John Prentice
John Prentice
JOHN PRENTICE was at one time the Director of the Camden County Board of Freeholders, a position which in effect made him the chief elected official of Camden County. He was in the insurance business.
The 1906 Camden City Directory shows him living with his wife Elsie at 439 Carteret Street.
Elsie Prentice passed away not long after the 1920 Census was enumerated. John Prentice remarried around 1924.
John Prentice remained at the Carteret Street address until his passing, on July 13, 1942, not long after his wife Bertha’s death on April 7th of that year. John Prentice was buried at Harleigh Cemetery.
Camden Candidates Ready for Primaries
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Though City Clerk Extends Time the Line Up of Contestants Is Virtually Complete
Virtually all of the municipal candidates, Republicans and Democrats, filed their petitions with City Clerk Brown in Camden yesterday. Although the new law apparently provided that yesterday was the last day on which the petitions could be filed, Clerk Brown placed a different construction on the act and extended the time until next Monday.
Those seeking nomination were not aware of this, and most of them had their petitions ready. The various Councilmanic candidates, with those for Freeholder and Excise Commissioner, follow.
City Council—Republicans, First ward, John A. Mather, George W. Ealer; Second ward, M. F. Middleton, Jr., Willis DeUnger, Arthur Colsey, William F. Kelly; Third ward, R. J. Garrison, William Hall; Fourth ward, James E. Hewitt; Fifth ward, R. S. Carney; Sixth ward, Arthur L. Jones, Edward Ivers; Seventh ward, Lawrence Reader, George J. Schneider; Eighth ward, Grant E. Kirk; Ninth ward, Edward Francis, David Goff, James Massey, Charles C. Read, Joseph Pfeiffer; Tenth ward, Daniel R. Smith, F. Wayland Potter, John A. Rogers; Twelfth ward, A. R. Read, William C. Read, J. W. Wilson, J. O. Grear.
Democrats—Second ward, S. H. Quint; Fourth ward, Harry Richmond; Seventh ward, J. A. Woljkowiak, Andrew Hatz; Ninth ward, Thomas Lattlehales; Tenth ward, E. F. Wilmot, George Evans; [a partly cut line at the top of the next crop is not legible] Twelfth ward, Charles C. Old.
Freeholders—Republicans, First ward, James F. Walton, Harry Campbell; Second ward, David A. Henderson; Third ward, John T. Rodan; Fourth ward, William Monroe, A. R. Dease; Fifth ward, David Rankin; Sixth ward, F. W. Gercke; Seventh ward, Walter W. Johnson; Eighth ward, Thomas Leeson; Ninth ward, John Prentice; Tenth ward, J. W. Wilkinson; Eleventh ward, F. W. Geisler, George Simpson; Twelfth ward, J. M. Pennock, Charles Laib.
Democrats—Fourth ward, J. R. Kirkbride; Sixth ward, Louis Shimer; Ninth ward, John Hurley; Tenth ward, A. R. Romba, F. A. Kendall; Twelfth ward, Charles F. Tracey, George A. Wilkins.
Excise Commissioners—Republicans, William B. Stephens, J. H. Sweeten, John Baker, M. H. Bains, W. H. Chamberlain, E. J. Alff, Jacob Gnang, G. C. Stratton, Howard Lee, Walter Simpson, H. A. Budney, J. H. Morang.
Democrats—John Miller, William J. McGettigan, George Kleinheinz, Frank Richmond, Jacob Neutz.
Camden’s Bodies Begin New Year
Philadelphia Inquirer —
General Reorganization Today Among City’s Various Municipal Offices
This will be general reorganization day among Camden’s various municipal bodies including City Council, Board of Freeholders, City Assessors, Excise Commission, Board of Health and Board of Education. It is likely there will be but few changes with respect to the officers who will guide the destinies of the respective bodies.
For the second year Councilman James E. Hewitt, of the Fourth ward, will be elected president of City Council. He has occupied this position acceptably as had Director John Prentice, who will be re-elected head of the Freeholders. These are the more important of the departments of the city and county government.
With respect to Council, it has been determined to have the widest publicity given every act. There are to be no caucuses or secret sessions that were formerly something of an objectionable feature. It is the intention of the new Council to invite the citizens to be present at the meetings so they will know just what is going on and thus avert unfounded charges and unwarranted criticism.
