Introduction
John Painter
JOHN PAINTER was born in December of 1856 to John and Lucy Painter. His father was a ship carpenter. The 1880 Census shows the family living at 824 South 2nd Street in Camden, New Jersey. John Painter was then working at a box factory. He remained at this address through early 1884. By 1885 he had moved to 329 Walnut Street, and had married.
John Painter was appointed to the Camden Police Department in 1884 and served for 48 years, retiring as a detective in 1932. When he was appointed he was one of only 40 patrolmen in the city.
John Painter married at the age of 28, around the same time that he was appointed to the police force. The Painters lived at 348 Cherry Street as early as 1887 through at least 1894.
By 1900 he had been promoted to detective. The Census shows him living with his wife Jennie, son John and daughter Catherine at 944 South 4th Street. Future Mayor Joseph Nowrey lived across the street at 939, and shoe merchant Henry Kobus was at 943 South 4th Street.
The 1910 Census shows the Painter family living at 941 South 4th Street.
By 1920 Jennie Painter had passed away. John Painter then lived at 1249 Princess Avenue in Camden’s Parkside neighborhood. He made this his home until his death in April of 1940 at the age of 86, after a brief illness. His daughter Catherine lived with him in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Not checked against a scan. The following items on this page are transcribed from site copies or printed books whose scans are not in the scan mirror, or are captions for photographs with no printed text; their wording has not been verified against the printed page:
- Jobless Son Kills Jake Schiller Who Saves Boy's Wife From Gun — Camden Evening Courier — September 18, 1933 (story body is a site copy; only the portrait strip is scanned)
Franks at Rest.
Camden Daily Telegram —
THE DEAD CHIEF OF POLICE BURIED THIS AFTERNOON.
LOOKED NATURAL AS LIFE.
As He Lay in a Black Cloth Covered Casket With Silver Trimmings in the Darkened Parlor.
Streams of People Visit the House and Take Their Last Look at Harry Houston Franks—The Societies of Which He was a Member on Hand in a Body.
From early this morning until the hour of the funeral streams of people passed in and out the late chief of Police Franks’ residence, Third and Royden streets, to take a parting look at the dead.
The remains as they lay in the black cloth covered casket looked very natural. The body was dressed in his new police uniform. At the head of the casket was an easel of flowers, with these words worked in flowers, “Our dead Chief at Rest.” This was the gift of the police department. At the foot of the casket stood the gates ajar, mounted by three white doves. The Third Ward Republican Association sent this.
The casket which was an elegant one was ornamented with silver handles. On the lid was a silver plate which contained this inscription in old English:
Died January 1, 1887 Harry Houston Franks, Aged 50 years.
In the darkened parlor where the dead lay sat a number of persons who were the most intimate friends of the deceased.
It was one o’clock when Rev. William Boyd, of the Second Presbyterian Church arrived to conduct the services which were held at the house. Soon afterward the following societies with a large representation put in an appearance. Carney Conclave or Seven Wise Men, Ottawa Tribe, No. 15, Improved Order of Red Men, Camden Castle, No. 1, Knights of the Golden Eagle, William B. Hatch Post, No. 37, and the Third Ward Republican Association. The latter was headed by the City band.
It was after two o’clock before the funeral procession was ready to proceed to Evergreen Cemetery for interment. The police had charge of the body at the house, but when it was placed in the hearse it was taken in charge of by Post 37.
The pall bearers were: Patrolmen Miller, Gibson, Painter and Shaw, besides two members of William B. Hatch Post.
Camden Police Baseball Challenge
Camden Post —
Chief Dodd yesterday received a challenge from the Third District police, of Philadelphia, which he promptly accepted and instructed Harry Miller to organize a strong club. Harry has gotten together the following stiff team: Ben Middleton, 1st base; Sam Bakley, left field; Harry Miller, pitcher; Sam Lee, second base; John Painter, centre field; Si Sage, right field; Weaver, shortstop; John Anderson, third base.
The game will come off to-morrow morning on the Camden Club’s grounds opposite the City Hall, at half past ten o’clock. Harry Miller is an old and well known ball player having pitched winning ball for Wilkesbarre, Scranton, Harrisburg and the Philadelphia League Club. Harry, however, was overworked, being known as “iron arm” Miller and straining the muscles of his arm, had to retire temporarily from the ball field. We bet three dollars and sixty-seven cents that our bluecoats will win.
The Mayor Names
Camden Post —
Four Members off the Board of Public Instruction.
THREE WERE REAPPOINTED.
His Honor also Announces Another Batch of New Policemen and Asks for the Resignation of the Democratic Hold-overs.
Mayor Westcott this morning made the following appointments of members of the Board of Public Instruction: George D. Borton, D, First ward; Samuel Iszard, R, Second ward; Chas. H. Ellis, Jr., R, Sixth ward, and James Hanson, Jr., D, Seventh ward. Messrs. Borton, Iezard [sic] and Ellis are reappointments. Mr. Hanson succeeds Charles Hewston of the Seventh ward, whose term expires to-day. The new member is an oilcloth printer with a highly honorable record, his appointment giving great satisfaction all around.
The Mayor also announced the following new appointments on the police force:
First ward—James Elberson, Chas. Wilbur, Samuel H. Sheer.
Third ward—John Sinclair, E. D. Steen.
Fifth ward—Albert Shaw, Charles Fitzsimmons.
Sixth ward—Abraham Jackson.
Seventh ward—Alfred Sayres, Edward Hyde.
Eighth ward—Thomas Buchanan, Jacob A. Hicks, the latter colored.
No appointments were announced in the Second and Ninth wards.
Policeman Tommy Reed, of the Second ward, sent in his resignation last night. Peall, of the Second, and Thomas, of the Third, are expected to follow suit to-day.
In fact, the Mayor has asked for the resignations of all the holdovers of the Police Commission, with the exception of House Sergeant John Beard, of the Second ward, who, besides being a good officer, knows how to mind his p’s and q’s.
The Mayor thinks he will have to dismiss Mullane and Painter, as they give no sign of submitting gracefully.
Harry Miller, of the Third ward, will be allowed to remain until May 1st on account of the recent loss of his child.
It is said that Charley Sink will not get there in the Ninth. Billy Fish is said to have the inside track.
Wm. Ripley, of the Seventh ward, made a good and faithful policeman, and was fired like the rest, but it is said will not go back right away.
Sam Sheer was a “cop” under ex-Mayor Ayres and ought to know the ropes.
Harry Richmond, of the Fourth ward, will not resign. He says he will make them prefer charges. Well, Bob Miller was fired because he only had one eye.
My! but what a lot of men there are in this town who would like to wear helmets!
The Mayor’s Appointments
Camden Daily Telegram —
He Announced Several This Noon.
COMMISSIONERS OF INSTRUCTION.
The Old Members Re-named With the Exception of the Member From the Seventh Ward—Police Appointments and Resignations.
Mayor Westcott this noon made the following appointments as Commissioners of Public instruction:
Messrs. George D. Borton, of the First ward; Samuel Iszard, of the Second ward; Charles H. Ellis, Jr., of the Sixth ward, and James Hanson, to succeed Charles Hewston, of the Seventh ward.
The officers of the Commission hold over another year.
The following appointments were made on the police force:
First Ward—James Elberson, Charles Wilbur, Samuel H. Sheer.
Second Ward—No appointments.
Third Ward—John Sinclair, E. D. Stein.
Fourth Ward—No appointments.
Fifth Ward—Albert Shaw, Charles Fitzsimmons.
Sixth Ward—Abraham Jackson.
Seventh Ward—Alfred Sayres, Edward Hyde.
Eighth Ward—Thomas Buchanan, Jacob A. Hicks (colored).
Ninth Ward—No appointments.
Mayor Westcott has requested the resignation of all the members of the police force who served under the Police Commission, to take effect May 1. They are Policemen Peall, Horner, Painter, Mullane, Miller and Reed.
POLITICAL POINTERS.
Who will be the postmaster?
Who will be the next prosecutor?
Many of the ward workers are suffering from election colds.
The name of Harry Moffitt was left out of the columns of honorable mention with the other hustlers of election day.
Senator Rogers and Messrs. Stafford and Watson, of the House are fully coming up to the expectations of their constituents.
If the Mayor could arrange it to hold his hearings a trifle earlier it would be a great source of satisfaction to the Camden afternoon papers.
There is still great anxiety on the part of the public as to the outcome of the present session of the legislature. Thus far their public acts have been highly commendable.
The abolishment of the Police Justice act restores to office the City Recorder, Benjamin M. Braker, who would be qualified to act in place of the Mayor should the Chief Executive be taken sick.
Jos. Potter, the new member of Council from the First ward is a man of wide business experience and will prove much advantage to the many large financial interests that will come under his care.
Owing to the satisfactory working of the present school commission in the two second-class counties up the State, the legislature made no change in the mode of placing the members as was anticipated.
Jos. B. Fox, of the Fourth ward, is what might be termed an old reliable, having had a long and varied experience in public affairs. He is always conservative in the expenditure of city money. He is always safe to trust.
Charles Sayrs, of the Seventh ward, who had a short experience in the present Council, but enough to make him feel at home among public affairs, is neck and ears in work between his real estate business and Councilmanic duties.
The colored people of the lower section of the city are anxious to see Squire Drake, the ex-Republican and ex-member of the School Board, come out of the Court House, where he holds a position under the Thompson Freeholders.
“Father” Figner is a proud sire. He was a member and president of Council in his days, and now sees his son treading in his footsteps. Mr. Figner, Jr., having been sent to Council from the Sixth ward on Tuesday by a large majority.
A special election will not be necessary for the new Board of Freeholders, as the City Council and Township Committees will appoint Freeholders who will serve until the Spring of 1895. The appointments will be made about the middle of May.
Arthur Bedell is spoken of as a candidate for the presidency of the new City Council. He is a stalwart and is never afraid to define his position on all public questions. He is one of those men who makes strong, warm friends and also creates an opposition of like force.
William D. Brown, the Secretary of the Board of Education, and Fred A. Rex, Treasurer, are quite pleased over the report of the committee on accounts and Expert O’Shaughnessy, they having examined the books of Messrs. Rex and Brown and found them correctly kept.
The library of the Camden public schools is one to be highly appreciated and much is due to the care with Miss Blowe the librarian has attended to her duties. She will hold over another year and should be allowed to retain the office as long as she merits it, and she surely does now.
J. R. Carson, the retiring member of Council from the First ward, is highly spoken of by his associates on committees and by Clerk Varney for the mature judgment displayed in the management of city affairs. It is with a general expression of regret that the city is to lose his service.
The reform in the Board of Freeholders can’t come too soon. If the public is to judge of the care of property given by the Democrats in the county, by the “hog combine” in this city, an inventory of the public property when turned over will make interesting reading. Ex-officials guarantee to save enough in the Board, if returned to their offices, to pay the expense of a special election, if one was necessary.
W. J. Bradley has been asked if he was a candidate for president of the new City Council. His reply was that he had not sought it in the first place, and would not seek it now, but whether he became president or remained merely a member on the floor, he would endeavor to discharge his duties in the interests of the city. He is commended by all who came in contact with him during the past year as one who had a new Camden at heart.
On Trial for His Life
The North American —
Edward Melson Charged With the Murder of Ex-Policeman Lee.
Fired Before a Blow Was Struck
Testimony Tending to Show That the Shooting Was Not Done in Self Defence.
Edward Melson was placed on trial in the Camden County Court yesterday on a charge of killing Daniel Lee, an ex-policeman, in George Delmore’s saloon, at Fourth street and Kaighn avenue. The court-room was crowded. The jury was drawn with but little trouble.
In opening the case the States attorney said they would show that about 3 o’clock in the morning of December 12, while several persons were drinking and having a pleasant social time in Delmore’s saloon, the defendant, without provocation, drew a revolver and fired a bullet through ex-Policeman Lee’s heart.
One of the State’s chief witnesses, a man who was present when the fatal shot was fired, was George Emley, of 565 Walnut street. He knew both the deceased and the defendant. He said that he was in Delmore’s saloon nearly one hour when Melson came in. There were present Lee, Burrows, Martin, Charles Morgan and witness. Lee was in the saloon when the witness entered to the barroom. He said that Melson was requested to sing, which he did. There were some remarks made which the witness could not hear. Lee said, “Well, we will let that drop.” Melson replied, “Well, I will never leave you.”
Melson then backed off, pulled out a revolver, and shot Lee. Witness saw the shot fired, and saw Melson draw the revolver from his hip pocket. After Lee was shot he backed to the Kaighn avenue door, opened it, and fell to the floor. George Delmore, Jr., then knocked the revolver out of Melson’s hand. Burrows and the witness threw Melson down. Witness said that they had to wrestle with the defendant in order to get the pistol. Up to the time of the shooting there had not been a blow struck.
On cross-examination the witness said that Melson said, “Danny, it will do you no good to hit me.” Beyond this counsel for the defendant failed to shake his direct testimony.
Policemen Painter and Dall, who ran to the saloon and arrested Melson, testified that Lee made no resistance. The prisoner and his victim, who died a few minutes after the shooting, were taken to the City Hall together in a patrol wagon.
Lawyer Rex, in opening for the defence, said he would show that the killing of Daniel Lee was the result of a drunken brawl and not a case of premeditated murder. He would ask for a verdict of manslaughter, as the defendant thought that he had a perfect right to defend his life, knowing as he did the character of Lee.
He then called Melson to the stand. The latter said he resided at 220 Mt. Vernon street, and knew Lee. On the night of the tragedy he said he intended taking his wife to Mt. Royal, three miles below Woodbury, and he put the revolver in his pocket to protect himself. His wife afterwards changed her mind. Before going to Dilmore’s [sic] saloon he had several drinks. In the latter tavern he sang four songs. Lee asked him to have a glass of beer and then turned to him and said: “I don’t like you.” Then Lee said he could whip the whole Melson family. The crowd then surrounded the defendant and backed him to the wall. On the impulse of the moment he drew his pistol and the weapon went off. Melson said that he was afraid of Lee and the crowd that was there and they all appeared to be more intoxicated than he was. He tried to get out of the place before the revolver went off. Witness said that he was very much excited at the time. The case will be continued to-day.
“Persons Unknown” Held Responsible
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Coroner’s Jury Does Not Connect Eli Shaw With the Camden Murders.
DEARTH OF NEW FACTS
At the Inquest the Prosecution Fails to Bring Out Any Evidence, That Is Particularly New.
There was positively nothing in the testimony adduced at the inquest on the death of Mrs. Zane, in Camden, yesterday, to add any weight to the theory of the prosecution, backed up by circumstantial evidence, that Eli Shaw murdered his mother and grandmother.
The verdict was rendered in accordance with the evidence. In other words, the responsibility for the killing of the two women, as stated in the verdict in the case of Mrs. Zane, was not placed upon Eli Shaw, but upon “a person or persons unknown” to the jury.
If Prosecutor Jenkins has any strong evidence aside from the facts already brought out at his disposal he did not see fit to show his hand. There was a general belief that such was the case. If it is not, then, in the opinion of many a Camden wiseacre, Eli Shaw has more than a good chance of having his forehead remain clear of the brand of Cain.
That it is the intention of the prosecution to lay considerable stress upon the contradictory nature of young Shaw’s statements subsequent to the double tragedy seemed apparent from the nature of the testimony at the inquest. That Prosecutor Jenkins, who conducted the inquest and examined the witnesses, made this phase of the investigation so prominent leads to the belief that he intends to emphasize it later on.
SHAW’S STATUS UNALTERED.
In the meantime Eli Shaw remains in jail on the original commitment, based upon the charge of the Chief of Police. Lawyer Scovel, however, proposes to apply for a writ of habeas corpus, to secure, if possible, his client’s release. Scovel was quietly elated at the verdict of the Coroner’s jury, although he did not have much to say.
“We are not complaining,” he remarked, with a smile of satisfaction, when questioned concerning the verdict. “The result of the inquest certainly does not weaken Eli Shaw’s defense.”
Shaw himself offered to make a statement for use in the Coroner’s investigation, but his counsel did not desire it. He was not at all nervous, according to Mr. Scovel, over the inquest, but bore himself with a calm air, which caused Mr. Scovel to exclaim more emphatically than before: “I tell you, Shaw is an innocent man.”
And now the attorney will try to secure a ruling that there is not sufficient evidence to hold Shaw. He is confident that his client will be released from prison, or at least admitted to bail.
COURT ROOM CROWDED.
An immense crowd surged about the doors of the Camden Court House at the time set for the opening of the inquest. Men and women fought to get in when the doors were finally opened, and the scene resembled an incipient riot. One woman was carried in fainting. Others screamed as they were swept off their feet and almost thrown into the room by the struggling men, and then laughed as they found seats and breathlessly rearranged their clothing. In a few moments the room was filled and hundreds were turned away.
Coroner Lippincott read the names of the witnesses, an [sic] they retired into the ante-room—all but one. This one was Eli Shaw, whose name headed the list, but who was not brought to the inquest.
The jurymen took their places. They were Tax Receiver William A. Husted, foreman; Morgue Keeper Martin J. O’Brien, Freeholder William Anderson, Charles S. Folwell, John Irwin and Thomas Benkert.
NO STATEMENT FROM SHAW.
Before calling any witnesses, twenty-seven of whom had been subpenaed, Prosecutor Jenkins turned to Shaw’s counsel, Lawyer Henry S. Scovel, and said: “I see here the representative of the defendant. If he wishes to make a statement he can have that permission.” Mr. Scovel replied that the defendant had no desire to make any statement. The first witness called was Edward Zane, a son of the murdered Mrs. Zane. He was sworn by the Coroner. After telling how he had heard of the murder while in Philadelphia, where he resides, he was asked concerning his conversation with Eli Shaw at Foster Zane’s house a few hours after the murder. He said: “I asked him (Shaw) how it occurred. He said that he had heard a noise in the house while up stairs. His mother had also heard it, and he followed her down stairs. He stepped into the room where his grandmother slept and told her to lie still. His mother then lit a match, which was quickly followed by a pistol shot, and she fell. He then gave the alarm. That is all he had to say to me.”
The witness had last seen his mother and sister alive four weeks ago.
County Physician W. S. Jones was the next witness. He described the wounds on the bodies of the murdered women.
“In Mrs. Zane’s case the bullet entered the left side of the head, far back, and about three inches above the ear. The bullet went through the skull. There was internal hemorrhage and compression of the brain. The bullet did not enter the brain. In the case of Mrs. Shaw I held a post-mortem examination at the Cooper Hospital the morning of the tragedy. The bullet had entered on the right side, one inch above the ear. It was found back of the left eye, just back of the left orbit.”
“Was the course of the bullet level?” asked Prosecutor Jenkins.
“Slightly downward,” said the Doctor, indicating the course of the bullet.
“That wound caused death, did it?”
“Yes. It went through the brain.”
“Any questions, gentlemen of the jury?” asked the Coroner.
A SIGNIFICANT QUESTION.
Foreman Husted inquired: “Doctor, did you find any other mark of violence on Mrs. Zane’s body?”
“No, sir.”
Morgue Keeper O’Brien, one of the jurors, wanted to know how long Mrs. Zane had been dead when the witness saw her. Doctor Jones replied that he could not tell accurately.
Another juror asked: “Well, Doctor, in your opinion, how long had she been dead when you saw her?”
“About five minutes, I should say,” was the reply
Policeman Steen, who responded to Eli Shaw’s cries of murder, was next called. He described his entrance to the Line street house. Eli was standing in the sitting room with his night shirt on. The witness told of finding the bodies and searching the house. The place did not seem to have been broken into by burglars.
“Did you examine Mrs. Zane’s bed for blood?” he was asked.
“No, sir. The lieutenant did.”
“Did you see any blood in Mrs. Zane’s room?”
“Yes, on the window sill; it looked like a hand print.”
“Didn’t you see any on Mrs. Zane’s bed?”
“No, sir. I didn’t look.”
“Do you know what time it was when you got to the house?”
“No. I didn’t look. It wasn’t yet daylight.”
“When you went up to the third story did you use matches?” asked the prosecutor.
“I can’t say. We all had matches. The gas in the third story must have been lit, because we could see. Perhaps Mr. Lane lit it.”
“Did you see any blood in the third story?”
“No. All the time I was there I didn’t have a chance to look. I was looking after the people who were shot.”
NO SMOKE APPARENT.
Morgue Keeper O’Brien put the important question:
“You say you got to the house immediately after Shaw cried for help. Did you notice any smoke in the house such as would come from the discharge of firearms?”
“No, sir. There was nothing like that.”
One of the jurors wanted to know if Steen heard moans when he went up the stairs. The witness said he did, but couldn’t tell where they came from. He went into Mrs. Zane’s room first, and it was light enough to see in there. The light came from the street electric lamp.
Juror Benkert wanted to know about Mrs. Zane’s position in the chair where the policeman found her. The witness said she looked as if she had been shot while in the chair. The wound was next to the window.
“Then,” said Juror Benkert, “some one must have put his arm behind her or around in front of her to reach back and shoot her on that side?”
“It would seem so,” said the witness. “It looked to me as if Mrs. Zane had put her hand to the wound, and then rested her bloody hand on the window sill.”
