Camden Courier-Post – June 22, 1933
Camden Brothers Released in Bail Awaiting Sentence
They Are Big Shots,’ Prosecutor Declares
Both Defendants Deny Connection With Raided Saloon
Joseph and Fred Klosterman were convicted in Camden Criminal Court yesterday of operating a numbers racket.
A jury returned a guilty verdict against the two South Camden sportsmen-brothers at 6:25 p. m., after deliberating only a short while.
Both were in the courtroom when the verdict was announced, but were allowed to depart under bail pending sentence later by Judge Samuel M. Shay.
Judge Shay delivered his charge to the jury after denying motions by Walter S. Keown, defense counsel, first to quash the indictment on grounds that its language was faulty, and second, to direct a verdict of not guilty for lack of evidence.
Called ‘Big Shots’
The two brothers were character ized as “big shot numbers barons” by Assistant Prosecutor William C. Gotshalk in his closing argument to the jury.
Referring to a woman and her son, who were burning numbers slips when raiders entered the establishment, Gotshalk said:
“They might ask us why we don’t have that woman and her 17-year-old son on trial here. When the police make an arrest the public wants to know why we don’t get the big shots. Well, here they are,” pointing at the Klostermans.” Here are the big shots.”
The Klosterman saloon, Mechanic and Green Streets, was raided December 10 by city detectives who testified Tuesday they followed a footpath to an adjacent house at 1312 Green Street. They broke down the door and found a woman and her son burning numbers slips. Acting Lieutenant Louis Shaw, of the city detective bureau, testified he recovered some of the slips and also found a brief case containing numbers slips and a post card addressed to “F. Klosterman.” Detective Clarence Arthur and Patrolman John Kaighn corroborated Shaw’s testimony.
Says He Was Visitor
The defense opened with Joseph Klosterman on the stand. He testified he had nothing to do with the saloon when it was raided, but merely happened to be in there for a drink when the raiders entered. He said he had owned the saloon for three and a half years but sold it last July for $100. He never had any connection with the Green Street house, he declared. He is now a plumber, Klosterman averred.
When Assistant Prosecutor Gotshalk asked him if he had ever been convicted of crime, Keown asked that the jury be withdrawn as he wanted to make another motion. Court then recessed.
When court resumed Mrs. Anna Pogroszewski, of the Green street address, took the stand. She testified the Klostermans were not connected with her home in any manner. She testified she had rented a room to a man named “Tommy” and all the numbers apparatus was his. When he moved out, he left the slips and adding machines there, she said, and she had cleaned out his room and was burning the papers when the raiders arrived.
Fred Klosterman, who resides at 1255 Decatur Street, denied he was a “numbers baron” and said he merely “happened” to be there on the day of the raid. Under cross-examination he admitted having pleaded guilty to slot machine charges in June of last year.
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