Introduction
Joseph Bennie
Joseph Bennie, 1967
JOSEPH BENNIE was born in Italy on August 7, 1897. He came to America as a small child, in 1901. By 1930 he had married, and owned a home with his wife Adalena in a predominantly Italian-American section of Camden’s Third Ward. The Bennie family resided at 511 South 4th, the corner of South 4th and Senate Streets. He was then working as a tailor at a coat factory, very probably the DiPaola Coat Factory, which employed many in the immediate neighborhood. The Bennie family remained on South 4th Street through at least 1947.
Active in local politics, Joseph Bennie served on the Camden County Board of Freeholders from Camden’s 3rd Ward in 1930 and 1931. By 1953 he had taken a job as a detective with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. At that time he was working under future federal judge Mitchell H. Cohen and with future Chief of County Detectives Wilfred Dube.
Joseph Bennie had moved to East Camden by 1956, where he lived at 515 Royal Avenue. Joseph Bennie died in June of 1967, still a resident of Camden. His family has remained in the area.
4th Ward Democrats Endorse Candidates
Camden Courier-Post —
4TH WARD DEMOCRATS’ ENDORSE CANDIDATES
More than 300 persons last night attended a rally of the Fourth Ward Democratic Club at its headquarters, 455 Berkley Street, and following addresses formally endorsed the candidacy of all Democratic candidates in Camden County.
Samuel T. French, Joseph Bennie, Third Ward freeholder candidate; Sabba Verdiglione, Nicholas Sgariglio and Miss Marie V. Kelly, former jury commissioner, were speakers. Miss Kelly presided.
Three-cornered Fights In Freeholder Contest
Camden Courier-Post —
THREE-CORNERED FIGHTS IN FREEHOLDER CONTEST
Clementon and Delaware Township to Have Bitter Battles
38 TO BE ELECTED IN COUNTY, NOV. 3
6 Additional Offices Created by Law; Candidates Listed
Three-cornered battles in Clementon and Delaware Township will mark freeholder contests at the November 3 election. Ballots will be casts for an entire new board of freeholders, with 38 to be elected.
Boroughs to have freeholders representation for the first time as a result of recent legislation are Clementon, Lindenwold, Oaklyn, Woodlynne, Mt. Ephraim and Runnemede.
Rivals in the three-cornered fight in Clementon are Theodore W. Gibbs, Republican Organization nominee; Frank C. Somers, running as a Republican Independent, and Herbert P. McAdams, the Democratic nominee.
The triangular race in Delaware township finds Frank N. Walton, Republican Organization; J. Watson Matlack, Republican Independent, and Augustus A. Cornet, Democrat, as the contestants.
Nine members of the present board of freeholders will not be on the ballot for re-election. All are Republicans. They are Benjamin W. Sykes, Eighth Ward; Joseph Tarpine, First Ward, Gloucester; Philip Stohlbergel, Audubon; Joseph H. Van Meter, Collingswood; William J. Dallas, Haddon Heights; James W. Davis, Clementon; Charles C. Durges, Haddon township; Theodore Schleinkofer, Waterford township, and William A. Robinson, Winslow.
Joseph Bennie, Third Ward, Camden, is the only Democratic member on the present board. He is seeking a re-election and is opposed by Daniel Auletto, Republican nominee.
Candidates listed on the ballots in the various wards and municipalities follow:
Camden Wards
First Ward—Samuel D. Payne, R.; Thomas J. Kittel, D.
Second—William H. Heiser, R.; William Kunitz, D.
Third—Daniel Auletto, R.; Joseph Bennie, D.
Fourth—William L. Roberts, R.; Nicholas A. La Marra, D.
Fifth—C. Leonard Brehm, R.; Leon Perozzi. D.
Sixth—Harry J. Burrichter, R.; A. W. Lazro, D.
Seventh—Mrs. Mary D. Guthridge, R.; Theodore Buczkowski, D.
Eighth—Walter Sekula, R.; George S. W. Spaide.
Ninth—Francis B. Bodine, R.; S. V. Waddy, D.
Tenth—Samuel J. Edwards, R.; Edward J. Fox, Sr., D.
Eleventh—Howard Firth, R.; Charles T. Johnston, D.