An important witness came next. This was Harry Delamater, of No. 30[?] Line street, a personal friend of Eli Shaw, who was held in $1000 bail by ‘Squire Stackhouse some time ago because he refused to make any statement to Prosecutor Jenkins at the time of the preliminary examination of witnesses. His statement follows:
“Eli told me about the shooting, as nearly as I can remember, as follows, in the presence of several other people: He said that he was up, and hearing a noise, he hurriedly put on his pants. His mother was also up at the time, and they went down stairs together. Eli was first and his mother was right behind him. His mother pushed open the door of the back room, which was slightly ajar; they went in, and Mrs. Shaw pointed to some clothing on the floor, just as she struck a light. The match had no sooner been ignited before a shot was fired. He ran down stairs and gave the alarm.
GRANDMOTHER’S REPLY.
“He made practically the same statements to Lieutenants Foster and Pettit while I was there. He also said that he looked into the front room, saw his grandmother in bed, and asked his mother not to disturb her, as she was asleep. He ran up stairs, got a pistol, and rushed down and tried to fire it to attract attention, but it would not go off. He also said that when he heard the shot fired he ran into his grandmother’s room and said, ‘My God, some one is in the house and is shooting.’ He got a sort of sleepy groan, as some one awakening, for a reply.”
As Mrs. Zane was dead or dying by the time Eli said he called her and received a reply, this statement was received with particular interest.
James E. Tatem, of 619 South Fifth street; Frank B. Haines, of 561 Washington street, and Albert Fogg, of 615 South Fifth street, who were also in Foster Zane’s house on the evening after the tragedy when Eli Shaw told his story of the tragedy, were next called in rapid succession. Their testimony was for the most part a repetition of Delamater’s statement.
Albert Fogg testified that Shaw said he rushed into his grandmother’s room immediately after his mother was shot and cried:
“Get up, grandma; for God’s sake, get up; ther’s [sic] some one in the house.”
“Did he say his grandmother made any response?” asked the Prosecutor.
“No, sir.”
Albert Hollingshead was called, but had nothing to testify to.
Policeman John Painter, who found the revolver in the chimney, gave his testimony concerning his find. The revolver was brought in and, after wrestling with it for a few minutes, to the consternation of everyone else in the court room, Hall Officer Beard succeeded in unloading it. Painter identified the weapon. He also said:
“We made an examination of the chimneys. We found that there was a stove hole in Mrs. Zane’s room, but it was not opened. We found one in Eli’s room on the third floor, which was or had been recently opened. We also found a spot of blood on the door leading into Eli’s room, which looked as though it had been a large drop.”
Police Lieutenant Pettit was called to corroborate Painter’s story. He examined the pistol thoroughly when it was found. It looked as though it had been discharged recently. There was fresh oil about the hammer, some burnt powder could be seen at the muzzle, and it had an odor of burnt powder about it.
NO TRACE OF BURGLARS.
Lieutenant Pettit said he examined Mrs. Zane’s bed. There was no blood on the pillows or bolsters. The only blood he saw was one little spot on the under sheet, near the foot. In the third story he saw one spot of blood on the doorsill of Eli Shaw’s room. The Lieutenant said he found a hammer in Mrs. Shaw’s room in the third story. There were stains on it that might have been blood stains. An examination was made for traces of a burglar’s work. The witness described the position of the windows and said that in his opinion no burglar had ever gone through those windows.
Policeman Shaw identified the hammer, and Officer Beard told how he tried to get the weapon identified in Philadelphia pawnshops. It exploded while being examined in one of those establishments.
William Stein, a gunsmith, told that the bullets found in the bodies of the women were 32-calibre, the same as those used in the revolver found in the house. Guy Viskinski corroborated the story of the accidental discharge of the weapon in a pawnshop.
LANE TESTIFIES.
One of the most important witnesses was Charles Lane, who lives at 646 South Third street, and who was next called. He is the neighbor who first heard Eli Shaw’s cries for help and responded. He was in bed when he heard cries of “Help! Help! Murder!” The cries were repeated three or four times. He got up and dressed hurriedly. He ran around and found Eli Shaw in his night shirt on the front step. Shaw cried:
“Oh, Mr. Lane, mom and grandmom are shot!”
Just at this moment the witness’ son came running up, and they went in the hallway.
“My son asked for a light,” said the witness. “Shaw brought us two matches. He said: ‘Don’t go upstairs yet; they may be up there yet.’ Then Officer Stein came in. I said to Shaw: ‘Haven’t you got anything to defend yourself with?’ and Shaw handed me a revolver. I cocked it and he said: ‘There’s nothing in it.’ Then we struck some matches and went upstairs.”
“Was Eli Shaw’s night shirt outside his pantaloons when you first saw him on the steps?” asked the Prosecutor.
“Yes; it hung down almost to his feet.”
Continuing his story of the search, Mr. Lane said they went first to the second story front, and there found Mrs. Zane sitting in a chair near the window.
She was in her night clothes, her head was sunk on her chest, her eyes were closed, and blood trickled down her face. She was gasping for breath, “just like this,” said the witness, drawing in his cheeks like a person almost suffocated. He was describing Mrs. Zane’s dying agonies.
Mr. Lane said he called to Mrs. Zane. “Em! Em!” but she made no response. “I had known her for forty years,” said the witness to the jury in explanation of his familiar manner of addressing the woman. Then he said they went into the next room and found Mrs. Shaw on the floor moaning and weltering in her own gore. He spoke to her, but she could not answer. He described the position in which Mrs. Shaw lay. Then, he said, the searchers went up to the third floor. The Prosecutor asked if they found any lights. The witness said no; they had to light the gas in the third story front room. They found the gas lit in the dining room on the first floor when they first entered the house.
NIGHT SHIRT EXHIBITED.
Coroner Lippincott took the stand next and showed the jury Shaw’s night shirt, on which there were many spots of blood. Some were very small, others approached the size of a pea. When he had finished making this gruesome exhibit, he returned to the stand and detailed what he had heard of the conversation between Eli Shaw and Prosecutor Jenkins.
“He said that he did not see any one when his mother was shot, did not see her fall, and did not see the flash of the pistol. He also said that he had tucked his night shirt into his trousers before he went downstairs.”
Officer Sinclair was called but stated that he knew nothing of the case on the morning it occurred.
Mrs. Knight, who lives next door to where the tragedy occurred, said that she had made an examination of the bureau drawers, and as far as she had any knowledge, nothing was taken or removed. This closed the taking of testimony, and at ten minutes of 1 o’clock, the jury retired to deliberate.
After a few moments they returned and the foreman read the verdict, finding “That Mrs. Emma Zane came to her death from a pistol shot wound at the hands of a person or persons unknown to this jury.”
Some one attempted to applaud, but no one seconded the attempt and it was given up. Shaw was shortly after notified of the verdict and received the news with satisfaction.
Probing Camden Tragedies
Philadelphia Inquirer —
PROBING CAMDEN TRAGEDIES
Grand Jury Investigating the Zane-Shaw Murders.
The Camden grand jury yesterday took up the charge against Eli Shaw of murdering his mother and grandmother. Among the witnesses examined were County Physician Jones, Dr. Marcus Mines, Police Lieutenants Foster and Pettit, Policemen Steen, Shaw, Sinclair and Painter, Charles and Alonzo Lane and Coroner Lippincott. The case will be continued to-day, as over a dozen witnesses are yet to be heard.
George Mordorf, who shot Cigar Dealer Mather in his store in Camden, was arraigned in the Camden Court yesterday. He pleaded not guilty and said he did not want counsel.
Here’s Camden’s Finest, With Whiskers, in 1898
Camden Courier-Post —
Reading from left to right, those in the picture are: First row, William A. Schregler, Rox Comley, Jules Bosch, Lieutenant John Foster, Chief Samuel Dodd, Lieutenant H. Frank Pettit, Edward Hartman and Charles Wilbur. Second row, Thomas Brothers, Ralph Bond, John Dall, George Kappell, Silas Sage, Edward S. Hyde, George Selby and E. B. McClong. Third row, Edward Powell, John Sinclair, William Laird, Benjamin Middleton, Alfred L. Sayers, John Anderson, William Butts, John Painter and Frank Matlack. Fourth row, Thomas Hicks, Alfred Haydon, Abe Jackson, Albert Shaw, Edward Steen and Samuel Bakely. Fifth row, Caleb Williams, E. A. Gravenor, Thomas Buchanan, Samuel Cox, George Horner, Godfrey Eisenhardt, Harry Curtis and John Barnett. Sixth row, Casper Hart, Charles Fitzsimmons, A. Lincoln James, Oscar Weaver, Charles Ridgely, William Fish and George Cooper.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
John Painter
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
IN POLICE DRAGNET
Successful Raid on an Alleged Pool Room in Camden
SEVEN MEN CAPTURED
Keefer, Who Says He Spent His Employers’ Money in the Place, Identifies the Prisoners
The Camden police yesterday raided the alleged poolroom at 25 South Third street, where Walter H. Keefer, former manager of the Merchantville Light and Power Company, claims he lost $254 belonging to his employers. Seven men were captured in the raid, including W. Harry Getty and Charles Metz, who were committed in default of $1500 bail each as principals. The others were James Boone, of Fourth and Benson streets; George Armstrong, Charles Loriaux, George Smith and Victor Thompson. Each furnished $300 bail except Thompson, who was unable to get surety up to a late hour.
The police for months past have been trying to get evidence against this alleged poolroom. The place was so closely guarded that the officers could not get direct evidence that the law was being violated. The details of the raid and the successful manner in which it was carried out were made known at the hearing before Recorder Nowrey last evening. The defendants were represented by Lawyer John J. Crandall. Mayor Hatch, City Counsel Bleakly and Councilman Silvers, of the Third ward, were interested spectators. Before the prisoners were brought in Deputy Sheriff Hartshorn appeared with Walter H. Keefer, who was brought over from the county jail to identify the proprietors and employes of the alleged poolroom. The prisoners scowled at Keefer as they were brought into the hearing room.
City Detective Hart was the first witness. He said he swore out the warrant for the raid from information obtained from Keefer.
Keefer, the star witness, was next called. He pointed out Metz as the man who operated the “ticker,” collected the bets and paid the winnings. Keefer said he had played the races there on Monday last and on several other occasions. He stated that W. Harry Getty guarded the door and scrutinized every one who applied for admission.
Police Captain Boyle testified that he made the raid, assisted by City Detective Hart and Officers Painter, Shaw, Robert Miller and George Anderson. When they knocked Getty opened the front door just enough to peer out at them. A chair prevented the door from being opened wide. The warrant was read, but Getty refused to admit them. They then broke the chair and forced an entrance. Rushing up stairs they found the door to the third-story back room barred. They forced the door and found themselves in what appeared to be a furnished bedroom. Wires ran through a rear window, but there was no telegraph instrument or other evidence of a poolroom.
The men in the room were placed under arrest and a search was instituted for evidence. They found a man hiding in a closet and took him into custody. A locked box was found on the mantelpiece in the front room. Mrs. Getty claimed that it contained her jewelry. The officers finally found a key that opened the lock. The “jewelry” consisted of the missing telegraph “ticker.” Several about the New Orleans races and betting were seized.
Policeman Shaw said that Loriaux told him the wires were cut and the “ticker” carried over into the front room while the police were coming up the stairs. Officers Painter and Anderson gave corroborative testimony.
Charles Loriaux swore that he had been in the place only eight minutes when the police swooped down on it. He admitted telling Officer Shaw that the “ticker” was hustled out of the room when they heard the police trying to get in.
George Armstrong admitted having been in the pool room before.
“What did you go there for?” asked Recorder Nowrey.
“Do you wish me to incriminate myself?” asked Armstrong, after hesitating some time.
The Recorder did not press the question.
James Boone, who said he had resided at Fourth and Benson streets for the past twelve years, claimed that he went to the alleged pool room to hear the result of a handicap race at Lexington. He admitted being there before to get similar news.
George Smith swore that he went there to hear the results of horse races. He admitted that he had bought pools there before.
For several terms of court there has been an indictment hanging over Getty’s head on a charge of conducting a pool room at Seventeenth and Federal streets with George W. Sterling, but for some reason it has never been moved. Chief of Police Foster stated last evening that one of the reasons for the dismissal of Police Captain H. Frank Pettitt was that Getty’s place on South Third street was in his district and he failed to suppress it or secure evidence on which a raid could be made.
That there is war to the death between the police and the policy dealers was shown yesterday by a bold retaliatory move of Washington Ketline, who brought suit for damages against Policemen Henry Miller and Isaac Brown. The officers furnished $1500 bail each. Ketline was arrested by the officers a few days ago on the charge of engaging in policy selling.
Ketline placed some pieces of paper in his mouth that the officers supposed were policy slips. Because he refused to open his mouth, Ketline says, the policemen used him roughly. Ketline has already served a sentence for policy writing.
Evil Doers Quake
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Mayor Hatch, of Camden, Starts in to Wipe Out Speak-Easies
FIRST RAID A SUCCESS
Fines Imposed by Recorder Nowrey for Operating Gambling Machines. Sunday Sellers Hope to Escape
Mayor Cooper B. Hatch is making life miserable for evil doers in Camden. After waging relentless warfare on Sunday liquor sellers and seizing all the gambling machines in saloons and cigar stores, he is now clearing out speak-easies. The first raid was made yesterday afternoon, when Captain Stanley, Sergeant Hyde, Detective Painter and Policeman Shaw swooped down on Mrs. Mary Mahan’s house, at 1062 South Front street. They found nearly enough liquor there to stock a saloon. There were two cases of bottled beer, five gallons of whisky, a large quantity of California wines, and other “wet” goods. This was all confiscated and was sent to the City Hall, together with Mrs. Mahan and a young girl.
For some time past Mayor Hatch’s private detectives have been gathering evidence against speak-easies and disorderly houses in different parts of the city, and several more arrests will be made.
The saloonkeepers arrested about ten days ago for operating slot machines in their places were arraigned yesterday before Recorder Nowrey. Maurice Hertz, of Locust street and Kaighn avenue, was the first to be tried. He was represented by former Judge Howard Carrow. The complaints against Hertz charged him with operating nickel-in-the-slot gambling machines on July 2 and 9.
Harry Williams, one of Secretary Gibboney’s detectives, who was employed in the recent Sunday liquor crusade, testified that he played “The Owl” in Hertz’s saloon on July 9. He lost five cents on the red but hit the black and quit even. On cross-examination Williams refused to tell by whom he was employed, and Recorder Nowrey would not compel him to answer. Detective Fields swore that he was with Williams in Hertz’s place, and also played the slot machine. Police Captain Stanley said he found four of the slot machines in Hertz’s place when he made the raid.
At this point Judge Carrow moved to dismiss the complaint, as it was dated in the year “189.” Decision was reserved, and the other complaint was taken up. Judge Carrow wanted this set aside on the ground that it did not specify the premises where the law was alleged to have been violated. Recorder Nowrey overruled the motion.
Detective Graper said he played the slot machine at Hertz’s saloon on Sunday, July 2. On cross-examination he refused to give his address, but said he worked for Mayor Hatch. He didn’t know, he said, whether he was on the city pay roll.
David B. Kaighn and other Kaighn avenue residents testified that they never saw slot machines in operation in Hertz’s place, but had seen them standing in the office.
Hertz, in his own defense, said he was agent for the slot machines, and those found in his office were samples to be examined by prospective purchasers.
Recorder Nowrey sentenced Hertz to pay a fine of $50 and costs. Judge Carrow gave notice that he would appeal the case, but the Recorder refused to permit Hertz to depart without paying the fine.
Peter Kelly, of Eighth street and Ferry avenue, was also convicted and paid his fine.
John Keefe, of Haddon avenue and Carman street, and Marshall Hutchinson, of Ninth and Walnut streets, pleaded guilty and were fined $50 and costs each. There were about seven more cases, which Recorder Nowrey adjourned until next Wednesday.
The 130 saloonkeepers rounded up in the recent crusade against Sunday liquor selling were in high glee yesterday over the discovery of a law that they hoped would save them from punishment for their alleged misdoings. This law was passed in 1874, and makes it unlawful to prosecute any person by indictment for violations of the liquor laws in municipalities where city ordinances provide punishment for such offenses. As the Supreme Court has set aside the Camden excise ordinance, the saloonkeepers hoped to escape further prosecution.
City Counsel Bleakly, after looking up the matter yesterday, said: “A house in which the unlawful sale of liquors is habitually made is an indictable nuisance, although there is a city ordinance prescribing penalty for such sales. Such traffic is not only a breach of the city law, but is also forbidden by the State law.” This decision was made by Judge Van Syckel in 1880, in the Court of Errors and Appeals, and was reaffirmed in 1888. It is now a State law.
The Excise Commission, at its regular meeting next Wednesday evening, will probably adopt a substitute ordinance against Sunday liquor selling to conform to the city charter, under the Supreme Court’s decision setting aside the old ordinance.
Police Halt Grain Theft Conspiracy
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Two Men Arrested and Warrants Out for Others on the Charge of Robbing Sitley & Son, of Camden
In the arrest of Harry Kelly, of Magnolia, and Samuel Cox by the Camden police yesterday what is supposed to be a conspiracy to systematically steal grain from the firm of Frank B. Sitley & Son, Chelton [sic] and Railroad avenues, Camden, has been unearthed. According to the police the theft of grain has been going on for several months and beside those already arrested others are being sought. Grain to the value of hundreds of dollars is said to have been stolen.
Kelly and Cox were arrested by City Detective John Painter on complaint of Stephen Robinson, manager for the Sitleys. Kelly was a shipping clerk for the grain merchants, while Cox was employed as a brakeman on the Atlantic City Railroad. Kelly is alleged to have at various times placed extra bags of grain on freight cars in charge of Cox. The grain was worth $1.63 a bag and, according to the police, Cox disposed of the stuff for 50 cents a bag. The money was divided among several in the conspiracy.
So much grain was lost in this manner that the firm became suspicious and notified the police. Detective Painter was detailed on the case, which resulted in the two arrests. Warrants are out for half a dozen others. Both the defendants are well connected and their arrest has caused considerable surprise.
Last year Sitley & Son lost hundreds of dollars’ worth of grain through thieving employes, several of whom were given terms in prison.
Murder Witness on the Rack
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Murder Witness on the Rack
County Detectives Smith and Cherry and City Detective Painter, of Camden, are investigating the death of Cornelius Preston, whose body was found in Big Timber Creek, near Westville, on March 5, 1899. Yesterday they had William Smith, of Camden, who furnished the clue to Preston’s alleged murder, taken before Prosecutor Lloyd for examination. The Prosecutor will not divulge the information given him by Smith until the detectives have had an opportunity to verify it.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
John Painter
H. G. Benson Arrested
Philadelphia Inquirer —
H G Benson, a lineman in the employ of the Bell Telephone Company, was arrested in Camden yesterday by Policeman Lovett, charged with the larceny of leaden sleeves from the company. He protested his innocence, but Detective Painter, it is said, on searching the home of Benson, at 220 Cole street, found the stolen articles beneath a couch.
The Paul Woodward Murder Case
to
On October 1, 1902 Paul Woodward murdered two young boys by giving them poison. Frank T. Lloyd, then Camden County prosecutor, was responsible for leading the investigation and prosecuting the case. Detective Painter was involved in the investigation. Woodward was arrested on October 4, 1902. Detective Painter was present later that day when Woodward was identified as being seen with the two victims. Woodward was indicted, tried, convicted of murder in the first degree, and on January 7, 1903 executed at the Camden County Jail.
People connected with this case: Joseph Jennings — Jennings’ Third Regiment Band — Frank T. Lloyd — Dr. William S. Jones — William D. Hart — Dr. Paul N. Litchfield — F. Morse Archer — John Foster — John Painter — John Cherry — Isaac Toone — Paul Woodward — George M. Beringer — Charles G. Garrison — J. Wesley Sell — Christopher J. Mines Jr. — Frederick A. Rex — J. Frederick Voigt — George F. Kappel — Henry S. Scovel — Francis Ford Patterson Jr. — John S. Smith — O. Glen Stackhouse — Hugh Boyle — Patrick Harding — Frank S. Albright — Thomas Walton — Dr. William H. Iszard — George H. Stineford Sr.
Philadelphia Inquirer — October 3, 1902
Philadelphia Inquirer — October 4, 1902
Philadelphia Inquirer — October 9, 1902
Philadelphia Inquirer — October 11, 1902
Philadelphia Inquirer — November 18, 1902
Philadelphia Inquirer — November 23, 1902
Camden’s Mystery Is Still Unsolved
Philadelphia Inquirer —
While Authorities Are at Work, Public Watch and Wait. Weaving a Net About Paul Woodward, the Young Suspect Now in Jail
Paul Woodward.
Mrs. Edith Barber.
It is now generally believed that the Camden county authorities have succeeded in establishing a clear case against young Paul Woodward, who is in the county jail, charged with the crime of taking away the lives of little John Coffin and Price Jennings. It was just a week ago yesterday when the boys went on their trip to Haddon Heights from which they were destined never to return alive.
