Introduction
Charles S. “Reds” Hance
CHARLES SAVILLE “REDS” HANCE was born on September 22, 1912 to Charles and Gertrude Hance in Philadelphia. His mother passed when he was quite young and his father remarried. The Hance family remained in Philadelphia through at least January, 1920. The 1920 Census shows Charles and Jenny Hance and four Hance children, George, Charles, Anna, and Sophie as well as two of Jenny’s children from a previous marriage, Isabella and George Moore.
By 1924 the Hance family was living at 2911 East Octagon Road in Yorkship Village. The elder Hance worked as a stone cutter in Philadelphia. In the 1940s Charles and Jennie Hance lived at 2995 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, the home of Fairview Post 71 of the American Legion, where he also worked as a janitor.
Charles S. Hance was appointed to the Camden Police Department on February 8, 1938. He joined the force on the February 18th. Then a resident of 1305 Argus Road in Fairview, he and his wife, the former Mildred H. Issel, were living at 543 Haddon Avenue when the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled.
On September 5, 1949 Officer Hance took part in the arrest of Howard Unruh, who had gone on a shooting spree in Cramer Hill that had resulted in the death of 13 people.
By the fall of 1956 Charles S. Hance and his family had moved to 1053 North 36th Street in Cramer Hill. Although he retired from the police department on pension by the mid-1960s, he continued to make his home at the North 36th Street address as late as the fall of 1977.
Charles Hance passed away in July of 1983 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, survived by his wife Mildred, daughters Treva and Trudy, and sons Charles R., Ernest, and George R. Hance.
HANCE NAMED TO POST OF RETIRING POLICEMAN
Camden Courier-Post —
Director of Public Safety Kobus yesterday announced the appointment of Charles S. Hance, 1305 Argus Road, as a patrolman. He succeeds Charles Smith of the Second district, who will retire on police pension effective February 16.
5 Accused Cops To Ask Rhone for Full Exoneration
Camden Courier-Post —
Claim Falsifications Of N. J. Work Record In Overpass Case
Director of Public Safety Rhone soon will be asked to “completely exonerate” five of eight Camden traffic officers who have been accused of accepting pay from the state for traffic duty at the Baird boulevard overpass during their regular city hours.
State Senator Wallace made that announcement today on behalf of Sgt. Anthony Skolski and Traffic Patrolmen Charles Hance, Martin Nelson, George Getley and Everett Joslin.
Wallace said he would base his appeal to Dr. Rhone on testimony produced at a preliminary hearing held yesterday on orders of Dr. Rhone for all eight men, including Captain Nathan Petit, and Sgts. James Wilson and Walter Vecander.
“There is no question that the payroll records which were the basis for the accusations against the five men I represent, were falsified,” Wallace said. “Sergeant Wilson, who kept the records admitted frequently in his testimony yesterday the records were ‘mistakes, errors and not based on actual time put in.’”
‘Charges Groundless’
“The whole hearing proved without doubt that the charges against the five men were groundless and I will ask Dr. Rhone to make a public statement that the records were falsified and these five men were blameless and not guilty of accepting state pay for work on city time.”
Wilson admitted at the hearing he did not pay the traffic men the full time recorded for them on the overpass payroll records. He was asked by Assistant City Solicitor Goldman:
“Then it comes down to the fact that the men in the traffic bureau only worked on their off hours. That the reports are mistakes. They only received the money to which they were entitled. You got more money than they were entitled to but you won’t tell us where that money went to, is that correct?”
“Yes,” Wilson answered.
Wilson said the hours marked on the payroll were a mistake and that they had been listed “at random” because “a man doesn’t have much time to himself on such a job.”
Asked by Goldman if he would care to reveal where the additional money went, Sergeant Wilson replied:
“No. I would not.”
Petit and Wilson both testified they worked 77 hours some weeks at the overpass scene, but insisted this was in addition to their regular 48 hours on city time.
The testimony was presented before Rhone and Goldman with Deputy Director Edward C. Garrity and Police Chief Samuel E. Johnson attending. A stenographer from Dr. Rhone’s office took notes. Newspapermen also were present but only one policeman was allowed in Dr. Rhone’s office at one time.
On behalf of the five men he represented, Wallace said:
“I represent these men and they are here for the purpose of having me make a statement and offer our cooperation to the director and deputy director in the investigation of this matter,” Wallace said.
“We did not anticipate there would be any hearing or that there would be questioning by the city counsel or that the statements would be taken by a stenographer. We have no objection to that except we did not receive the payroll sheets referred to here until a short time ago and we have been unable to determine who kept those payrolls. We have not had sufficient time to make a check of them.”
