Detective Moffett Begins His Duties
Camden Post-Telegram —
Henry C. Moffett is now a full-fledged detective. The Mayor appointed him this morning and Moffett at once reported to Chief Foster.
HENRY C. MOFFETT, The new City Detective who went on Duty To-Day. —Cut loaned by Philadelphia Inquirer.
James Clay, Lewis Stehr, Jr., John Brothers and Virginia [sic] Troncone were sworn in as patrolmen.
Will Be Mayor’s Private Secretary
Philadelphia Inquirer —
James Clay.
Mayor Ellis, of Camden, to-day will announce the appointment of five additional members of the police force.
James Clay, of the Fourth ward, will act as the Mayor’s private secretary and house sergeant. Henry Moffett, of the Fifth ward, will be made a detective, and the others to be appointed patrolmen are: Virginia [sic] Troncone, First ward; Lewis Stehr, Jr., Fifth ward, and John Brothers, Sixth ward.
Handing Out Gunning Licenses in Camden
Philadelphia Inquirer —
County Clerk Patterson and His Office Force Work Overtime to Meet Gunners’ Demands
From the time County Clerk Frank Patterson opened his office in Camden yesterday until last night there was a constant coming and going of sportsmen anxious to get gunning licenses for the opening of the season tomorrow. The entire clerical force was kept busy, and, while usually the office closes at noon on Saturday, it was kept open until 5 o’clock to accommodate the sportsmen. Ofttimes they had their dogs with them and the occasional baying made the office sound like a field where cotton tails are skurrying to secure cover.
In all, it is estimated that at least three thousand licenses have been issued by Clerk Patterson, and it seems likely that the fields in and about Camden county will have a small army of gunners by the peep of day tomorrow morning. Not only have resident but non-resident licenses as well have been issued by the score, mostly to Philadelphians. While there has been some grumbling over the fact that it is necessary for the gunners to put up $1.50 for the privilege of hunting rabbits, as a rule, they look upon the matter as being beneficial to real sportsmen, as it has a tendency to eliminate the small pot hunters.
Those who have been over the haunts of the rabbits say they are exceedingly plentiful, especially in the lower end of Camden county, and farther south in Gloucester and Cumberland counties.
That the cotton tails will have to keep on the move is evident from the fact that Camden’s Police Department is to send to the woods such a squad of able sportsmen as Policemen James Clay, George Cooper, Fiore Troncone, Edward Pike, Walter Stanton, Oscar Weaver, Albert Shaw and Sergeants William Schregler, James Tatem and Edward Hartman.
Police Pension Fund Election
Philadelphia Inquirer —
There was a spirited contest at the annual election of officers of the Camden Police Pension Fund yesterday. J. Oscar Weaver won out for the presidency of the fund over George Anderson. The other officers elected follow: Vice president, James Clay; recording secretary, Edward Hyde; financial secretary, James E. Tatem; treasurer, E. B. McClong; trustees, Charles Whaland, Howard Smith, George Cooper, Albert Shaw and Harry Mines.
Police Department Changes
Philadelphia Inquirer —
There were a number of changes in Camden’s Police Department yesterday, by Mayor Ellis. He appointed Sergeant John Golden successor to Captain Hugh Boyle, recently placed on the pension list. Patrolman Howard Smith was made a city detective, and Hall Officer James Clay was made a hall sergeant. Motorcycle Policemen Jefferson Kay and Charles Laib were appointed traffic sergeants, while Patrolmen Edmund Pike and Albert Cornog were made traffic policemen. Patrolman Robert Abbott was appointed a sergeant. Mayor Ellis has received the resignations of G. M. Beringer and Myers Baker as members of the City Plan Commission, the first getting out because of pressing business and the other because of going to Camp Dix.
5 Policemen Added to Detective Detail
Camden Courier-Post —
Dolan, Sapanore, Truax, Kelly and Smith Assigned
Pleas by Captain Golden of the Detective Bureau that the department was undermanned and overworked has resulted in the assigning of five policemen as acting detectives.
They are William Dolan, acting sergeant of the First District; Rox Sapanore, Frank Truax, Edward Smith and Anson Kelly.
Dolans’ place is being taken by Sergeant Ralph Bakely, transferred from the Third District. Sergeant John Potter goes from the Second District to the Third to replace Bakely, and Patrolman John Skolski becomes acting sergeant to replace Potter.
Patrolman William Whaland becomes acting sergeant to take over the duties of Sergeant James Clay, who is seriously ill in West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital of pneumonia.
Test Case Planned on Police Pensions
Camden Courier-Post —
City to Oppose Sergeant’s Plea Against Paying Two Percent Assessments
A test suit to clarify the law governing a two-percent assessment against the pension salary of James R. Clay, retired Camden police sergeant, will be brought by the City of Camden through Firmin Michel, city counsel.
This was learned yesterday when counsel for Clay confirmed the report. Michel, after first ruling the money was illegally deducted for a period of several years, decided to oppose the writ of mandamus sought by Alex Schueneman, Jr., attorney for Clay.
John J. Crean, assistant city solicitor, stated the legal department deemed it advisable to settle the matter in the Supreme Court in an effort to clarify the law. Crean spoke in the absence of Michel, who was not available for a statement.
Under the act concerning pensions, four percent of salary is deducted and contributed to the police and firemen’s pension fund. The two percent is in addition to the regular pension assessment. This amount is set aside for the pensions of widows of deceased pensioners.
Schueneman contends that inasmuch as Clay has no immediate survivor to receive a pension he should receive his pension salary without the additional two percent assessment.
“The point in question is debatable and the law is not entirely clear,” said Crean. “The city does not want to deprive any pensioner of his rightful amount. The law should be clarified by the court. The city legal department will oppose the writ of mandamus in the form of a test case.”
Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd issued the rule to show cause why a mandamus should not issue. The case will be heard later in the month by Supreme Court Justice Ralph W. E. Donges.