Introduction
Charles Laib
Charles Laib was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 19, 1882, the youngest of the three children of John and Caroline Laib. His parents were both born in Germany, and came to America after the Civil War. They met and married in 1874. John Laib was a butcher by trade. The Laibs first show up in Camden City Directories in 1890, establishing a butcher shop at 2606 Federal Street. The family lived next door at 2604 Federal Street. The 1900 Census shows John Laib, daughter Carrie and sons John and Charles at 2604 Federal Street. By 1905 John Laib Jr. had married. Charles Laib, his parents and older sister Carrie had moved to 2401 Howell Street. When the elder Laib retired, John Jr. partnered with Lemuel D. Horner, keeping the business in operation until ill-health caught with him. After an illness of many months, John D. Laib passed in July of 1911.
With the closing of the meat business, Charles Laib looked for other work. Taking an interest in politics, Charles Laib ran for freeholder in the Republican primary in 1911. Politics did not turn out to be a career for him, but he was rewarded for his efforts with an appointment to the Camden Police Department on January 12, 1912 by Mayor Charles H. Ellis.
Charles Laib was promoted to Sergeant in 1916, and to Lieutenant in 1929. He was put in charge of the Department’s traffic department not long thereafter.
When he registered for the draft on September 12, 1918 he and his wife Sibella lived at 2606 Federal Street.
Charles Laib retired on pension from the Police Department on January 1, 1933. He was living at 76 South 24th Street, and was at that address as late as April of 1942. He died at home of a heart attack on January 4, 1945, survived by his wife Sibella and his stepson, William Marple. Sadly, William Marple and his wife were killed in an automobile accident in Texas in 1953.
Camden Candidates Ready for Primaries
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Though City Clerk Extends Time the Line Up of Contestants Is Virtually Complete
Virtually all of the municipal candidates, Republicans and Democrats, filed their petitions with City Clerk Brown in Camden yesterday. Although the new law apparently provided that yesterday was the last day on which the petitions could be filed, Clerk Brown placed a different construction on the act and extended the time until next Monday.
Those seeking nomination were not aware of this, and most of them had their petitions ready. The various Councilmanic candidates, with those for Freeholder and Excise Commissioner, follow.
City Council—Republicans, First ward, John A. Mather, George W. Ealer; Second ward, M. F. Middleton, Jr., Willis DeUnger, Arthur Colsey, William F. Kelly; Third ward, R. J. Garrison, William Hall; Fourth ward, James E. Hewitt; Fifth ward, R. S. Carney; Sixth ward, Arthur L. Jones, Edward Ivers; Seventh ward, Lawrence Reader, George J. Schneider; Eighth ward, Grant E. Kirk; Ninth ward, Edward Francis, David Goff, James Massey, Charles C. Read, Joseph Pfeiffer; Tenth ward, Daniel R. Smith, F. Wayland Potter, John A. Rogers; Twelfth ward, A. R. Read, William C. Read, J. W. Wilson, J. O. Grear.
Democrats—Second ward, S. H. Quint; Fourth ward, Harry Richmond; Seventh ward, J. A. Woljkowiak, Andrew Hatz; Ninth ward, Thomas Lattlehales; Tenth ward, E. F. Wilmot, George Evans; [a partly cut line at the top of the next crop is not legible] Twelfth ward, Charles C. Old.
Freeholders—Republicans, First ward, James F. Walton, Harry Campbell; Second ward, David A. Henderson; Third ward, John T. Rodan; Fourth ward, William Monroe, A. R. Dease; Fifth ward, David Rankin; Sixth ward, F. W. Gercke; Seventh ward, Walter W. Johnson; Eighth ward, Thomas Leeson; Ninth ward, John Prentice; Tenth ward, J. W. Wilkinson; Eleventh ward, F. W. Geisler, George Simpson; Twelfth ward, J. M. Pennock, Charles Laib.
Democrats—Fourth ward, J. R. Kirkbride; Sixth ward, Louis Shimer; Ninth ward, John Hurley; Tenth ward, A. R. Romba, F. A. Kendall; Twelfth ward, Charles F. Tracey, George A. Wilkins.
Excise Commissioners—Republicans, William B. Stephens, J. H. Sweeten, John Baker, M. H. Bains, W. H. Chamberlain, E. J. Alff, Jacob Gnang, G. C. Stratton, Howard Lee, Walter Simpson, H. A. Budney, J. H. Morang.