Since the discovery of the bodies last Saturday partially hidden in rain-soaked weeds, the Prosecutor’s office, assisted by County Detectives Smith and Cherry and City Detectives Painter and Hart, have left no stone unturned.
No Confession
Prosecutor Lloyd yesterday reiterated his statement that Woodward had made no confession, but it is generally conceded as true that the accused youth did tell a story in which he makes some one else the principal criminal in the case.
Several incidents transpired yesterday that threw off the monotony of waiting for developments. Joseph Jennings, brother of one of the murdered boys, was taken to the cell in which Woodward is confined. He had no difficulty in recognizing the prisoner before. But as to whether he ever saw him in company with the dead lads he was not permitted to say.
Wild Rumor
There was much excitement about the Court House when it became rumored that Mrs. Edith Barber, the woman detained as a material witness against Woodward, had the small pox. To allay the alarm County Physician Jones called in representatives of the Board of Health, who concluded she had no sign of the disease.
After matters quieted somewhat the woman was taken into the Prosecutor’s office and questioned. When taken back to her cell she was crying and appeared to be almost unable to walk.
Woodward spent the day in his cell, smoking cigarettes as usual. He was visited in the morning by Lawyer Harry Scovel, who has not yet been engaged as counsel, as reported. Again in the afternoon Lawyer Scovel visited the youth in company with Woodward’s mother. At first Mrs. Woodward was denied admittance, but after waiting on the jail steps for nearly an hour she was permitted to go in and see her son. Lawyer Scovel and Mrs. Woodward were with the young man for a couple of hours.
Talked a Whole Lot
To all questions Lawyer Scovel said: “Woodward talked a whole lot, but I have nothing to say.”
He said he had not confessed to him. On the other hand Woodward had maintained his innocence.
When asked if Woodward could have a hearing if he demanded it Mr. Archer said he could. Asked if enough evidence was in hand to hold him, Mr. Archer said there was.
“On a simple assault charge?”
“No, sir, for the crime he is charged with—committing the murder of John Coffin,” replied Mr. Archer.
Coroner Litchfield said last night he would not set a date for the inquest before some time next week. Despite all reports to the contrary, Coroner Litchfield says Chemist George M. Beringer, who is analyzing the internal organs of the boys, will not complete the work before the end of the week.
Prosecutor Lloyd, who is still confined to his home with rheumatism, would make no statement last night, although admitting that the day’s work had not resulted in anything of material importance.
Unraveling the Camden Mystery
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Prosecutor Lloyd Declares That Woodward Is the Guilty Man
NO MORE ARRESTS LIKELY
Weaving Web Around Alleged Slayer of the Murdered Boys
“Beyond all question the murderer of these little boys is now in jail and the public’s anxiety can now be allayed,” said Prosecutor Frank T. Lloyd last night in making the first important statement concerning the tragedy of last week, when John Coffin and W. Price Jennings, two Camden lads, were murdered in an uncultivated field near Haddon Heights. The mystery which has enshrouded the case since the discovery of the bodies last Friday has almost been cleared up with the exception of the report of Chemist George M. Beringer, who is making an analysis of the internal organs of the boys.
Prosecutor Lloyd gave out the following statement shortly before 8 o’clock at his home on the East Side:
“Because of a suspicion that more than one person was engaged in the murder of these little boys the State has been obliged to work with much secrecy and to withhold from the press the result of our work. That suspicion is now removed. Beyond all question the murderer is now in jail and the public’s anxiety can be allayed. Woodward was alone the perpetrator of this crime.
Case Nearly Complete
“It is my duty to say this much in view of the deep public concern and the apprehension of other parents having little ones, but it would be improper for me to state the character or the quantity of evidence upon which our conclusions are based. I will only say that with the exception of the report of the chemist, which has not yet been received, the State’s case is almost complete.
“Woodward himself has made a number of statements, which, while not confessions, will be materially helpful toward securing his conviction.”
This statement precludes the possibility of another arrest being made in connection with the case, as has been currently reported during the week.
There were several conferences held yesterday between Assistant Prosecutor Archer and Detectives Smith, Cherry, Painter and Hart and Chief of Police Linderman, of Merchantville. During one of the conferences John Farmer, the colored man who recognized Woodward as having been seen with the boys last Wednesday afternoon, was called in and closely questioned. Following the detectives departed apparently on several different clues.
Detectives Hard at Work
Detective Hart subsequently returned with a Mrs. Somers, said to reside on Royden street. She was interviewed by the Assistant Prosecutor, but what connection she has with the case the authorities refused to divulge. The woman refused to talk.
Louis Ross, a German, who resides near Haddon Heights, was also called into the Prosecutor’s office late in the afternoon. At first he was thought to be an important witness, but it was afterwards learned that he knew little about the case.
Detective Robert J. McKentry, of Philadelphia, and Detective Smith took over the river Mrs. William H. Hubbert and another young woman. It is at the home of Mrs. Hubbert, at West Philadelphia, that Woodward said he was present last Friday night.
Woodward became rather obdurate yesterday, refusing the usual prison fare. He waited until his mother sent him coffee and other victuals. The accused youth was at first placed in the cell formerly occupied by Lafayette Gruff, the wife murderer, who was hanged September 19. He has now been placed in another cell.
Woodward Has Knowledge of Camden Murder
Philadelphia Inquirer —
So Confessed to Officers, Who Searched New York at Prisoner’s Instance
NO HAND IN THE CRIME
But Said He Knew Name of the Man Who Committed Awful Deed
YOUTH’S STRENUOUS DAY
Taken to the Scene of the Tragedy and Closeted With the Prosecutor
It is believed the authorities of Camden have cleared up the mystery surrounding the deaths of John Coffin and Walter Price Jennings, the boys who mysteriously disappeared from their homes on October 1 and were found dead in a field. That the boys were murdered and that the law officers believe a strong case has already been made out against Paul Woodward, the suspect, there seems to be no doubt.
Last night, after a conference of the detectives at Prosecutor Lloyd’s home, the latter official gave out the following statement: “There is absolutely no truth in the story of Woodward’s confession. However, the State has enough to make a clear case against Woodward.”
Ever since the discovery of the bodies the city and county detectives have worked unceasingly on the case. On Sunday afternoon, while Woodward was being examined in the Prosecutor’s office in the county buildings, he admitted, it is said, that while he had no hand in the commission of the crime he knew the name of the man who did.
Gave a Name
He gave, it is said, the name of a white man who committed the murder, and said he was then in hiding in New York. He furnished the detectives with his whereabouts in that city.
Acting on this information Detectives Painter and Smith went to New York and made a thorough search, following closely the prisoner’s suggestions. The search proved fruitless.
On Monday Detective Painter learned that John Farmer, a colored man, employed by John H. Carroll, of Haddon Heights, had seen Price, Coffin and Woodward together in the field in which the bodies of the boys were afterwards discovered. Yesterday Farmer was brought to the Prosecutor’s office, where he stated that he had seen the boys alive in the field at 5 o’clock on the afternoon of the day they disappeared.
Last to See Them Alive
He was confronted with Woodward, and in his presence told the story. At its conclusion Woodward exclaimed, “You’re a liar!”
The authorities lay great stress on Farmers’ story, for he was the last man to see the boys alive and to their minds almost fixes the hour of the murder.
A prominent jail official said last night that Woodward said yesterday to a fellow prisoner: “I’ll never give the man away who done the job.”
In his cell last night Woodward was a picture of abject misery. He was trembling like an aspen leaf. He has barely touched his food for the last two days. His only consolation seems to be in cigarettes, of which he daily consumes several packs.
Taken to the Scene
The feature of yesterday was the taking of Woodward to Haddon Heights. He was driven to the scene of the murder in a double team and was accompanied by Assistant Prosecutor F. Morse Archer, County Detective John S. Smith and City Detective John Painter. Woodward was carefully manacled and guarded during the trip.
The party went over the field where the bodies were found in an endeavor to arouse some emotion in the youth that might lead to a confession. Instead he simply smoked cigarettes and picked up a few chestnuts lying about, and was apparently unmoved.
After going over the field he was taken to several places in the vicinity where persons saw the ill-fated lads last Wednesday afternoon. It was stated that in one instance at least Woodward was positively identified as the young man last seen with the boys late in that afternoon. From 1 o’clock until after 6 he was kept on the move.
When Assistant Prosecutor Archer arrived at the court house he was besieged with questions, but after a talk with his chief over the telephone he said: “The administration of justice would be seriously hampered if at this time the facts in the case were given to the public. The case is now in a critical stage.”
At Prosecutor’s Home
After coming in from the country the prisoner was taken to Prosecutor Lloyd’s home on the East side. Here Woodward was kept until after 6 o’clock, all the time being under a cross fire of questions. At half-past 6 he was admitted to the county jail, still manacled and still smoking cigarettes. He was visibly affected, trembling like a leaf.
Late yesterday afternoon County Detective Cherry and City Detective Hart visited the home of Woodward on Benson street and brought back with them some clothing and about fifty novels. The latter were of a trashy order.
Harry Bowen and Joseph Simpkins, a trolley crew on one of the West Collingswood cars of the Camden and Suburban Railway Company, were examined by Assistant Prosecutor Archer. They had charge of a car that left Camden at 10 43 and arrived at West Collingswood at 11 13 Wednesday morning. It is believed that on this car the two dead boys and Woodward went to West Collingswood and from there walked over to Haddon Heights.
Money for Defense
Mrs. Woodward, mother of the accused boy, was at the Court House yesterday and said her father had sent her $5000 with which to use in defense of his grandson. She claimed to have engaged the services of Harry S. Scovel, who defended Eli Shaw. Mrs. Woodward also said that the Mrs. Barber arrested Monday night was a personal friend of the family, and that Paul had simply boarded with her.
County Physician Jones has advanced a theory as to the killing of the boys. He maintains poison was administered with no intention of killing. According to his theory, the boys were given “knockout drops,” or chloral, in sufficient quantities to kill a man. It was the intention of the murderer, however, to just give them a sufficient quantity to render them unconscious, and while in this state discover them at the solicitation of the boys’ families and receive a reward.
Deep Mystery Still Envelops Camden Tragedy
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Authorities Apparently at Sea Regarding Theory for Lads’ Taking Off
THEY WERE MURDERED
Such Is the Belief of Prosecutor Lloyd and Others in the Case
WOODWARD UNDER FIRE
Declares Not Guilty of the Awful Crime—Two Boys to Be Buried To-day
Not since the Shaw murder of a few years ago has the Camden public been so much aroused as it is over the mysterious deaths of Price Jennings and John Houseman Coffin, the two lads of prominent families whose bodies were found Saturday morning lying in an uncultivated field at Haddon Heights.
City and county officials yesterday strove with all their abilities to throw some light on the mystery, but nothing of a startling character was evolved and the motive for the crime seems to be obscure.
As was to be expected, crowds of the morbidly curious tramped through the rain, over muddy roads and through a wild growth of brambles and weeds to get a view of the two spots where the bodies were found. Pieces of the chestnut tree, bark, limbs and leaves were carried off as mementoes. The spot where Coffin was found was marked by a pole stuck in the ground and from the top of which fluttered a piece of an umbrella covering.
The Motive Debated
During the day Prosecutor Lloyd, who is conducting the investigation, would say little. When pressed as to the motive of the crime he said he was of the opinion that it was either a case of malicious killing resulting from degeneracy, or the result of a desire for robbery.
A local physician, prominently identified with the case, said he is firmly convinced it is a clear case of murder. Whether the boys met their death by means of poison or strangulation he would not say, but inferred it was one of these methods that had ended their lives.
George M. Berringer, the Camden chemist, to whom were given the internal organs of the boys for analysis, began his work yesterday. He said it would take until to-morrow and probably longer to complete his analysis. He also said he would not stop if he found no traces of chloral, but would make a thorough examination in an endeavor to find any poison that might have been administered. In consequence of the length of time it will take to make the analysis Coroner Latchfield said he would not hold an inquest in the case for a week at least.
Detectives on the Scene
County Detectives Smith and Cherry and City Detective John Painter spent a portion of yesterday going over the scene of the tragedy. They reported they had found no new developments.
The work of weaving a web of guilt about Paul Woodward, the youth who was arrested charged by William Coffin, father of one of the boys, on information received from Detective Cherry, with “unlawfully, feloniously and of his malice aforethought, killing and murdering one John H. Coffin,” is proceeding rather slowly. The detectives yesterday started to run out the stories as given out by Woodward concerning his whereabouts on the days covering the disappearance of the dead boys.
Woodward was taken before Prosecutor Lloyd yesterday morning. The boy’s mother was also present. He was the centre of a crossfire of questions, but stolidly stood by his previous statements. He could not be shaken in a single instance, it was stated. The Prosecutor said it is a mistaken idea that Woodward is dull and listless. On the contrary he says his answers to questions give evidence of a fairly bright mind.
Prosecutor’s Statement
Prosecutor Lloyd late last night gave out this statement: “I have had Woodward under examination two or three times during the day. He reported his movements for the last week and adhered tenaciously to his original story that he had nothing to do with the doing away of the two children. I am awaiting the result of the chemical analysis of the organs of the two boys. There were no signs of strangulation, no bruises, scratches or scars excepting a slight cut on the left hand of one of the boys.”
Woodward spent Saturday night and yesterday in the manner of prisoners who are charged with petty offenses. Once, Saturday night, he is said to have cried. Aside from this evidence of feeling he slept and ate his food as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
All the necessary arrangements for the funeral of the two boys have been completed and they will be buried this afternoon, young Coffin from his home, 305 North Third street, and Jennings from his home, 213 North Third street. Both funerals will be strictly private and no one except the respective families will be permitted to see the bodies.
Say Boys Were Seen
Several stories came from Haddon Heights to the effect that the boys were seen Wednesday afternoon near the spot where their bodies were found.
John Mann, colored, says he saw the two boys about 11 o’clock Wednesday morning on the Haddonfield road. Later he saw them under the chestnut tree in company with a man about 35 years old.
Edward Lippincott, who has a farm just below the scene of the murder, said a man who serves him with ice saw the boys about 5 o’clock in the afternoon. While he was not positive they were the boys, they tallied with the description.
The theory has been advanced the ill-fated lads met their deaths through eating some poisonous berry, but residents say there is nothing about there that would cause their death.
From what several persons say who saw the bodies before they were moved, they must have been laid down carefully, especially that of young Coffin, under whose head had been placed his hat neatly folded.
The small bottle of pellets taken from Woodward, which it was expected would figure in the case, were given back to him yesterday. They were simply homeopathic remedies given him at the Hahnemann Hospital.
The Trinity Baptist Sunday school yesterday adopted resolutions of regret and condolence on the death of young Jennings.
Missing Camden Boys Murdered in a Field
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Young John Coffin and Price Jennings Believed to Have Been Poisoned—Companion Arrested and Committed to Jail
John H. Coffin
Price Jennings.
Where body of young Jennings was found.
Where Coffin’s body was found.
The discovery of their bodies cold in death, the victims of an atrocious double murder, yesterday solved the mystery surrounding the disappearance from their homes in Camden on Wednesday of John H. Coffin, the 11-year-old son of William Coffin, division freight agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Price Jennings, his chum and playmate, the 13-year old son of Josephus Jennings, leader of Jennings’ Third Regiment Band, of Camden.
Paul Woodward, 18 years old, a companion of both the boys, is charged with their murder and is locked up in the county jail awaiting the further action of the authorities. There are no evidences of external injuries and the only theory to which the police can attribute the cause of death is that the assassin of the boys administered poison to them, and it is along this line that County Physician Jones and Prosecutor Lloyd are conducting an investigation.
The details surrounding the atrocious crime makes it one the like of which has never been known in the criminal history of this section of the country. The youth of the boys, their heretofore relations of good companionship, and many other circumstances make of it an almost unparalleled crime, and while there is said to be every evidence of a motive for the murder, in the opinion of those who are in close touch with the case, it is an instance in which the work is that of a degenerate boy in whom all sense of right and wrong have long since been dead. Certain it is that the crime has stirred the people of Camden and vicinity to a feverish heat to which it has not been stirred since the days following the murder of Annie Leconey.
Found in a Field
The bodies of both the lads were found yesterday morning in a field near the Haddon Heights Station of the Reading Railroad on what is known as the Lippincott farm, about a quarter mile from Station Avenue. The body of young Jennings was found lying in a clump of bushes and less than forty yards away lay the remains of Coffin. Both bodies were stiff and in a state of decomposition. Coffin’s body was the first discovered, and it was not long after when that of his companion was found.
No sooner did the news of the discovery become known than the greatest excitement prevailed through the city of Camden and its suburbs. All sorts of rumors began to circulate, some of them hinting that the bodies were in a horribly mutilated condition and that the work was that of a negro. In a short time, however, whatever element of mystery there was about the case, so far as present indications go, was dissipated when the identification of the bodies was made and the arrest of young Woodward was accomplished soon afterwards.
Then the mystery began to clear somewhat. Both boys disappeared from their homes on Wednesday afternoon. When they failed to return that night the police were notified and a description of them was sent around the country adjacent to Camden and also to Philadelphia. Some persons said they had gone to Trenton to the fair, while others told of having seen them in the vicinity of Haddon Heights Station. Nothing came of these statements at the time, and meanwhile the boys failed to return home. Coffin’s father was of the opinion that the boys had been kidnapped, but this theory was not held by the police.
First Body Discovered
Late Friday night, Clarence Kreuson, whose home is at Haddon Heights, and a friend of his, Frank Johnson, who lives in this city, were returning from an afternoon of blackbird shooting. While crossing the field they came across the body of a boy. It was lying in the bushes, half concealed, and when they made a closer examination they discovered that life was extinct. In alarm Kreuson and his companion ran to the home of A. H. Wood, near-by, and communicated their intelligence. Wood immediately sent a telephone message to Coroner Litchfield in Camden, apprising him of the discovery. That official, through some misunderstanding, thought it was a man named Brown who had been talking to him. He hitched up his horse and drove to Haddon Heights, but was unable to locate the body. He was also unable to locate anyone named Brown. Further investigation was, therefore, postponed until yesterday morning, when the Coroner again visited the scene and found the body in the bushes.
From the clothing worn it was thought at first it might be Coffin’s, and after it had been brought to the Morgue, William Coffin, the lad’s father, was sent for. He was accompanied by Kingston Jennings, elder brother of the other missing boy. Mr. Coffin when nerved to look at the remains, exclaimed, “My God, it’s Price. Where is my boy. He must be found.” The identification was then made complete by the dead boy’s brother.
Meanwhile a number of persons had been going over the field where the body had been found in the search for clues that might lead to a discovery of the murderer of the boy, when one of them chanced across the remains of the other lad lying under a dead tree. This body was identified on the spot by Detective Curtis, of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The lad’s body was also taken to the Morgue and laid on a slab alongside of his chum.
Police at Work
The police in the interim had not been idle, and after scouring the vicinity of the place where the bodies had been found, came across Lillian Martin, the 15-year-old daughter of J. Wilson Martin, who conducts a “Cyclers’ Rest” at Collings avenue and the White Horse pike. She remembered having seen two boys answering the description of the dead lads in their place on Wednesday. They were accompanied by an older and a taller boy. Jennings seemed to have considerable money and purchased three pies and three bottles of soda water. After that they left the place and she never saw them again until she looked upon their bodies.
Prosecutor Frank Lloyd at once set to work, and Detective Hart was sent in search of young Woodward. Inquiry at his home, at 221 Benson street, brought the response that he was not at home. His mother learned what he was wanted for, and about 2 o’clock sent for Detective Hart and turned the boy over to him. She accompanied him to the Prosecutor’s office and, talking to the newspaper reporters, said that beyond being addicted to the use of cigarettes Paul was a good boy. She persisted that he could not have committed the crime as he was home all of Wednesday, Thursday and yesterday until the afternoon, when he went to Philadelphia to visit relatives. What the police are reported to view with importance is a statement that the mother is also alleged to have made to the effect that on Wednesday he had bothered her a great deal about money for a hat and shoes. While the authorities will make no admission, it is intimated that the motive they ascribe for the crime is robbery, and that the fact that Jennings had $10 when he disappeared was what led to his murder, and the murder of the other little fellow followed as a necessity for hiding the crime, as well as to get possession of a silver watch he is said to have had.
Identified Woodward
After young Woodward was taken into the Prosecutor’s office, besides the Prosecutor there were present Assistant Prosecutor F. Morse Archer, Court Stenographer Berry, Chief of Police Foster, of Camden; Chief of Police Linderman, of Merchantville, and Detectives Painter and Hart. In a few minutes Detective Cherry arrived with Lillian Martin. The latter had been cautioned not to say anything to anybody, either in or out of the room. She was inside for less than thirty seconds, and when she came out she is reported to have said that Woodward was the young man whom she had seen with the boys on Wednesday in her father’s place. She was taken back a second and a third time, and after the latter, it is said, she told the detectives that she was certain he was the person. She then left for her home, where she resisted all attempts to interview her.
In the meantime Recorder Stackhouse issued a commitment for Woodward on the oath of Detective Cherry, charging the young man with the murder of Coffin. Jennings’ name was not mentioned, as Coffin’s answered the same purpose.
