Weird History: 1929 domestic feud draws Vineland crowd

Was he throwing himself into his work or merely lying down on the job?

Either way, the unusual action of one local attorney drew quite a crowd to the scene of a very public domestic dispute back in 1929.

The episode began when the wife of a Vineland grocer, in the process of divorcing her beloved, hired "truckman" Henry Garton to remove all furniture and goods from her husband's Boulevard home.

Alerted by a relative that he was about to be cleaned out, the frantic grocer rushed to the house. So, too, did a local constable, who had a warrant charging the woman with the theft of $2,500 worth of household items.

According to a published report, legal action was delayed while attorneys for the feuding couple, who also had made it to the scene, began arguing the merits of their respective client's case.

Spectators soon gathered, for as Garton started his heavily loaded rig and attempted to pull it from the curb, the grocer's dedicated lawyer, Frank Kotok, flung his body in front of the truck, blocking it by lying down in the street.

Despite this brave action, a truce was temporarily called and the truck driven away to the American Service Garage, followed by the entire bickering bunch.

Here, the items were to be placed in storage, but before unloading one stick of furniture, Garton demanded his fee.

The grocer and his wife each agreed to foot half of the bill, although, for reasons that aren't en-tirely clear, the still-loaded truck was then driven back to the home.

Drawing yet another crowd, the couple again went at it, taking possession of furniture that each claimed as his or her own. Several items were hotly contested to the delight of neighbors, amused with their afternoon of free entertainment.

When all was done, it was said that the wife took up housekeeping in a nearby home providing an excellent view of her estranged husband's Plum Street store.

An account of the impromptu event soon appeared on the front page of the Evening Journal beside other colorful "news" articles published that day.

These included a report on the activities of tadpoles and bullfrogs in North Vineland; the story of a spirit said to be haunting a Mount Holly home; and a piece about two "fifth-rate boxers" who marred a local benefit match by refusing to fight.