Democrats—John Miller, William J. McGettigan, George Kleinheinz, Frank Richmond, Jacob Neutz.
Camden Motorcycle Police
1910s
Named: Early photo of Camden Motorcycle Police, 1910s. Charles “Jeff” Kay, Charles Laib, Frank Frost, and Josiah Pedigree.
Prisoners Wore Stolen Raiment
Camden Post-Telegram —
New Comers at Apartment House Donned Clothes Belonging to Boarder.
POLICE ARRIVED AS COUPLE FLED
In default of $500 bail William Wilkins, aged 39 years, of Danville, Va., and Charles Sampson, aged 33 years, of Cincinnati, were this morning committed by Recorder Stackhouse on charges of larceny.
Representing themselves as contractors the two defendants visited the apartment house of Mrs. Wiltshire, 218 Penn street, and engaged a room. Yesterday while George Garner, a boarder, was taking a bath his wardrobe was broken into and two suits of clothes were taken. When Garner discovered the theft he instructed another roomer in the house to notify the police.
Wilkins and Sampson were suspected and they were watched. After a short time the two men tried to sneak from the house just as Motorcycle Policemen Kay and Laib reached the front door and stopped them. Each of the defendants wore a suit of Garner’s clothes. They were promptly placed under arrest. Both admitted the thefts before the Recorder this morning.
The two men engaged the room on Saturday. When they were requested to pay in advance they offered the excuse that they desired to fix up the payroll for their workmen and they promised to pay up yesterday. The room to which Wilkins and Sampson were assigned adjoined that occupied by Garner.
Police Department Changes
Philadelphia Inquirer —
There were a number of changes in Camden’s Police Department yesterday, by Mayor Ellis. He appointed Sergeant John Golden successor to Captain Hugh Boyle, recently placed on the pension list. Patrolman Howard Smith was made a city detective, and Hall Officer James Clay was made a hall sergeant. Motorcycle Policemen Jefferson Kay and Charles Laib were appointed traffic sergeants, while Patrolmen Edmund Pike and Albert Cornog were made traffic policemen. Patrolman Robert Abbott was appointed a sergeant. Mayor Ellis has received the resignations of G. M. Beringer and Myers Baker as members of the City Plan Commission, the first getting out because of pressing business and the other because of going to Camp Dix.
Camden Motorcycle Police
circa 1920
Camden Motorcycle Police – location unknown, around 1920. At far left, Officer Jeff Kay
Police Axes Play Dirge on Slot Machines
Camden Courier-Post —
Confiscated slot machines being stacked in front of police headquarters, preparatory to being carted to Civic Center and destroyed.
Lewis Stehr – James Tatem – Charles Laib
Ruin 105 Slot Machines
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Police Use Axes To Destroy Devices Seized In Raids During Past Six Months
Armed with axes, hatchets and crowbars, city police this morning destroyed 105 slot machines which were seized from storekeepers in Camden during the past six months.
The scene of the wrecking of the mechanical gambling contrivances was at Civic center. Money, which police say, will amount to more than $1,500, was taken from the tubes. This will be turned over to the Police and Firemen’s Beneficial Association.
Nearly all of the machines were of the “nickel” type, but a few refunded pennies and some 25-cent pieces. The demolishing was under the supervision of Police Inspector Lewis Stehr, Chief Tatem and Captain Charles Laib.
The metal parts of the machinery will be sold to junk dealers. Captain Stehr said this morning that after everything has been sold at least $2,000 should be turned over to the beneficial association.
5 New Lieutenants Appointed by Rhone Await Assignments
Camden Courier-Post —
Two More Patrolmen to be Promoted Under New Ordinance
ONE MADE SERGEANT
Pending official designation of their new posts, five members of the Camden police department who were appointed lieutenants yesterday and a sixth, who was named sergeant, continued in their former capacity when they went on duty today.
Director of Public Safety David S Rhone, who announced the promotions and swore in the officers late yesterday, stated this morning that he has not yet determined where he will station them. That will be done within a few days, the commissioner averred.
Two more lieutenants remain to be appointed apropos of a recent city ordinance which stipulated that the new stations will not be designated until all seven lieutenants are named. One will be placed in charge of each of the four police districts, and one each in the traffic and motorcycle squads, and one at headquarters.
