Introduction
Edward Troutman was born in New Jersey around 1924 to Edward and Elenora Troutman. There were nine children, five sons and three daughters. Four of the Troutman sons became Camden police officers: William, Edward, John, and Ronald.
The family lived in the late 1920s and 1930s at 773 Division Street. Their neighbors, at 779 Division Street, were the Santosuosso family; son Joseph N. Santosuosso was killed in action in France on September 5, 1944. The Troutman family moved to 759 Bella Place in the late 1930s and remained there into the late 1940s. In time they moved to 751 Spruce Street, at the corner of Spruce Street and Bella Place.
Edward Troutman joined the Camden Police Department on September 16, 1948 along with his brother William Troutman. The other brothers, John Troutman and Ronald Troutman, joined later. In December of 1953 he rescued three people, two of them children, from a burning house at 1247 South 3rd Street.
Two Children And Deaf Man Saved in Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
Three Led Out of Rooming House By Policeman
Two children and a deaf man were led from a smoke-filled rooming house Friday night by a policeman.
Patrolman Edward Troutman discovered the smoke as he neared 1247 S. 3rd st., a three-story house. He forced the front door and led the two children of Mrs. Margaret Gibbons to the street. They are Joyce, 12, and Skip, 7. The policeman said neighbors told him the mother was not at home.
Troutman then radioed an alarm and returned to the house, where neighbors told him there was a deaf man on the second floor.
Finding the door locked, the officer broke in and aroused John Psillos and escorted him to the street.
Engines 3 and 8 and Truck 2 answered the alarm and firemen dragged a blazing overstuffed chair to the street.
District Chief E. R. Ellander said a careless smoker had caused the fire.
Police said the house is owned by Morris Barag.
6 Arrested In Brawl at Dance Hall
Camden Courier-Post —
Report 2 Shots Fired in Fight On Broadway
Five civilians and an AWOL soldier were arrested early today following a brawl in the street outside the Dixie Danceland, 1138 Broadway.
Three police cars raced to the dance hall about 1 a.m. after a phone caller reported hearing two shots fired at the scene.
The officers said they found a number of men fighting in the street, most of whom ran off as the patrol cars arrived.
The six men seized were arraigned this morning before Municipal Judge Dzick, who charged that the dance hall had become “detrimental to the city of Camden.”
“Ought to Be Closed”
“I’m tired of having police sent to that place,” Dzick said. “It ought to be closed up before somebody gets killed.”
One of the six was identified as George Gillard, 27, of 520 S. Juniper st., Philadelphia, who police said had been convicted in Philadelphia in 1941 to a 10-to-20-year term, for holdup and robbery. He was said to have been paroled in 1952, and his parole runs until 1963. He was charged with disorderly conduct and was sentenced to pay a fine of $100 or serve 90 days in jail.
Another, Teven Williams, 23, of 284 Chestnut st., Camden, was held without bail for the grand jury on a charge of carrying a concealed deadly weapon. Police said Williams had a knife with a six-inch-long blade when arrested, but he contended he had picked it up during the fight and was not its owner.
Others Are Fined
Fines of $100 or 90-day jail terms were imposed against Oliver Coward, 18, of 440 E. 7th st., Philadelphia; William Little, 22, of 465 N. Franklin st., Philadelphia, and Robert Lowber, 18, of 127 Woodland ave., Camden, who were charged with disorderly conduct.
The soldier, Pfc. Clark H. S. Hohney, 20, who police said was AWOL from Ft. Bragg, N. C., was turned over to military police.
No guns were found at the scene, but Sgt. Henry Lutz testified he found two empty revolver shells in the cell in which the six men had been detained pending their appearance before Judge Dzick.
Patrolmen Richard Brooks, George Brown and Edward Troutman and Detective George Ellis were among the officers taking part in the arrests.
3 Businesses, Homes Looted On Weekend
Camden Courier-Post —
Burglars broke into three Camden business establishments and three Pennsauken homes over this weekend and netted nearly $600 in loot, police said.
Liquor valued at $120 by Richard D. Grayson, 603 Chestnut st., was taken early Sunday from his 705 Bar, 705 Chestnut st., Ptl. Peter N. Paull and Edward Troutman said. An undetermined amount of money was taken from a juke box which was broken open. Police said entry was gained through a rear window.
An estimated $103 was taken from candy, cigaret, pinball and soda pop machines broken open at Paramount Billiards, 16 S. Broadway, according to Ptl. Nathan Kline. George Watson, 410 Carteret st., who opened the billiard parlor Sunday morning, called police.
Two Men Held
Two men are being held on charges of breaking and entering Martini’s Service Station, 4th and Main sts., Saturday night. Ptl. William Haines said 14 cents was missing.
Joseph Knox, 26, of the 1800 block Mulford st., and John Kenney, 24, of the 600 block N. 4th st., were arrested after a passerby told police she recognized them as the men she saw running from the service station.
Hugo J. Martini, owner of the service station, said the place was looted and 80 pennies taken. Sixty-six of the pennies were found on the floor and pavement.
Death of Nurse Aide Laid to Rat Poison
Camden Courier-Post —
Clara G. Blake, 58, of 123 Linden st., a nurses’ aide in Cooper Hospital, was pronounced dead on arrival in the hospital at 8.30 a. m. Sunday. Coroner Creran listed the death as a suicide, resulting from swallowing rat poison.
Ptl. Edward Troutman said neighbors went to Miss Blake’s aid after they heard her crying for help. She told them she had swallowed a large quantity of poison, Troutman reported. Troutman said there was no apparent reason for the suicide and Miss Blake left no notes.
Yegg Trapped on Safe Job
Camden Courier-Post —
Owner Spots Eerie Light
A South Camden roofing firm owner discovered a man attempting to burn a hole in the office safe and led police to his capture Friday night.
The story started when William Alper, 40, of 6407 Roosevelt ave., Pennsauken, part owner of the I. Alper Co., roofers, of 537 S. 2nd st., returned to the plant unexpectedly about 7:30 p.m.
Alper said he suspected something was wrong when he entered the vestibule of the building and saw flames leaping from the frame of a door in the rear of the building. The office was aglow with an errie [sic] white light, he said, and the figure of a man wearing goggles and wielding a blow torch was bent down in front of the six-foot-high office safe.
Retreats to Street
Alper retreated unseen to the street and telephoned police. Sgt. Andrew McBurney, Ptl. Edward Campbell and Dets. Edward Troutman and Raymond Carson responded. District Fire Chief Austin Marks also arrived with a contingent to fight the fire.
The busy intruder dropped his torch and fled to a warehouse in the rear of the building when he spotted police caps bobbing at the front door. McBurney shouted for the man to surrender and fired three shots in the air as he fled back to the warehouse and dived into a stack of tires.
Recognizes Intruder
When the man climbed out and McBurney snapped a pair of handcuffs on his outstretched wrists, Alper recognized him as a laborer who had worked for the firm two weeks.
Held without bail on charges of breaking and entering and attempted robbery was Clifford Frison, 25, of the 2900 block W. Diamond st., Philadelphia.