Introduction
Adrian Bateman was born, according to the 1915 New Jersey State Census, in September of 1860. He married Hannah B. Wells in Camden on July 1, 1882 at the Third Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He was then working as an express agent.
Adrian Bateman worked for about 6 years at the Vine Street Ferry in the 1890s, resigning from that post when he was appointed to the police department by Mayor Cooper B. Hatch in 1899. Adrian Bateman remained with the Camden Police until his retirement in 1933.
A resident of 303 Vine Street from 1901 until his death, Adrian Bateman passed away in 1942, survived by a son, Walter Bateman, and a grandson, Walter Bateman Jr.
Police Appointments
Camden Daily Courier —
First Appointee of Mayor Hatch
Adrian C. Bateman, an employe of the Cooper's Point and Philadelphia Ferry Company, was appointed a policeman to succeed William Comley, of the First ward, resigned, by Mayor Hatch on Saturday.
New Policeman Sworn In
Adrian B. Bateman, the new appointed on the police force from the First ward, was at the ball this morning to take the oath of office. Bateman surrenders the position of collector at the Vine street ferry to don a policeman's uniform.
Police Appointments
Camden Daily Courier —
Policeman a Detective
A First Ward Officer Who is After "Old Sleuth."
Policeman Adrian C. Bateman, of the First ward, has mistaken his vocation. He is developing into a first class "Old Sleuth," and should be transferred to the secret service corps.
He has several clever acts of detective work to his credit, but his latest performance capped them all. He had a prisoner before Recorder Joseph Nowrey this morning charged with stealing fish from the West Jersey Express Company, and told the following story:
“You see,” Mr. Recorder, it was this way. I saw three men—and I knew them all personally—carrying a couple thought it was rather late, so I asked them where they got them. They kind o’ hesitated at first, and then they said they had made a haul up the river. Of course, this story didn't go with me, as weak fish are salt water fish and I knew they didn't catch them in fresh water. So they finally told me they bought them from John Burns, an extra driver for the express company down at the stables at Cooper's Point. This put me on, and after awhile I heard a noise in a saloon. I kind o’ sneaked up and listened at the slat door and heard Burns bargain with some other men to sell some more, if they would wait for him ten minutes. He came out of the saloon, went to the stables, looked in the office careful like and when he seen there was nobody in there, went to the box and was about to take out more fish when I placed him under arrest.”
Bateman said he went around to the house where Burns had sold the fish, woke some of them up and sent the fish back to the stables. There were, probably, twenty pounds, valued at a couple of dollars. Burns was held in bail for court.
Police Officers Honored
Philadelphia Inquirer —
CAMDEN TO IMPROVE 2 CITY DEPARTMENTS
Surgeon Lippincott's Recommendations for Police and Fire Approved
In connection with the plan of the Police and Fire Committees of Camden City Council to make departments under their supervision modern in every particular, Dr. A. Haines Lippincott, surgeon to both departments, has submitted recommendations, which have received the approbation of the Councilmen.
Among the suggestions are schools for firemen and policemen, complete medical survey for both departments, intensive physical culture training, first aid training, instructions in the use of firearms by the police, annual athletic meets for both departments, and intelligence and educational tests. He also recommends three assistant police and fire surgeons.
“I will say that the Camden policemen and firemen on an average are in fine physical condition,” he said, “but there probably are many men whose physical ailments can be corrected and the efficiency of both departments bettered by medical examinations.”
In addition to the seven men to retire on pension because they have reached the age limit of 65 years, nine others probably will retire because of disability. They are Detective Harry Brothers, Sergeant Harris “Pete” Stowe, Traffic Officers Morris Steelman and Raymond Stark, and Policemen Adrian Bateman, Samuel Bakley, John Schuman, Camillus Appley and Frank Carle.
Police Retirement
Camden Courier-Post —
Adrian Bateman Retires Saturday After Serving 38 Years
Nabbed 'Red Dick' At City Wharf
'Desperado of Delaware River' Taken After Exchange of Shots
In the archives of a veteran Camden policeman's scrapbook there appears a newspaper clipping bearing the heading, “Red Dick, Notorious River Pirate, Captured by Camden Cop.”
To most persons today that headline means little, but it can be appreciated by old-timers of 35 years ago who often shuddered as they read of the plunderings of “the desperado of the Delaware” in the bygone days when river pirates terrorized citizens in a manner which would put our present-day gangsters to shame.
The clipping was taken from its berth yesterday by its owner, Policeman Adrian Bateman, and as he read the eulogy of his capture of “Red Dick” a smile crossed his face and his eyes became brilliant in reminiscence.
But this expression soon transformed into a stare of puzzlement, for the illustrious career of Bateman is coming to an end after 38 years of service.