Those who were elevated to lieutenancy are:
Sergeant George W. Frost, 956 Pine street; Sergeant Walter T. Welch, 518 Benson street; Acting Lieutenant Ralph W. Bakley, 602 Clinton street; Sergeant Charles Laib, 76 South Twenty-fourth street, who has been acting captain, and Acting Lieutenant George Ward, 1437 Kaighn avenue.
Patrolman Clarence Thorn was also sworn in as sergeant of the mounted squad of the department. He succeeds Welch.
The lieutenancies pay an annual salary of $2500, and one year from this date, each of the lieutenants will be eligible to take Civil Service examination for elevation to a captaincy, which carries a yearly stipend of $3200.
The five who were made lieutenants were among ten members of the department who recently took the Civil Service examinations for lieutenancy. Welsh [sic] and Laib were among the three having the highest ranking in the tests, being second and third respectively. Under Civil Service rules, the director had to select at least one of the three first in ranking in the examination, but he could select any other six.
The ten who took the examination and their grades as unofficially announced in Trenton follow:
Sergeant John T. Potter, 298 Burwood avenue, 89.64; Sergeant Walter T. Welch, 518 Benson street, 87.75; Sergeant Charles Laib, 76 South Twenty-fourth street; Acting Lieutenant Bakley, 602 Clinton street, 87.11; Sergeant George W. Frost, 956 Pine street, 86.31; Acting Lieutenant Ward, 1437 Kaighn avenue, 85.83; Sergeant Herbert Anderson, 496 Newton avenue, 84.79; Sergeant Samuel E. Johnson, 526 North Front street, 84.71; Sergeant Harry G. Newton, 118 North Twenty-fifth street, 83.18, and Acting Lieutenant Cunningham, 1114 Kaighn avenue, 81.78.
Promoted for Merit on Force
Camden Courier-Post —
[Names printed at the foot of the left-hand block:] WALTER T. WELCH
CHARLES LAIB
RALPH W. BAKLEY
[Names printed at the foot of the right-hand block:] GEORGE W. FROST
GEORGE WARD
CLARENCE THORN
2 Police Officers Made Lieutenants
Camden Courier-Post —
Rhone Reported Ready to Make Five Patrolmen Sergeant
Reports that five members of the Camden police department will be promoted to sergeants tomorrow were circulated, today after announcement that two sergeants had been appointed lieutenant.
Those who, according to rumors, will be elevated to sergeant are Nathan Petit, of the second police district, to be assigned to the traffic squad; Gus Koerner, detective bureau; Walter Rowand, first district; Frank Truax, Second district, and Edward Hahn, third district.
The two new lieutenants who took oath of office yesterday are Samuel Johnson and Thomas Cunningham. The former was a sergeant of police attached to the detective bureau and will continue in that department, while Cunningham, while a sergeant, was acting lieutenant in day command at the fourth district. He remains in that district. The appointments were announced yesterday by Commissioner David S. Rhone, director of public safety.
Both were immediately administered oaths of office by Dr. Rhone’s secretary, Bayard M. Sullivan, at the director’s office. Lieutenant Cunningham is already eligible for retirement, having served more than 20 years on the city police force.
The two appointments complete the seven lieutenancies created by a city ordinance. Ten members of the police department passed civil service examinations for the post, which pays an annual salary of $2500. Each must serve one year as lieutenant before becoming eligible to take examination for captaincy.
The five previously appointed lieutenants are George Frost, now night commander of the fourth district; Walter Welch, third district; Charles Laib, a sub-commander of the traffic bureau under Captain Charles T. Humes, traffic Inspector; Ralph Bakley, second district; and George Ward, first district.
The other three candidates who passed the examination, Sergeants John T. Potter, Herbert Anderson and Harry I. Newton, did not receive lieutenancies, although Potter had the highest percentage in the tests.
Dickinson Confers With Lieutenants
Camden Evening Courier —
New Police Deputy Denies ‘Laying Down Law’ to Aides; Shakeup Unlikely
Major Charles V. Dickinson, newly appointed deputy director of public safety, today held a two-hour conference with heads of the city police department.
The meeting between the new police ruler and the commanders of the four districts, the traffic bureau and the mounted squad, was held in the offices of Police Chief Lewis H. Stehr, who is confined to Cooper Hospital.
Although it was rumored about police headquarters prior to the meeting that the “law was to be laid down,” Major Dickinson stated afterward that nothing unusual had taken place.
