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NEW JERSEY
NEW JERSEY DID US PROUD:
Although small in size, the state of New Jersey did its part during the reefer madness era. In fact some of Harry Anslinger’s most notable and often-quoted gore file cases came to us courtesy of New Jersey.
Name: - Ethel Sohl, Genevieve Owens - Location: - Newark, N. J. - Date: - 1936-37
What the Narc’s were claiming
In New Jersey, a young woman recently confessed that she and a girl companion had held up and coldly murdered a bus driver. She had been smoking marijuana cigarettes or “reefers,” she said and didn't know what she was doing. -- The CHRISTIAN CENTURY - June 29, 1938
The story of these two New Jersey girls who, under the weird distortion of right and wrong, murdered a man for $2.10, has been re-enacted over and over with but slight variations. -- On the Trail of Marihuana the Weed of Madness (1939) By Earle Rowell
1937 - B. Sohl - 25 - F - Shot and killed bus driver, while under influence to rob him of about $5; jury trial with her accomplice; both guilty. - Life imprisonment -- 6th conference report - INEOA 1965
A girl in Newark, N. J., got into an argument with a taxi-driver over his fare of $2.10. She refused to pay it. When he insisted, she took a revolver from her purse and killed him. "It seemed to be the only reasonable thing to do," she told the judge. -- True Story (Magazine) Dec. 1948
"In Newark, N. J., two young girls killed a bus driver for $2.10. In the trial that followed it was found that the girls were Marijuana smokers; they pleaded not guilty to the crime, under the claim of temporary insanity produced by Marijuana. The girl who fired the shot when asked why she did it said: 'It seemed right to me at the time. I guess I was 'high' on reefers."' -- War With The Underworld (Book) 1946
"It seemed the right thing to do," was the plea of Mrs. Ethel Sohl, one of the two girls mentioned previously as on trial for the holdup and murder of a New Jersey taxi driver for $2.10. Thus, in plaintive plea, she told how, while intoxicated with marihuana, she thought it was the right thing to do, and pleaded not guilty because of a temporary insanity induced by the drug that destroyed her ability to distinguish between right and wrong. -- On the Trail of Marihuana the Weed of Madness (1939) By Earle Rowell
On December 21st, 1937, twenty-year-old Ethel (Bunny) Sohl, daughter of a Newark, N.J., policeman, held up, robbed and killed a bus driver, William Barhorst. The holdup netted her $2.10. and her 17-ear-old companion, Genevieve (Chippy) Owens, testified on the witness stand when being tried for the murder before a Newark jury February 10 , 1938, that they were "high" on marihuana when they committed the terrible deed, and blamed their brief crime career on the use of the "loco weed." Their counsel, offering "legal insanity" as the basis of his defense arguments, stated that his clients were not normal, but were crazed addicts of the Mexican weed when they killed Barhorst. "Legal insanity" and "marihuana madness" are evidently synonymous terms. Watch for this "legal insanity" plea. It will be used often since it succeeded in saving these two young girl criminals from the death sentence. -- The Moloch of Marihuana (1945) By Robert James Devine
On December 21st, 1937, twenty-year-old Ethel (Bunny) Sohl, daughter of a Newark, N. J. policeman, held up, robbed and killed a bus driver, William Barhorst. The hold-up netted her $2.10. She and her seventeen-year-old companion, Chippy Owens, testified on the witness stand when being tried for murder before the jury that they were HIGH on marihuana when they committed the crime, and blamed reefers for their crime career. Their counsel offered "legal insanity" for defense, stating they were not normal, but were crazed by the Mexican weed. She received life imprisonment. It should have been the chair. – Enemies Of Youth (Book) 1939
In almost every big city and in many small towns reefer smoking is considered "smart" by young and foolish patrons of questionable, so-called night clubs. It was in such a place that Ethel Sohl took up the habit together with her girl friend, Genevieve Owens. One night while riding on a bus in New Jersey, the "Devil's Weed" released all of Ethel's inhibitions. She had needed money but had always been afraid of punishment if she stole any, but on this night marihuana had removed her fear. When the bus had reached a lonely spot, she shot the driver, William Barhorst, and robbed him of exactly $2.10. Ethel and Genevieve drew life sentences. -- American Weekly [Sunday supplement] – S.F Examiner - July 28, 1940