Recognized as an expert swimmer in his younger days, one of the best known pigeon fanciers in the country, possessor of the police badge No. 1 and an exceedingly loyal officer, Bateman is to give up his beloved job as a policeman for the quietude of a pensioner.
His 72 years have done him well and there are few in the department who have seen similar action or who have carried out their various duties with any greater enthusiasm.
Quits Next Saturday
But, Adrian says, a man's good health leaves him as he grows old and he is unable to do the things he cherished in the years gone by. So on December 31, he will turn in his “tools” and will be contented with his family and his pigeons in his home at 303 Vine Street.
Many strange and unusual happenings have passed before Bateman's eyes but he takes great pride in what he terms “the most outstanding case of my career,” the capture of “Red Dick.”
His Story of the Arrest of the River Pirate Follows
“The whole town seemed to be after this 'Red Dick.' I was covering the beat along the riverfront and my superiors were urging me to get something on him. One day at 3 a.m., I received a tip that the bandit was on board a boat anchored at the dock of the Stockholm Lumber Co., near the Vine Street Ferry. The ship was loaded with articles 'Red' had pilfered from other vessels, I was told, and I was determined to get him.
“I did not want to tackle the job alone as I knew the pirate was as slippery as a piece of wet soap so I called the Philadelphia police and told them of the situation and they turned the police tug Stockley over to me.
“Capt. Ned Jennings steamed over to Camden and let four men off. I went out on a long wharf near there and hid behind a pile of lumber. As the police boat neared the ship on which 'Dick' was staying, I heard a shot and knew that he had seen the police coming. There was then a volley of shots as both the police on the shore and those on the boat began firing.”
'Red Dick' Is Captured
“The next thing I knew, a man was climbing from the water to the dock where I was hiding. I was sure it was 'Red' and I waited until he reached the top of the pier before I pushed my gun into his stomach. He reached into his back pocket but I beat him to it and took a .48 calibre gun from him.
“He was convicted on a number of charges and sentenced to serve 14 years in state's prison. He died three years later.”
This is only one of the startling events in the life of the aged policeman and it would take hours to tell the rest. Another arrest, however, which he considers one of his best was that of a murderer in 1899 who was convicted and hung. He also tells of recovering two bags of stolen oysters which had been thrown overboard by diving into the water and bringing them to the surface.
Bateman was appointed to the police force under Mayor Cooper B. Hatch. He spent 20 years as a patrolman in the first district and 13 as a “rear-end man” on the third district patrol and the remainder as a traffic man at Forty-second and Federal street.
His pension will be acted on at the next meeting of the police and firemen pension committee.
Police Promotions
Camden Courier-Post —
PENSIONS AWARDED 6 COPS, 17 FIREMEN
Inspector Humes Refuses to Withdraw Application in Spite of Requests
Pensions for six policemen and 17 firemen took effect with the dawn of the New Year yesterday.
Proposed salary reductions from five to 30 percent prompted the wholesale requests for pensions which were approved Saturday at noon by the Police and Firemen's Pension Commission, of which Mayor Roy R. Stewart is chairman.
The proceedings were delayed one hour while efforts were being made by political leaders and friends to have Inspector Charles T. Humes reconsider his application. But he refused to withdraw his application and it was approved.
Two sergeants, a city detective and four captains of the fire department were included in the list of applicants.
Sergeants Albert York and Clarence Thorn, Detective David Hunt and Fire Captains Harry Haines, John Lutts, James R. White and William H. Miller, Jr., were included among the pensioners.
Major W. Greenwood and Adrian Bateman, two patrolmen, completed the list from the police department, while the others receiving pension awards who are member of the fire department were:
Elmer Burkett, 66; Robert M. Coffman, 57; Howard E. Currie, 52; James E. Navin, 67; George W. Hollins, 64; Richard S. Marter, 60; Arthur A. Wingate, 64; Joseph T. Earnest, 63; Samuel E. Harring, 64; Andrew Miller, 73; Stewart Bakley, William K. Buzine, 63, and Daniel Grimes.
The application of Marter's was passed, but an improviso was made by the commission which gave him the opportunity of recalling his decision but he failed to take advantage of it.
It was explained that the city commission's resolution passed at noon, providing that members of the police and fire departments could continue in their employment under the 1933 wage scale, but that their pensions would not be affected by the cut and they could retire under the 1931 basic pay, might cause Marter to want to rescind his action.
Mayor Stewart and Commissioner Bennett, both members of the commission, said they regretted so many “young men” were asking to be pensioned at this time.
Greenwood, 54, was appointed to the police department 21 years ago and during nearly all of this time has been attached to the First district. He lives in the First ward, at 220 York street, and will receive a pension of $83.30 monthly.