“I called the men together,” he declared, “so that I could become better acquainted with them and learn the various manipulations of the districts of which they have charge.”
The major in answer to questions by reporters said that no changes had been made in the personnel of the department.
Those attending the conference were Inspector of Traffic Charles T. Humes; Lieutenants Charles Laib, of the traffic bureau; George Ward, of the First District; Ralph Bakley, of the Second; Walter Welch, of the Third, and George Frost, of the Fourth, and Sergeant Clarence Thorn, of the mounted squad.
30 Cops Shifted Today in Opening of New District
Camden Courier-Post —
Shake-Up in Camden Force is Most Drastic in History
SMITH AT CITY HALL
Drastic shifts in the Camden police department, affecting more than 30 members of the force became effective at 8 a.m. today.
The shake-up, announced yesterday by Commissioner David S. Rhone, director of public safety, is the result of creation of a fourth police district.
The outstanding changes are the promotion of Sergeant of Detectives George Ward to acting lieutenant in the First district, supplanting Sergeant Samuel Nayler, who is sent to headquarters, and the return to the city detective bureau of Acting County Detective Howard Smith.
Smith was detailed to the second district today and was assigned to a robbery investigation in the thirteenth ward.
District Captaincies Abolished
With the shifts, the rank of district captain is abolished. Instead, lieutenants will be in charge of the districts. Captains will be in charge only of the traffic and detective bureaus and headquarters, Commissioner Rhone said.
The removal of Sergeant Naylor from the First District was not unexpected, since he had been “on the carpet” last October as a result of a speakeasy shooting in his district. Naylor, though holding the rank of sergeant, was acting captain of the district.
He was threatened with dismissal by Chief Stehr and Commissioner Rhone if the vice conditions in the First District were not cleaned up. The situation came to a climax with the wounding of Charles Arini and Louis Dei Duca in a speakeasy at Third and Mickle streets in October. It was reported Naylor was to be removed from the district several times since.
Ward Again Promoted
Ward was promoted to sergeant of detectives two months ago. Under the transfer, he is promoted again, remaining as acting lieutenant for a year, until he takes an examination for a lieutenancy.
Other police officers now acting-lieutenants will become lieutenants after examination.
Naylor, who was in charge of the First district for several years, will serve as desk sergeant under Capt. A. Lincoln James.
The return of Smith to the city detective bureau was requested by Prosecutor Clifford A. Baldwin, it is understood. Smith has been a county detective for more than eleven years. He first was transferred to the prosecutor’s office at the request of Prosecutor Charles A. Wolverton. Although a Republican, he was retained there under Prosecutor Ethan P. Wescott. Although some surprise was occasioned by the announcement of Smith’s return to the city force, inasmuch as the new prosecutor is a Republican, it was said that Baldwin wished to begin his term with an entire new force.
Worked For City Also
Although Smith acted for the county and was paid by the county, he received a salary of $1 a year to retain him in the city so that he could be recalled at any time.
Through the shift, Sergeant Charles Laib, serving under Traffic Inspector Charles T. Humes, is elevated to acting captain of the traffic department. In the future all motorcycle men with the exception of George Clayton will report direct to Humes and Laib instead of to headquarters.
Ralph Bakley, who has been acting sergeant of the First District, has been named acting lieutenant of the Second District, and Thomas Cunningham, who was acting captain of the Second District, becomes acting lieutenant of the new Fourth District. William Horner, who has been acting captain of the Third District, is elevated to the rank of acting lieutenant and remains in charge of that district.
5 Camden Police Granted Pensions
Camden Courier-Post —
Laib, Kay, Guthrie, Smith and Till to Be Retired Next Month
Petitions for pensions were granted yesterday to five members of the Camden police department.
The retiring men are: Lieutenant Charles Laib, in charge of the traffic bureau; Sergeant Charles J. “Jeff”. Kay, City Detectives Theodore “Dory” Guthrie and Howard Smith, and Patrolman J. Oscar Till.
The retirements are to become effective Jan. 1, it was announced after a special meeting of the pension committee in city hall. Mrs. Louise F. Walsh, secretary of the board, presented the five applications.
Eventual retirement of Lieut. Laib has been rumored in the department for several months, but it was not until recently that the report was regarded seriously. It is understood that his associates as late as yesterday had requested him to remain on duty. He is recognized as one of the most competent officers in the department. Failing health, however, is said to have prompted the pension committee to approve his application.
