Police Judge Holds Pair Wilkie Nabbed
Camden Courier-Post, August 31, 1936

View transcription
Police Judge Holds Pair Wilkie Nabbed
Girl, 14, in Detention Home, Brother-in-Law Faces Jury Action
A 14-year-old girl was sent to the Detention home and her 35-year-old brother-in-law held without bail for the grand jury on a statutory charge Saturday by Police Judge Lewis Liberman.
They were arrested by Inspector John V. Wilkie in a North Third street rooming house. Two other girls taken into custody by Wilkie at the same time were released in police court.
The girl held is Tessie Chodkowska, of 321 North Third street, scene of the arrests, and the man is Henry Eberle, of 2527 East Somerset street, Philadelphia.
Wilkie and acting Sergeant Herbert Bott arrested an East Camden tailor in connection with the same case and charged him with permitting disorderly persons to congregate on his premises. He was held as a material witness.
The girls released by the court are Emma Conover, 21, of Blackwood, and Irva Woolridge, 18, of 216 Friends avenue.
Works With S. P. C. C.
Wilkie went to the house while cooperating with Miss Emilia Haase, an agent of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. For the last two days they have been seeking the Chodkowska girl, who ran away from the society's headquarters while commitment papers to send her to an institution were being made out.
Miss Haase traced her to Camden and when she came here Wilkie was assigned to assist her. He learned the girl was working in a restaurant on Market street between Second and Third streets and was living on Fourth street near Linden.
When he went to the house, she had moved and he then learned she was living at 321 North Third street. When he went there the other two girls and Eberle were in a second floor room. Wilkie said that Eberle and Tessie were living together. The man is her brother-in-law, Wilkie said.
Gave Wrong Names
They gave fictitious names, Wilkie said, when they were told they were under arrest.
"There is more behind this case than appears on the surface," Wilkie said. "I am going to find out why this rooming house was not licensed."
In court, the Chodkowska girl admitted the statutory offense, but said it occurred in Philadelphia. Police said she admitted that it occurred in Camden. Eberle also admitted the charge but declared it had been in Philadelphia.
The other two girls were released after they informed the court they had gone to the room to pay a visit to the Chodkowska girl, and to get a pair of shoes they had loaned her.
Wilkie said the Chodkowska girl will be turned over to Philadelphia authorities after disposition of the case here against Eberle.
Charges Attack
The tailor arrested is Peter Parnakian, 29, of 116 North Twenty-seventh street. According to Wilkie, the Chodkowska girl told him she was taken to Parnakian's place Tuesday morning and assaulted.
The girl also said she became intoxicated in a Brooklawn saloon, Wilkie said. As a result he and Bott conferred with David C. Reich, director of public safety at Brooklawn, who promised to question the girl and attempt to learn the location of the place.
Advertisement