While this was going on County Physician Jones was holding an autopsy in the basement of the jail, where the morgue is located. A personal examination showed that there were no external marks of violence, and in order to clinch the result of the autopsy he summoned from Philadelphia Professors Copeland and Rosenberger, of the Jefferson Hospital. Dr. Copeland performed the autopsy, and was at work until nearly 6 o’clock, when it was announced that no results other than that death was not due to external injuries, had been accomplished.
Prosecutor Lloyd said: “There was a double murder. Of that much we are certain. Death was not due to external injuries. What we suspect you will have to conjecture. The organs of both the boys have been sent to a chemist for examination. More than that I cannot say, except that we have arrested Paul Woodward on suspicion and that he is charged with the murder. The same man that killed one of the boys no doubt killed the other. All I ask now is that judgment be suspended for a few days, when I believe all will be cleared up.”
Woodward Visited Mr. Coffin
Mr. Coffin, whose home is at 305 North Third street, yesterday said: “It’s an awful blow that has come to me and I hardly know what to say. It does seem to me that Paul Woodward exerted an evil influence over my boy. I remember now that on Thursday he came to the house and wanted me to hire him to look for John. He then said that he thought he could find him.”
At the Woodward home it was stated that the mother and father of the boy had gone to Philadelphia. Charles May, a boarder, said there would be no trouble in proving that Paul was home all day of Wednesday, as well as the day following. He said that on each of those nights the boy had been in bed by 8 o’clock. This testimony, he said, would be corroborated by the boy’s mother, father, sister and himself. The only time Paul was out of the house, he said, was when he went several errands for his mother.
Late yesterday afternoon Coroner Litchfield empaneled the following jury: David Kaighn, George Leathwite, Isaac Toone, George J. Pechin, Elmer E. Cox and T. L. Bear. At 5 o’clock they viewed the remains, after which the bodies were sent to their respective homes. No date for the inquest has been fixed.
The stomach and other organs of both the youthful victims are in the possession of George M. Beringer, a druggist and chemist, at Fifth and Federal streets. Last night he said he had begun his examination, but it would take him probably a day or two more to complete his analysis.
Officers Traced Woodward’s Steps
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden Authorities Rest After Weaving What They Believe to Be Strong Chain of Evidence About the Alleged Youthful Murderer
Detective William D. Hart
Detective John Painter
Camden City detectives who have done some good work in helping to bring about a solution of the murder mystery.
In less than one week from the discovery of the bodies of John Houseman Coffin and Walter Price Jennings, near Haddon Heights, the city and county authorities of Camden have apparently solved the mystery of the most cruel murder in the history of the county. Paul Woodward the authorities are certain is that murderer. The motive was robbery. The officers say Woodward expected to get a large sum of money. A form of chloral used by photographers was administered. An overdose was given and death resulted where unconsciousness only was planned.
In the cell formerly occupied by Francis Abbatto, who was executed for an atrocious murder, Woodward is acting like a crazy man. In another wing of the jail Mrs. Edith Barber, his alleged paramour, refuses to eat and the authorities believe she is trying to starve herself to death.
Authorities Rest
Independent of Woodward’s latest confession the authorities have built such a stone wall of facts against him that at the conclusion of yesterday’s work the officials practically took their first rest since the discovery of the crime.
Mrs. Annie Irving Keeler, who was retained to defend Woodward, has withdrawn from the case, it is said on the advice of her physician. It is known, however, that at an interview with Woodward in jail yesterday he abused Mrs. Keeler.
Mrs. Woodward, mother of Paul, has been released from jail after making a complete statement and giving the law officers the right to enter and search her home at will. County Detective Smith yesterday found several more important witnesses.
Wanted to See Prosecutor
On Friday afternoon, while Prosecutor Lloyd was in consultation with George M. Beringer, the expert chemist, Woodward expressed a desire to see the prosecutor. He was taken to the latter’s office and in a half hour’s conversation talked freely of his crime. He said he had known both the boys for a long time. Attaches of the prosecutor’s office say Woodward thought the boys’ parents were wealthy and that it would be easy for them to get possession of a large sum of money. It was an easy matter for him, with the wonderful tales of adventure he had read, to so fill the boys’ heads that it would be no trouble for him to lure them from home, drug and rob them and have several hours’ advantage of flight before the discovery of the crime.
Left on Wednesday
Last Wednesday was fixed for the departure of the trio. They left according to schedule, going by trolley to West Collingswood. The Prosecutor has traced the trio along the White Horse pike and at a stop made at the Cyclers’ Rest, where soft stuff and pies were purchased from Miss Lillian Martin. Then they entered the field. Here it was that a drink was suggested, according to the authorities. Filling a can Woodward, after pretending to drink, gave it to the boys. Between them they emptied it. The Jennings boy fell unconscious on the spot. The Coffin boy wandered away. Shortly afterwards, the authorities say, Woodward robbed their bodies, came to Camden and wrote a letter to Mrs. Barber, which the authorities have. When arrested he had just returned from her home, near Marlton, N. J. The watch which the Jennings boy wore has not been recovered, although the authorities are on its track and expect to get it.
After being taken back to the jail yesterday Woodward began to act queerly. At times he would wave his hands and arms like a windmill. He followed this by jumping to and fro like a hobby-horse in action. He varied this by crouching on the floor of his cell and barking like a dog. At night he screamed and yelled until sleep was impossible for the rest of the prisoners. A threat of Jailor John Lee to lock him up in the dungeon caused him to cease.
Coroner Litchfield said last night that the analysis of the boys’ stomachs will not be completed for two weeks and that the inquest will not be held until that date.
No Clue to Bandits, But Suspects Spotted
Philadelphia Inquirer —
The Camden police have not the slightest clue as to the identity of the five men who early Saturday morning created a furor on the outskirts of the city by holding up a bridge tender, blowing up a safe and doing other acts that marked them as being desperadoes. The entire police force was at work yesterday, but the description given by Till and the officers who had the encounter with the emulators of the wild and woolly West was so meagre that there was practically nothing to work on.
Chief of Police John Foster said last night to an Inquirer reporter: “We have not learned anything that might lead to the arrest of the desperadoes. In the event of suspects being arrested it would be a difficult matter to connect them with the case, because no one seems to be in position to give a description. I am of the opinion that they are professionals from the manner in which they did their work.
Acquainted With Locality
“Another thing seems evident, and that is the robbers were acquainted with the locality in which they operated. They either were personally acquainted with East Camden or made it a point to get acquainted.
“This William Thallman, who is wanted in Burlington county, where the police believe him to be the head of a gang of thieves, may possibly know something about the Pavonia affair. From what I have learned he appears to be a desperate character, just one who would have the nerve to lead a gang of men to do the work of Saturday morning. Of course this is mere supposition, and it is impossible to say he is one of the men we are looking for. Another thing that might possibly connect him with the case would be his knowledge of East Camden, which is an important factor.”
Early yesterday morning a dispatch was received from Elizabeth in which it was stated that three suspicious characters had been arrested. According to the dispatch the trio were found in a box car that came from Camden. City Detectives John Painter and William Hart were at once sent to Elizabeth to take a look at the suspects. When they arrived they found the prisoners were boys and a brief line of questioning soon disposed of the theory that they had anything to do with the Camden affair. The detectives, who returned last night, said the boys were Philadelphians and had jumped a freight for a ride.
Special Officer Hare, of the Pennsylvania Railroad, noticed a group of men loitering about the Pavonia Station. Their actions were suspicious, and he took one into custody. The police were of the opinion that the prisoner might know something about the bandits, but he convinced them that he was in total ignorance of the thieves. He gave the name of D. Donovan, no home. He is still held by the police, but with no expectation of throwing any light on the identity of the men wanted so badly.
Perhaps no one had a better opportunity of giving a description of the men than Oscar Till, the bridgetender at the State street bridge, who, at the points of pistols held by two men, tied a mask over the face of a third. But even he cannot recall his midnight visitors sufficiently to furnish the police with anything to work on.
“I was too badly scared to know what they looked like,” he said. “When a couple of men are pressing cold steel to your temples, with a command to do a certain thing or die, you generally do the thing asked. I had no time to think about descriptions or anything else. The business I had to attend to was to tie the mask on the bandit, and I attended strictly to that business.”
Ralph Haines, the night operator at the tower, who was shot at repeatedly as he poked his head out of the window inquiring as to the cause of the explosion at the Pavonia station, was commended yesterday for his cool-headedness. After dodging bullets repeatedly, one of which came within an inch of his head, he dropped to the floor, crawled over to the “ticker” and asked the main office for help. Haines could see the men in silhouette but was too distant to recognize any characteristics that might lead to identifying them.
Last night numerous reports were received at Camden police headquarters of suspicious characters being seen in various parts of the city. A trolley car conductor reported at 10 o’clock that several men with dark lanterns were observed loitering about Haddon and Kaighn avenues. Sergeant Hyde, with a squad of officers, was sent to the locality, but the men had disappeared. Another report came from Fairview street near the ship yard at the lower end of the Eighth ward that suspicious-looking persons were hanging about the neighborhood, but no one could be found there when the officers arrived.
Say Bandit Hunt Points to Marine
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden Police Grow More Positive, Connecting Thallman With Hold-Up
Hat Found at Scene May Prove a Clue—State Sleuths Very Busy on the Case
The Camden police are growing more positive in their belief that William Thallman, who escaped from League Island Navy Yard and whose house at Riverside was found to be stocked with plunder, could throw some light on the recent hold-up at Pavonia.
According to the police, Thallman lived in Camden for several years under an assumed name. His home is said to have been luxuriously furnished and he seemed to be well supplied with money about the time several robberies were committed in North Philadelphia. He was caught looting a bulk window of a store and was convicted and sentenced to the Eastern Penitentiary inside of forty-eight hours.
City Detectives Hart and Painter were at work all day yesterday on clues that might lead to the detection of Thallman’s whereabouts, but little or nothing had resulted up to a late hour last night.
Hat May Give Clue
Amos Fowler, a bridge tender at the State street bridge, East Side, early last evening found a derby hat in a ditch on the north side of State street near River avenue, that the authorities believe was dropped by the bandits in their hasty departure. The hat is an expensive derby and contains the letter “A.” Bridgetender Till says he has a slight recollection that one of the bandits who held a revolver at his head while he was being robbed wore a derby hat just about the style of the one found by Fowler.
Since the exploit of the bandits Camden residents have been going armed on the streets at night. Revolvers, blackjacks and other weapons are concealed in many a pocket. Everyone who walks about without apparent aim is looked upon with suspicion, and the police are at once notified. The telephone wires at night are kept hot with such messages.
The Hungarian taken to the Camden City Hall from Cloverdale by William F. Miller, Sunday, is believed to have been the victim of a holdup Saturday night. The man cannot speak English, but from what the police could learn from him he was attacked on Mt. Ephraim avenue by three men and relieved of $450, a lifetime’s savings.
Chemical Engine Driver Thrown on Fence
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Peter Carter, driver of the Kaighn avenue chemical engine, met with a peculiar accident while responding to an alarm of fire at 1005 Mt. Ephraim avenue. While descending the hill the rear wheels of the engine began to slide and crashed into a barbed wire fence. Carter was thrown from his seat and lodged on top of the fence. He was released a minute later and escaped with a few scratches.
Gang of Cracksmen Dynamite Two Safes
Camden Post-Telegram —
Office of the City Line Lumber Company Was This Morning the Scene of Operations by Robbers for the Second Time Within a Month.
Took Trouble for Nothing
For the second time in a month, the office of the City Line Brick and Lumber Company, at Ferry avenue and White Horse pike, was visited by safe blowers this morning.
Shortly after 2 o’clock dwellers a block away from the office were awakened by the noise of two explosions. No one could learn the cause, and they retired again to their beds.
This morning the boy who opens the office of the company found everything topsy turvy and both safes damaged, one utterly wrecked and the other battered, but still holding its contents.
There are two rooms in the office, which is a one-story frame building, and in the rear room was a large safe. This the burglars succeeded in opening but found nothing to reward them. The smaller safe withstood the explosion and was intact save for the hole about the knob.
Both doors of the large safe were blown off and the floor of the safe torn. How the building escaped destruction from the force of the explosion is a mystery.
A pick and a chisel were left by the visitors. These are clues that will hardly lead to the capture of the burglars, and the company has little hope of the police finding them.
Money was the object of the visit for nothing was taken from the building. In the small safe was a small amount of money. Since the attempt a month ago, to blow open a safe in the same office no money of any account has been kept there.
When informed of the safe blowing Chief of Police Gravenor detailed Detective John Painter to look it up, but no clue could be obtained as to the perpetrators outside of the fact that the somewhat distant neighbors had been aroused from sleep by the roar of the explosion, and saw two men running down the railroad tracks.
Detective Painter made an examination of the wrecked safe and found that dynamite had been used in blowing open the safe. No plunder was obtained.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Boy Ball Player Killed in Fight With His Chum
Had Quarreled Over Matter of False Note at Mandolin Concert
DIED IN PATROL AFTER A BEATING
Two Associates of Victim Fled to Camden, But Were Soon in Custody of Police
WILLIAM PFROMMER. WALTER BRYEN. —Photos by Sherman, Camden.
A boyish quarrel over a musical note on Thursday night last had a tragic sequel yesterday when three Camden boys came to blows at Twelfth and Spring Garden streets and, one received injuries from which he died soon afterwards at the Hahnemann Hospital. His two companions fled, but were later arrested in Camden.
Before last Thursday night the three boys, Robert Beasley, aged 15 years, of 321 Birch street, Camden; Walter Bryen, aged 17 years, of 206 Milton street, Camden, and William Pfrommer, aged 17 years, of 634 Point street, Camden, were close friends. They were members of the Stirling Mandolin and Guitar Club, of Camden, and their mutual fondness for music made them almost inseparable.
In athletics as well as in music their tastes were alike. They played base ball together, went rowing or sailing in the same boat or vied with one another in various other tests of strength and skill. That their friendship, which had invariably been characterized by so marked a spirit of good fellowship, should have terminated so tragically, entirely surprised those who knew them.
Quarreled Over Note
The three boys were employed at the establishment of the Haines, Jones and Cadbury Company, dealers in plumbers’ materials, at 1136 Ridge avenue. Young Beasley, the one to lose his life, owed his position to Pfrommer, and yet it was with Pfrommer that he quarreled over what seemed to those who were present a most trivial matter. The Stirling Mandolin and Guitar Club took part in a musical entertainment in Camden on last Thursday night. Several times they received encores for the lively airs they played, and when they finally retired from the stage the thought of an impending quarrel was remote from their minds. As they prepared to leave a dispute arose abruptly between young Beasley and Pfrommer as to whether there had not been a false note played by one or the other while one of the airs was being rendered.
According to a statement made by Pfrommer to the police last night, young Beasley left him and the others in an angry frame of mind. Pfrommer says the boy evidently harbored resentment against him, for a mutual acquaintance brought him word on Friday night that Beasley was awaiting an opportunity to thrash him. For the first time since they had known one another the two boys worked side by side without a friendly glance or a kindly utterance directed toward each other.
First Rumors of Fight
But yesterday morning, according to Pfrommer, and his statement is corroborated by that of young Bryen, Beasley still showed no disposition to make peace with his former friend. Bryen’s sympathies were with Pfrommer in the matter.
Before noon, the hour at which the employes of the Haines, Jones and Cadberry [sic] Company quit work on Saturday, it had become circulated in the establishment that Beasley and Pfrommer were going to fight it out. Not long after the noon hour and while the employes of the establishment were still pouring into Ridge avenue, Beasley and Pfrommer came face to face at Twelfth street, Pfrommer claims that Beasley struck the first blow. They came to blows, however, and Beasley proved himself the better with his fists than his opponent. According to Bryen he watched the two boys battling until Pfrommer’s face was badly cut and one of his eyes closed. Then he says he interefered [sic], whereupon Beasley turned on him. While Pfrommer sat down upon a curb-stone to recover from his exertions and the effect of the blows he had received Beasley, fighting gamely, showered blows upon Bryen. But the latter was fresher and his opponent was almost exhausted. Suddenly a blow from one of Bryen’s fists sent young Beasley reeling backward. His head struck the ground and when it became apparent that he was unconscious Pfrommer and Bryen fled. Both say that they had no idea that his condition was serious.
It was at one o’clock that young Beasley fell to the ground. Two minutes later the police of the Tenth and Buttonwood streets station had set in motion machinery of the law that within half an hour gave warning to every police district in this city and to the Camden police of the escape of Pfrommer and Bryen and put detectives on their trail.
Died in Patrol Wagon
At two minutes after 1 o’clock Policeman William Devine rang for a patrol wagon that was to be young Beasley’s death bed. He died just as it reached the Hahnemann Hospital. In the meanwhile Lieutenant Ewing, Sergeant Austin and Special Policeman McClain had obtained a description of the fugitives, and before 1.30 o’clock House Sergeant Bisbing was flashing it, with a report of the tragedy, to the Electrical Bureau and the office of Superintendent of Police Taylor.
Before 2 o’clock Sergeant Auston [sic], Special Policeman McClain and detectives of the Central Office were on their way to Camden. With the co-operation of the Camden police and the aid of James McDonald, aged 15 years, of 1523 North Twenty-fourth street, and Theodore Forgeng, aged 15 years, of 1223 North Twenty-fifth street, who had witnessed the fatal fight, Pfrommer and Bryen were soon taken into custody. Each still wore the uniform of the Peerless Base Ball Club, of Camden, of which both were crack members. They had on this uniform when they came to blows with young Beasley.
From Bryen’s mother it was learned that he went to see a base ball game at River avenue and State street, East Camden. Detectives Moffett, Hart and Painter, of the Camden police, with Special Policeman McClain and the boys went there. Bryen is acquainted with Detective Moffett, and as soon as he saw the sleuth he surrendered himself. Bryen then took the policeman to the house of Pfrommer’s brother-in-law, at Twenty-ninth street and Garfield avenue, where Pfrommer was found.
After being told of Beasley’s death he expressed a willingness to go to headquarters and tell all he knew.
In the presence of the detectives, Sergeant Austin informed the boys they were charged with a serious offense, and that, while they did not have to talk, he would like them to make a statement as to just what had occurred, at the same time warning them what was said would be used against them. Both boys made statements which Sergeant Austin reduced to writing.
Boy Accused of Firing a House
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Police Say Lad Told Them He Wanted to See Engines Run in South Camden
Twelve-year-old Elmer Calloway, of Seventh street and Cherrier place, Camden, was arrested last night by Detective Painter on a charge of having set fire to the residence of Mrs. Margaret Lubbock, 1018 Newton avenue. The front of the dwelling was discovered in flames early yesterday morning. The firemen made quick work of the blaze and on investigating found that the flames had been started under the step in a pile of oil-soaked rags.
Suspicion was at first directed to several young men who had been seen loitering in the vicinity of the house shortly before the fire broke out, but on being taken into custody last night young Calloway is said to have confessed to having fired the house. He told the police that he did it to see the fire horses run. He implicates a 10-year-old companion.
Many Robberies Keep Police Busy
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Transom Burglar Loots Another Saloon at Twentieth and Market
Men Arrested in Crowded Department Store Are Held for Trial, as Is Also Alleged Pickpocket
The “transom burglar,” who has been robbing saloons recently, gained entrance early yesterday morning to the saloon of Andrew Breslin, Twentieth and Market streets, and carried away several bottles of liquor and cigars valued at $6.50. The robber climbed in through a transom, his usual way, and escaped with his plunder without being seen.
The residence of Peter Arne, rear of 832 North Third street, was invaded by a sneak thief who stole a watch and $7 in cash.
A gold locket and chain, a gold bracelet and silver handbag were stolen from the residence of Sarah Miller, 555 North Sixth street.
Daniel Hickey and James Brown, of Chalfont avenue, Atlantic City, arrested on Friday on the charge of stealing raincoats from a Market street department store, were held in $500 bail for trial by Magistrate Scott yesterday. It was testified that the prisoners were leaving the store when discovered by an employe, who detained them until Detective Wheeler arrived. Each of the men, according to the detective, had a raincoat concealed beneath his clothing.
Shoppers See Arrest
The arrest of the prisoners was witnessed by a crowd of shoppers. Bates was identified by Detective Scanlin as a man arrested in 1897 on a charge of picking pockets. From that time until Friday the local police had lost trace of him.
Howard Lacey, of Seventh street above Callowhill, who, according to Detective Stanwood, has been arrested several times, was held on a charge of attempting to rob Harold Balbirnie, a druggist of 4800 Westminster avenue. Balbirnie and his wife returned to the city on Friday evening on a trip to New York, and while they were standing in front of the Reading Terminal waiting for a westbound Market street car the druggist felt a tug at his pocket.
He noticed Lacey standing nearby, and suspecting him of being a thief, ordered him away. The man walked away, but returned unnoticed. Balbirnie again felt some one at his pocket, and while deliberating as to what to do his wife seized Lacey and he was held until the arrival of a policeman. Lacey did not have anything to say in his defense.
