Edward Carroll

EDWARD CARROLL was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 30, 1893.

When he registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 he was still single and living with his mother at 422 Line Street. He then was working as a riveter at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard.

Edward Carroll was appointed to the Camden Police Department on July 14, 1922.

The 1929 City Directory shows Edward Carroll and his wife Mary at 1037 South 5th Street in South Camden. The 1930 Census shows that the Carroll’s were then the parents of four children, Edward, Marie, Joseph, and Rose Carroll.

By April of 1930 Edward Carroll had been promoted to Sergeant and was Captain by 1949. In the interim period between the time when Chief George W. Frost left the department and Chief Gustav A. Koerner was appointed, Edward Carroll was the second-most senior officer in the city, serving under Acting Chief Samuel E. Johnson. He was promoted to inspector on November 29, 1949.

Inspector Carroll was still on the job as late as January 16, 1957. By February of 1959 he had retired and moved to Wildwood, New Jersey. Last a resident of Magnolia, New Jersey, he passed away on October 9, 1969.

Falling Ash Cans at City Hall Upsets Dignity of Court

ARRIVAL OF COP SIGNAL TO FADE

Luckless Employee Reprimanded by Bertman, Then Dismissed

Clatter of falling ash cans upset the nerves and aroused the indignation of Camden’s City Court today.

As a result, one city hall janitor came in for denunciation of an Judge Bernard Bertman, while only their agility and fleetness of foot saved others from a similar dire fate.

The court session had been in progress for some time this morning when a deafening clank and clatter of metal arose from below, penetrating the quiet courtroom and drowning out the testimony of some complainant who was relating his troubles.

“What’s all that” inquired Judge Bertman.

Someone mentioned something about the city hall janitors having to take the ashes out.

“Tell them not to make so much noise” the court instructed Turnkey Fred Watson.

Watson left the courtroom and returned, but the noise continued.

“Did you tell them what I said?” Bertman demanded.

“Yes” was Watson’s reply, “but they didn’t pay any attention.”

“All right,” the court remarked, turning to Policeman Ed Carroll, “lock ‘em up for contempt of court.”

Carroll left the courtroom, but the arrest was prevented by a “tip-off.”

“Here comes a cop,” someone yelled from a window.

The janitors didn’t know very much about contempt of court, but the threatened arrival of a cop was something they could understand.

Jimmy Shissler took to his heels was last seen disappearing in a cloud of dust down Seventh Street. Ben Thomas dodged into City Hall and apparently found a hiding place.

When Policeman Carroll arrived on the scene, only the luckless Ed Carter, acting City Hall custodian, remained. A moment later he was standing before Judge Bertman.

Even in normal circumstances Carter stutters. Under these circumstances he was all but tongue-tied.

“Where are the others?” Judge Bertman demanded.

“I couldn’t find ‘em” said Carroll.

Then the court turned to Carter.

“Why didn’t you stop that noise when you were ordered to?” the Judge demanded.

Car6ter considered.

“I-I d-d-d-d-d-did” he exclaimed.

“Well then, why was it that the noise continued?” the Judge asked.

“I c-c-c-couldn’t s-s-stop the t-t-tin cans f-f-from f-f-falling d-d-own,,” was Carter’s answer.

“Don’t let it happen again” the judge ordered. “Now get out of here”

Carter got.

Broadway Shop Bandit Nabbed After 2-Mile Dash Through Streets

GAMBLING SYNDICATE WARFARE IS INDICATED

Mystery Marks Arrests as Police Keep Information on Arrest Secret

Pursued for more than two miles in a wild chase through the heart of Camden about noon today, two “shiek-bandits” were captured by the man whose store they had robbed of two gambling machines.

Police later said they had arrested one youth in connection with the case. He was Walter S. Nowak, 22 years old, of 442 Jackson Street, they said, and he had been booked on a charge of “holdup in a store.” They knew nothing, they said about two men being caught.

How he followed two “young fellows” through the streets of the city after they had dashed from his store with the machines in which they had “lost $2,” was repeated by Lewis Schectman, proprietor of a general store at 708 Broadway.