In several cases where marihuana has apparently played a heavy role in murders or holdups, investigation has shown the statement to be a mechanism of defense attorneys, or newspaper invention. For instance, in the killing of a bus driver by Ethel Sohl and Genevieve Owens, two female bandits in Newark, New Jersey, last year, one of the girls insisted that marihuana had so distorted her sense of right and wrong that she had no true knowledge of what she was doing. A nearer approach to the truth, according to officers, was that Krafft-Ebing elements were involved and that Ethel Sohl, masculine of manner and appearance, dominated her feminine partner, and led the way into crime like a gangster with his moll. -- DESIGNS IN SCARLET By Courtney Ryley Cooper 1939
Twenty-year-old Ethel (Bunny) Sohl, daughter of a Newark, N. J., policeman, held up, robbed and killed a bus driver, William Barhorst. The holdup netted her $2.10. She and her 17-year-old companion, Genevieve (Chippy) Owens, testified on the witness stand when being tried for the murder before a Newark jury that they were "high' on marihuana when they committed the terrible deed, and blamed their brief crime career on the use of the "loco weed." Their counsel, offering "legal insanity" as the basis of his defense arguments, stated that his clients were not normal, but were crazed addicts of the Mexican weed when they killed Barhorst. "Legal insanity" and "marihuana madness" are evidently synonymous terms. Watch for this "legal insanity" plea. It has been used since it succeeded in saving these two young girl criminals from the death sentence. -- “Assassin of Youth” (Book) 1954 By Robert Devine
In Newark two girls, one the daughter of a highly respected policeman, held up and murdered a bus driver for some small change. "It was marihuana," they pleaded. -- DETECTIVE WORLD (magazine) – Dec. 1947
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
NEW YORK TIMES
[e]- Feb. 11,1938 pg. 46 “Mrs. Sohl Admits Hold-up Shooting”
[e]- Feb 12, 1938 pg. 7 “Parents Feared Mrs. Sohl Insane” – (She describes girl’s strange behavior – expert explains effects of marijuana) (James Munch testimony- must read)
[e]- Feb 13, 1938 pg. 26 “Insanity Stressed in Mrs. Sohl’s Case”
[See Reefer Madness Newspaper Index pamphlet for more references]
[Key-finder - Case #4]
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THE GIRL SLAYERS |
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Name: - Felipe Rios, Joaquin Rodriquez, Jose Crus /George Booris (Victim) - Location: - Camden, N. J. - Date: - July 1954
What the Narc’s were claiming
1954 Chicago -- Male 27 Shot and killed G. Booris, 69, in lunchroom in Camden, N. J., during holdup for $21; then with R. Joaquin, also under influence, F. Crus threatened to shoot him. -- Article by James C. Munch; "UN Bulletin on Narcotics"-1966 Issue 2
1954 - F. Rios, - Chicago - 27 - M - Shot and killed G. Booris, 69, in lunchroom in Camden, N.J. during holdup for $21. Then with R. Joaquin, also under influence F. Cruz threatened to shoot Rios. - Arrested - 6th conference report - INEOA 1965
| NAME | RIOS, FELIPE | RODRIGUEZ, JOAQUIN | CRUZ, JOSE |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGE | 27 | 33 | 25 |
| RACE | ASIAN | ASIAN | ASIAN |
| SEX | MALE | MALE | MALE |
| OCCUPATION | ? | ? | ? |
| CRIME | MURDER-ROBBERY | MURDER-ROBBERY | MURDER-ROBBERY |
| METHOD | ELECTROCUTION | ELECTROCUTION | ELECTROCUTION |
| DATE | MAY 3 1955 | MAY 3 1955 | MAY 3 1955 |
| COUNTY | CAMDEN | CAMDEN | CAMDEN |
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
Gettysburg Times
[S]- July 1, 1954 p2 “3 Puerto Ricans in Holdup Get Death Penalty”
[Key-finder - Case #62]
Name: - Archie Farrell - Location: - Newark NJ - Date: - Jan 12, 1937
What the Narc’s were claiming
In New Jersey, a similar, but ineffectual excuse was made by a young man sentenced to a long prison term for killing another youth and smashing his head and face to a pulp. --- THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY - June 29, 1938
a young man in New Jersey beats his 'friend's face to a pulp in a marihuana rage; -- Cosmopolitan – May 1938