There will be six new Councilmen, including William F. Kelly, Second ward; William H. Hall, Third ward; Richard Carney, Fifth ward; Grant E. Kirk, Eighth ward; Thomas Littlehales, Ninth ward, and A. D. Kline, Twelfth ward. The latter two are Democrats and the others Republicans. One of the features of the session will be the seventh annual message of Mayor Ellis, who will suggest many reforms and recommendations in the various city departments.
There are a large number of minor offices to be filled.
Quite a lot of interest is being manifested with respect to the appointment of an excise inspector. Jacob Schiller, the incumbent, has opposition in William B. Stephens, a former member of the Excise Board, and Police Captain Stanley. It is generally believed that Schiller will get the place, however.
Circuit Court Judge Frank T. Lloyd Accepts Chairmanship of Unemployment Committee
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Circuit Court Judge Frank T. Lloyd yesterday accepted chairmanship of the Camden Chamber of Commerce Committee which is to study the unemployment question and make suggestions for remedial measures. With Judge Lloyd on the committee are: Alban Eavenson, of Eavenson & Levering; Belford G. Royal, of the Victor Talking Machine Company; Congressman Francis F. Patterson; Mayor Charles H. Ellis; former United States Senator David Baird; L. A. Hawkes, of the Hunt Pen Company; Frank Vanhart, president of City Council, and an official of the Esterbrook Pen Company; John Prentice, director of the Board of Freeholders; Burleigh B. Draper, of the Broadway Trust Company; A. C. Dorrance, of the Campbell Soup Company; Lawyer William S. Darnell; C. W. Tomlinson, of the R. M. Hollinshed Company; James V. Moran, of the Hurley Company; Rev. Thomas J. Whelen, pastor of the Church of the Holy Name; L. D. Johnson, of the State Employment Bureau; Rev. Charles B. Dubell, rector of St. John’s P. E. Church; Elmer E. Long, of Munger & Long; Mrs. Dr. A. H. Lippincott, Mrs. W. Penn Carson [sic] and Mrs. Harry Pelouze.
The committee was named by William E. Bennett, president of the Chamber of Commerce, whose aims are to have an immediate inquiry with the idea of a report, being made by the end of the month.
Prentice Cleared of Drunken Driving
Camden Morning Post —
RULING ESTABLISHES PRECEDENT IN TESTS BY POLICE PHYSICIAN
Former Freeholder’s Crippled Condition Taken into Consideration by Judge
EVIDENCE IS DOUBTED
Conviction of John Prentice, former director of the board of freeholders, on a charge of drunken driving, was reversed by Judge Samuel M. Shay, in Criminal Court yesterday with an opinion which sets a precedent in South Jersey and places the examination by a police physician open to question in court.
The acquittal of Prentice ended a case that occupied nearly the whole day in court. Prentice, who lives at 439 Carteret street, was convicted in police court after his car collided with that of Sol E. Zeiger, 1065 Kaighn ave., at Haddon and Lansdowne avenues.
The court was openly skeptical of Zeiger’s version of the accident. Zeiger claimed Prentice, after driving in a zig-zag manner, smashed into Zeiger’s car. He admitted however that the accident occurred in such a way that the front of his own car and the rear of Prentice’s were damaged.
In questioning the testimony of Dr. Charles Ley, police surgeon, who pronounced Prentice drunk, Judge Shay pointed out that the “best physicians” frequently disagree on the stand. Three physicians testified that Prentice was crippled in such a way that he could not maintain his balance, could not stand with his heels together and was otherwise unsteady on his feet, although entirely competent in operating an automobile. This was introduced as the reason Prentice failed to pass the examination when arrested.
“Bickerings over money” also were referred to by Judge Shay in his opinion. Prentice’s wife said Zeiger asked $300 to drop the case. Mrs. Prentice denied she ever had visited Dr. Ley and asked him to change the record on her husband’s case. Dr. Ley testified she had.
“I am basing my verdict,” Judge Shay said, “upon the facts that the policemen in the case would not make a complaint, the driver of the other car told a story which is not entitled to credibility and told of feats which I cannot believe. I have greatest respect for Dr. Ley. However, I do not let a physician who may testify be my sole guide for we frequently find the best physicians disagreeing on the witness stand. The Prentice case is that of a man whose physical condition is bad, due to injury. Furthermore, there were other witnesses to testify that he was not intoxicated, and it has been shown he never had been in any other accident. A bickering over money by those concerned also arouses considerable doubt. I therefore acquit Prentice.”