The chase began when Schechtman commandeered an automobile in front of his store. It ended when he and the driver of the automobile captured the youths at the corner of Fourth Street and Kaighn Avenue.

There, according to Schectman, the youths were turned over to the patrolmen of the Second District, Police Officers Nathan Petit and Edward Carroll.

When asked to confirm a report that the young bandits had been arrested, Sergeant James Clay of the desk of police headquarters, refused to show the ‘police docket’ to newspaper reporters. Members of the patrol crew refused to give information concerning the arrest of anybody connected with the robbery, or any charge on which they may have been booked.

Rivalry of Syndicates

It is generally believed that the thieves are representatives of one of the several “syndicates” which place gambling machines in stores, saloons and poolrooms about town. It was pointed out that often there is intense rivalry between the competing syndicates and that it is sometimes carried to the point where they steal each other’s equipment.

“It was 11:45 this morning when two young fellows, well-dressed, came into my store.” declared Schectman.

“They started playing a nickel machine which is out of sight of passers by in the corner of the store. I heard them say they lost $2. My attention was taken up by a salesman who came into the store to collect a bill. I went to the rear of the store to get ink with which to write a check. I heard my wife scream murder, thieves, police, help.”

According to Schectman, his wife, Jennie, 40 years old, and his 16-year old daughter Esther saw the youths run out of the store with the slot machine in their arms, load them into a car parked in front of the establishment and drive away.

Schectman said he and the salesman took up the chase. After he saw the bandit car pass a red light at the corner of Broadway and Line Street he commandeered an automobile, ordering the driver, whose name he did not obtain, to follow the touring car which then had turned left into Line.

Details of the chase were told by Schectman.

The bandits were followed west on up to Fifth street. Their car swerved from Fifth to Chestnut, and turned southwest on Newton Avenue until it reached Kaighn Avenue.

“They then swung west on Kaighn Avenue and drove toward the ferry. We were about a half a square behind them, all the way.” Schectman declared.

Down to the ferry plaza, the bandits swung their car around in the ferry driveway, and dashed back up Kaighn Avenue until they reached Fourth Street.

‘We yelled ‘murder, police, robbers’ all the way.’ Schectman declared.

Two Fugitives Caught

After they had turned the corner on to Fourth Street, the robbers, apparently frightened, jumped from their machine and ran north on Fourth Street. Schectman and his friend followed, caught up with them and collared them.

A telephone call brought the Second District police patrol.

The slot machines which contained about $50 were confiscated by the police, Schectman said.

The touring car used by the bandits in their attempted get away had no rear license tag. On the front was a license plate with C-16207 N.J.

Schectman said he believed the car had been stolen. The car was a Flint touring car.

Investigation this afternoon revealed that this license was issued for a 1927 blue Chrysler sedan, on January L to Richard Gondolf, 3037 Fenwick Road, Fairview, at the agency of Samuel Weinstein, 411 Kaighn Avenue. Gondolf is a son of Peter Gondolf, former policeman and who is now in the contracting business. The son works with his father.

Store Robbed

Sometime between 9 o’clock last night and 7 o’clock this morning the store of William Henion at 517 Clinton Street was broken into.

Two slot machines of the “penny” type, containing a total of $80 were taken. Ten boxes of cigars and an amount of candy were also stolen by the robbers, who gained entrance by forcing a door in an unoccupied house at the rear of the store.

A box containing $8 in pennies which lay near the machines and $2 in a cash drawer were overlooked. The break was discovered by Henion when he opened up this morning. He figured his loss at $100.

Bertman Doubts His Story After He ‘Shifts’ Loot to Cigars

IS LIABLE TO A FINE ON GAMBLING MACHINE

Grand Jury Probe is Hinted by Judge — Reporter Takes Stand

Lewis Shectman changed his story in police court today and declared that it was only a box of cigars, not a gambling machine that was stolen from his store, 708 Broadway, yesterday by two bandits. Police Court judge Bernard Bertman characterized Schectman as a prevaricator.

Shectman denied statements published in the Evening Courier yesterday, in which he and his wife and daughter related in detail how two men had carried away a gambling machine in an automobile after losing $2 playing the machine.