Twelfth—John T. Rodan, R.; Wilbert H. Joslin, D.
Thirteenth—William P. Cotter, R.; Frank E. Zimmerman, D.
Fourteenth—Charles H. Genther, R.; George E. Brunner, D.
Bennie Approval Awaited in Senate
Camden Courier-Post —
Governor Sends in His Name as Camden County Jury Commissioner
Trenton, June 11 (Saturday) — Nomination of former Freholder [sic] Joseph Bennie, Camden Democrat, as Camden county jury commissioner, was sent to the Senate yesterday afternoon by the governor. It had not been acted on early today as the Legislature prepared to adjourn.
Bennie, who would serve a one-year term at $750, would succeed George Kleinheinz, also a Democrat. Kleinheinz has been acting jury commissioner since April 1, when his term expired, being named temporarily by Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd.
Bennie has been slated for the job for some time but Senator Stewart said he had been holding up his approval of Bennie’s appointment while awaiting a report on the case of Judge Frank F. Neutze, of Camden district court, from the ethics committee of the Camden County Bar Association. The committee is investigating charges made by Stewart that Neutze was guilty of “ambulance chasing.” Stewart cited the charge as one of his reasons for refusing to approve the governor’s re-appointment of Neutze.
“I have changed my mind,” Stewart said yesterday, “because the Neutze matter cannot be settled now and the jury commissioner appointment might as well be approved.”
Bennie’s appointment was recommended by Harry L. Maloney, and Mrs. Emma E. Hyland, Democratic state committee members from Camden county.
Selects Jurors
Camden Courier-Post —
JOSEPH BENNIE
Former Democratic freeholder, of 511 South Fourth street, Camden, whose appointment by Governor A. Harry Moore as jury commissioner of Camden county, has been confirmed by the Senate. He is well known in fraternal circles and until this year was the only Democrat for three years on the freeholders’ board. He will serve a one-year term at $750, succeeding George Kleinheinz, also a Democrat.
Colored Democrats of Third Organize
Camden Courier-Post —
COLORED DEMOCRATS OF THIRD ORGANIZE
The Third Ward Colored Democratic Club was organized last night at 650 Locust Street with the election of Charles Johnson as president.
Joseph Bennie, jury commissioner, was the principal speaker. Other officers elected were James Riley, vice president; Minnie Gray, chaplain; Edna Taylor, secretary; Jack Mason, recording secretary; George Bryant, treasurer, and James H. James, sergeant-at-arms.
The club will meet again tomorrow night with Charles Salvaggia, county committeeman, as speaker.
Lloyd Again Prods Orlando and Cops In Numbers Cases
Camden Courier-Post —
Lloyd Again Prods Orlando and Cops In Numbers Cases
Detectives Told to Produce or Quit by Jurist
FIVE GET ’PEN’ IN ABOUT-FACE
Five state witnesses, who thought they got off “easy” in numbers cases, yesterday underwent reversal of county jail terms and found themselves sentenced to the penitentiary.
Judge Frank F. Neutze sentenced them in Criminal Court.
Terms ranged from two to three years, and they followed the witnesses’ sudden “about-face” in the Klosterman brothers’ case. The five all convicted numbers writers, recanted testimony last week at the brothers’ trial.
Censure of the prosecutor’s office by Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd followed. Justice Lloyd called Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando and his staff to his chambers on the fourth floor of the new courthouse. Attending the conference in addition to Orlando were:
Assistant Prosecutors Harding and Eason, Chief County Detective Lawrence T. Doran, County Detectives James J. Mulligan, James Wren, Joseph Bennie, Casimir Wojtwokiak [sic] and Elmer Mathis, and Mrs. Daisy Rourke and Mrs. Ethel Michener, stenographers.
“Go out and do some work, or else be replaced,” is the ultimatum said to have been hurled at the detectives by Justice Lloyd. He is said to be aroused over apparent inactivity of county detectives on evidence in the Klosterman case.
That there is “nothing to stop the prosecutor” from having the Klostermans re-indicted on numbers charges is the contention of the Supreme Court Justice, and Prosecutor Orlando, when told of this statement, declared he was “working on it.”