In New Jersey a murder characterized by exceptional brutality occurred, in which one young man killed another, literally smashing his face and head to a pulp. His attorney's defense was that the young man's intellect was so prostrated from smoking marihuana cigarettes that he did not know what he was doing. The prosecutor was quite convinced that marihuana smoking had been indulged in and that the extreme brutality of the murder was accounted for by the use of the drug, though the intellect of the defendant was held to be not entirely continuously prostrate. -- “Assassin of Youth” (Book) 1954 By Robert Devine
1936 - M Charged with murder; offered defense he was under influence marihuana at time. -- Article by James C. Munch; "UN Bulletin on Narcotics"-1966 Issue 2
1936 - A. Ferrell, - Newark, N.J.- M - Charged with murder; offered defense he was under influence marihuana at time. - Arrested -- 6th conference report - INEOA 1965
In New Jersey a murder characterized by exceptional brutality occurred, in which one young man killed another, literally smashing his face and head to a pulp. His attorney's defense was that the young man's intellect was so prostrated from smoking marihuana cigarettes that he did not know what he was doing. The prosecutor was quite convinced that marihuana smoking had been indulged in and that the extreme brutality of the murder was accounted for by the use of the drug, though the intellect of the defendant was held to be not entirely nor continuously prostrate. -- Moloch Of Marihuana (1945) Robert James Devine
In New Jersey a particularly brutal murder occurred, in which case one young man killed another, literally smashing his face and head to a pulp. One of the defenses was that the defendant's intellect was so prostrated from his smoking marihuana cigarettes that he did not know what he was doing. The defendant was found guilty and sentenced to a long term of years. The prosecutor was convinced that marihuana had been indulged in; that the smoking had occurred; and that the brutality of the murder was accounted for by the narcotic, though the defendant's intellect had not been totally prostrate. --TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS-1936
[more] . . .
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STOP ADULTS ONLY UGLY PICTURE |
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Name: - Vincent Pellicer - Location: - New Jersey - Date: - Nov 1940
What the Narc’s were claiming
Not long ago the American Express office in New York auctioned a trunk that had remained unclaimed for over a year. The purchaser found it full of marijuana. -- He reported his find to the Federal agents and they started on a trail that led finally to a hemp farm in southern Missouri where a married couple were shipping box after box of dried seeds to the lucrative New York market. Their records revealed shipments of enough marijuana to make 2,000,000 cigarettes. At the current price of fifty cents to a dollar per stick they were getting rich. -- True Story (Magazine) Dec. 1948
COMIC BOOKS
Wanted Comics #14 - July 1948 - A short (2 page) story about Vincent Pellicer, a marihuana peddler. The story is about a trunk bought at an action that had medical marihuana in it. Soon the DEA gets into the act. The story ends with a ---"If you know his location, notify Commissioner H.H. Anslinger(sic), Bureau of Narcotics."
LEADING DETECTIVE MAGAZINE
[May 1947 pg. 22] “Cracking the Reefer Racket”
[Key-finder - Case #70]
MUSEUM NOTE: Unless your particularly bored and don’t have anything better to do, just ignore this case. It simply deals with a trunk bag that was found to contain Cannabis, which in turn leads to the arrest of some farmers, etc. Were it not for the fact that it was turned into a comic book story, it probably wouldn’t even have been worth mentioning.
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THE VINCENT PELLICER CASE |
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NEW JERSEY'S UNSOLVED GORE FILE CASES
Try as we might, the museum has NOT been able to actually verify that any of the following actually took place. NOTE; this does not mean that such or such an incident DID NOT TAKE place, only that up until now we have not been able to locate any actual evidence (other than what the narc’s are saying) that they actually did.
