Introduction
Edward F. Murtaugh
EDWARD F. MURTAUGH was born in Camden on January 27, 1947 to John J. Murtaugh Jr. and his wife, the former Saimi Perala. He was named after his late uncle, Private Edward F. Murtaugh, who was killed in action in Italy in 1944. His family lived at 1169 Bergen Avenue in Camden’s Cramer Hill neighborhood.
Tragedy struck in March of 1963 when Ed Murtaugh and nine other teenagers from the neighborhood piled into a convertible driven by 21 year-old William Hummell for a ride through South Jersey. Near Atco the car went through a guardrail near a railroad bridge, plunged 50 feet to the tracks, hitting high-powered electric lines on the way down. Four of the young people were killed, Robert E. Shelley, Ellen Marren, Judith Sviben, Dorothy Fitzpatrick. William Hummel, the driver, was seriously injured.
David Murtaugh and four others, Carol McKee, John Latko, David McBride, and Joseph Rotchford escaped with cuts and bruises. Interestingly enough, both Edward Murtaugh and Joseph Rotchford later became Camden fire fighters.
Edward F. Murtaugh was drafted in 1966. After his entrance into the United States Army he completed basic training after which he was sent to Vietnam. He served from 1967 to 1968 with the 240th Assault Helicopter Company, 9th Infantry Division, at Bearcat, Bien Hoa province, Vietnam.
Shortly after returning from Vietnam and receiving his honorable discharge from the military, Edward F. Murtaugh became a member of the Camden City Fire Department. He served for many years with Engine Company 6. He rose through the ranks to the rank of Captain. His last command was at Engine Company 10. Captain Murtaugh served with distinction until his retirement in January of 2000.
In 1991 Edward Murtaugh joined the South Jersey Vietnam Veterans Association. He served for several years as Sergeant of Arms, and for one year as President. He was well known in veteran’s organization circles for his dedication to aiding fellow servicemen. He was awarded the Camden County Veterans Special Recognition Award in October 2005 by the Camden County Department of Veterans Affairs.
Last a resident of Westmont, New Jersey, Edward Murtaugh passed away suddenly on November 22, 2006.
Driver, 5 Others Survive
Camden Courier-Post —
RESCUERS STAND BY HELPLESSLY waiting for power to be turned off, as four dead teenagers lay in convertible. The car plummeted 25 feet to the ground near PRSL tracks at Jackson St. bridge, Berlin. It fell into high-tension railroad wires used to operate signal lights and grade-crossing bars, according to police. —Courier-Post Photo by S. William Hirschmann.
Driver, 5 Others Survive
Four Camden teenagers were killed and six others injured shortly after 8 p.m. Monday when the car in which they were riding crashed off a bridge in Berlin Borough.
The dead were identified by state police as:
Dorothy Fitzpatrick, 15, of 1228 N. 32nd St.
Ellen Marren, 15, of 901 N. 30th St.
Robert Shelley, 15, of 1313 N. 28th St.
Judith Ann Sviben, 13, of 1058 N. 32nd St.
The driver, William Hummel, 21, of 1033 Bergen Ave., was admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in serious condition with head and internal injuries and cuts.
Power Lines Hit
State police at Berlin barracks said the 1962 convertible, purchased by Hummel two weeks ago, ran out of control and crashed through a guardrail on the Jackson Rd. bridge and fell 25 feet in a maze of 6,600-volt, high-tension railroad signal wires. The car landed on the ground near the tracks of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.
Police said they could not approach the wrecked car, which landed on its roof, for more than 30 minutes while waiting for power to be turned off.
Six of the youths, including Hummel, either were thrown from the car or crawled out of the wreckage.
4 Teeners Killed in Car Dive
Continued from Page One
The four who died remained trapped in the car.
Pole Severed
After power was cut off a utility pole which carried the wires had to be severed at its base to allow the car to be turned over. The car had nestled between the pole and understructure of the bridge.
Treated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital were Edward Murtaugh, 16, of 1169 Bergen Ave., cuts; David McBride, 15, of 3106 River Ave., hand cuts and back injury. Both were released.
Released after treatment at Cooper Hospital were Carol McKee, 15, of 1234 N. 25th St., arm injury; John Latko, 16, of 2871 Harrison Ave., arm injury, and Joseph Rotchford Jr., 16, of 931 N. 20th St., back injury.
According to Latko and Rotchford, a group of teenagers were in Tony’s luncheonette at 28th st. and River Ave. about 7:15 p.m. and decided to “take a ride” in Hummel’s newly acquired light-colored convertible.
Six boys and four girls piled into the car and they drove to Berlin Borough, stopped for gasoline and headed back to Camden along Jackson Rd., the same route they traveled on the way down.