Worked on Own Time
“The statement of each man is the same. They were asked to do this work by Capt. Petit. They were paid by Sergeant Wilson. They didn’t sign any payroll sheets or checks and they were paid in cash. At no time did they receive money for work at this project for the time when they were supposed to be doing city duties. They did work on their off hours and were paid.
“They did not work such hours as have been stated in the press and they did not receive the compensation also published. At no time did they receive money for work during city hours. These men have daily reports from pull boxes and other records showing they carried on their public duties. These are records over which they had no control and were kept by someone else.”
Hold Duty Record
“They also have records in their own handwriting such as tags and summonses which were issued by them to motorists and will show the time when they were in various parts of the city doing traffic work.
“These records not only show the time but they show the man’s name and where it was he tagged the car. All these records have been turned into the department. We will be glad to compare our records and the alleged records of this contractor to show that regardless of the time shown in the record they did not work on city time. They were not required to use their motorcycles as it was all hand work, the mere turning of a light to relieve tie-ups and getting trucks through. They did wear their uniforms which they buy themselves with a small contribution by the city.
“Arrests were made at this project and will show the time these men worked there and that they were there to enforce the law and protect public property.”
“After examining the record will you be in a position to have the men come in and tell us where the discrepancies are?” Goldman ask [sic] Wallace.
Pledges Full Report
Wallace said he would, adding “we will make a full report so the case can be followed through. I would like to say in regard to Officer Hance he has a complete record of his work on this project and it shows he received only $289.75 while the payroll sheets as quoted in the newspapers said he received $469.50. He has a complete record of his pay and it shows he did not work there at any of the city time.”
In describing how he put in the time for the officers, Wilson told Goldman he tried to strike a “happy medium” by giving “an honest count.”
Both Petit and Wilson admitted that at no time did they ever tell Dr. Rhone, Garrity or Chief Johnson they were receiving pay for their work at the overpass.
When Wilson was asked to identify three men being carried on the payrolls, James Bishop, Joseph Weller, and Charles Howell, he said:
“All three of those men were sent to me for jobs by a political friend of mine. I gave them work at night.”
Later Wilson was asked to identify the “political friend.”
He declined, but admitted the man was not a resident of Camden.
Petit admitted that he made the original arrangement for the hiring of city policemen for the state highway work. He said he did so at the request of John Williams, local representative of the state highway department. He said Williams approached him, saying the state needed men for traffic control at the overpass and would pay them $1.35 an hour.
He said Wilson took over as “sergeant in charge” and that Wilson paid them in cash.
Wilson explained that he was too busy to keep a detailed account of each officer’s hours. He admitted that he was not at the overpass from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m., as he had filled out some of the time sheets.
Drew Lump Sum
Wilson also admitted that he personally received all eight policemen’s pay “in a lump sum—cash” from the contractor (who later was reimbursed by the state) and that he paid the other seven men. He also said under questioning by Goldman that he did not deduct any money from the men’s pay for withholding taxes.
Several times Wilson was warned by Goldman that anything he said at the examination could be used against him. Wilson said he would answer any question he felt would not incriminate him.
Petit entered a general denial of ever working on the overpass project on time for which he was paid by the city.
He said Wilson was in charge of the traffic detail at the project, and that he, Petit, had not seen any payrolls that Wilson allegedly made up for payment of the men.
At no time did he work continuously 7 a. m. to 5 p. m. as is indicated by the payrolls, Petit said.
Worked 77 Hours
Petit was unable to answer a question as to the total amount of money he earned on the project.
He was paid for the entire time, from April 26 to Sept. 6, he said, except for a period he was off sick with a back ailment from Aug. 2 to Aug. 16.
Petit further stated if the records showed he was paid for those two weeks they were wrong. Wilson testified the payroll records showed Petit was paid for the two weeks.
Petit was asked whether he delegated to Wilson the authority to run the project and pay the men. He said he did not give Wilson any special authority, but he was detailed there to be in charge.
As to the contract he had with the highway department representative, Petit said he was told the rate would be $1.35 an hour, and as far as he knew all the men were paid that rate for the time they worked.
Cops and Counsel in Dual Job Case
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photos
FIVE CITY TRAFFIC BUREAU MEMBERS are shown at top presenting their defense through counsel to Public Safety Director Dr. Rhone on charges they collected pay from state highway funds for working at the Baird boulevard overpass at the time they were required to be on duty for the city. State Sen. Bruce A. Wallace is at extreme right denying the charges for the five officers he represents. Standing with him from left are Sgt. Anthony Skolski, Patrolmen Charles Hance, George Getley, Everett Joslin and Martin Nelson. The lower photo shows Traffic Sgts. James Wilson and Walter Vecander, and Park Guard Anthony Palese waiting to be called.
