1935 - Stolen Liquor Holdup - Glenwood Distilling, Camden, New Jersey
John "Jinx" Guzik Jr. - Mugshot 1935 - Camden, New Jersey. From the photo collection of John Guzik (1977). In the possession of Michelle Beech, New Jersey, 2021.
Woken up in the middle of the night in January of 1935 by Scarduzio "Cuzzie"/"Cuzzy", Domeracki and Urban, John "Jinx" Guzik stashed 52 cases of liquor that the men had just stolen from a holdup at the Glenwood Distilling Co in South Camden. The 65 quarts of liquor were stolen on Friday night, and by Sunday morning the police had recovered the stash in the cellar of John Guzik on South Fourth Street.
Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Volume 443. United States Patent Office (1934).
Joseph Scarduzio "Cuzzie", an 8th ward political figure had a warrant out for his arrest connected to the beating of the watchman and theft of 65 quarts of liquor. Cuzzie was considered a fugitive until March of that year when he was taken into custody. The other two men, James "Jesse" Urban of 1505 Newport Street, a Whitman Park boxer, and Joseph Domeracki of 1268 Van Hook Street were arrested that night, two hours after the crime while having a victory drink at a Whitman Ave saloon. They were identified by the watchman Paul Powloski, 630 Jackson Street, and his daughter Mary. John "Jinx" Guzik, 1877 South Fourth Street, was released as a material witness after being held in $500 bail and on a charge of possession of the stolen whiskey. The case went to court in July 1935 and the story of the robbery at the distillery warehouse on 635 Jackson Street was told, but not without conspiracy.
Glenwood Distilling Co. LIquor Stolen Wed, Jan 16, 1935 – 1 · The Morning Post (Camden, New Jersey) · Newspapers.comScarduzio, as well as former Police Judge Garfield Pancoast, insisted that Scarduzio was set up for the crime. The belief was that this "political frameup" targeting Scarduzio was because he was interestsed in the politics of the Eight Ward. Not only were Urban and Domeracki the thieves identified by the watchman Powloski, but Scarduzio testified that Ward threatened to keep him in jail "until after the election".
Prosecuter Samuel P. Orlando rebuted, "If I thought this was a frameup I would resign my job as prosecutor before I would deprive a man of his liberty". Scarduzio persists, and claims that the night of the robbery he was at a party "crashed" by Urban and two other witnesses who accused him of orchestrating the crime. He goes on to say that Ward and Di Nicuolo were talking all over town about sending him to jail. Further bashing Di Nicuolo, Scarduzio says that he is the political sore-head of the Eighth Ward and accusing him of going around and selling alcohol in cans. Sounds convincing, but the witness' accounts at trial and his criminal history paint a vastly different story. Reports say that Scarduzio has been arrested in connection with multiple crimes since 1927, but all ended with dropped charges.
Wed, Jan 16, 1935 – 2 · Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) · Newspapers.comThe Criminal Trial
Scarduzio Believes He is Framed
Scarduzio is adamant about his claim that he is framed for the crime of the stolen liquor. He also claims that he had no idea about his indictment and has been in and out of town, spending time in Pennsgrove, Hammonton and Atlantic City. Cuzzie claims that he didn't know he was indicted until returning to Camden following the death of his sister. Orlando points out a discrepancy, and questions Scarduzio, if he didn't know, then why did he seek out an attorney to arrange bail. His response? "Wait a minute, I think my family did".
Jesse Urban's Testimony
At Scarduzio's trial, the missing of the details of the case started to spill. James Urban, the Whitman Park boxer, who was serving 5-10 years in state prison as a result of the holdup, was transported from his Trenton jail cell to testify. Urban's claim is that he was offered $15 to haul some liquor for Scarduzio, and that he "offered a fellow named Domeracki $10". He even said that Scarduzio told him not to worry because everything was already arranged with the distillery watchman. When they arrived at the warehouse he said Cuzzy gave him a jimmy and asked him to break in, and that if he saw cops coming he would give two kicks on the door.Urban continues..."Inside we saw the watchman. We took his gun from him and tied him to a chair. One of our guns accidentally went off and Cuzzy came running in to see what it was all about. I told him it was an accident and he went out again". According to Urban, him and Domeracki carried 25 cases of liquor down from the 2nd story and loaded them into a car, making four trips all together, and that the driver was a fellow called 'Jinks'. They loaded the liquor into Jinks home and Cuzzy never paid up as promised.
Wed, Jul 3, 1935 – 7 · The Morning Post (Camden, New Jersey) · Newspapers.com
Wed, Jul 3, 1935 – 7 · The Morning Post (Camden, New Jersey) · Newspapers.comUrban talks about what happened before the crime. He said that he met Cuzzy at a saloon on Fourth and Emrald Streets. They were boys, and Urban said that knew each other and Cuzzy had gone to bail for him several times. He was told about the liquor, but alleges that he never knew it was a robbery until he got on the scene.
Urban also says that Scarduzio remained a decent distance from the building while he had to jimmy two doors, and overpower the watchman. He even said that Pawlaski, the watchman, helped the men carry the boxes down the stairs before they tied him up. Pancoast asked "When did you see "Cuzzy" next?". Urban responds, "I didn't. After I was arrested he sent a man to the police department to tell me......". News reports state that Urban hesitated, then stopped talking. He never finished the sentence.
Joseph Domeracki's Story
The next witness was Joseph Domeracki, who was a young man of 20 years old and Jesse Urban's cousin. He is serving an indefinite term for the crime at Rahway. When Prosecutor Orlando questions Domeracki, he confirms the meeting with Urban and Scarduzio at the bar. He said that Scarduzio tells them that they are going to take a walk and when they reach the warehouse, Cuzzy takes the jimmy out of his pant leg before giving it to Urban. He reports that the gun went off in the commotion of taking the watchman's gun while they overpowered him.