William Gaffney, Evening Courier reporter, was called to the stand and repeated the facts published in yesterday’s paper.

“I cannot help but believe you are lying,” Bertman said to Schectman. At the same time Bertman intimated that he would recommend a further investigation of the matter by County Prosecutor Wescott before putting the evidence before a grand jury.

Denies Stealing ‘Cigars’

Schectman appeared in Court today against two men the police arrested in the case. The defendants are Walter S. Nowak, 22 years old, 442 Jackson Street and Martin Bertherlet, 25 years old, 1218 Pavonia Street. Each was held in $500 bail for the Grand Jury after Samuel P. Orlando, counsel for the two men, had waived a hearing.

Orlando, after the hearing today, stated that both men deny the charge of stealing the cigars. He would not comment on the case further, however.

Nowak was caught after a two-mile chase through the streets of Camden yesterday by Schectman and Frank Helm, 2909 Stevens Street, who offered his car as Shectman cried “Help! Robbers!” in front of his store.

Nowak was turned over to Patrolmen Nathan Petit and Edward Carroll of the Second District patrol crew.

Both Are Identified

Berherlat was arrested. Police said he called at headquarters yesterday afternoon and reported that his automobile had been stolen from Hyde Park, Second and Kaighn Avenue. Police said they doubted his story, investigated, and placed him under arrest today.

Both Novak and Bertherlat were identified as the two men who rushed from his store yesterday noon, by Shectman.

A stir was created in court when the Broadway store proprietor said he did not own a gambling machine, and said that the thieves had stolen a box of cigars.

When Shectman, answering a question put to him by Bertman, denied that he had been asked to “change the story” Gaffney was called to the witness stand.

Gaffney recited in detail an interview with Schectman yesterday shortly following the robbery. How Schectman had said that he had been robbed at a slot machine by two well-dressed bandits and how he had pursued them through the principal streets of South Camden—account of which was printed in detail in Friday’s Courier—was told by the witness.

Shectman Questioned

Questioning of Schectman by Bertman followed statements by Detective Louis Shaw and attorney Orlando.

Shaw, asked the nature of the case against Nowak and Bertherlat said that it was over the “larceny of cigars.”

Orlando said that he understood that the matter involved his clients with the theft of a slot machine from Shectman’s store. Orlando said that his clients denied stealing cigars.

Neither of the defendants were called to testify.

Following Gaffney’s testimony, Judge Bertman said that he was tempted to hold the complainant under bail.

Shectman then again tried to “explain” the alleged discrepancies in the interview Friday and the statements made in court this morning.

“I don’t want to talk with you” was Bertman’s answer to Shectman’s request for a “few minutes” with the judge.

Police today said that they had arrested Harry Simons, 44, of 1447 South 4th Street “on suspicion” last night. After Shectman positively identified Nowak and Bertherlat, Simons was released.

An erroneous report of the license number found on the Flint touring car used by the men on their flight from Shectman’s store was made yesterday. The license number, police said, was C16209 and not C16207 as reported yesterday.

It was through the tracing of the license number and the report that Bertherlat’s car had been stolen, that the second arrest in the case was made this morning.

Police said they figured the car had been used in several South Camden robberies during the past month.

Under the law, had Shectman admitted to possession of the slot machine, he would have been subject to a fine.

Tells Police of Man With Box; Liquor From Drugstore Found

Damage in Fire at Sixth and Bulson Streets Estimated at $45,000

FOUR MEN RISK LIVES TO SAVE TWO HORSES

Boys Believed by Police Probers to Have Been Smoking, in Building

Three boys are being held and two others are sought in the investigation of the $45,000 fire which today destroyed the warehouse of Sitley & Son, wholesale hardware, roofing material and grain dealers at Sixth and Bulson streets.

The three boys were ordered held by Police Judge Pancoast after authorities expressed belief that the three alarm fire was caused either by thieves or boys smoking cigarettes on the premises.

Two of the youths admitted they stole coal from the plant’s siding last night, while the third confessed that he, and two other boys were in the plant last evening. He said his two companions, who are expected to be arrested this afternoon, were smoking.

One fireman was slightly hurt when he ran a nail into his foot, while other firefighters narrowly escaped injury when the roof of the blazing building collapsed.