Jail terms, which Judge Neutze voided, before imposing prison sentences, was begun by the accused quintet on January 3. They also were fined on single indictments. Yesterday’s sentences, with a single exception, were upon other indictments returned against the same defendants. The five sentenced are:
Walter Hart, 28, of 1245 Thurman street, who was serving six months in the county jail and fined $250 on one of five “numbers’ indictments.
Andrew Pointkowski, 30, of 1475 South Ninth street, who was serving six months and fined $250 on one of six “numbers” indictments.
Fined, Jailed
Thomas Kirk, 40, of 935 Carpenter street, who was serving a three-month jail sentence and fined $100 on one of five “numbers” indictments.
Crawford Smith, 53, of 702 Carman street, under a three-month county jail sentence and $100 fine on one of five “numbers” indictments.
Arthur Woodridge, 40, colored, of 7910 Park avenue, Pennsauken township, who was serving a two-month county jail sentence and was fined $100 on one “numbers” indictment.
No explanation could be obtained as to the re-sentencing of Woodridge who had been indicted twice for “numbers” but acquitted on one bill and sentenced to the county jail on the other charge.
Justice Lloyd’s statement as to whether the Klostermans would be re-indicted and tried again on “numbers” charges came in response to a question by a Courier-Post representative.
“Will the Klostermans be re-indicted?” the jurist was asked.
“Not on the dates in August and September, 1934, during which they were alleged to have operated a ’numbers’ lottery and also been acquitted.
“However there is nothing to stop the prosecutor from indicting them for conducting the same illegal business in May, June and July of last year.”
Only five minutes were required to re-sentence the five men in a court room that was almost empty as no announcement had been made previously of what Judge Neutze intended to do. However, Prosecutor Orlando and his assistants, Patrick H. Harding and Isaac W. Eason, were in court.
“It is true I had them over here,” Justice Lloyd said regarding the censuhe [sic] confernece [sic]. “I am sorry that it got out. I have made a record of what I told them, but I can’t discuss it or tell what I said to them because I promised them that I would not make it public. But if things don’t work out the way they should, then I will have something to say.”
None of the prosecutors or other employes would make any statement relative to what Justice Lloyd told them.
Conference Result
Before imposition of sentence, no mention was made by Judge Neutze in the presence of the defendants of their “change of heart” on the witness stand last Thursday when the Klostermans were on trial.
Asked the reason for it, Judge Neutze said:
“I didn’t have to—they knew!”
The re-sentences, it was stated by Judge Neutze after he had left the bench, followed a conference held Saturday in which he participated with Justice Lloyd and Prosecutor Orlando.
“We reached the conclusion that these recanting state’s witnesses should be punished,” Judge Neutze declared.
Three other state’s witnesses also recanted their previous statements at the trial of the Klostermans which resulted in Judge Neutze directing the jury to find Frederick and Joseph Klosterman not guilty on 30 indictments charging them with operation of the “numbers” lottery.
It was indicated by both court officials and the prosecutor’s office that nothing in the way of punishment can be imposed on them because they are not serving jail sentences.
The trio is Albert Young, 35, of 519 North Second street, sentenced to three months and a $100 fine last Nov. 2 by Judge Neutze on one “numbers” indictment and released by the jurist in time to spend Christmas holidays with his family; Frank Kulczynski, 40, of 1100 Orchard street, who was sentenced Nov. 26 to two months in the county jail and a $200 fine on one “numbers” indictment and given a suspended sentence on a second “numbers” charge, and Harry Koron, 40, of 528 Mt. Ephraim avenue, fined $200 and sentenced to two months in the county jail on Nov. 26 for “numbers” writing.
Judge Neutze’s statement in connection with re-sentencing of the five men follows:
“During the trial I was absolutely disgusted at the testimony that these men gave. I had been informed they would testify against the Klostermans and connect the Klostermans with the “numbers” racket.
“When they got on the witness stand I was surprised to see them doing an about-face. They used up a great amount of the county’s time and money and I made up my mind then that they would be punished. I had a conference on Saturday with Prosecutor Orlando and gave him my views on additional punishment for these men.
“He agreed with me that these men should be punished and I asked him to bring the five men into court to be sentenced on the other “numbers” indictments. That was agreeable to him. The sentences speak for themselves.”