Anthony Skolski & Charles Hance
Anthony Skolski & Charles S. Hance
Movie Patrons Getting Fingerprinted
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photo
As part of the government’s plan to have an index of fingerprints of all citizens, Camden police yesterday took prints of patrons of the Lyric Theatre, Broadway and Newton avenue, Sergeant Rox Saponare is shown taking the fingerprints of Birk Binnard, manager of the theatre. Also in the picture are Patrolmen Charles Hance and Paul Jackson.
September 5, 1949
In this photo from the Camden Courier-Post, Detective William Kelly (left) and Officer Charles S. Hance stand ready to fire during the September 5, 1949 standoff between city police and Howard Unruh, who barricaded himself inside his apartment at North 32nd Street and River Road in Cramer Hill after shooting 13 people to death. More than 50 Camden policemen took part in the arrest.
Life Hereabouts
Camden Courier-Post —
Reprinted From The Courier-Post, Sept. 7, 1949.
“KIDS…LITTLE KIDS…murdered in their own home.”
Tears were streaming down the face of a lovely little lady as she spoke those words.
In front of her, in the middle of the carpet, was a spot, sort of whitish, where someone had tried to remove the blood of a little boy…a little boy who was “going on three”…a little boy who never harmed no one…
Just down the block a bit, people were perring [sic] through a big plate glass window, looking at a “hobby horse” in a barber shop that is closed.
At the base of the standard which held the wooden horse in place was another blotch of blood…the blood of another little boy “just past six” who was having his hair cut in preparation for his first trip to school the next day….
In the back seat of an automobile parked a little farther away was another great stain…where another boy died.
And the killer says: “I’m glad I did it, but I’m sorry about the children.”
WE ARRIVED at the scene of the Mad Mission of Cramer Hill after all of the shooting was over. Walt Carley and Jake Weiner, Courier-Post scribes, had arrived with the cops. They witnessed the capture and went on to do a great job of reporting the terrible tragedy.
We walked along the street peering in windows where only minutes before, people were happy and gay—and now they were dead.
Two holes showed in the front screen of a home near the center of the block. Detectives Stanley Bobiak and William Deery, identification chief, approached and Bobiak looked into the home.
“Was anyone shot in here?” Bobiak queried through the window.
“My little boy was killed,” replied the tearful voice of a mother whose anguish was pitiful to see and hear.
This was a terrible thing that happened in Our Town.
HUMAN beings are a funny bunch. And cops are human beings. The shooting was over and there was this bluecoat and that bluecoat insisting that he was “first on the scene.” You could have had a couple of dozen “firsts” if you were interested in that. And all those who said they were first and were not given credit for it would have been sore.
But that was after the shooting was over. When the chips were down, when a maniac was shooting innocent men, women and children and was still on the loose with that big Luger, that is when the cops of Our Town proved they rank right up there with the best in the world.
Through the years, there has been many an occasion where we witnessed the bravery of Camden policemen.
This time we missed, but we know what happened from the lips of reliable newspapermen and other witnesses.
We know that Russ Maurer stepped out into the clear, while other cops covered him with their guns, to hurl tear gas into the home of the man who was bent on kill. Russ could have paid with his life, because the killer seldom missed. That was a brave act.
THERE were Charley Hance, Ev Joslin, Cecil Picou, Tommy Carr, Bill Moll, Sid Nelson, Barney Tracy, Bill Kelly, Marshall, Thompson, Vince Conley, Lennie Andruzza and dozens of others closing in on the killer, inch by inch.
Kelley and Tracy on a roof, moving in, Bill with a machinegun, Barney with gun in hand…exposed like the other cops for a quick shot that might mean death.
Picou and Bill Rogers…moving the wounded and the dead…with the killer still free…Johnny Ferry stepping into the clear to keep the slayer from shooting from the upper front windows of his home.
NO WORDS of ours can give comfort to those families which suffered so much with the loss of dear ones. We can only say that everyone we met throughout Our Town mourned with them.
But we can say a word about the police and the manner in which they tackled this job.
And out of all them there we will take Ev Joslin and say that Ev will never be outdone where courage is concerned. We have seen that courage through the years and we have heard many a cop say they will take Ev as their sidekick in a tough situation any day.
So the only way we can give Our Cops their proper due is to say that every one of them who participated in the Mad Mission of Cramer Hill was just as courageous, just as mindful of their sworn duty, just as concerned over the safety of others, forgetting themselves as the man we picked as a symbol of courage.
And whointhehell cares who got here first or who struck the killer?