CULTIVATION
Asbury Park On June 6, 1935, police arrested Jack Bell, in whose possession they found about 100 marihuana cigarettes. Bell stated that he
Asbury Park, N.J.; Police arrested a man having 100 of the dope cigarettes. He stated he had gathered a number of growing marihuana plants in a field near Tuckerton, N.J. and had had the proprietress of the boarding house in which he lived dry them in the oven, telling her that cigarettes made from the leaves were good for a head cold. The field of growing marihuana was destroyed. -- Don't be a MuggleHead [1]
SALES
Greenwich Township, N.J. - [January 3, 1936]
NEW JERSEY- Greenwich Township - Gloucester County On January 3, 1936, County Police, acting on information that someone in the locality was distributing marihuana cigarettes, searched the premises occupied by George Williams and found approximately 60 pounds of marihuana in bulk concealed therein. The defendant was held in default of bond awaiting trial. -- --- ILLICIT TRAFFIC IN MARIHUANA - aka the Gore File
SALES
Atlantic City. --Federal, State, and city detectives had received reports that marihuana cigarettes in varying quantities were being peddled in this vicinity. On Sep. 5, 1936, they watched an informer make contact with Floyd Peters, Atlantic City, and purchase two marihuana cigarettes which the informer turned over to them. The officers then raided the premises and found Harry Smith, Joseph Morgano, Elizabeth Bailey, and Clarence Henry smoking a Turkish water pipe, the bowl of which was filled with marihuana, John Harper had two marihuana cigarettes on his person and Floyd Peters attempted to conceal a match box containing marihuana cigarettes. The officers continued their search of the premises and found a trunk in which was a bag containing bulk marihuana. There was also discovered a glass tube containing pantopon. One of the officers reported that he had received reports of opium smoking at this address and was pressing his search for Opium when the marihuana and pantopon were found. The defendants were immediately given a hearing in the State court. Elizabeth Bailey, Clarence Henry, Joseph Morgano, and Harry Smith were held on $500 bond. Peters was held without bond and later was sentence to State prison from 4 to 7 years on one count. Peters stated late that he had been addicted to the use of marihuana for more than a year and that he had purchased 2 pounds of the dried marihuana for $35 from a resident of New York City. -- The Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs -1936
NATURAL GROUTH
Jersey City.-Oct. 14, 1936, pursuant to information received by the police department of Jersey City, N. J., narcotic agents discovered a patch of growing marihuana in Newark extending from a few feet to a city block in width and running a distance of about 1 mile. This patch contained about 65 tons of the marihuana plant, all of which were destroyed. -- The Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs -1936
October 16, 1936, pursuant to information received by the Police Departments, Jersey City, New Jersey, narcotic agents discovered a patch of Marihuana approximating sixty-five acres, the patch running a few feet to a city block between Manhattan Avenue and Secaucus Road, about a distance of one mile. This patch contained about sixty-five tons of the Marihuana plant. A crew of P.W.A workers under the supervision of narcotic agents of the Newark Office destroyed the patch. --- Review of the Illicit Traffic In The United States and the Philippine Islands In 1936
STABBING
Asbury Park, N.J., May 1965 --Two men boxed playfully together in the street. One participant was knocked to the ground. He came to his feet with a knife in his hand. His opponent started to retreat. The angered man chased and caught his companion. He slashed the frightened man's throat and, in a frenzied state, repeatedly stabbed the helpless man. The murderer then calmly folded his knife and walked away. He is still a fugitive. Just prior to the Incident, the two men had smoked marihuana together. -- Congressional Record -- April 4, 1968
ROBBERY / MURDER
New Jersey - Camden, N.J., January 1968 ----Three men held up a toy store in Camden. All three suspects left the store, got into their car and smoked marihuana. They then returned to the store and killed the store attendant with a revolver. -- Congressional Record -- April 4, 1968
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FOOTNOTES:
[1]- Published in various newspaper Sunday supplement section throughout the country. Oakland Tribune (Oct 11, 1936), Charleston Daily Mail, etc.
WANT TO KNOW MORE:
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Due to space / download time considerations, only selected materials are displayed. If you would like to obtain more information, feel free to contact the museum. All our material is available (at cost) on CD-Rom format.
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