Introduction
Edward Shapiro – Camden Police Department
EDWARD SHAPIRO was born in Pennsylvania around 1903, one of at least six children born to Max and Rose Shapiro. The family moved to Camden after World War I, and by January of 1920 had settled at 1140 Sycamore Street.
On March 1, 1928 Edward Shapiro was appointed to the Camden Police Department along with the following men, Francis Guetherman, August Riehm, William Schriver, Walter Vecander, John V. Wilkie, Earl Wright, Edward Cahill, Marshall Thompson, Stanley Bobiak, Paul Edwards, Leon Feltz, George Getley, Joseph Lack, Thomas Stanton, Otto Toperzer, and Frank Wilmot.
Edward Shapiro served as a motorcycle policeman for several years at the beginning of his career. By 1947 he had been promoted to detective. He was then living with his wife Mary at 908 Haddon Avenue, and was still on the force as late as 1956. The Shapiros are not listed, however, in the 1956 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory. He had a home built Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) off of Church Road in the late 1950s, where he lived after retiring from the city police force. In the mid-1950s he worked as a detective with the County prosecutor’s office and partnered with Arnold “Jersey Joe Walcott” Cream.
A list of Camden Police officers kept by William Schultz states that by 1980 Edward Shapiro had passed away.
Edward Shapiro’s father Max set up his other children in businesses in Camden. The brothers all went into the bar business. By 1947 George Shapiro had the Harmony Tavern at 783 Spruce Street, Bernard the Anchor Tavern at 900 Walnut Street, and William owned Bill’s Cafe at 508½ Kaighn Avenue. Daughter Lillian owned a grocery at 830 Mount Vernon Street with her husband Samuel Kirchner and daughter Dorothy also had a grocery near Haddon Avenue and Spruce Street before moving to New York in the 1950s.
Jinxed Motor Cop Gets New Break When Hit by Auto
Camden Courier-Post —
Officer Shapiro Suffers Fractured Arm in Traffic Mishap
Hard Luck “Eddy.”
That’s what Edward Shapiro, 27, of 901 Kaighn Avenue, is being called at police headquarters.
Shapiro, a motorcycle policeman, was riding north on Haddon Avenue late yesterday afternoon. At Wildwood avenue the traffic light was red. A car had stopped for the light. Another car, driven by Stephen Baxindine, 78, of 146 Hopkins avenue, also going north on Haddon Avenue, turned to the left to avoid hitting the one that was stopped and instead struck Shapiro’s motorcycle, knocking him to the ground. Shapiro got up and, drove to city hall with Baxindine. At City Hall Captain Charles L. Humes sent Shapiro to West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital, where it was found he had suffered a fractured right arm.
No charges were made against Baxindine.
On August 17, last year, Shapiro suffered a fractured right leg when he was knocked off his motorcycle by a hit-and-run driver at Seventh Street and Kaighn Avenue.
License of Driver Freed, Is Revoked
Camden Courier-Post —
South Camden Man Cleared of Tipsy Charge to Again Seek Permit
A South Camden man, convicted in police court of drunken driving, but acquitted on his appeal to Judge Samuel Shay, will seek reinstatement of his driver’s license which was revoked officially today by Motor Vehicle Commissioner Harold G. Hoffman.
The man, Sylvester Tazcinski, 1477 South Tenth Street, was arrested April 28 by Motorcycle Policemen Edward Shapiro and Thomas Kauffman after Tazcinski’s car is alleged to have sideswiped Kauffman’s motorcycle. They followed the car to Tazcinski’s house where they found it parked. The policemen told Judge Shay on Tuesday they were unable to testify Tazcinski was driving and the judge released the defendant after saying he was convinced Tazcinski was drunk.
William Mazzare, 922 South Fifth Street, arrested April 16 after his automobile crashed into parked cars at Mt. Ephraim and Kaighn Avenue also was deprived of his license. Mazzare was fined $220 by Police Judge Pancoast on April 17.
Edward T. Cheeseman, Ashland Road, Magnolia, arrested April 17 after a chase of more than two miles, also lost his license. Cheeseman was halted by Camden police a few feet from the closed gates of the Reading Ferry.
Dog Disarms Man, Blackens His Eye And Cops Do Rest
Camden Courier-Post —
George Ludwick lost an argument to a dog, was bitten and bruised, and yesterday was fined $26 for inciting to riot.
Ludwick is 27 and lives at 1920 Fillmore Street. He was bitten on the arm, the lip and, suffered a black eye, in an encounter with a dog in the rear of 1914 Fillmore Street. Ludwick got a club and the dog took it away from him. Then, police say, Ludwick went away and returned with a revolver.
In the meanwhile, however, police headquarters received five telephone calls about a “riot” at that address, Motorcycle Patrolman Edward Shapiro told judge Garfield Pancoast in Camden Police Court. Ludwick was treated at West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital and arrested.
