Jersey Journal/1927/"Joe The Wop" Faces Murder Trial March 30

"Joe The Wop" Faces Murder Trial March 30. Postpone Trial of Alleged "Speak-Easy" Killer Scheduled for March 28. Because he became embroiled in an argument as to who should buy the next drink in a Steuben Street "speakeasy," Ralph Grimaldi, known in police circles as "Joe the Wop," will stand trial March 30 for murder, following the death of Felix Szczesny, 39, of 160 Steuben Street. The Prosecutor's office originally set Grimaldi's murder trial for March 14, but because former Congressman James A. Hamill was engaged elsewhere, the case was put over until March 25 and again deferred until the 30th. Grimaldi was employed as a car repairer for the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad. After he stabbed his drinking companions the morning last October, he fled from the scene of the crime at 160 Steuben Street, but through the sleuthing of Charles Ballerine and Detective John O'Neill was traced to a small town in upper New York State, where he was nabbed and extradited to this State. The accused man with some of his companions was in the speak-easy and an argument arose over whose turn it was to buy a drink. When the words became heated they were ejected from the place. They continued the argument on the sidewalk, where Grimaldi was supposed to have pulled a knife from his pocket and with it stabbed Szczesny, who died in the City Hospital the following day. Assistant Prosecutor Aloysius McMahon, with Assistant Prosecutors Lewis G. Hansen and Eric Jentz, will present the State's case of murder against Grimaldi in Oyer & Terminer.