
He was excused by the court after Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese and Frank M. Lario, attorney for the defendants, agreed to continue with eleven jurors.
Kay walked into the hospital at 4 a. m. and asked for treatment. He said that a man offered to give him a lift in an automobile while he was standing at Third and Mechanic streets. A woman was with the "good samaritan," according to Kay, who averred that instead of going to the Market street ferries the man drove the car out Mt. Ephraim avenue.
Kay asserted that when he protested the man struck him and threw him out of the machine. No attempt was made to rob him. Police investigating the attack stated that Kay had been drinking and told varying stories, first saying he knew the couple and later denying he knew who they were.
Reino, who was exonerated of killing his father last April, and Mallett are said to have confessed to 13 robberies, but they were placed on trial on charges of holding up Leon Garringer, 4725 Poplar avenue, Pennsauken, and Fred Crowder, 6308 Shelbourne street, Philadelphia, on Aug. 5. Garringer and Crowder are bus drivers and were on the witness stand today.
Garringer said he stopped his Public Service bus at Park avenue and Haddonfield road, Pennsauken township, at 11 p. m. that night. Later, Crowder parked his bus and came into Garringer's bus. Garringer was reading a paper and Crowder was counting his receipts when a coupe containing two men pulled up beside the buses.
One of the coupe's occupants entered the bus, levelled a revolver at the two drivers and yelled, "Stick 'em up!" He stole $19 from Crowder and then ran back to the coupe, where his companion had been waiting at the driver's wheel.
Caught After Chase
Crowder corroborated Garringer's testimony, and Chief of Police William H. Linderman was called by the state. Chief Linderman said his men captured Thompson Aug. 9 after a long chase and later arrested Mallett. The following day, Thompson sent for him, saying he wanted "to come clean." Thompson confessed to the bus holdup, Chief Linderman said, and implicated Mallett. Palese succeeded in having the confession accepted in evidence and it was read to the jury.
Policemen Edward J. Hare and Herbert A. Davidson, Jr., of Merchantville, stopped an automobile at Maple and Westminister avenues. They were suspicious of the registration, and bade the driver, who was Mallett, to follow them to the police station. Thompson was in the car. Instead of stopping at the station, the driver turned into Park avenue, where a pistol was thrown out of the automobile. The police gave chase. Near Maple Shade, the car went into a ditch and overturned. Thompson was caught but Mallet escaped. He was later arrested in Camden when his mother allegedly revealed his hiding place to police.
Thompson was arrested when his father died last April of injuries to his head suffered when he fell after being struck by Reino. The youth said he struck in self-defense. Also his mother pleaded his cause. Young Thompson promised to "lead a good life" and help support his mother and her family. He was then released by the grand jury.