On Saturday, Judge Neutze, in a statement to the Courier-Post, said he would not move for re-sentencing of the five recanting state witnesses on other “numbers” indictments because it was up to the prosecutor.
At the same time he denied that the prosecutor on January 3, when the five men with seven other men and women “numbers” writers were sentenced, had asked him to impose stiff prison sentences to make the defendants “talk” as to who the “higher-ups” were.
Justice Lloyd in a statement yesterday said the five men who were sentenced to prison received only what they “were entitled to.”
“These men not only committed these crimes, but they deceived the prosecutor as to what they would testify to,” Justice Lloyd said. When they came into court they deviated from their testimony and were guilty of either lying or perjury when they denied they knew the Klostermans.
Misled Prosecutor
“They were guilty of misleading the prosecutor’s office and they were entitled to exactly what they got.
“The prison sentences today will show the criminal they cannot play fast and loose with the courts. The sentences meet with the hearty approval of myself, Judge Neutze and Prosecutor Orlando.”
Prosecutor Orlando, located before Justice Lloyd, who was hearing a motion in which the prosecutor was interested, said:
“I am heartily in accord with the sentences imposed by Judge Neutze.”
In court last Thursday when the Klosterman brothers were acquitted the five men were evasive in their testimony as to whether the Klostermans were the “numbers” bankers.
Yesterday when lined up before Judge Neutze they gaped in astonishment at the swiftness with which they were sent to prison for longer terms.
Nearly Collapses
One of the five, Crawford Smith, nearly collapsed in a chair in which he was permitted to sit during sentencing. Smith has been suffering from a heart ailment.
Turning to Hart, Judge Neutze said:
“I sentenced you to six months in the county jail and ordered you to pay a fine of $250. That fine has been paid.. Who paid it?
“I don’t know,” Hart replied.
“Well, I am going to void my previous sentence,” the court declared. There are five indictments against you on ’numbers’ charges. I am going to sentence you to state prison to serve from two to three years on each indictment. The sentences will run concurrently.”
Pointkowski was next. The jurist turning to the defendant said:
“There are six indictments on ’numbers’ charges against you. Your new sentence will be from two to three years in state prison, the terms to run concurrently.”
Woodridge was next.
“I am going to void your sentence and send you to state prison for two to three years.”
The next defendant was Kirk.
“There are five indictments against you,” said Judge Neutze. “Your new sentence is two to three years in State Prison on each indictment, the terms to run concurrently.”
Crawford Smith was the fifth and last defendant to be re-sentenced. When he first came into the court room with the other prisoners, Smith asked the court if he could sit down as he was suffering from a heart ailment.
“I understand you were ill,” Judge Neutze said, “and I had Dr. Rogers (Dr. E. B. Rogers, County Physician) examine you.”
“Yes, I have a bad heart,” Smith complained.
“Well, Dr. Rogers reports to me,” continued the court, “that you are not a well man but your condition is not serious. There are five indictments against you. Your sentence is from 2 to 3 years in State Prison on each indictment, the sentences to run concurrently.”
Smith, who had been under sentence to serve three months in the county jail and pay a fine of $100, for “numbers” writing, slumped forward in his chair and nearly collapsed. After he revived sufficiently he was taken back with the others to the county jail on the fourth floor of the Courthouse to await transportation to Trenton.
Crawford Smith, according to Police Chief Arthur Colsey, is a brother of District Detective Walter Smith and former County Detective Howard Smith.
The $100 fine imposed upon Woodridge, one of the five men re-sentenced, was paid last Wednesday, the day before the trial of the Klostermans. The $100 fine against Smith was paid last Friday.
A. Harry Moore Club to Hold Rally Tonight
Camden Courier-Post —
A mass meeting of Democrats will be held at 8 p. m. today by the A. Harry Moore Third Ward Democratic Club, at Third and Benson streets, with Postmaster Emma E. Hyland, Prosecutor Samuel G. [sic] Orlando and all county candidates listed as speakers. Charles Salvaggio is president and Joseph Bennie chairman of the club.
Four Charged With Numbers Using ‘Bingo’
Camden Courier-Post —
FOUR CHARGED WITH NUMBERS USING ‘BINGO’
Marino, Girard Held At Merchantville In New Racket
A new numbers racket based on “Bingo” was disclosed yesterday when county detectives and Merchantville police arrested four men, two of them police characters.