Ludwick said the dog snarled at him every time he passed the yard in which it is kept. He admitted he was abusive to the policeman. Pancoast declared he believed the dog had sufficient provocation to attack Ludwick.
Truck Driver Cleared of Bribery Attempt
Camden Courier-Post —
Charged with parking without lights and attempting to bribe an officer, Vincent Hadarzznska, 24, of 1242 Van Hook street, was freed by Police Judge Pancoast yesterday when he denied the bribe attempt and said he had been driving only three months.
Hadarzznska, a truck driver, was arrested by Motorcycle Policeman Edward Shapiro at Fillmore and Viola streets. Shapiro said the man gave him $15 to “fix” the case. This was denied by Hadarzznska, through an interpreter, who said he tried to explain to the policeman to use the money to get another driver to complete his bread route.
Shots Halt Flight After Car Hits Cop
Camden Courier-Post —
Policeman Fires from Ground and Liquor Raid Fugitive Stops
Four men were arrested amid revolver shots after a Camden policeman was knocked down by a police car during a raid yesterday afternoon.
Acting on orders of Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, who is continuing her drive to rid the city of speakeasies, three policemen and two detectives surrounded the home of James Ford, colored, at 1124 South Ninth street, shortly before 3 p. m.
Patrolmen Edward Shapiro and Thomas Kauffman arrived in a radio car. So did James Brown and John Houston, two colored detectives. Patrolman Earl Stopfer arrived on foot.
Three policemen went to the back door. Kauffman stayed in the radio car at the front. Shapiro knocked at the front door.
The policemen at the rear were ahead of those at front. As a result four men ran out through the front door and bowled over Shapiro. The man in the lead, who later was identified as Wilbur “Lackey” Davis, of 821 Mt. Vernon street, raced up the street, a quart bottle of liquor in hand.
Kauffman had driven his radio car behind another machine. He started the engine and attempted to back out to give chase. Shapiro ran behind the car and as he did, the machine struck him, knocking him into the middle of the street. Prone, Shapiro drew his revolver and opened fire on Davis.
Three shots were fired in the air.
Two others were closer to the fugitive, who halted. With the sound of shooting, the other three men yielded to the assembled policemen.
They gave their names as Ford, Herman Hopkins, 21, of 1124 South Ninth street, and Harry McLane, 29, of 746 Kaighn avenue.
All will be arraigned today.
Ford, Hopkins and McLane will be charged with violating the state A.B.C. act. In addition, Davis will be charged with resisting arrest.
Patrolman Shapiro was hurt but slightly.
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
Merchant Fined After Dice Raid
Elmer Parker, proprietor of a luncheonette and cigar store, 18 Market street, today was fined $100 by Municipal Court Judge Dzick on charges involving gambling.
Detectives Edward Shapiro and John Moffa testified they broke up a dice game in the rear of the store Dec. 22 and confiscated several pairs of dice. The three players, they said, escaped through a rear door.
Police said they found a “numbers book” under a table in the rear but Parker denied any knowledge of it. They said Parker was tending the counter at the time of the raid. Dzick then dismissed a charge of possessing number slips.
Parker pleaded not guilty to both charges but did not testify. He was represented by Joseph Tomaselli.
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
Named: Thomas Lauria, Edward Shapiro, Gustav A. Koerner, and Van Hook Street.
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
First U. S. Stamp Taken Out Here For Gambling
Camden, N. J., Feb. 14 (AP) — A witness against a gambler here has become the first Camden resident to take out a federal gambling stamp since the new law requiring gamblers to register with a federal office, went into effect in November.
Can’t Be Prosecuted
A spokesman for the criminal investigation unit of the Internal Revenue department admitted today that the government is powerless to prosecute Lauria for failure to obtain the stamp at the time of his arrest, because he has applied for the stamp within 30 days.
The law in regard to federal stamps for taxes,“ the spokesman said, ”gives a person until the end of the current quarter to start a business, to obtain a tax stamp.“
It would be necessary for the criminal investigation division to prove that Lauria had been in business before the day that he was arrested by Camden police. However, if the Camden authorities are of the opinion that Lauria has failed to include the money he may have made from gambling activities on his income tax returns, he will refer the matter to this department for prosecution.“
Good Through June
The spokesman said that on the basis on the federal fiscal year, which extends from July 1 to June 30, the gambler would only had to pay about $21 for his federal gambling stamp. “The stamp is good until the end of June,” the federal spokesman said.
Lauria is the first Camden suspected gambler to obtain a federal gambling stamp, there are also in the names of nine Atlantic City men and women who obtained federal stamps.
“We can take no action against anyone for failure to take out stamps within the 30 day required period,” the federal spokesman said.
Lauria was arrested by Detectives Edward Shapiro and John Moffa when he was seen starting to drive away after paying his toll at the Camden bridge.
Shapiro said that a brief case in the rear of the car, contained slips listing approximately 9800 number combinations and about $50. Municipal Judge Dzick postponed a hearing for Lauria due to be held today, but Dzick has granted a continuance until February 25 at the request of Lauria’s attorney, Anthony Marino, is in Florida.
