Two Youths Given 7 to 10 Years in Attack on Girl

Camden Courier-Post, June 18, 1932

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TWO YOUTHS GIVEN 7 TO 10 YEARS IN ATTACK ON GIRL Shay Denounces Defendants Promises Stiffer Sentences in Future SCORES CRIME INCREASE Convicted of criminally assaulting a girl they had promised to take home from a dance, two young men were sentenced by Judge Samuel M. Shay yesterday to 10 years in prison and two others to seven years each. William Lopergola, 26, of 420 Royden street, and Tony Bassile, 24, of 419 Clinton street, received the heavier sentences because they had been previously convicted of larceny. Joseph Girgenti, 17, of 305 Benson street, and Frank Corofola, 25, of 210 Senate street, were sentenced to seven years each in the state prison at Trenton. The sentences were the heaviest imposed here for that offense in years. The prisoners were stunned. In announcing the punishment, Judge Shay delivered a scathing denunciation of the prisoners and their crime, and warned he will double the prison terms for any others convicted of similar offenses in his court. Friends Car Stolen The girl who accused the men is Martha Tomlinson, of Delaware township, 18, blonde and attractive, She attended a dance February 9 at Tenth and Liberty streets. The automobile of the young man who was to take her home was stolen, and he left her unescorted to report the theft to police. One of the defendants drove up and offered to take her home, she said. On his promise he would drive direct to her home, she testified, she accepted, only to find the three others jumping into the car as it started away, and immediately making advances. She said she was attacked five times in a dark spot near the waterfront, robbed of $1, saving her wrist watch only by her pleas, and finally thrown out of the car in South Camden at 3:30 a.m. She took the license number of the automobile and the men later were arrested. In the two-day trial they admitted being with the girl but averred she did not resist their advances. They denied the theft charge. Before he handed down sentence, Judge Shay was told by Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese that Papergola and Basile have been convicted before on larceny charges, and that Basile, Girgenti and Corafolo are under bail now in connection with a holdup a week ago last Saturday night. Samuel P. Orlando, defense counsel, said he will file a motion later for a new trial. After hearing the sentences, he said Girgenti should have been sent to a reformatory instead of State Prison, but Judge Shay refused to change his decision, saying he wanted to keep Girgenti under his supervision. Penalty is 35 Years It was pointed out the laws under which the men were convicted permit a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison. In denouncing the prisoners, Judge Shay said: It has been called to my attention many times, unofficially, over a period of several months, that this business of taking young girls in automobiles by gangs of men and mistreating them has been increasing in this county. I have received a number of complaints of girls riding in automobiles innocently, and being subjected to all kinds of treatment. "The parents of these girls do not want to make complaints for fear of blasting the character of the girls, and therefor many families, and the girls themselves, suffer the humility and stench in silence, rather than ruin their good name. The crime for which these men were convicted is degrading. The Judge of the Common Pleas Court is regarded as the keeper of the morals of the county. "I am going to set an example with these men, to show that this county will not tolerate such conditions. If any other men are convicted in my court of a similar crime, I am going to double the sentence that I am going to give these men. Not every girl can have a chaperon. It is natural for girls to want to go to dances, and all the girls cannot go to the fashionable country clubs to dance. "Some girls' stations in life do not permit that. When these four men promised to take the girl home, they should have done so, and treated her properly."

Shay Denounces Defendants Promises Stiffer Sentences in Future

SCORES CRIME INCREASE

Convicted of criminally assaulting a girl they had promised to take home from a dance, two young men were sentenced by Judge Samuel M. Shay yesterday to 10 years in prison and two others to seven years each.

William Lopergola, 26, of 420 Royden street, and Tony Bassile, 24, of 419 Clinton street, received the heavier sentences because they had been previously convicted of larceny.

Joseph Girgenti, 17, of 305 Benson street, and Frank Corofola, 25, of 210 Senate street, were sentenced to seven years each in the state prison at Trenton.

The sentences were the heaviest imposed here for that offense in years. The prisoners were stunned. In announcing the punishment, Judge Shay delivered a scathing denunciation of the prisoners and their crime, and warned he will double the prison terms for any others convicted of similar offenses in his court.

Friends Car Stolen

The girl who accused the men is Martha Tomlinson, of Delaware township, 18, blonde and attractive, She attended a dance February 9 at Tenth and Liberty streets. The automobile of the young man who was to take her home was stolen, and he left her unescorted to report the theft to police. One of the defendants drove up and offered to take her home, she said.

On his promise he would drive direct to her home, she testified, she accepted, only to find the three others jumping into the car as it started away, and immediately making advances. She said she was attacked five times in a dark spot near the waterfront, robbed of $1, saving her wrist watch only by her pleas, and finally thrown out of the car in South Camden at 3:30 a.m. She took the license number of the automobile and the men later were arrested.

In the two-day trial they admitted being with the girl but averred she did not resist their advances. They denied the theft charge.

Before he handed down sentence, Judge Shay was told by Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese that Papergola and Basile have been convicted before on larceny charges, and that Basile, Girgenti and Corafolo are under bail now in connection with a holdup a week ago last Saturday night. Samuel P. Orlando, defense counsel, said he will file a motion later for a new trial. After hearing the sentences, he said Girgenti should have been sent to a reformatory instead of State Prison, but Judge Shay refused to change his decision, saying he wanted to keep Girgenti under his supervision.

Penalty is 35 Years

It was pointed out the laws under which the men were convicted permit a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison.

In denouncing the prisoners, Judge Shay said:

It has been called to my attention many times, unofficially, over a period of several months, that this business of taking young girls in automobiles by gangs of men and mistreating them has been increasing in this county. I have received a number of complaints of girls riding in automobiles innocently, and being subjected to all kinds of treatment.

"The parents of these girls do not want to make complaints for fear of blasting the character of the girls, and therefor many families, and the girls themselves, suffer the humility and stench in silence, rather than ruin their good name. The crime for which these men were convicted is degrading. The Judge of the Common Pleas Court is regarded as the keeper of the morals of the county.

"I am going to set an example with these men, to show that this county will not tolerate such conditions. If any other men are convicted in my court of a similar crime, I am going to double the sentence that I am going to give these men. Not every girl can have a chaperon. It is natural for girls to want to go to dances, and all the girls cannot go to the fashionable country clubs to dance.

"Some girls' stations in life do not permit that. When these four men promised to take the girl home, they should have done so, and treated her properly."