Battles Police on Roof
In trying to escape arrest on Friday evening Frank Eldridge, a negro, suspected of many house robberies in Camden, fled to the roof of a house on Goncha place, Sixth and Lombard streets, and struggled with Policemen Smith and Guthridge, of the Third district, and Detective Painter, of Camden, who came to the city to arrest him. After a battle of fifteen minutes, during which one of the policemen narrowly escaped falling from the housetop, the negro was overpowered and taken to Camden for trial.
Accused of being implicated in the theft of napkins, silverware and other articles from the nurses’ dining room of the Jefferson Hospital, William Crowley, a negro, of 613 South Juniper street, was arrested and held in $800 bail by Magistrate Rooney for another hearing on Tuesday. A gold watch and chain and a gold ring belonging to Dr. E. L. Hastings, of the hospital staff, were also stolen from the physician’s room at the institution.
Fred Speise, of Seventy-eighth and Island road, arrested on the charge of stealing a horse belonging to Dr. McClernon, of 2636 Federal street, was held in $600 bail by Magistrate Harris for a further hearing on Wednesday.
Court Dismisses Gambling Charge
Camden Post-Telegram —
Eli Johnson and Those Caught in Raid Are Freed by Recorder.
THIRTY-ONE TAKEN IN TWO DESCENTS
It was late yesterday afternoon when the hearings in the raids in two alleged disorderly houses in South Camden, made early on Sunday morning by Captain Stanley, Sergeant Nowrey and details of police, were concluded in Police Court.
In the case of Eli Johnson, colored, charged with conducting a gambling house at 307 Spruce street, Recorder Stackhouse found him not guilty and discharged the defendant and the persons captured in the raid. Lawyer William P. Walsh represented Johnson.
Daniel Bussey, a negro, was charged with being the principal at 829 Locust street, but the testimony showed that he was but one of a colored social and beneficial club which held forth at that place.
Recorder Stackhouse therefore fined Bussey and the fourteen others caught in the raid $3 each. All paid.
An amusing attempt of a negro to escape lent a touch of merriment to the descent on the Locust street house. Hearing the pattering of shoe leather on the cellar steps, Detective Painter got a lamp and descended into the dungeon-like darkness and in a far corner of the cellar, loking [sic] as if he were trying to squeeze himself through a crack in the angle of the wall, was found hiding a terrified young negro.
“Come out of that mister corner man,” said Painter shading the lamp with his hand. “What’s you doing in there”
“I didn’t run out the back way,” explained the prisoner, “because I was scared of de dawg.”
One of the negroes caught in the raid at 829 Locust street is Walter Edgerton, now aged 52 years, a former famous prize fighter known as the “Kentucky Rosebud,” who has been living in South Camden for some time. A couple of years ago Edgerton figured in a sensational case in the Philadelphia courts in his desperate but futile efforts to retain possession of a white baby whom he had adopted and on whom he lavished the finest clothing and luxuries which money could buy.
No liquor was found at either of the places raided. In fact it was not alleged that they were speak-easies but gambling houses. No gaming paraphernalia was found at 307 Spruce street.
At 829 Locust street, the police copped a crap table and four big bloodhued bones. Captain Stanley resurrected the cubes from the depths of a coal basket in the second-story front room where they had been shoved and shuffled up when the police were heard approaching.
Coursey Breaks Down While Story of Cold-Blooded Killing of Karl Kellmann Is Told by Detective
Camden Post-Telegram —
Two “Pals,” Too, Accused of Crime
Harry Duffield. Fred. Coursey. Linnans Staley.
Trio Accused of Murder, Coursey Firing the Shots.
Collapsing when arraigned in Police Court this morning before Recorder Stackhouse on the charge of killing Karl Kellmann, aged 18 years, of 2919 High street, at Twenty-seventh and Sherman streets, shortly before midnight Saturday, Fred Coursey, alias “Mexican Pete,” alias “Cowboy Pete,” aged 20 years, of 121 North Twenty-first street, who admits firing the fatal shots while committing robbery, and Harry Duffield, aged 21 years, of 407 North Forty-first street, who acknowledged masking his face with a handkerchief and being with Coursey, sobbed piteously, resting their heads on the railing of the dock, while John Painter, the veteran detective, was briefly reciting the story.
When Recorder Stackhouse asked what became of the young man who was shot and Painter replied that he died, Coursey and Duffield sobbed afresh, and when Recorder Stackhouse committed them without bail Policemen Frost and Kay had to help them.
Linnans Staley, aged 21 years, of 1819 Federal street, who confessed that he was in the robbery plot but later got scared and hid in the bushes, was scarcely able to stand, and when his mother broke down as he was committed as a principal he staggered and would have fallen but for Sergeant McClong.
Prosecutor Boyle announced this morning that the Grand Jury will be recalled for Thursday of this week and the case will be made the special order of the day.
Without the slightest clue to start with in the most brutal murder committed in recent years in Camden county, police and detectives under the personal direction of Chief Gravenor in two hours arrested two of the three prisoners and obtained their signatures to confessions and before sunrise the other was lodged behind the bars at the City Hall.
According to their statements to the police the prisoners while drinking on a lot near Twenty-first and Federal streets on Saturday night planned to go to a lone spot near Twenty-seventh and Sherman streets to hold someone up to get money and jewelry to buy more drink. Coursey had a 38-calibre cowboy pistol and Duffield used Coursey’s bandanna as a mask. Staley weakened before the spot selected was reached and at the time of the murder was hiding in a clump of weeds a short distance away.
The murdered boy was the son of Karl and Lulu D. Kellmann. He was a member of the Bible class of Grace Presbyterian Church, East Side, and active in church work.
Saturday night was the closing of a carnival given on High street between Twenty-seventh and Thirtieth streets. Karl was there and made several purchases. At one booth he bought a necktie, from another some ice cream and a box of candy and spent some time conversing with the young ladies connected with the church.
When it grew rather late he noticed that Misses Bertha and Bessie Skillen, of 815 North Thirty-fourth street, the latter a teacher in Grace Church Sunday-school, were without an escort and he volunteered to see them home. They accepted his invitation to be their escort. He saw them safely home and he was on his way back and had reached a point on the east side of Twenty-seventh street south of Sherman street and near the foot of the bridge that spans the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks when two men jumped out from behind a tree and as one commanded him to hold up his hands the other began to shoot.
The first shot struck him in the breast and turned him partially around. The next ploughed a hole through his neck, knocking him down, and the third went wide.
Screaming for help he tried to rise to his feet and was on his knees when Night Yardmaster Albert Ludlow and Brakeman Joseph Wittick, who were on the opposite side of the bridge, ran to his assistance. By the light of their lanterns they saw that he was seriously hurt and they took him to ’Squire Sasse’s house nearby to await the arrival of the ambulance. As the railroaders sped across the bridge Ludlow saw a man run down the tracks in the direction of Seventeenth street.
In the signal tower at Pavonia station known as C. B. the operator, Thomas Sink, heard the shots and cries for help and ’phoned to Captain James at Police Headquarters that a murder had been committed. Sink also saw a man run down through the weeds and bushes on the east side of the bridge toward the railroad tracks.
Policeman Hurlock and Schmid, ’Squire and Mrs. Sasse and several others were out on the street before the railroad men reached the Sasse home and all hurried to ’phones to notify police headquarters.
In less than five minutes by use of the red light system Captain James had every officer on duty on the East Side hurrying to the scene, officers stationed at every bridge, ferry house and railroad terminal, and the downtown auto with Detectives Schregler, Painter, Brothers and Moffett on its way to East Camden.
On information from the railroad men Sergeant Horner took all the East Side officers and the four detectives and they worked westward among the cars while Captain James started Policemen Colsey and Kelly to walk eastward from Fifteenth street until they met the main body.
The search proved fruitless and as they returned to the bridge one of the men picked up a green bandanna with yellow spots and sheep burrs embeded [sic] on it on the incline near the signal tower. Later he recalled that the man who went down the slope wore a Khaki shirt and cap.
The handkerchief was recognized as the kind used by “Indian Bill” May, and Detectives Brothers and Policeman Abbott were sent to arrest him. They found May and Eugene Cafferty asleep in a moving van in Marlton avenue. “Indian Bill” soon established an alibi.
Detective Schregler and a couple of officers who were sure that the description of the man with the khaki shirt tallied with Duffield started for his brother’s house, but failed to find him there. About this time the downtown auto turned into Twenty-seventh street to get Karl’s father, mother and sister and take them to the hospital. Councilman Finkeldey and a friend shouted to the crew that a woman was down and out on a step nearby, but the crew yelled back that they were on an emergency run and the woman would keep until they returned. Fireman J. H. Vickers walked across the street to investigate and found that the supposed woman was Duffield and that he seemed to be asleep.
Vickers shook him and as he got up he said something about the shooting that aroused Vickers’ curiosity and he ’phoned to Police Headquarters. Captain James immediately notified Chief Gravenor, who was on the scene and the latter sent Detective Moffett to investigate. When Moffett arrived he learned that Duffield had taken a Westfield avenue car. Moffett returned to the bridge and he and Detective Painter and Chief Gravenor took the down-town auto for Duffield’s home.
Painter went to the front door and saw Duffield in the act of taking off his shoes. Moffett in going around to the back door to prevent his escape that way passed by the window at which Duffield was sitting.
Grasping Duffield by the collar Moffett pulled him through the window to the ground. As soon as he landed on his feet, according to the Chief and detectives, Duffield said that Coursey did the shooting.
Placing him in the auto they next drove close to Coursey’s home and with Policeman Potter who knew the man wanted, the detectives entered the house with drawn revolvers while other officers guarded all avenues of escape.
Coursey was found akwake [sic] on a cot and while he was covered with revolvers Detective Painter searched his trunk and found the weapon that he later admitted using. It was empty. The detectives late yesterday afternoon found three used shells adjoining the house near a spot where Coursey said he had thrown them.
In order to keep the men apart they were taken to the City Hall separately and questioned and after they decided to tell all Sergeant E. B. McClong reduced their statements to writing and they signed them. It was on the strength of these statements that Staley was arrested.
Young Kellmann was taken into the hospital at 12.20 a. m. Chief Surgeon Schellenger saw at a glance that there was no hope for him and so notified Captain James, and Sergeant McClong was sent to the hospital to get all information possible.
The unfortunate youth could only speak a few words at a time because of the hemorrhages. All Sergeant McClong was able to get from him was that he was told to hold up his hands and that the shooting instantly began. The only description he could give was that they were small men and that the attack was so sudden that he could not tell whether they were black or white.
The injured young man kept asking the doctors if he was going to die, but they did not answer. He was conscious when his father and mother arrived and then sank rapidly until the end, dying at 1.50 o’clock, 90 minutes after he was admitted. Mother and father were prostrated and were taken home by the up-town auto.
County Physician Jones conducted the autopsy yesterday morning. He said that either wound would have caused death. The bullet in the breast pierced the right lung at the top and lodged in the cavity. It is now in the doctor’s possession. The other bullet went clear through the neck.
Coursey and Duffield have been working in the Pavonia car yard. The former was born in El Paso, Texas, but has lived East nearly all his life. He is an expert shot and was a member of the vaudeville team of Coursey & Cook, according to their letter heads presenting a fifteen-minute thriller.
Duffield was only recently paroled for robbing Gallagher’s saloon, Nineteenth and Federal streets of a lot of drinkables. Staley has been arrested several times on petty charges but was never convicted of crime. When Duffield’s coat was examined at the City Hall, it was found to contain sheep burrs.
To a reporter Coursey said that whenever he was drinking he had to get his gun and shoot something or somebody. He insisted that all were in on the job and that they let the man who preceded Kellman go over the bridge without molestation because he didn’t look as if he had any too much money.
Yesterday morning Assistant Prosecutor Wolverton and Stenographer Cleary called at the City Hall. The prisoners were examined by Mr. Wolverton and their statements taken by Mr. Cleary, but there was little or nothing new elicited.
Four Young Men Said to Have Confessed Thefts
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Said to have confessed to robbing their employers, the S. C. Childs Company, Charles Young, 26 years old, of 233 Beckett street; John Cross, 26 years old, of 225 Sycamore street; John Thompson, 26 years old, of 116 Mt. Vernon street, and Francis J. Bunker, 36 years old, of 1018 South Second street, were arrested in Camden yesterday by Detective Painter and held in $500 bail each by Recorder Stackhouse. A woman is also said to have been implicated, but on account of having several small children she was not prosecuted.
All four of the defendants were employed by the company in its large warehouse at the foot of Walnut street, and it is alleged by the police that they schemed to steal and dispose of provisions stored at that place. The complaint against them was made by George R. Pelouze, treasurer of the concern.
Haggerty Missed Kellmann’s Fate
Camden Post-Telegram —
Carman Street Man Passed Youth’s Slayers Shortly Before the Murder.
SPOKE TO DUFFIELD ON RAILROAD BRIDGE
Through the efforts of Detectives Painter and Moffett the identity of the man who crossed the railroad bridge at Twenty-seventh street just previous to the murder of Karl Kellmann on Saturday night has been established.
He is William Haggerty, of 2806 Carman street.
In their signed confessions Duffield and Coursey said that soon after reaching the bridge, bent on robbery, a man aproached [sic] but they decided not to hold him up. A few minutes later Kellmann came along and the killing followed.
According to Mr. Haggerty’s statement he had been visiting friends near the river front and was on his way home. As he approached the bridge he saw two men acting suspiciously and as he drew nearer he decided to be on the alert.
As he came up to them he saw that one of them was Duffield and after speaking to him pleasantly went on without being interfered with. The detectives are also investigating a rumor to the effect that prior to the murder the three young men attempted to hold up a railroad man on the lots near Twenty-seventh and Saunders streets.
Yesterday afternoon a young woman found a 38 calibre cartridge alongside of the house where Coursey lived and within a few feet of the spot where the three empty shells from Coursey’s gun were thrown. It was turned over to Detective Brothers.
More Witnesses in Kellmann Murder
Camden Post-Telegram —
Police Find Two Other Men Who Met Slayers at the Bridge.
ONE CONVERSED WITH DUFFIELD
Two more important witnesses in the Karl Kellmann murder case, according to Chief of Police Gravenor, were located yesterday by Detectives Painter and Moffett and Policeman Abbott.
Berthold Neuman, of 2813 High street, it is stated, crossed the bridge at Twenty-seventh street, a short time before the murder and saw two men acting suspiciously. He had not gone far before he heard what later proved to be pistol shots, but at the time he thought the noise was caused by the explosion of signal torpedoes on the tracks.
Great stress is laid on the importance of the statements of Stewart Dahm, a railroad man, of 2303 Mickle street. According to Chief Gravenor Dahm, while crossing the lots near Twenty-sixth street and the railroad heard some one say “Let’s get the — — —“ and an instant later he was confronted by William Duffield, one of the three men held for murder.
It is claimed that at that time, Coursey, alias “Cowboy Pete,” with his pistol plainly visible, and Staley were but a short distance away. Acording [sic] to the written police report Dahm said he answered Duffield by saying “Oh, you’re drunk again,” and Duffield and the others immediately left in the direction of the bridge.
Hold Burlington Man for Larceny
Philadelphia Inquirer —
HOLD BURLINGTON MAN FOR LARCENY
A fugitive since June 2, on a charge of the larceny of a pair of opera glasses, a silver watch, and other articles of jewelry from Mrs. Harriett Reynolds, of 729 Grant street, whose brother befriended him when he was sick and out of work, John Harris, aged 35 years, of Burlington, was apprehended on Saturday afternoon by Detective John Painter.
In Police Court to-day Harris pleaded not guilty.
Recorder Stackhouse, however, after hearing Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds testify that on the day he disappeared, he was detected in the act of stealing a gold watch belonging to Mr. Reynolds, and that that very night he skipped out, held him in $500 bail to answer.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Named: John Painter, John Brothers, and Stella McCurdy.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Named: Kate Maney, Mrs. Mary Cassady, John Painter, John Brothers, Fairview Street, and Kenwood Avenue.
Wilson Ashbridge and George E. Thompson
Camden Post-Telegram —
WILSON ASHBRIDGE — GEORGE E. THOMPSON
Murderer and Forger Escape Jail After Shooting Keepers, Killing One
Camden Post-Telegram —
Wilson Ashbridge, Who Shot and Killed Mrs. Elizabeth Dunbar and George E. Thompson, Check Swindler, Trap Jailor Hibbs by a Ruse and After Slaying Him Shoot Joe Ellis Who Intercepted Them in Flight.
Used Revolver Smuggled Into Prison by Confederates and Leave Jail Wide Open in Their Flight, a General Delivery Being Averted by Police Who Were Summoned by the Wounded Men.
Murdering one jailor and wounding another with a revolver that had been smuggled into them by outside confederates, Wilson T. Ashbridge, slayer of Mrs. Elizabeth Dunbar, and Francis Murphy, alias George E. Thompson, a check forger, made their escape from the county jail a few minutes before seven o’clock last night.
Ashbridge with his wife was caught at noon in the Keystone Hotel in Chester PA where they registered at one o’clock this morning.
Thompson is still at liberty but from the confident manner of Prosecutor Kraft his early arrest seems assured.
The murdered jailor was Isaac Hibbs, aged 65 years of 913 South 8th Street. The wounded keeper is Joseph Ellis, aged 45 years, of 416 Carteret Street. Shot twice, he is in Cooper Hospital. His condition today is very satisfactory.
Thompson, who is 41 years old, forged a check for $650 which he gave to V.M. Fulton as part of the purchase price of an automobile. The forgery was discovered before the deal was completed and his arrest followed on June 8. he also passed a forged check for $15 on State Motor Vehicle Agent Kraft. He, too, was awaiting trial. In spite of the positive evidence against him Thompson had spurned all efforts to have him plead guilty and it is now believed that he was sparring for time while hatching a plan to escape. He is no doubt the master mind.
R.L. Hunter, a farmer of Bensalem Township, Bucks County PA, about four miles above Torresdale, reported to the Philadelphia police the morning that he had seen a man answering Ashbridge’s description on the Bucks Road at daylight. The man asked the way to Riegelsville.
According to Hunter, the man was dressed in a dark suit, and had no hat. His clothing was wet. Hunter did not see anything suspicious in his actions, and after giving him directions, they parted.
Upon seeing the paper with a picture of Ashbridge, the farmer was struck by its resemblance to the man with whom he had talked. He hurried to Tacony and notified the police.
The State police, who patrol that section of the county, and who have an office at Langhorne, were immediately notified as were the surrounding towns.
The shootings took place in different parts of the jail. Hibbs was murdered in the exercise room just outside the cell room on the Sixth and Arch corner of the building. Ellis was shot down in the corridor just outside the Market Street end of the building when he heroically grappled with Ashbridge after the latter had pointed a gun at his head. In spite of his wounds Ellis dragged himself to a telephone and after notifying Police Headquarters of what had happened he collapsed.
Only one of the two bullets is still in Ellis. It entered the groin on the right side and is buried in the muscles of the leg, having taken a downward course for seven or eight inches. The other bullet struck Ellis in the right breast and came out in the left breast, traversing the upper fleshy parts of the body.
Hibbs was almost instantaneously killed by a bullet that went within an inch of his heart, producing a hemorrhage. The bullet was extracted this morning from the body early this morning in an autopsy performed at the morgue by County Physician Stem. In spite of the fact that it is pretty well established that three shots were fires in the attack on Hibbs, only one of the bullets took effect.
“But it makes little difference which of the two men handled the gun” said Prosecutor Kraft this morning. “Both are equally guilty of this murder and what we are concerned about now is the recapture of the gunmen.” Mr. Kraft added that it his purpose to examine all of the prisoners in that part of the jail where Hibbs was murdered to determine fully who fired the fatal shot.
The escape had been carefully planned and timed to the minute. Of course the desperate prisoners were aided by confederates on the outside and it is the general belief that a high powered motor car was in waiting for them not far from the jail. They are known to have been in possession of money and openly boasted yesterday that it was their intention to leave the prison last night. These boasts were made to two young ladies connected with a religious organization who called on the two men yesterday to offer spiritual reconciliation. The girls are frequent visitors to the jail and naturally their efforts at evangelization were directed in the main toward Ashbridge, because of the fact that he was accused of murder. These girls, whose identity officials will not disclose, were closeted with Prosecutor Kraft until one o’clock this morning. Both declared that on their visit yesterday they were told by Ashbridge and Thompson that it was the last day they expected to spend in jail.
“We are going to get away from here tonight and we’ve got money to help us after we are out ” said Ashbridge, who further told the girls he had considerable cash sewed up in the waistband of his trousers. The girls begged the prisoners not to do anything that would cause them more trouble and they told the Prosecutor that Ashbridge and Thompson promised them that they would not make any effort to escape. In their talks with the girls neither of the prisoners said a word that would indicate that they would kill if necessary to escape. The full force of their boast did not dawn on the religious workers and for this reason it never occurred to them to inform the Sheriff of what the prisoners had in said.
