Owner Held in Taproom Brawls
Camden Courier-Post - February 24, 1936
Proprietor of Wall Street Club Charged With Hitting Policeman
Four persons were arrested early yesterday during a free-for-all fight in the Wall Street Club, 340 Federal Street, according to police.
Edward Markowitz, 38, proprietor of the place, was arrested and charged with assault and battery on an officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Ambrose Brown, 31, and his brother, Asher, 27, both of 2104 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, were arrested on complaint of George Brown, 29, of 1214 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, who charged them with assault and battery. The Browns under arrest are not related to the complainant. Brown, the complainant, is a brother-in-law of Patrolman Joseph Schultz.
Patrolmen Earl Wright and Gus Fortune were passing Fourth and Federal streets at 1:45 AM in a radio car with Commissioner Mary W. Kobus when a man ran out of the Wall Street Club and shouted to them that some men had been beating him.
When the policemen entered, Markowitz is alleged to have tried to eject the police. He said they had no right in his place, according to Wright and Fortune.
Markowitz was arrested with the three Browns. Wright alleges Markowitz struck him in the face. At police headquarters Mrs. Eleanor Brown, wife of Asher Brown, said she, her husband and brother-in-law were getting ready to leave the place when George Brown struck her in the face. She said her husband and brother-in-law struck George Brown in retaliation.
Police said when they reached the interior of the taproom men were fighting, women screaming and tables were being overturned.
Markowitz was held in $1000 bail. When booked at police headquarters, Markowitz was drunk, Wright and Fortune said. Ambrose and Asher Brown in $500 bail each and George Brown in $200 bail as a witness. They will have hearings today in police court.
Markowitz last night denied he struck Wright but alleged the patrolman knocked him unconscious at police headquarters. He said he was placed in a wheel chair and pushed into a cell. He charged he was not permitted to use a telephone until 7:00 AM.
"There was no fight in my place," Markowitz declared. "The fight was out on the street and Wright rushed into my place, grabbed me and hustled me to the patrol box. He struck me in the eye in my place and I never raised a hand to him. There were 20 persons in the place can testify I am telling the truth."