The suspects were seized in an automobile parked within sight of the Merchantville police station.
The two with police records are Joseph Marino and Harry Girard. The others are Irving Chapman, 23, of 43 South Merchant street, and John Holmes, 23, of 227 Main street, both of Merchantville. All were arraigned on a charge of violating the state lottery law, before Justice of the Peace Samuel Rudolph, who complied with a request from Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando and held them without bail for the grand jury.
Marino’s police record dates to 1914. He received three suspended sentences, three other cases were nolle pressed by the court and on one occasion he served a jail sentence.
His last time in custody was as a suspect in the slaying of Abe Goodman, former numbers baron. He was released after questioning.
Girard’s criminal record dates back to 1924. He has been arrested five times, serving two reformatory sentences and one term in the state prison.
Details of the new racket were not immediately divulged by the prosecutor’s office. It was learned, however, that hundreds of “bing slips” were seized by the police when the men were arrested.
Police Chief William Linderman, County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran and County Detectives Wilfred Dube, James J. Mulligan, Joseph Bennie and Casimir Wojtkowiak arrested the four men, all of whom were taken at once to the office of Prosecutor Orlando for questioning.
It was revealed at the prosecutor’s office that an attempt to flood Camden city and county with the new numbers game has been made during the last two weeks.
Detectives have been trailing an automobile during this time, believed to have been the car in which the men were seized yesterday.
4-Month Sentence for Number Writer
Camden Courier-Post —
Judge Disputes Attorney’s Statement on ‘Experience’ of Defendant
Four months in the county jail was ordered yesterday for Joseph Wallace, 27, of 5733 Rogers avenue, Merchantville, after he pleaded guilty to engaging in a lottery.
The term was imposed by Common Pleas Court Judge Clifford A. Baldwin. Wallace admitted he had a small quantity of numbers slips and $5.14 in cash derived from numbers sales in his pockets when arrested at Thirty-fourth and Federal streets by county detectives on May 17.
Carl Kisselman, Camden attorney who defended Lou Barron, Philadelphia numbers baron, recently, was counsel for Wallace. Baron was fined $750 and given a suspended sentence by Judge W. H. Sharp, of Vineland, substituting for Judge Baldwin.
Baldwin, before pronouncing sentence, asked Kisselman: “How long has this man been in the numbers business?”
Kisselman answered: “Two weeks.”
“That’s strange,” Baldwin countered, “I have a paper here which says he forfeited $50 in Pennsauken township two years ago after he had been arrested on a lotery [sic] charge.”
Kisselman answered he did not think the prisoner had jumped his bail on that charge. He asserted Wallace was arrested “on suspicion” and put up the $50 and then forfeited it. The attorney averred the township police had no evidence to substantiate the lottery charge against Wallace.
The numbers writer was arrested by County Detective Elmer Mathis who told Baldwin the prosecutor’s office had received a number of complaints that a man was engaged in a lottery business on Federal street. He and Detective Joseph Benni watched Wallace for some time before making the arrest, he said.
Sgt. Wilkie Is Still Held in Jail, His Bail of $50,000 Unchanged
Camden Courier-Post —
Cut Considered After Retraction Of ‘Confession’
Police Sgt. John V. Wilkie, Camden’s notebook cop, remained in jail today in default of $50,000 bail despite his admission Thursday he “confessed” accidentally killing his son in an effort to have full burial rites of the Roman Catholic Church accorded the youth.
Wilkie’s admission of the fabrication as a desperate self-sacrificing attempt for his son came Thursday afternoon after he learned the church had reiterated that his son, James, 17, could not be given requiem rites and be buried in consecrated ground.
Wilkie admitted that when he returned to his home, at 1144 Princess ave., at 2.18 a. m. Sunday, he found his son dead of a revolver shot instead of having been shot in a struggle with Wilkie for the latter’s service revolver.
Services for Wilkie’s son will be held Monday at 11 a. m. in the Robert J. Blake Funeral Home, 851 Haddon ave. Burial will be in New Camden Cemetery, Mt. Ephraim and Ferry aves., a nondenominational cemetery. There will be a public viewing at the funeral home Sunday night.