A dense fog, rain, great clouds of thick smoke and intense heat all hampered the firemen, and rendered them practically helpless for more than three hours. When the blaze was finally under control at 8:00 a.m., only the blackened and buckled walls remained standing.

Practically the entire stock was lost, but through the courage of four men including two policemen: a team of terrified horses and three trucks were saved from the blazing stable.

Twenty employees were temporarily deprived of work.

Discovery of three rolls of wire fencing on nearby railroad tracks and the presence at two men near the premises when the blaze was discovered led Fire Chief Thomas Nicholas to believe thieves had thrown a cigarette near some flammable material.

The arrested boy is John Brodzik, 1927 Fillmore Street.

Two other youths, John Hadyniak, 16, of 685 Ferry Avenue, and Anthony Parraine [Piraino—PMC], 11, of 2026 South Seventh Street, arrested on a charge of stealing coal from the Sitley siding last night are also being held. They declare they were not in the plant.

In addition to the smoke and heat firemen were further hampered by the fact that two railroads pass the building. Many of the hose lines had to be stretched over the tracks, so that in order to prevent passing trains, from which thousands of commuters saw the fire, from cutting the lines, holes were dug under the tracks and the lines run through the excavations.

Captain David Ellis, of No. 7 fire company at Mt. Ephraim and Kaighn Avenues, ran a nail in his foot, and after being given first aid treatment at the scene was taken to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital.

The first alarm was sounded at 4:18 a.m. from a box at Fillmore Street and Chelton Avenue. The fire was discovered by Paul N. Naurath, 1727 Master Street, an engineer at the Camden brewery, which is in the immediate vicinity of the Sitley plant.

Naurath ran to a gasoline filling station at Broadway and Chelton Street from where he telephoned to fire headquarters. He later told Police Lieutenant George Frost that when he noticed the smoke and flames he saw two men running around the Sitley stable, which is attached to the main plant. However, he paid no attention to them, being intent upon turning in an alarm.

While fire apparatus sped to the scene, Naurath, Frederick Baum, 431 Winslow Street; Patrolman Frank Del Rossi and Police Sergeant Edward Carroll, heard the shrill screams of horses in the stable, which had quickly become an inferno.

Horses Rescued

The four rushed into the stable, broke down the door, and led out the two horses, which several times attempted to run back into the flames. The men also drove three trucks out of the place before they were driven away by the dense smoke.

The building occupies a plot about 300 feet square and comprises several one and two-story sections. There was formerly a grain elevator on the site belonging to the Sitleys, but it was destroyed by fire more than a decade ago and never rebuilt. On the south side of the plant are the Atlantic City Railroad tracks, and on the east side the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad lines.

Flames Spread Rapidly

Believed to have started either in the stable or at the extreme northern end of the plant, the fire quickly swept through the entire building. Rolls of tarred paper and bins of grain were quickly consumed, throwing out huge clouds of smoke.

Two more alarms were sounded for additional apparatus, but it was not until 7:30 a.m. that firemen could enter the building. Meanwhile, about 50 hose lines were stretched to the building and water continually played on the fire. Commissioner Frank B. Hanna arrived and increased the water pressure five points at the pumping stations to keep a water supply to feed the hose lines. Chief of Police Lewis H. Stehr also sped to the fire.

A touch of tragedy was added when Thomas Mills, 70, of 431 Viola Street, employed by the Sitleys for 40 years as a packer, arrived. The elderly workman burst into tears when he saw the flames, and sobbed that he was now out of work and had a family to support.

Finally, about 8 a. m., firemen had the blaze under control, after the roof had caved in. Only the walls stood, but several times they threatened to collapse.

The owners, Frank B. Sitley, Sr., of Woodbury, and his son, Frank B. Sitley, Jr., arrived, but declined to estimate their loss. However, police and firemen fixed an approximate damage of $25,000 to the building and $20,000 to the stock.

Lieutenant Frost found three rolls of wire fencing which had been taken from the building. They were lying on the Reading Railroad tracks, apparently dropped by thieves when police arrived.