Domeracki says that when Cuzzy demanded not only that he bring "the stuff" downstairs, but that he make the watchman help load the liquor into the car. The whole ordeal of loading and transporting the five loads of liquor takes from 9:45pm until Midnight. He says that when they get to Guzik's, Cuzzy makes Urban and Domeracki load the liquor into the basement, and never touches a box himself. He promises to pay the men in the morning, and never does. The same night they are arrested.
Witness John "Jinx" Guzik Called to Testify
Next Pancoast demands, "Where did you move this liquor?". Urban tells him that they moved it to Jink's house. "Who is Jinks?", "he is John Gusik. He lives at 1877 Sourth Fourth Street". After Pancoast calls him out for not knowing it was a robbery until he was arrested, he asks if Urban knows James Murray and Tony Butch. It's not clear why but he has the witness clarify, "You know them very well, don't you?" before stating that the questioning with Urban has ended.
Prosecutor Orlando calls John Guzik from the crowd of spectators and begins examination. In Jinx's account, he met Scarduzio at a bar on Fourth and Viola Streets at 10:15 pm. A timeline that makes sense if he had already set up Urban and Domeracki at the warehouse before 9:45. Cuzzy wanted to borrow his car. He told him that his car was broken but he would borrow one. He provides Cuzzy with the borrowed car and they proceed to Sixth Street and the railroad where they meet Urban and Domeracki at the warehouse.
Each man's story is a little different than the others, and this account is no different. Jinx claims that there are two cars that they are loading with liquor, including the car he borrowed for Cuzzy. Jinx says that he was forced to do it because Cuzzy said he would plug him if he didn't, and while he didn't see a gun on Cuzzy, he had always feared him.
"I've known 'Cuzzy' for 25 years, and I've always been afraid of him, and still am," Jinx declared to the prosecutor.
John Guzik "Jinx" also reports that after storing the liquor in his basement he never received the payment he was promised. His story also differs from that of Urban and Domeracki because Guzik says that he was aware that it was a robbery, but he felt he was forced into it.
The Other Driver - Earl Quinton
Earl Quinton, 24, of Jefferson Street near Fourth Street in South Camden took the stand next. Apparently, Scarduzio paid him a visit as well, asking for a car to borrow. He told Quinton that he needed it in order to move some valuable goods. Quinton drives Cuzzy to the warehouse at Sixth and Jackson Streets where he reports seeing Urban, with a gun, holding up the watchman.
"I decided it was no place for me," says Quinton and reports that he ran off, leaving his car there for Scarduzio to use.
The Watchman - Paul Powlaski & His Daughter Mary
The bandits Urban and Domeracki were first identified by Paul Powloski, 630 Jackson Street, a watchman at the distillery, and his daughter Mary. Mary's window faced the distillery and when she saw a car pull up at midnight she became worried and went to investigate. She found two bandits holding up her father, one of the guns likely the gun they just forced out of his hand. One man continued to hold up the watchman and his daughter while the other collected the stash of liquor. While at a saloon on Whitman Ave celebrating their haul, Urban and Domeracki were arrested for the crime.
Recounting the night of the robbery in court, Powlaski said that he first heard the doors to the warehouse being broken. He said that even though Urban had a gun, he did too. He became disarmed when they hit him across the wrist which caused the gun to drop. At this point he was hit across the back of the neck and forced into an office.
The men demanded to know where the whisky was kept, and he confirmed that he did help carry the liquor down from the second floor. In an interesting twist, Pawlawski says that he did not see Scarduzio. His daughter Mary then testifies that the night of the robbery she also did not see Scarduzio. Powalski confirms that he has known Cuzzy for 5 years, and did not make any such agreement with him for the liquor to be stolen.
Witness' at the Bar
Now Tony Butch takes the stand, and it becomes more clear why it was important for the court to know his relationship with Urban and Domeracki. He was the witness at the saloon near Fourth and Viola. He says that at 9:30 pm he saw Cuzzy enter the bar and ask for Guzik. He then reports that Cuzzy came in again at midnight, bought a beer, and left. After 15 minutes, Guzik came in, bought a beer, and left.
Scarduzio's Claim
Scarduzio makes a dramatic appearance when it is his turn to take the stand. Prosecutor Orlando calls many witnesses to confirm that they were not threatened by the police to testify in order to frame Scarduzio. He also calls DiNicuolo, Mills, and Detective George Zeitz to the stand followed by Urban and Domeracki to reiterate that their testimony was voluntary.
Scarduzio sticks to his guns and insists that Urban, Domeracki and Guzik came here to testify against him because they were intimidated by the police.
The Truth
It looks as though no one will ever know the truth about the robbery and theft of fifty two cases totaling 65 quarts of whisky from the Glenwood Distilling Co. on Jackson Street in South Camden, NJ. One thing is for sure, is that is a whole lot of whiskey.
The Distillery
Information on the Glenwood Distillery is hard to come by. Other than the patent shown above, there is little information online. Below is a Google image of the address and a building which could very well be the warehouse and site of the crimes in the 1930's. Any information would be greatly appreciated!
John "Jinx" Guzik - 1877 South Fourth Street, South Camden, New Jersey
Sources:
1. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/62429325/2. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25924067/3. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73519456/glenwood-distilling-co-liquor-stolen/4. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25923905/5. Photograph: John "Jinx" Guzik Jr. - Mugshot 1935 - Camden, New Jersey. From the photo collection of John Guzik (1977). In the possession of Michelle Beech, New Jersey, 2021.6. Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Volume 443. United States Patent Office (1934).
7. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73529853/
8. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72935454/
9. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72935415/
10. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72935899/
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