Hearing Off to Feb. 25
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
Hearing Postponed In Numbers Case
Municipal Judge Dzick today postponed to Feb. 26 a hearing in the case of Thomas Lauria, 34, of 1296 Van Hook street, charged with possession of numbers.
Police arrested Lauria Feb. 1 at Camden bridge plaza. Lauria asked for a continuance until his attorney returned from vacation.
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
Man Fined $1000, Jailed 2 Mo. in Numbers Case
So. Camden Resident Gets Heaviest Penalty For Such Offense
A South Camden man was fined $1000 and jailed for two months after Municipal Judge Dzick found him guilty today on charges of possessing numbers slips.
Court attaches said the penalty was the severest ever meted out to a defendant on such charges in the history of the city court.
The defendant, who pleaded not guilty, but offered no defense, is Thomas Lauria, 35, of 1296 Van Hook street. He was arrested at the Camden bridge plaza Feb. 1, by Detectives Edward Shapiro and John Moffa, who said he was coming to this city from Philadelphia.
The arresting officers testified (Continued on Page 2—Column 7)
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
Named: Benjamin Dzick, Herman Jordan, Edward Shapiro, John Duffy, West Street, and Berkley Street.
Photos
Camden Courier-Post —
Illegal Beer Sales Charged:
42 Seized in 2 House Raids
Forty-two persons were arrested today in two raids on private homes where police said beer was being sold.
All were charged with being disorderly persons under a municipal law.
Dets. Edward Shapiro and John Moffa and Ptl. Peter N. Paull, who made the raids, said they confiscated several cases of beer in homes at 300 S. 5th st. and at 418 Stevens st. between 2 and 4 a. m.
Held as principals and charged with maintaining disorderly houses were George H. Allen, 47, of 300 S. 5th st., and Mrs. Anna M. Bristol, 48, of 418 Stevens st. Both were released in $50 bail for a hearing Monday before Judge Marino.
Charged as disorderly persons and also held in $50 bail each for a hearing Monday were: Walter Rembert, 38, of 3rd st. near Stevens; Octavius J. Curry, 31, of the 1000 block Lawrence st.; Leonard W. Cherry, 28, stationed at Mitchell Air Force Base, Hempstead, N. Y.; George H. Allen Jr., 26, of 300 S. 5th st.
Also, Leroy G. Townsend, 36, of Cooper st. near 11th; Albert J. Henderson, 28, of the 300 block Lawrence st.; James F. Harris, 46, of the 1000 block Carpenter st.; Andrew B. Jackson, 33, of the 1000 block S. 6th st.
Also, George W. Small, 37, of the 5300 block W. Girard ave., Philadelphia; Albert Whidbee, 35, of the 400 block S. 3rd; Zebed Stevens, 47, of the 300 block Stevens st.; William J. Holmes, 34, of the 700 block Stevens st.
Also, Ralph H. Dare, 28, of the 6200 block High st., Philadelphia; Phillips, 34, of the 1200 block S. Ringgold st., Philadelphia; Minnie Lee Arnold, 35, of the 400 block Stevens st.; Georgianna Fisher, 28, of the 400 block Benson st.; Gladys M. Paterson, 26, of the 700 block Wheatland st.; Mrs. Louise Eddings, of the 700 block Wheatland ct.
Also, Alma Johnson, 26, of the 300 block West st.; Gloria L. Cotton, 30, of the 300 block West st.; Jean W. Gray, 37, of the 400 block Stevens st.; Annie P. Thomas, 28, of Benson near 4th; Minnie E. Parsons, 34, of the 400 block West st.; Ruby E. Killian, 36, of the 200 block Benson st.
Also, Jim W. Morton, 38, of Stevens near 3rd; Calvin Collins, 37, of the 300 block Washington st.; Mose Martin, 39, of the 400 block S. 3rd st.; Donald A. Murphy, 26, of the 400 block Stevens st.; Jesse W. Wilson, 37, of the 400 block Stevens st.
Also, John B. James, 32, of the 800 block S. 5th st.; George A. Young, 26, of the 200 block Kaighns ave.; Ethel Bailey, 34, of the 1000 block Cooper st.; Mrs. Mae Smith, 26, of the 800 block Penn st.; Mrs. Etheline Langford, 31, of the 200 block S. 4th st.; Elsie M. Tribbett, 22, of the 1000 block Penn st.
Also, Dolores C. Tibbett, 21, of the 1100 block Washington st.; Dolores J. Jackson, 22, of the 1100 block Penn st.; Eva M. Gilmore, 21, of the 300 block Stevens st.; Hattie Brown, 28, of the 300 block Stevens st., and Jean Allen, 37, of the 300 block S. 5th st.
Veterans Boxing Association Ring 6 — 11th Annual Banquet
Joey Powell’s Well-Wishers — Also Extend Best Wishes to Sergeant Ray Smith
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