A general jail delivery of at least all the men confined in what is known as the untried department, where the two were held, was only averted by the prompt arrival of the police on their beat, which was made easy by means of the keys taken from the prostrate body of Hibbs. Ashbridge and Thompson left all of the doors open and the vanguard of the inrushing police found the prisoners swarming all over the corridors on the east side of the prison. In the wild excitement following the double shooting and escape none else thought of freedom and a checking up of the inmates after they had been herded in the exercise room of the untried department accounted for all but the fugitive slayers.
The department, in which the two men were confined is the same one which William Brown and Charles Berger made their sensational escape several years ago by sawing away the bars on the Federal Street front of the jail. Thrilling as it was, the former escape was insignificant in comparison with last night’s tragic event.
With the full force of the keepers out of the way— one dead and the other suffering from gunshot wounds at first supposed to have been fatal— Ashbridge and Thompson had nothing between them and freedom but the door entering from the spiral stairway leading to the narrow entrance of the Sixth and Market Streets end of the Court House. With the keys taken from Hibbs they opened the door and in a few seconds were breathing the free air. It was still daylight when the daring murderers walked from the building and although they were no doubt seen by some of the scores of persons passing it is certain that they managed to control themselves to such an extent as not to arouse any undue suspicion. The exit they used to escape is that used by the general public and therefore persons passing calmly in and out of the door would not in any manner be thought to have been connected with a jail delivery. However the shots which had laid low the keepers had been plainly heard on all four sides of the building and it is strange that no one has yet been found who can give positive information as to what course the fleeing men took and whether they were aided in their flight by an automobile.
While the police and detectives of Camden and all other cities in the East are watching railroad terminals, steamship lines, and all other avenues of travel in response to the general alarm sent out last night, Prosecutor Kraft is bending all his energies to learn who smuggled in the revolver which the fugitives used. Thus far this feature of the case is as complete a mystery as it was last night. Mr. Kraft and Sheriff Haines are satisfied, however, that only one gun was used for both shootings. It was at first thought that each man had a pistol when they left the jail; that one of them armed himself with the gun that Hibbs was supposed to have carried, but it was determined that Hibbs was not armed when he went into the jail last night. There was no occasion for him to come in contact with any of the prisoners and for that reason he left his revolver in his desk in the office. Even had he carried it he would have little chance to use it, so cold-bloodedly was he slain as he unsuspectingly fell into the trap laid for him by the desperate gunmen. There is also some conflict as to how at least one of the fugitives was dressed. Alfred Williams, who witnessed the murder of Hibbs, said that Ashbridge was without coat or hat when he dashed out of the cell-room, and that Thompson carried his coat and hat under his arm. However in a description of the two men given at the Prosecutor’s office it was set forth that Ashbridge wore a blue serge suit and a checkered cap. The coat that he is supposed to have taken bore the mark of “Tull— the Tailor,” of Jacksonville, Florida, and had been borrowed by him from another prisoner. He wore tan shoes. Ashbridge is 27 years old, 5 feet 7-1/2 inches in height and weighs 137 pounds. He has brown hair, smooth face and is of light complexion.
Thompson wore a brown suit and a Panama hat. He is 41 years old 5 feet seven inches in height, and weighs 175 pounds. He has brown bushy hair, is minus one of the fingers on his left hand, and is light complexioned.
The tan shoes worn by Ashbridge were also borrowed from one of the prisoners. He got them on Saturday and remarked that he wanted to look neat.
Keepers Ellis and Hibbs were reading in the prison office last evening when Hibbs glanced up at the clock and noticed that it was a few minutes of seven. “Joe, I’m going back and put the boys in their cells,” he said to Ellis and with his keys in his hand he started for the cell room in the untried department. A thirty foot long corridor runs from the office to the barred and grated door opening into the department in which the cells are situated. This department is about the size of three ordinary school rooms and in the southeastern corner of the jail are the cells, in two tiers.
Around the cells is a three foot corridor into which all the cells doors open and in which all the prisoners are permitted to walk when they are not allowed out in the main room. When the inmates are ordered into their cells and their doors closed the doors are locked from the outside of the steel cage by means of a lever worked by the jailor. Thus every cell door can be made secure without the keepers coming into actual contact with the prisoners. In addition to the bars around the corridor fronting on the double tier of cells there is a fine mesh heavy wire screening.
As Hibbs approached the lever which is operated to shut the cell doors after the prisoners have retired from the corridors, Ashbridge was leaning against the grating of his cell, Number 18. Thompson was lounging a few feet away.
“Daddy, open the door, I want you to see this note,” said Ashbridge to the keeper, at the same time displaying a piece of paper which he had in his hand. Never giving a thought that he was about to perform an act that which was absolutely necessary for the carrying-out of the well laid plot, or that he was going to his doom, or was even in danger, “Daddy,” as the aged keeper was known to all the prisoners, opened the door without hesitation.
As he swung wide the big steel frame, Ashbridge quickly stepped out and the next instant was pressing a gun against the abdomen of the jailor.
“Throw up your hands, you ___ ___ ___” he commanded.
“What are you up to, what’s this mean,” asked the keeper, apparently not realizing he had been trapped.
For reply Thompson jumped out the door, wrenched the gun from Ashbridge’s grasp and with an oath began firing at Hibbs, who sank to the floor at the first shot. Only a few feet away and the only other person in the exercise room, although the shooting could have been seen by any other prisoners who had not retired to their cells, Alfred Williams, trusty, is emphatic in his assertion that Thompson fired the shot that killed Hibbs and that he fired three times.
“It’s a wonder they did not get me,” said Williams. “Ashbridge and I could not hit it and in his desperate mood I am surprised he didn’t kill me, too.” Williams, who has just completed a six months’ sentence for obtaining money from Italian grocers by falsely representing himself as an agent for a wholesale house in Chicago and who is wanted in the Windy City for the same offense, says the whole transaction took less than a minute and that the moves came so fast he and the other prisoners were powerless to aid.
“It was like a flash of lightning” said Williams, “and before I could fully understand what had happened Ashbridge had grabbed Daddy’s keys’ which had fallen to the floor, and was off like a deer for the barred door. Ashbridge had taken the smoking gun from Thompson, who had his hat and coat under his arm and who was right behind the other one.
“As they hurried through the door after Ashbridge had opened it with Daddy’s keys Daddy called to me to raise him. I put my arm under his head and lifted him slightly from the floor. ‘Hold my hands’ he said to me. I took hold of his hands and the next minute he died in my arms. Then I heard two more shots and I knew they got Joe Ellis.”
Startled by the shots, and he is emphatic there were three in rapid succession, Ellis leaped to his feet and without taking the time to arm himself ran from the office and turned into the corridor just as Ashbridge, wild-eyed and gun in his hand, came running toward him. Halting three yards away Ashbridge pointed the revolver at Ellis’ head and ordered him to throw up his hands.
For reply and without fear of himself the keeper dashed at the murderer and the next instant they were locked in each others’ embrace. Working loose the hand which held the gun, Ashbridge pulled the trigger. The bullet struck Ellis in the breast, but the wound was not sufficient to render him helpless. However, before he could grip the pistol arm, Ashbridge fired again and the keeper fell back with a bullet in his groin.
“The second shot got me,” said Ellis to Prosecutor Kraft and Assistant Prosecutor Butler at the hospital. “The first one wasn’t bad but my strength left me when the second bullet struck. Ashbridge was the only one I saw. I did not see Thompson.”
Dragging himself to the office Ellis managed to reach a telephone and called up the police.
“This is Ellis at the county jail; come quick. Ashbridge has shot me” he weakly said over the phone to Captain Hyde. Then the receiver fell from his hand and he dropped to the floor, but after a minute or two managed to climb into chair.
While patrol loads of policemen were being hurried to the Court House from the First and Second District station houses, Reserve Officer Charles Hose, on duty at Broadway and Federal Street, who had heard the shots, ran to the Court House and from the office of Assistant Custodian John Lack phoned up to the jail. Ellis managed to answer and in a few words told what had happened. They ran up to the jail and were admitted by Ellis, who was rapidly growing weaker from loss of blood, the trail of which plainly showed just where the injured keeper had moved.
“I guess Ashbridge got away and the jail is all open, you had better take care of the rest of the prisoners,” said Ellis to Hose and Lack. The fugitive-murderers had left all doors open and the other occupants of the untried department were swarming through the corridors. Their curses and yells and the shrieks and cries of the female prisoners had turned the place into a perfect bedlam. With the aid of other policemen who swarmed into the Court House like bees, the prisoners were soon herded into the exercise room, where Trusty Williams checked them up and accounted for all but Ashbridge and Thompson.
With the faint hope that the missing pair had not risked leaving the building but had secreted themselves in the structure, the courthouse was searched from pit to dome, but no trace of the men were found.
Detective Doran was the first of the Prosecutor’s staff to reach the scene. Mr. Kraft and the balance of the staff soon followed. In the lower end of the county, on official business, Sheriff Haines was reached by phone and Under Sheriff Hewitt was summoned from Pitman and until an early hour this morning the officials were in conference and examining numerous prisoners.
State Detective Walter Le Torneau furnished Prosecutor Kraft with a promising “tip” this morning when he learned that Thompson gave a letter to Freeholder Howard Marshall, of the Eighth Ward, to mail on Sunday. Mr. Marshall states that the letter was addressed to a woman by the name of Mrs. Shelton, in Baltimore MD.
Marshall was attending religious service in the jail when Thompson approached him.
“Put this in your pocket and mail it for me when you go out,” said Thompson to Mr. Marshall, who agreed to carry out the request. Dropping the letter in the mail box Marshall allowed the incident to pass without further notice.
Detective Le Torneau learned this morning that Marshall had spoken to the incident to a friend and the sleuth notified the Prosecutor. The tip will be run down the Prosecutor stated.
Funeral services for Hibbs will be held on Thursday from his late residence. The body will be taken to Langhorne PA where interment will be made in the Friends’ Cemetery under the direction of the Schroeder-Kephart Company. Services will be conducted Wednesday evening by Reverend Henry Bradway, pastor of the Eighth Street Methodist Episcopal Church.
POLICE QUICKLY AT WORK
Although the murderous prisoners made their escape, it was no fault of the local police department, which threw out a “dragnet system” that covered practically every outlet from the city. As soon as the call reached headquarters the red lights were flashing and every officer and detective who could be reached was sent out on the “man hunt” which was pursued with vigor.
Passing automobiles were pressed into service by the detectives and officers and all haste was made for the ferries, railroad yards, terminals, and trolley points. Citizens cooperated with the police in their efforts to run down the escaping prisoners.
Assistant Chief Hyde received the call from Jailor Ellis, who though wounded himself summoned strength enough to reach the phone.
“This is Jailor Ellis. Hibbs and me have been shot by that man Ashbridge and help quick!” was the startling message which came over the phone to Chief Hyde about one minute past seven.
It was just at the time the shifts were going on and off at the local station houses. Chief Hyde lost no time. He called to Machine Operator “Eddie” King to send the message to the station houses and flash the red lights. This was done and as fast as the men could run they covered the various points.
The auto patrols were dispatched with all hands to the Court House and the wounded men hurried to the hospital. Coroner Robert G. Schroeder reached the hospital as Hibbs and Ellis were being admitted and he took charge of the situation and got in touch with Prosecutor Kraft and County Physician Stem.
Detective Captain Schregler was hurriedly summoned, and his men were sent in all directions. Detective Brothers boarded a waiting automobile and a record run was made for the Federal Street ferry. Sergeant Humes was picked up and in four minutes after the call was received from Ellis Detective Brothers had the ferry covered.
Detectives Troncone, Painter and Murry and captain Schregler covered the Kaighn Avenue, Vine Street, and Cramer Hill ferry lines.
Detective Brothers got in touch with the Pennsylvania Railroad officials who put their detective force to work searching freight and passenger cars. The orders were sent out from the railroad office to stop and search every freight train. Dispatches were also sent to Trenton, Mount Holly, and Burlington and it was not long before the news of the atrocious deed had spread throughout the country and many distant places.
Trolley cars were stopped and searched by the police, but not the slightest trace could be found of the escaped prisoners. The police left nothing undone in the “man-hunt.”
When news of the affair spread through the city phone calls began to come in to headquarters. Over fifty persons called up to tell the police that they had seen the two men at various places. The “tips” were all run down but none materialized.
Officers Arthur Colsey and Theodore Guthrie, who were on their vacations, lent their aid to Chief Hyde. Policeman Colsey pressed his automobile into service and carried the police to various parts of the city.
Co-operating closely with Prosecutor Kraft’s detectives the city officials formed a combination which in nine times out of ten would have been successful, but the escaped men cleverly eluded their pursuers.
Assisted by Coroner Schroeder, County Physician Stem held a post mortem examination on Hibbs’ body. The bullet which caused the death was located in the region of the heart, It passed through the victim’s lung, causing a hemorrhage, which resulted in death. Following the examination the body was taken by the Schroeder-Kephart Company at the family’s orders to be prepared for burial.
ASHBRIDGE’S FIRST CRIME
The brutal crime for which Ashbridge stood indicted but untried was committed on the night of January 22 at Ninth and Market Streets. It developed that the murderer had followed his intended victim from the morning hours. He trailed her to the home of her sister, a Mrs. Meredith, of 911 Market Street, and laid in wait in the darkness of a building that fatal Saturday night.
Mrs. Dunbar came out of the house and stood on the northeast corner while waiting for a ferry-bound trolley car. She intended going to Sicklerville that night to visit her relatives. With her at the time was her 7-year-old daughter, Eleanor, and her father, Charles Dunbar. Ashbridge advanced toward the woman, who was startled when she saw him. She called to her father that she “didn’t want anything to do with Ashbridge.”
Before the father could interfere the young murderer whipped out a revolver and covered the father and the woman. He then struck the woman violently in the face with his fist and as she was reeling under the force of the brutal blow Ashbridge fired, the first bullet taking effect in the woman’s chest. The brutal murderer then stood over his prostrate victim and holding the revolver less than five inches from his victim’s body he pumped four more shots into her.
Policeman Howard Smith and Policeman Taylor were a square distant. Smith saw the entire proceedings and screamed at Ashbridge to stop shooting. A crowd quickly gathered and Dr. Maldeis, who lives nearby, came running to the scene to aid the stricken woman.
Officer Taylor espied Ashbridge in the crowd. The murderer made no effort to run, but stood his ground. Detecting the murderer trying to slip something up his sleeve, Taylor pounced upon him and bore him to the ground, at the same time taking the gun away from him and slipping the handcuffs over the murderer’s wrists. Policeman Taylor had to draw his revolver to keep back the large crowd that was threatening. Showing no concern whatever, Ashbridge calmly waited until the police auto arrived. In the meantime the murdered woman’s still warm body was placed in a “jitney” and with Officer Smith and Dr. Maldeis a hurry run was made for Cooper Hospital but when the institution was reached, Mrs. Dunbar was pronounced dead.
Ashbridge was taken to the hospital by Policeman Taylor in the police auto. He asked “how she is.” Informed that he had accomplished his purpose, the young murderer asked to see the woman. When the white sheet covering the still form of the murdered woman was drawn from the face Ashbridge leaned over and kissed the forehead of the woman. He was then taken to the County jail and locked up. Before Recorder Stackhouse on the following Monday Ashbridge pleaded guilty.
Ashbridge was infatuated with the woman, who was a member of the Temple Theater chorus. Because of Ashbridge’s persistent attentions she was compelled to give up her position. Mrs. Dunbar had previously accepted Ashbridge’s attentions, thinking that he was unmarried, but upon learning that he had a wife and child she informed him that it would be best for them not to see each other, but the young man refused to discontinue his attentions.
On the day of the shooting Ashbridge was seen in various places. He is said to have followed the woman to the Federal Street ferry, but lost track of her. Around noon he was seen at Front and Pearl Streets by Policeman Boyd, who ordered him to move on. Boyd was about to arrest him as a suspicious character, but Ashbridge pleaded that he was looking for a friend. All that day Ashbridge followed the woman until night, when he cruelly murdered her.
The murderer came from a respectable family. Dissipation is thought to have caused the young man to lose his sense of reasoning. Rather good-looking, Ashbridge had tender baby-like eyes and his case excited sympathy among the more tender-hearted people.
Sweetmeats, tasty sandwiches, and other small luxuries were said to have been given the young murderer while he languished in his cell. He had many visitors. Recently Ashbridge was taken violently ill after eating some crabs which were given him by a friend. He and Jailor Hibbs were very friendly.
THOMPSON A CLEVER FORGER
Thompson, or Murphy, was a self-styled lawyer and was committed by Recorder Stackhouse in June for forging checks to the amount of $1,055. The worthless checks were “worked” on the McClelland-Fulton Auto Company and Motor Vehicle Agent A.C. Kraft.
When a check for $150 presented to the automobile company by Thompson and drawn to the order of “G.E. Thompson” on the Harrisonburg, Virginia National Bank came back from the home office of the Studebaker Company as worthless, Mr. Fulton called in the police.
Thompson had previously presented a check for $890 as payment on an automobile. This check was drawn on Thompson’s favor on the Coatesville National Bank and was purported to have been signed by Louis L. Gibney, a hotel man of Downington PA. This check was still in the possession of Mr. Fulton when Thompson was arrested after the first check was returned marked “no funds.”
The clever swindler also presented a bad check to Agent Kraft for $15 for which he received the license to operate the automobile which he proposed buying.
Detective Troncone arrested Thompson at Fifth and Market Streets on June 2. The defendant had been living in a room at 220 North Fifth Street.
Giving his home address as Daytona, Florida, Thompson represented himself as a lawyer. Well dressed and wearing nose glasses, Thompson was an intelligent appearing man, he had a bushy pompadour which was streaked with gray and talked in a persuasive manner. His forgeries on Mr. Gibney’s signature were so clever that Gibney himself could not tell the difference.
After Thompson’s arrest Detective Captain Schregler sent out notices to several southern cities. He received responses from Harrisonburg, Norfolk, and Petersburg Virginia and that Thompson was wanted in all three cities for check forgeries.
Bert Hibbs, a city foreman and a son of the slain jailor, was murdered early Sunday morning, December 25, 1910 when his throat was cut by Clement Ridgway, a negro, aged 22 years, of Seventh and Sycamore Streets. It was about 12:20 on Christmas morning that Hibbs while crossing the lots at Seventh and Sycamore was accosted by Ridgeway, who wanted to shake hands with Hibbs. The latter refused, a quarrel ensued and Ridgeway whipped out a razor and slashed Hibbs across the throat with such violence that his head was nearly severed. Hibbs died while on the way to the hospital. Ridgway was arrested after a battle by Detectives Schregler, Painter and Brothers and several officers at his home, 1207 Lilly Row.
Indicted for murder Ridgway pleaded non vult. On April 24, 1911, to a charge of murder in the second degree, he was sentenced to 25 years in state Prison at hard labor.
SECOND MURDER IN JAIL
This is the second murder and second escape from the present jail. The first murder took place in November, 1907, when George Stewart, a young negro, stabbed to death John Snell, who was awaiting trial for carrying in the business of fortune telling. Stewart was in jail on a charge of dealing in opium and cocaine. He had a complete opium layout in his cell. He and Snell had a quarrel and he stabbed Snell to death in his cell. He was tried and convicted and sentenced to be electrocuted during the week of February 8, 1908. He was electrocuted on February 4, being the first man to suffer the death penalty by electrocution.
On July 13, 1910 William T. Brown, alias Gillespie, who had been sentenced to seven years on a charge of forgery, and Charles Berger, who was under sentence for picking pockets, made their escape from jail after sawing the bars on the Federal Street front. They climbed over the balustrade to the roof, descended through a trapdoor, climbed down stairs and walked leisurely through the Court House building and out into the street unnoticed. They entered an automobile and were driven away. They crossed to Philadelphia on a North Cramer Hill Ferry boat.
Several weeks later Brown was arrested in New York City and was sentenced to Auburn Prison on an old charge. His term will expire shortly and he has also applied to the Court of Pardons of this State for a parole. A detainer has been lodged against him at the State prison where he is located and he will be brought back and resentenced. Berger was captured in Chicago and was brought back and served a term at Trenton.
Ashbridge Caught in Chester Hotel Along With Wife
Camden Post-Telegram —
Captured at noon with his wife in the Keystone Hotel at Chester PA, Wilson Ashbridge, who escaped from the County Prison last night with George E. Thompson, a forger, after killing Jailor Hibbs and shooting Jailor Ellis, is again in the County Jail.
Ashbridge admits that he shot both men. He said the gun was given to him by Thompson.
The coupe were captured in their room at the Keystone Hotel by Captain of Detectives Schregler and Policeman David Hunt, who hurried to chester in Chief Gravenor’s automobile in receipt of a message that a man answering to the description if the published picture of Ashbridge registered there early this morning with a woman as his wife.
Ashbridge offered no resistance when the officers entered his room. He waived extradition and being handcuffed was placed in the machine with his wife and hurried to this city.
Schregler sat in the rear of the machine between Ashbridge and his wife.
They reached City Hall at 2:10 o’clock this afternoon. Ashbridge was smoking a cigarette and looked sullen.
When the murderer saw a battery of photographers getting ready to take their pictures, Ashbridge shielded his wife’s face with his hat and hid his own face as best he could in his handcuffed condition.