The boys said the car was traveling “about 35 to 45 miles per hour” as it approached a stretch where Jackson Rd. swerves sharply to the left as it bridges the PRSL tracks.
The car “didn’t cut its wheels,” the boys told newsmen at the hospital and it zoomed straight ahead off of the side of the bridge. The boys said they kicked the door open and crawled out with Carol McKee.
Wires Sparking
“The wire was sparking and we could feel current going through our bodies when we climbed out,” said Latko.
The youths attracted attention by throwing stones through windows at the Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. plant on Jackson Rd. Employes called police and ambulances.
Murtaugh, McBride, Rotchford, Shelley and Latko are 10th grade pupils at Woodrow Wilson High School, police said.
Attended Junior High
All three girls who died as the result of the accident attended Veterans’ Memorial Junior High School.
The Sviben girl was the daughter of Lawrence and Martha Sviben. She was a seventh grade pupil at Veterans and attended St. Anthony of Padua Church at 28th and River Ave. Other survivors are three brothers and four sisters. They are Lawrence 23, Dennis 16, Mark 3, Patricia 9, Sharon 4, Martha 2 and Dawn 6 months.
Miss Marren was an eighth grade pupil at Veterans and also attended Anthony of Padua Church. She was the only child of Evelyn and Joseph Marren. Her father is a warehouseman at the Wholesale Pipe and Supply Co., Pennsauken.
Miss Fitzpatrick was a seventh grade pupil at Vets, was one of five children of Mary and Fred Fitzpatrick. Her father is a truck driver. The other children include Mary Ann 19, Fred 16, Joseph 9, and Thomas 5.
The Shelley youth and Ellen Marren were dead on arrival at Cherry Hill Hospital and the other two at Cooper Hospital.
Coroner Wooster said it was not immediately determined whether the youths died as a result of injuries received in the crash or were electrocuted. Tests will be made today to pinpoint the cause of death.
4 Teens Killed In Crash
Trenton Times —
BERLIN — AP — A car loaded with young people out for a pleasure ride crashed through a guardrail last night and clipped high power lines as it plummeted 30 feet to a railroad track. Four died in the crash, and six others were injured.
State Police said the car, a 1962 convertible, failed to make a sharp turn as the road approached a bridge over a Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Railroad line.
As the car plunged it snagged power lines carrying 6,600 volts of electricity. Although crackling electric lines were draped over the car, four managed to get out right away. The two other survivors were freed after power was turned off. A brief fire also flared.
All those in the car were from Camden.
The state police said the victims were Dorothy Fitzpatrick, 15, Judith Sviben, 13, Ellen Marren, 15, and Robert E. Shelley, 15.
Seriously injured was William Hummel, 21. The State Police said he was the driver and had purchased the car just two weeks ago. He was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden.
The others were David McBride, 15, Edward Murtaugh, 16, John M. Latko, 16, Joseph Rotchford Jr., 16, and Carol McKee, 15. They all suffered cuts and bruises.
Latko and Rotchford said the group had left a Camden luncheonette for a pleasure ride shortly before the crash.
Hospital aides said some of the victims had burns, but could not say whether they were caused by the high-power lines or from the fire which followed the crash.
Autopsies were planned today to determine if the victims died from the crash or from electric shock.
Personnel Record
Edward F. Murtaugh Camden Fire Department personnel record card
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
MURTAUGH, EDWARD F.
age 59, died suddenly on November 22, 2006. Born in Camden, NJ on January 27, 1947, Ed was a resident of Westmont, NJ where he lived with his wife Colleen, and his stepson Thomas, for the past eight years.
Beloved son of the late John J. and Saimi E. (nee Perala) Murtaugh. Devoted brother of Susan DiFrank and her husband Robert, John Murtaugh and his wife Rebecca, Thomas Murtaugh and the late Mary Hall and Eileen Wise. Dear brother-in-law of David Wise. Also survived by numerous nephews and nieces.
Ed dedicated his life to serving and helping others. In 1966 he was inducted into the US Army where he served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 with the 240th Assault Helicopter Company, the 9th Infantry Division, Bearcat, South Vietnam. After his service in Vietnam, Ed became a member of the Camden City Fire Dept. until his retirement in January, 2000, when he retired as Captain.
For the past 15 years Ed was a proud and dedicated member of the South Jersey Vietnam Veterans Assoc. where he served several years as Sgt. of Arms, and one year as President. His commitment to his fellow veterans was a source of inspiration to all who knew him in the veteran community. In October, 2005, Ed’s service to the veteran community was recognized by the Camden County Dept. Of Veterans Affairs by receiving the Camden County Veterans Special Recognition Award.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family from 9 to 11am Wednesday morning at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE. Memorial Service 11am at the funeral home. Interment private at the request of the family. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to South Jersey Vietnam Veterans Assoc., 1868 Greentree Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.