Young Brodzik was arrested at 8:00 p.m. yesterday by Special Officer John Stevenson, who turned him over to Patrolmen Smith and Rieh. The youth was charged with suspicion of having broken into the place, and is alleged to have first denied being in the building, but later admitted that he and two other boys crawled through a basement window.

The boy declared that he neither smoked nor stole anything, but said that other boys had smoked. He refused to divulge their names.

Hadyniak and Perraine were arrested last night and charged with theft of coal from the siding. Brodzik declared those two were not the boys who were with him last night.

All three were arraigned before Judge Pancoast in police court this morning and held without bail pending investigation.

Vandals Are Blamed for Destruction of Vacant Home

VICTIM IS HURLED DOWN INTO CELLAR

Buried under a ton of bricks when the fronts of two vacant houses collapsed, Jerry White, 22, of 759 Carman Street was admitted to Cooper Hospital for observation yesterday afternoon.

The houses, unoccupied for a number of years, were at 829 and 831 Bridge Avenue. They are believed to have been weakened by vandals who had stripped the interiors of wooden supports and fixtures. Recent damage by vandals throughout the city has been estimated at $500,000.

White was sitting on the front steps of 829 Bridge Avenue when the front walls of the three-story brick buildings caved in. One of the falling bricks stunned him and the weight of the others dropped him through the porch and into the cellar.

Lee Hackney of the Carman Street address had left the spot a short time before. He and Spencer Hunley of 843 Bridge Avenue, extricated White from the ruins. Sergeant Edward Carroll and a detail of patrolmen roped off the front of the damaged area while firemen were engaged in razing the remaining sections of the structures.

White’s condition was not believed to be serious, according to hospital attaches.

SHAW MADE ASSISTANT IN PLACE OF KOERNER

By Charles L. Humes

In a shakeup of Camden police officials yesterday afternoon Lieutenant Samuel E. Johnson was named acting chief of detectives by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety.

Lieutenant George A. Ward, who has been in charge of the detective bureau for a year, was transferred to take Johnson’s place in charge of headquarters.

Detective Louis Shaw was made assistant to Johnson, replacing Detective Sergeant Gus Koerner. Koerner was transferred to the Second District, for radio car and street duty. The new order became effective at 4:00 PM yesterday.

Police Chief Arthur Colsey announced the changes in the bureau after a two-hour conference with Commissioner Kobus yesterday afternoon.

Maurice Di Nicuolo, who has been an acting detective, was transferred to the First Police District, with former Acting Detective Clifford Del Rossi returning to his old post in the detective bureau.

In the only other transfer announced, Sergeant Harry Newton was switched from the First Police District to the Third, with Sergeant Edward Carroll going from the Third to the First.

Although no other changes were made public, it is believed yesterday’s are a forerunner of numerous shifts to be made today or early next week.

“These changes are being made for the good of the service,” Commissioner Kobus declared. “There will be other transfers of officers and men so that all the police may familiarize themselves with all the branches of the department.”

Lieutenant Johnson was appointed a policeman on January 1, 1910. After 10 years as a patrolman, he was promoted to a detective, where he made a splendid record. On November 28, 1928 he was made a sergeant, and again promoted on April 8, 1930, when he became a lieutenant.

Ward was appointed a policeman on August 2, 1917, promoted to detective January 1, 1927, sergeant November 14, 1928 and lieutenant on January 24, 1930.

Johnson was a detective sergeant when former Police Chief John W. Golden was head of that bureau, but later was transferred to police headquarters.

Ward has been in and out of the detective bureau several times. He served for a time as the commander of the First District and later was in charge of the police headquarters on the 12:00 midnight to 8:00 AM shift. He was a political lieutenant of former Public Safety Director David S. Rhone.

The Camden Police and Firemen’s Association will hold an informal buffet supper tonight at its headquarters, 1175 Whitman Avenue, for Bruce A. Wallace, counsel for the association and member of the Delaware River Joint Commission. Invitations have been issued to police chiefs throughout the county, as well as to other officials.

Patrolman William Schriver, president of the association, is chairman of the committee. Other members are Fire Captain Winfield Leviseur, Sergeant Edward Carroll, and Patrolman John Kowal, William McGrath and Arthur Batten.