They were taken upstairs to the Chief’s office and later sent to the Prosecutor’s office.
Ashbridge takes blame for the double shooting, but insists that his wife did not give him the gun, saying that Thompson supplied the weapon.
The police knew last night that Mrs. Ashbridge was with her husband or intended to go with him. This information came in a letter turned over to the police by a Mrs. Dick, of East Camden, who was carting for the children. The envelope cautioned her not to open the letter until 7:00 o’clock last night.
Mrs. Ashbridge said in the note that she was going to do a rash act and might not see the children again.
In the cell occupied by Thompson the following note was found by Detective Painter.
Ashbridge has made up his mind to leave this place. I have decided to go with him.
“It may seem like suicide and if anything happens send my body to the University of Pennsylvania
—“THOMPSON
Seventeen loaded cartridges were also found in the cell.
The detectives and their prisoners were accompanied to Camden by E.S. Fry, proprietor of the Chester hotel, where the couple were caught.
There is no question but that Mrs. Ashbridge knew all bout the plan to escape. Where she met her husband has not been discovered.
A reward of $1,000— $500 for each— was today offered by the Prosecutor.
Dead Among Stupefied
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden Woman Dies in Midst of Alcoholic Orgies
With four men stupid with drink lying about, the body of Mrs. Maggie Donnelly, 40 years old, was found in a vacant house at 844 Locust street, Camden, yesterday. Although the police are convinced that the woman’s death was due to alcoholism, the men were placed under arrest pending a hearing.
According to persons living in that neighborhood, the woman and her male companions had been noticed about the house the past several days, all much the worse for drink. When Detective Painter went to the house one of the men, Edward Kline, 42 years old, attacked him. With Detective Brothers he placed Kline, together with James Ford, 3[?] years old; John Smith, 40 years old, and Alonzo Fisher, 60 years old, under arrest.
The woman and the men have been frequently in the Recorder’s court [cut off at the crop edge]
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Named: South 8th Street, Edith Tomilson, Hayden W. Vannaman, O. Glen Stackhouse, and John Painter.
Insanity Patient Boy’s Kidnapper
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Confessed Abductor of Carl Carlin, Camden, Guilty of Offense Before
Steps Taken to Have Man Arrested at Wilmington Sent Back to Asylum
Confessing that he kidnapped three-year-old Carl Carlin from East Camden on October 16, Charles E. Hemphill, a former inmate of the State Hospital for the Insane, at Trenton, was brought to Camden yesterday from Wilmington, where he was arrested Wednesday.
“I was reading a funny paper when I saw the boy playing near the bridge,” said Hemphill in a statement to the police. “I asked him if he wanted to take a ride on a trolley car and he said he did. I took him along with me and we went to Philadelphia and then out into the country. I did not hurt the boy.”
Asked to further tell where he had been with the lad, Hemphill wandered in his explanation. From scraps of his conversation it was gleaned that three of the seven nights he was away with the Carlin boy were spent in a railroad station and two other nights they were given shelter at the home of a Mrs. Anna Smith, as he remembered it.
Carl Carlin, the kidnapped boy, was taken to the City Hall yesterday afternoon by Detective King. Hemphill was brought from a cell to a room in the Detective Bureau and the little fellow was ushered into his presence. As soon as Carl caught sight of Hemphill he ran screaming from the room and almost went into hysterics. With a faraway look on his face, Hemphill remained silent.
Asked About Coat
“Is that the same coat he had on when you took him away?” Hemphill was asked when his attention was drawn to the light jacket worn by the boy. “No, he had on a blue coat,” replied the prisoner. A coat of blue material was worn by Carl on the day he was kidnapped.
Hemphill has no recollection of kidnapping five-year-old Alice Monroe, of 942 Federal street, who was enticed away from her home on the afternoon of September 8 and abandoned the same night in a woods near Audubon. The prisoner answers in every way the description of the man who took the child away, and the police are satisfied of his guilt.
Hemphill was sent to the State Asylum from Woodbury in 1908 in a similar case. He lived at Clayton, where he was arrested after enticing the eight-year-old daughter of a neighbor. He kept the girl out all night, but did not harm her.
The case was recalled yesterday by County Detective Steelman, who said that Hemphill was adjudged insane by a commission appointed to inquire into his mental condition. Steelman also stated that Hemphill has fled from the asylum several times and that on each occasion when he regains his liberty he is sent back for enticing children away. “He does not harm the children,” said the detective. “He has a mania for the company of little folks and apparently cannot resist the temptation for enticing them away. He loves to buy them candy and will spend his last penny on them.”
Tried to Get Back
Further inquiry at Woodbury developed the fact that Hemphill had made vain efforts to get back into the hospital after his “escape” on September 2. This information comes to the authorities of Gloucester county through a letter from Mr. Henry Cotton, of the State Hospital, asking that voluntary commitment papers be made out for Hemphill. It was further stated that the man had applied at the hospital to be taken back on September 23, stating that he was hungry and out of work. The hospital authorities refused to admit him without a commitment and later wrote to the County Clerk of Gloucester county for such papers.
Hemphill was not regarded as a prisoner at the asylum. Nor was his sanity regarded as of a dangerous nature. He roamed at will around the grounds and frequently wandered away only to be sent back when he would fall into the hands of the law after enticing some child away from home.
He willingly accompanied Detectives Painter and King from Wilmington to Camden and made no effort to hide his guilt in the Carlin case. It is the intention of Captain Schregler to have Hemphill formally adjudged insane and sent back to the asylum as prisoner.
$3000 Man's Lure to Fire Building
Camden Daily Courier —
Prisoner Confesses to Arson; Blames His Employer, Both Under Arrest
Boleslaw Ziemba, 1555 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, confessed today to Captain of Detectives Schregler that he set fire to the property at 1426 Broadway at the instigation of his employ-er, John Makel, so he could obtain $3000 he had put into the business. Makel conducted an automobile agency at the Broadway address. Both men are under arrest and will face charges of arson preferred by Fire Chief Peter D. Carter.
Ziemba told the detective chief in the presence of his aides, King and Painter, who investigated the case, that sometime ago he had loaned Makel $3000 and in turn had been given a job at the agency. He stated that he had asked Makel for his money and his employer then than said that he, Ziemba, set fire to the building and that the insurance money would provide the means to erect a new and handsome building and he could have a better job and get his money back quicker.
Firemen saved the building from destruction after the first floor had been partly consumed by flames.
On an examination of the premises, Chief Carter said he found kindling wood saturated with gasoline and oil placed in piles between joists of the second floor. He also discovered that rags soaked in oil had been placed in cracks in the flooring. Even the driveway had been liberally dosed with gasoline and oil, the chief stated. The arrests followed the examination of the arson evidence at police headquarters.
Note: This story erred in reporting, as retirement at age 65 was NOT mandatory at the time. William E. Albert, Richard Golden, Frank Matlack, and Edwin Thomas did retire. John Golden, John Painter, Charles Fitzsimmons, Thomas Brothers, and William Lyons continued to work in the Police Department. John Golden was eventually promoted to Chief of Police.
Changes Ordered in Camden Police
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Council Body Directs Solicitor Bleakly to Plan Re-organization of Department
Following an extended conference, the police committee of Camden City Council yesterday directed Solicitor Bleakly to prepare an ordinance for a partial reorganization of the Police Department. The new ordinance will provide for one captain and three lieutenants to direct the work of the three districts. There are six captains in the department now. Two of these John Golden, of the First district, and William E. Albert, of the Third district, will retire on December 15. The titles of three of the four remaining captains will be changed to lieutenants, with one in charge of each of the three districts. This will take two captains from headquarters and leave the work there in charge of sergeants.
Seven members of the department who have reached the age limit of 65 years will be retired on pension. They are: John Painted [sic], Charles Fitzsimons, Thomas Brothers, Frank Matlack, Edwin Thomas, Richard Golden and William Lyons. No new appointments will be made as detectives, inasmuch as Milton Stanley and Howard Smith, now in the country [sic] service, will return to the city detective department when Prosecutor Wolverton goes out of office in March. These two officers were loaned to the county five years ago.
It was intimated yesterday that Captain James E. Tatem, now a headquarters man attached to the Mayor’s office, will be the sole captain under the reorganization plan. He will be transferred to Chief Hyde’s office and will have supervision of the three districts. It was also hinted that there will be other vacancies in the department through resignations to be asked for by the committee.
Three Veteran Cops Will Go on Pension as Old Year Fades
Camden Courier-Post —
Painter, James and Stanger to End Long Service in City Employ
ONE ON JOB 49 YEARS
To Get Pension
CAPT. A. LINCOLN JAMES
Whose application for pension was granted yesterday, to become effective Dec. 30. On that date, Capt. James, who is 69, will have served 40 years, nine months and 18 days in the Camden police department. He resides at 922 Cooper street.
Three veterans of the Camden police department yesterday were granted pensions by the Police and Fire Pension Fund Committee. A widow of another who died recently, also received approval of an application.
Those who applied were Captain A. Lincoln James, attached to police headquarters; Detective John Painter, Camden’s “oldest cop,” and Detective Thomas M. Stanger.
All three will be placed on the retirement list Dec. 30 next. Capt. James will receive $130.66 a month, while the two detectives will each be paid $92.50 monthly pension.
Detective Painter, who is 76 years old, lacks only six months of a half century of service to the city of Camden, having been appointed to the police department in June of 1883. He has been attached to the city detective bureau and, according to his superiors, has been “faithful and efficient.” He figured in a number of widely publicized murder cases.
When he applied for pension Painter stated he took great pride in the fact that during his nearly 50-year service he has never once been “on the carpet.” He gave as his reason for retirement that he has not been feeling well for several months. He resides at 1242 Princess avenue.
Captain James, who is 69 and resides at 922 Cooper street, was appointed to the force March 12, 1892. He gave no reason for his wish to retire.
Stanger, who is 70 and resides with a daughter at Collingswood, has been on the force for nearly 25 years. He is in charge of the Bertillon records at the city detective bureau, having been official “photographer” and finger-printer in many spectacular cases.
Mrs. Rose Caputi, of 1263 Park boulevard, widow of Detective Joseph Caputi, who died last week, applied for and was granted a widow’s pension by the police and fire group. Mrs. Caputi will receive $1000 yearly.
Stewart Joins Shay In Battle on Vice
is suspicion or evidence of vice and graft,” inasmuch as Judge Shay, in declaring the vice war voiced the belief that vice could not exist without the consent of police.
Mayor Stewart expressed the opinion that the city has “cleaned up virtually all of the ugly conditions” prevalent here in the past.
Two More Women Held
Judge Shay deferred sentences on the five disorderly house-keepers and remanded them to jail when he learned that several of them were willing to make complete statements to authorities about the white slave racket. Two more accused vice den proprietresses were arraigned yesterday and they too were sent back to jail to be further questioned. They [cut off at the crop edge]
In Family Tragedy
Camden Evening Courier —
JACOB SCHILLER WILLIAM SCHILLER
Jobless Son Kills Jake Schiller Who Saves Boy’s Wife From Gun
Camden Evening Courier —
SLAYER CRAZED BY SEPARATION, RELATIVES SAY
Dazedly Insists He Had No Intention of Shooting Sire
ESTRANGED WIFE SEEN IN SUICIDE TRY
Slain Man Long Was Prominent Figure in Camden Politics
Jacob Schiller, 72, for 45 years a political figure here, is dead, shot by his own son.
The slayer, William Schiller, 30, a former summer policeman now unemployed, was held over today to the grand jury on a charge of murder. He made no comment whatever during his police court hearing.
A few hours later, young Schiller’s wife, Augusta, whom he had also tried to shoot, was found wandering through the city street, in a hysterical condition.
She had written a note which police believed showed intent to commit suicide, and had staggered dazedly through the streets last night. Both in her note and in her incoherent statements to detectives she declared she was to blame for the tragedy.
She said her father-in-law had tried to save her and was killed in the attempt.
The slaying occurred Saturday night at the elder Schiller’s home, 2420 Carman Street. It climaxed an estrangement between young Schiller and his wife, with “Jake” Schiller attempting to reconcile the couple.
Mrs. William Schiller, who had had her husband arrested several months ago, said she believed he had become mentally deranged, but Police Judge Pancoast was informed that an alienist had examined young Schiller in July and pronounced him sane.
Couple Separated
Young Schiller had been living with his father at the Carman Street address, while Mrs. Schiller has been residing with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John I. Green, 409 North Thirty-seventh Street. The cause of the estrangement has not been revealed by police, but it is stated that young Schiller refused to consent to a reconciliation.
“Jake” Schiller was a Republican worker in the Twelfth ward for years, and was at the time of his death inspector of city street lights.
Were Alone at Home
The father and son were at home 9:00 p.m. Saturday night and apparently were quarreling when the young Mrs. Schiller, her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. William Miller and another sister, Mrs. Lottie Bennehler, reached the house.
“Don’t come in here,” the older Schiller shouted as they started to enter the front sun parlor. But Miller did enter and said young Schiller was clutching a revolver in his right hand. He declared he closed in on his brother-in-law and tried to wrench the revolver from him. Two shots rang out and the father fell to the floor.
Patrolman Joseph Keefe was standing at Twenty-fifth and Federal Streets when two boys ran up and told him there was a shooting at Twenty-fifth and Carman Street. He ran to the scene and said he reached there in time to see young Schiller shooting up the street at his wife.
Keefe said Schiller ran into the house when he saw him. Aided by Miller, Keefe overpowered Schiller and placed an iron claw on his right hand after disarming him.
Jacob Schiller Jr., another son, learning of the shooting, went to his father’s home and took him to Cooper Hospital in a passing automobile. As he was being taken into the hospital he failed to recognize City Detective Robert Ashenfelter and died five minutes later.
Expresses No Regret
Police Sergeant John Potter joined Keefe and Miller and they took young Schiller to police headquarters.
Keefe said the son expressed no regret at shooting his father.
At about 5 a.m. today, Policeman Keefe was patrolling his “beat” when he passed the Schiller home on Carman Street. He noticed the front door was standing open, and he went inside to investigate.
The officer saw a note on a smoking stand. Picking it up, he read:
“Dear Everybody:
“Please forgive me … You have all been so wonderful … But I couldn’t go on to see you all suffer for what is my fault … Lottie was right … He killed his father because of insane love for me … But he didn’t. I killed Pop and now am sending Bibs to jail for my weakness.
“Tell him I love him and ask my poor mother and dad to forgive me. I should have done this long ago and saved everyone all this suffering … I love Billy and I know he loves me but I am afraid he has been turned against me. But I forgive him for all.
“Gussie”
“Gussie” is Mrs. Schiller.
Finds ‘Gussie’ Hysterical
Keefe ran to Federal Street, but could not see Mrs. Schiller.
Meanwhile, Constable Dugan of the Twelfth Ward, saw Mrs. Schiller walking on Federal Street near the Cooper River. She was mumbling to herself and was in a hysterical condition, Dugan said.
Dugan telephoned police headquarters. City Detectives Rox Saponare and Maurice DeNicoli went out Federal Street and took her back with them to detective headquarters. There they sought to quiet her, but she continually sobbed.
“I want to take the blame—if I hadn’t gone to Pop’s home he would be living now.”
“Pop wanted to save me,” she said. “and he was shot. I can’t eat or sleep. I think I’m going crazy.”
Later, she was permitted to return to the home.
Young Schiller had been held in the city jail over the weekend. Today he was taken into police court. He wore no necktie and carried a raincoat over his arm. He was represented by counsel, C. Lawrence Gregorio, who said he had been retained “by friends” to act as attorney for the accused man.
City detective Benjamin Simon had signed the complaint in which he charged “on information received” that Schiller did feloniously and with malice aforethought shoot and kill his father.
The complaint was read to him and Gregorio told him not to say anything, as Judge Pancoast would enter a plea of “not guilty” in his behalf. This was done by the court and Schiller was then held without bail pending grand jury action. He was taken to the county jail.
Declared Sane
After the hearing, Mrs. Etta C. Pfrommer, acting overseer of the poor, told Judge Pancoast that on July 26, Dr. Harry Jarrett, Broadway and Cherry Street, well known alienist, had examined young Schiller and declared him sane. The examination was made on the request of Mrs. Schiller in police court on the previous day. At that time young Schiller had been released by the court in the custody of his father.
County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran, who was among the first to question young Schiller Saturday night, said the man did not seem repentant over what he had done. He said Schiller did not give authorities much information. According to Doran, young Schiller declared he had objected frequently to his father that he did not want his wife to come to their home.
“It doesn’t seem possible,” said young Mrs. Schiller some hours after the tragedy. “It seems as though it was only a dream. I don’t seem to remember anything.
“Poor Bill. He must have been crazy. He idolized his father. You can blame this all on the depression. He has been without work since they eliminated summer policemen two years ago. He has been worried as a result of being unable to obtain work. Just recently he started to drink.
“Bill intended to shoot me but his father tried to get the gun away from him and I believe it went off accidentally. Nothing could convince me that Bill would shoot his father in cold blood.
“I went to his father’s home last night to try to effect a reconciliation with my husband. He had been drinking.”
Registered as Sober
The police docket at headquarters shows Schiller registered as sober. The entry was not made until 2:15 a.m., and the shooting occurred shortly after 9:30 p.m.
Relatives said the father had attempted for months to patch up the marital difficulties of the couple.
Young Schiller had been living lately with his sister, Mrs. Bennehler, 2530 Bank Street and his wife with her parents at 409 North Thirty-seventh Street. He formerly lived at that address with his wife. He was appointed a summer policeman in 1929 and served until they were all dismissed two years ago.
Coroner Holl and Dr. Edward B. Rogers, county physician, yesterday performed an autopsy on the senior Schiller’s body and ascertained that death was due to an internal hemorrhage caused by a bullet wound of the upper portion of the abdomen. They said a .32-calibre revolver had been used in the shooting.
Camden Lodge of Elks will hold services tomorrow night at the Schiller home, at which time the body will be on view. The funeral will be private on Wednesday with burial in Evergreen Cemetery.
Judge Pancoast last night recalled that young Schiller was arrested two months ago after he had kept his wife a prisoner on a lot all night. At that time “Jake,” as he was affectionately known to his friends, tried to act as a mediator between his son and daughter-in-law.
The young Mrs. Schiller at that time told Pancoast she believed her husband was deranged and asked permission to have him examined by physicians she would name. Pancoast released young Schiller in the custody of his father. The police judge said the examination had apparently not been made as no commitment papers had been sent through his office.
Few political workers were better known than “Jake” Schiller. He was born in Philadelphia and was brought to Camden in early life by his parents, who conducted a saloon near Twenty-third and Federal Streets. East Camden was then the town of Stockton and the scene of Saturday night’s shooting was a farm. Schiller recalled to friends that he drove cows through a pasture on which his house now stands.
He was originally a Democrat but became a Republican through persuasion of the late U. S. Senator David Baird and remained a friend of the former leader for 40 years.
Schiller had been melancholy over the death of his wife on February 13 last, friends said.
When his son was arrested he remarked to Pancoast: “What is next?”
Figured in Shaw Case
None was more in the public eye 35 years ago in South Jersey than Schiller. It was then that he figured prominently in one phase of the locally celebrated Shaw murder trial.
It was during the second trial of Eli Shaw for the murder of his mother and grandmother, Mrs. Anna Shaw and Mrs. Emma Zane. They were found shot to death in September, 1897, in their bedroom of their home on Line Street near Third. Detective John Painter had found a revolver hidden in the chimney, one of several points in the circumstantial evidence that resulted in the indictment of Shaw. He was then a widely known young man about town and his arrest caused a big sensation. As time drew near for the trial feeling was intense, for there were adherents for and against the son and grandson, those arguments often grew bitter.
Henry Sidney Scovel, then one of the prominent criminal lawyers of Camden county, was retained to defend Shaw. Scovel was son of James Matlack Scovel, himself one of the leading barristers of this section. When the trial of Shaw was under way the city was astounded when it was charged Scovel had tampered with the jury. It was Schiller who made the charge.
The trial stopped abruptly. Scovel emphatically denied the story of Schiller and demanded vindication. An indictment for embracery was returned and at a trial, which had Camden on the tip toe of expectancy for days, it developed there was absolutely nothing to verify the charge, and Scovel was acquitted. He acted in two subsequent trials of Shaw, the second being a disagreement and the third acquittal for the son and grandson of the slain women.
Schiller, strangely enough, in later years became friendly with Scovel and when the latter was prosecutor from 1905 to 1912, “Jake,” as he was familiarly known, was usually to be found in the office at the courthouse. Scovel was then a white haired man of flowery speech and impressive personality who let bygones be bygones.
Long Excise Inspector
For more than 20 years Schiller was inspector of the Excise Commission in Camden. It was during the days when the principal object of the inspector apparently was to keep the saloonmen in line. He was considered pretty good at that job, by no means an unimportant one from the organization viewpoint. It was also during that period the city had its troubles enforcing the Sunday liquor laws. There were those who considered they had enough pull to keep their back or side doors open on the Sabbath to let in their regular thirsty trade. Some succeeded in getting by, but “Jake” had his own troubles in keeping the boys straight and sometimes causing their arrest, although that was not frequent by any means.