Successor Not Named
No announcement as to Lieut. Laib’s successor was made by Acting Chief John W. Golden.
Lieutenant Laib was appointed to the police force January 12, 1912, by former Mayor Charles H. Ellis. He was promoted to sergeant in 1916 and became a lieutenant in 1929. He has been in charge of the traffic department for a year, succeeding Captain Charles L. Humes, who has been named inspector of personnel.
Laib is but 51 years of age and is one of the youngest men in the department to apply for pension. If his pension is approved he will receive a monthly salary of $102.08. His home is with his wife at 76 South Twenty-fourth street.
For many years, Laib has been conducting a “one-man” relief organization and is recognized by charitable organizations throughout the city for his generosity among the destitute.
Each Thanksgiving and Christmas, he personally collects funds for dinners for the children of the Sheltering Arms Home, Seventeenth street and River avenue, and has also been responsible for the home getting a daily supply of bread from a Camden bakery for several years.
Kay Served 38 Years
Sergeant Kay is a veteran member of the police department and has been an officer for 38 years. He is 72 and lives at 606 North Fourth street. He will receive $90.65 monthly. He has been on the sick list for several months, recovering from injuries received in an accident.
Detective Smith is 58 and lives at 933 Penn street. For several years he was loaned to the county as a detective and helped in solving a number of Camden county murders. He was recently returned to the police department and Detective Fiore Troncone turned over to the county in his place. He will receive $90.65 a month. He was appointed March 20, 1906.
Detective Guthrie served 19 years as a policeman and two as a fireman. He resides at 570 Chestnut street. He will receive $92.50 per month, the additional $2 being added because he will not have the usual two per cent deducted for the pension fund.
Patrolman Till, who is 56, resides at 1002 North Twenty-fifth street. He served 25 years as a policeman and two and one-half years as a fireman. He is attached to the Second district. Till will receive $83.60 monthly.
The members of the pension committee who passed on the applications is headed by Mayor Roy R. Stewart and includes, Newton W. Ash, fire department representative; William Michalk [sic], police department representative; John J. Robinson, citizen member, and Mrs. Walsh.
Cops Are Shifted by Mayor Stewart
Camden Courier-Post —
Retirements on Pension Cause Changes; Sergeant Petit, Traffic Head
Police Sergeant Nathan Petit yesterday was named head of the city traffic bureau to succeed Lieut. Charles L. Laib, who will retire on pension tonight.
A number of other transfers to fill vacancies left by other members of the police department who are to accept pensions were made yesterday by Mayor Roy R. Stewart.
Lieut. Samuel Johnson will be assigned in charge of police headquarters in place of Capt. A. Lincoln James and will serve also as a desk-sergeant on the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift daily. Policeman William Robertson will be made an acting desk-sergeant to fill the vacancy left by Johnson.
Policeman Frederick Watson, who has been doing special work in the detective bureau, will be returned to police headquarters to work at his old position of jailor in place of Samuel Hibbert, another pensioner.
Detective William Boettcher will be assigned to take over the duties of Detective Thomas Stanger, who also will retire tonight. Stanger has been in charge of Bertillion [sic] records and police photographic work for many years.
Rumors to the effect that Lieutenants George Ward and George Frost would be shifted from their present positions were spiked in the announcement that Petit would take charge of the traffic division.
The reports at city hall had it that Frost would be named to succeed Laib and that Ward would be placed in charge of the detective division in place of Lieutenant Louis Shaw, but Mayor Stewart announced that both Ward and Frost will remain in the present positions. Ward is acting desk sergeant in charge of police headquarters during the day shift. Frost has been in charge of the police school and pistol target range.
Although not announced by Mayor Stewart, Frost is expected to be named inspector of personnel, taking over the duties formerly performed by Inspector Charles T. Humes, in addition to his former duties as head of the police school.
Petit will not be named an acting lieutenant, the mayor said, but will hold his title of sergeant. He will, however, be in absolute charge of the traffic division and will not alternate on the three shifts with the other two sergeants.
Policeman Robertson is named desk sergeant in place of Sergeant Thomas Murphy, who will retire on pension tonight with the others.
In announcing the changes, Mayor Stewart said that they would not mean anything more financially to the men and would not be actual advancements.