His reign as inspector, too, was in the halcyon days of free lunch and schooner beers. Saloonmen themselves were against the lunch idea eventually since it meant too much of a financial burden. Jake kept tabs on the recalcitrants so that the liquor dealers knew who was obeying the order and who was “cutting corners” to get some extra trade.
Schiller was virtually raised with the saloon trade since his father was one of the old time German beer garden owners here, having had a place at Fourth and Line Streets. That was in the days when that section was largely populated by the German, English and Irish families lately come from the motherlands. When he was a boy, Schiller entered the U. S. Navy and served several years. When he came out he went to the old Town of Stockton, now East Camden, where he opened a saloon on Federal Street near Twenty-fourth. At that period, some 45 years ago, Stockton seethed with politics and it was just as natural for a young man to get into the game as it was for a duck to swim. Jake at that period was a Democrat and during the battle in the middle 90’s when the West Jersey Traction and the Camden Horse Railway Company were fighting for the rail franchises in the town he was a candidate for council from the old Second Ward. The late Robert Lee was the Republican candidate and won out by the narrow margin of two votes. In later years Schiller became a Republican and was elected a constable.
Never Ran From Scrap
Throughout his career Schiller never quite forgot his training in the navy, particularly with reference to boxing or fighting at the drop of a hat. He was a scrapper in his early years and never ran from a fight. That was just as true in political battles, frequent then around the polls, as in purely personal matters. And Jake would battle for a friend just as readily as for any personal reason. He was usually in the thick of the political fracases of the years when it was the accepted thing to fight at the drop of a hat. But he also had lots of native wit which kept things interesting when he was a frequenter of the prosecutors’ office during the Scovel and Wolverton regimes. In late years, with the approach of age, he had tempered his propensity to get into an argument and liked nothing more than to tell of “the good old days” when he helped the elder Baird in his organization battles.
He made his last political stand for leadership of the Twelfth Ward in 1926 when he supported the candidacy of Sergeant Ray Smith against Commissioner Clay W. Reesman for ward committeeman. Schiller was supporting Congressman Charles A. Wolverton and the late Senator Joseph H. Forsyth in a campaign against former Congressman Francis F. Patterson and State Senator Albert S. Woodruff.
Reesman won and among the first to visit the hospital after learning of the shooting was the city commissioner. Reesman was his latest chief as lights inspector as he was attached to the highway department. Commissioner Frank B. Hanna also visited the hospital.
“In all the years I have known him he has always been an enthusiastic and loyal friend with a good heart for everybody in trouble,” Congressman Wolverton said when he learned of Schiller’s death.
Schiller was also a familiar figure at the Elks Club, where he was an ardent card player. But after the death of his wife he gave up this pastime, contenting himself with watching the games. He was also a frequent visitor among old friends at the courthouse.
Camden Cops of 32 Years Ago Valiant Crew Under ‘Sam’ Dodd
Camden Courier-Post —
By BEN COURTER
(Another of a series of articles on Camden municipal matters and personalities of yesteryear.)
One night some 40 years ago there was great ado in police headquarters. Chief Sam Dodd was talking to Patrolman John Dall in something after this wise:
“See here, John, why didn’t you make your 10 o’clock pull last night?”
“I did,” returned Dall.
“No, you didn’t,” asserted the chief.
“See here, whiskers, I tell you I did,” retorted Dall with rising umbrage.
“The tape don’t say so,” insisted Dodd.
“I tell you I did make that pull, and furthermore, whiskers, I’m not going to let any iron man make a liar of me,” said Dall with finality.
And that was the end of it with the chief stalking away yanking at his long black whiskers out there in the room where City Clerk Billie Brown now holds sway. It might be said it was a case of red whiskers talking down black whiskers, for since Chief Sam sported those of ebon hue, so did Dall chin “nannies” of somewhat sandy-reddish coloring and both wagged threateningly in the hot colloquy.
It was not long after the call system had been installed in the department and the veterans on the city beats didn’t take kindly to it. It didn’t always operate with precision and under such circumstances there was usually a tiff with Dodd. But cops like Dall didn’t give a hang for their superior then and usually told him what was on their minds.
Sometimes the sentiments were like tobasco, hot and burning. But with all his puffing and snorting and yanking of whiskers, Dodd was a pretty good sort after all, not vindictive and disinclined to cause any trouble.
Age Of Whiskers
We are printing today a somewhat ancient picture of the Camden police force, not all, but most of it as it appeared some 32 years ago. And it may readily be seen it was an age of whiskers and mustaches, for only two of those valiant members of Camden’s “finest” of the period are smooth shaven. The balance run all the way from Dodd’s famed chin adornment to dragoons, soup strainers and what today would pass for Charlie Chaplins. It was something of an anomaly for not only a cop but likewise the average man of the street to sport a smooth shaven phiz. Girls of the period put their shapely tootsies right down on any swain who didn’t have whiskers by way of full sweeping beards, burnsides, goatees, mutton chops or, at the very least, something that would pass for a mustache. So it may be seen from the very early period of adolescence it was the aim of every member of the sterner sex to coax ‘em out—that is, the blonde, black, red or whatever hue nature had colored the facial spinach-to-be.
No one on that first row but sports some hirsute adornment. On the left there is William A. Schregler, tall and somewhat rangy just after his recovery from the burglar’s shot in Cooper Hospital yard. It is “Old Schreg,” appointed March 12, 1892, who became the city’s first detective captain. Next to him is Rox Comley, a mighty popular cop in his day, and then Jules Bosch, “Schreg’s” own special pal, appointed the same day. It was Jules we have often mentioned as the first regular traffic cop with Charlie Hose at Broadway and Federal. Next is Lieut. John Foster with his coal black mustache, right beside Chief Dodd and his classic whiskers, whom Foster was soon after to supplant. Dodd wears his then familiar wide brimmed black hat, long favorite headgear of the G. A. R. veterans. The chief is looking as if he didn’t like posing before the cameraman, which he didn’t by a darn sight, as he would say. Lieut. H. Frank Pettit is next in line. Then big and brawny Harry Mines.
Mines, you must know, was, and is for the matter of that, youngest brother of the late former Sheriff Chris Mines, Fifth ward leader and Baird’s lieutenant. Harry was considered by the newspapermen the Adonis of the force; not only a strapping young man, but handsome as well. He’s still going strong, too, out at Dudley Grange park. Then there is “Ed” Hartman, stormy petrel of the force and about whom much might be said because of his complications in the political battles of years ago such as the primary battle in the Third ward where Morrisey was killed and the famous or infamous “double cross” some 20 years ago. Charlie Wilbur ends the line.
Valiant Second Line
On the second row there is Thomas Brothers, appointed April 21, 1894, and about whom we had something to say last week. Ralph Bond is the next. He was appointed about a month before. Ralph, who had done amateur circus stunts in his earlier years, was certainly one of the most popular members of the outfit and was in the thick of every activity about town. He died only last year, mourned by a great host of friends. Then comes Dall and George Kappell, who became head of a heating company. A husky man was George and his sudden end a few years ago while he was tolling the bell given the church at Townsends Inlet, where he spent the closing years of his life, came as a distinct shock. There is Si Sage at his elbow and then Eddie Hyde, former chief, who died a few weeks ago. George Selby, father of Col. George Selby, now assistant state prison keeper, is next, with E. B. McClong ending the line. McClong was long chief clerk of the department.
First in the third row is Ed Powell with John Sinclair, now in the water department, second, and seemingly looking but little older after all these years. William Laird follows with Ben Middleton, one of the Pratt appointees of ‘86 next. Who do you suppose the next one is? None other than Alfred L. Sayers, long after street commissioner and now banker. Outside of getting a little stouter, “Allie” is going Sinclair a good race in retaining his old time appearance, except there now is no mustache. John Anderson, son of William Anderson, the “Tall Sycamore of the Seventh,” is next in line.
The elder Anderson came from the same county in Ireland as former Senator Baird and there was warm friendship between the two. William Butts, the first colored policeman appointed to the force, is next and old timers have a very kindly remembrance of him. He was gentlemanly, courteous and a credit to his race. Then we have John Painter, about whom much has been said, but all too little at that. John, we will remind you, is the oldest living member of the force, having been named a cop June 30, 1883. But it is only creeping years and not his spirit that makes him the veteran he is. Frank Matlack, who was appointed March 12, 1892, is next. Surely everybody downtown recalls him as Tom Brother’s side kick on traffic duty at Broadway and the “avenue.”
Another good colored cop, the second appointed to the force, starts the fourth row. He was William Hicks who could sing at camp meetings down there in the cedar woods until he had ‘em all howling. Albert Haydon, the second in line, later entered the fire department and he died but a couple of weeks ago. Abe Jackson, the third, was a Sixth warder, a cop of the old school who didn’t know the meaning of fear. It was his real delight to tackle the roughs and toughs who sometimes invaded Camden in the race track days. Then we have “Al” Shaw, whose father, Edward H. Shaw, was one of the city’s first marshals and whose son, “Lew,” is now a city detective. “Al,” with Tom Griscom, a veteran iron worker, visits city hall every day in the year just for old time’s sake, for Shaw has been pensioned since 1917. Edward Steen, long superintendent of the New Camden Cemetery, is next, with Sam Bakely and Al Meyer at the end of that line.
Record As Chief
As to the fifth row there is “Cale” Williams, with Charlie Lederman, one of the first regular hall officers. Then there is E. A. Gravenor, who later served the longest term as chief of the department, from the death of Foster in 1906 to the advent of Hyde in 1922. Tom Buchanan is third and Samuel Cox comes next, with William Horner, who had been appointed on April 13, 1880. He has long since been dead. Godfrey Eisenhardt, the next, was the baker boy rescued from the burning ferryboat, New Jersey, in the winter of 1856. Harry Curtis, to his left, was long after a detective of the P. R. R.
The one on the end of that row is somewhat in doubt as to identity. “Linc” James thought it might be George Johnson, but Lew Lee says it is John Barnett. Perhaps some old-timer may remember.
Casper Hart, who was later to die from injuries received in a fall from the patrol wagon, starts the sixth and last row. His was a familiar figure in the Fifth ward years ago. Then comes Charlie Fitzsimmons, of whom we have already spoken. Then Captain James, these many years at headquarters and another of the old-timers seemingly keeping ahead of Father Time. He supplied much of the information about his fellow cops of long ago, along with Frank Albright. Oscar Weaver is next to him, with Charles Ridgeley, William Fish, son of the city’s famed city gardener, Jacob Fish, and George Cooper ending the array. George, by the way, is still hale and hearty, and possessed of that great voice that used to boom over the wire from headquarters.
Most of these men have passed on but they have left records, as a rule, which the cops of the younger generation may well emulate. A cop, you know, is somewhat in the category of a school teacher. When the younger generation comes in contact with them they are inclined to regard them a bit too strict, but with mellowing years there is altogether a different impression with most of them being placed on pedestals.
There were other policemen of the period the picture was taken who didn’t happen to get to the hall in time for this photo, which Tom Stanger, now at detective headquarters and then a traveling salesman, well recalls being taken. Something will be said of these missing ones next week.
John Painter Dies; Policeman 48 Years
Camden Courier-Post —
City's Oldest Retired Officer Succumbs After Operation at Age of 86
John Painter, 86, Camden's oldest retired policeman, died today at Cooper Hospital after undergoing an operation for an abdominal ailment. He had been in the hospital since March 15.
Mr. Painter, who lived at 1249 Princess avenue, retired in 1932 after serving 48 years as a patrolman and detective. He became a policeman in 1883 and saw the city grow from a large village to a metropolitan center. There were no hospitals nor ambulances, even of the horse-drawn kind, when he joined the force, and detectives were still unknown.
Through the years, Mr. Painter worked on countless robberies, on a thousand and one police cases, including a number of murder mysteries.
Police used to say of Mr. Painter's career as a detective that if there were ever a recital of the murders on which he “worked,“ it would cover pretty much all that occurred since he joined the department.
Dual Murder Recalled
Mr. Painter was on the job when Mrs. Zane and Mrs. Shaw, mother and daughter, were found shot to death in their dwelling on Line street in September, 1897. It was he who found the revolver used in the killings, hidden in the chimney of the house, and who constructed the groundwork which later built up the State's case against Eli Shaw, son and grandson of the murdered women.
That was one of Camden's most sensational murder trials in which the late Henry S. Scovel acted as counsel for the defense. Shaw was acquitted, but many in the community were never quite satisfied.
Mr. Painter's work, it was said of him, was always done with the painstaking care of a “born detective.“ When he completed an investigation, no prosecutor had to worry about necessary facts being lacking. Time meant nothing to him when he was on a “case“ and he frequently worked 24-hour stretches without even telling his superiors or colleagues.
When he retired, former Police Chief John W. Golden lauded him as “one of the most able men in the annals of the Camden police department.“
Known As Sailorman
In his younger years, Mr. Painter was one of Camden's best known yachtsmen and it was said of him that “none knew the Delaware better.“ Throughout his life he was building small boats, and during the last dozen years had turned out some of the best skiffs in this section.
It was because he was popular as a yachtsman more than that he was active in politics that he was named to the force by Mayor Bradshaw. As the oldest member of the department, he was fond of reminding other members that most of them were not yet born when he was appointed. Some of the middle-aged members of the department used to tell him they remembered him as a Kaighn Point policeman when they were boys.
Mr. Painter was a tall, well-built man with strong features, military carriage and determined step. But his eyes were the most striking feature. They didn't pierce one through and through as do those of fiction detectives. They were kindliest pair of eyes in Camden. They remained that way all his life.
No Patrols Then
Mr. Painter's first beat was for years around the Kaighn Point section and he used to say he knows practically everyone who lived in that area.
In those days there were no police patrols and as Mr. Painter used to put it: “We had to drag them in ourselves, and there was only one sidewalk leading to headquarters--that was on Washington street.“
Newspapermen used to call him one of the most modest men in the department. He would give them tips and take them into his confidence and even help a “cub“ dig up information. But he steadfastly refused to tell of his own exploits. Although in the limelights for years as the most able detective here, he refused to have his picture in the newspapers.
“Nothing doing boys,“ he would say, and the photographers knew he meant it.
During the World War, Mr. Painter was in demand by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, to supervise a detail of men when large payrolls were transferred. During his last years on the force, his beat was in the vicinity of the banking district.
Police Shakeups of Today Mild Compared to Years Ago
Camden Courier-Post —
Force Changed Every Time Political Regime of City Shifted; Larry Doran Fired for Crossing Street to Get Cinnamon Bun; Old Patrol Recalled
By BEN COURTER
(Another in a series of articles on municipal affairs and personalities of yesteryear.)
Ben Courter
In “the good old days” when Camden’s police department was just about getting under way in accordance with the amended charter of 1872, the men in the ranks were the football of politics. Even if the phrase “to the victor belongs the spoils” had not yet been coined, it was in active force. A change of administration always meant a violent shakeup in the personnel of the department.
It has been so many years since Camden has had a real political shakeup, aside from the nonpartisan movement of seven years ago, that the younger element can have no personal recollection of upheavals marking the aftermath of Democrats succeeding Republicans or vice versa. Many of the men resigned on principle, but others stood their ground and with the faithful hungry for place on the police force it was necessary to take drastic measures.
Sometimes it did not require a party turnover, for bitter factional scraps resulted in reprisals. It then fell the lot of the police committee of city council to conduct hearings. They were usually acrimonious affairs with partisans of the G. O. P. often showing more spleen than in a strict party fight. These hearings were as a rule public, attracting big crowds of opponents and advocates of the accused. The charges ranged from conduct unbecoming an officer to neglect of duty and everything between.
Sometimes the charges were altogether ridiculous, as for instance when Larry Doran, now chief of the county detectives, was accused of going out of his beat to buy a cinnamon bun. He happened to be an appointee of Mayor Joseph E. Mowrey and no one questioned Doran’s ability as a cop or of his sincerity in patrolling his beat. But the Republicans had come back into the fold some 25 years ago and it was determined Larry should get out. Thus came the charge based on someone’s discovery he had crossed the street early one morning to get a bun. No one imagined it a very heinous offense at best, but it was all in the game of politics and the finding of the police committee was a foregone conclusion.
Findings, Usually Sustained
In some instances appeals were made to higher courts, but very little came of it since the committee was considered within its power to dismiss an officer if it saw fit. All necessary was to have the report accepted by council and since that was overwhelmingly Republican the work of the committee was a mere formality. Politics continues to play an important part in the appointments of cops or firemen, but for the past six years they have been under civil service, thus affording at least a measure of protection unless there actually has been some dereliction of duty.
Even though there were the changes wrought by political and factional wars, many men withstood the storms through the years. As a matter of fact it is evident that most of the men who have been accepted as representative of the force have had little difficulty in holding down their beats.
Mention has occasionally been made of one of Camden’s most spectacular police chiefs, Samuel Dodd. When he was first appointed by Mayor Pratt in the 80’s he was in the prime of life and certainly not inclined to give quarter to anyone. But he met with his first difficulties in the race track regime with the dual police departments, when the Democratic commission appointed William A. Davis in his stead. He was reinstated in 1893 after the Republicans had gained control of the state and had abolished the commissions.
Dodd then went along without further trouble until the advent of Hatch who appointed John Foster in 1898. Dodd was born in Burlington in 1841, but came to Camden as a young shoemaker and made himself vitally important to his fellow workers. In the 80’s Camden was a shoemaking and leather center. There were over 100 factories and hundreds of persons were employed. Thus it became an important factor in politics. Dodd loomed as a mayoralty candidate. Everything was cut and dried for him to enter the field when Pratt ran in 1885, but Dodd was prevailed upon to get out of the fight with the promise of being made police chief. That was later carried into effect.
Many years Chief Dodd has been dead, but old-timers around the city hall still have a very vivid recollection of him and his long coal black whiskers, which he had a habit of yanking when under some excitement.
First Patrol Wagon
It was during Dodd’s regime Camden sported its first patrol wagon, in May of 1893. It was something of an epochal event for Camden. Men nearing middle life who then were boys vividly recall the sensation created by the appearance of the little red wagon with “Camden Patrol” painted in gold on the red sides, not forgetting the big gong near the driver’s seat. And as the high steppers speeded through the city streets with a drunk or victim of an accident that gong was everlastingly sounded until the whole populace was brought to the doors. Chief Stehr’s father, Lewis H. Stehr; Oscar Weaver, “Si” Sage and “Nitchie” Golden were the first in the department who operated that famous wagon. It was the forerunner of the automobile police patrol and ambulance put in service July 14, 19[?].
When the first patrol went into service Camden’s streets were veritable “rocky roads to Dublin.” They were paved with cobble, even Broadway, Federal street and Kaighn avenue. Only Cooper street and a part of Benson sported asphalt blocks. Hence it was the object of the driver to pick out the best route possible by using horse car or trolley tracks if possible.
It certainly was no pleasure trip to the hall for a drunk and a road of torture to any unfortunate being toted to the hospital. But even at that it was an improvement over the archaic method of taking prisoners to jail by way of a pushcart. I have already mentioned in these annals the Roman holiday such an incident furnished the kids of the generation. If John Painter or Charlie Fitzsimmons pushed a cussin’ drunk from Kaighn Point to the hall they were sure to have a yelling mob of kids at their heels. Unfortunates who were ill or injured were usually taken to the hospital in horse-drawn cabs. But of course the conveniences of today were not even dreamed about.
Lieutenant Tommie Cunningham is among the veterans on the force who recalls those days of long ago, for last Tuesday marked the thirty-sixth anniversary of his appointment to the department. Tommie has seen the department grow from less than half a hundred men to five times that number. In all that time he has pounded a beat in South Camden or had charge of a detail of men or a district as at present.
“Jake” Woodside
In recalling some of the old-timers mention must also be made of Jacob Woodside, who was appointed October 1, 1898. He hailed from the Sixth ward and was among the valiant crew who sported luxurious mustaches. He was in his later years a sergeant in the Third district. Woodside, who had many staunch friends throughout the city, died several years ago.
Then there is “Cul” Errickson who was made a cop September 15, 1898, by Mayor Hatch. He was for many years sergeant at headquarters; a big, good-natured cop, too. He has been enjoying life these several years as a pensioner up around New Egypt.
Certainly one of the most substantial members of the force was Capt. Arthur A. Stanley, who was in charge of the downtown district for many years. He was appointed by Mayor Hatch July 15, 1898. Captain Stanley was a Civil war veteran and prominently identified with the G. A. R. He has been dead for many years. His son, Milton Stanley, was a detective in the department and also at the prosecutor’s office, but for several years has been living on a farm in South Jersey.
There is another veteran of the force still in harness, George Nowrey, brother of former Mayor Nowrey, appointed by Mayor Hatch August 1, 1898. He has been a sergeant in the department for many years.
On the same day Nowrey was appointed, John Reader was made a member of the force. He, too, was a sergeant when he died several years ago. He was father of Dr. A. B. Reader and Attorney Lawrence Reader, the latter one of the most prominent young men of the city when he died during the flu epidemic in 1918. “Larry” also was a member of council from the Thirteenth ward.