Wilkie, a member of Sacred Heart R.C. Church, Broadway and Ferry ave., will be permitted to attend the services under guard.
Asked about the continuing high bail, Prosecutor Mitchell Cohen said there has been “no request from Wilkie nor his attorney, Elmer Bertman, for reduction of bail.”
Favorable to Lower Bail
Cohen, however, continued, “In light of the new circumstances, I certainly would entertain such a request.” He continued:
“In view of the holiday weekend, I probably won’t be in my office until Monday. Nor is the sheriff’s office open during the weekend to receive the bail.
“It would be necessary to contact me with a request for bail reduction and also to make special arrangements with Sheriff Hainsworth to post the bail.”
Late Thursday, Cohen told reporters he had no alternative but to present all of the facts in the case to the grand jury and “let them decide.”
Tells of Repudiation
“In the presence of Chief Mulligan and Capt. Dube of the county detectives staff; Capt. Murphy of the Camden City detective bureau; Samuel P. Orlando as a friend of Wilkie’s, and Fred Albert, court stenographer, Wilkie has made a statement which repudiates a ‘confession’ he made to me earlier this week.
“He states that he found his son, James, dead of a gunshot wound when he returned to his home early on the morning of Dec. 20.
“Wilkie states that he concocted his story that he and his son wrestled over possession of the gun, which was Wilkie’s service revolver, and that the gun was discharged accidentally.
Father Denied Suicide
“Wilkie told us he had determined to do everything within his power, say anything and be willing to take any kind of punishment, in order to obtain a Catholic funeral for his son.
“He still insists that his son did not commit suicide, that he had just bought some new clothes and had said or done nothing to indicate he might take his life.
“I must say here that the facts available to us do not coincide with a theory of accidental death.
“After Wilkie had made his ‘confession’ to us, we had him illustrate several times with county detectives how he said he tussled with his son. We knew then the son could not have been accidentally shot in such a struggle.
State Police Tests
“All tests by state police laboratories and our medical reports clearly evidenced Wilkie was not telling the truth.
“The bullet entered one temple and emerged from the other on a straight line instead of at an angle. The course the bullet took made it clear the shot was fired with deliberation by a gun held in the decedent’s hands or in some other hands.
“Since a complaint has been made and a court has instructed me to present this matter to the grand jury, I must do so. Therefore the charge of manslaughter will remain pending the grand jury’s deliberation.”
Wilkie, according to Sheriff Hainsworth, spent a “restful day” Christmas in a cell in E block on the sixth floor of City Hall.
The sheriff said Wilkie was in “good spirits and talked frequently with other prisoners.”
Sgt. Wilkie Remains in County Jail As Son Is Buried Without Ritual
Camden Courier-Post —
Funeral Director Recites Prayer:
Police Sgt. John V. Wilkie, whose “confession” that he accidentally killed his son proved to be a hoax, remained in the county jail today during the funeral of his 17-year-old son, James.
Wilkie, Camden’s “notebook cop,” is being held in county jail in default of $50,000 bail pending submission of his case to the grand jury, although authorities accepted his admission that the story of accidental death was concocted in an effort to obtain the full burial rites of the Roman Catholic Church for his son.
James, whose death on Dec. 20 was officially declared a suicide, was buried from the Robert J. Blake Funeral Home, 851 Haddon ave.
Only about 20 persons were present, and there was no formal service of any kind. Among those at the funeral home were James’ mother, Mrs. Tessie Bogacki, of Woodlynne; his brother, Richard, 16, and sister, Teresa, 14, and two aunts, Mrs. Elizabeth Meredith and Mrs. Jane Salus.
James was buried in the rain in New Camden Cemetery, Mt. Ephraim and Ferry aves., a nondenominational cemetery, also without any formal service. Blake recited the Lord’s Prayer as the casket was lowered.
Members of the immediate family and a few friends attended.
Attends Viewing
Wilkie attended the public viewing at the funeral home Sunday night in the company of County Detectives James McLaughlin and Joseph Bennie and a guard from the sheriff’s office, Walter Wilkie, no relation.
He was promised release from jail so he could attend today’s burial, but James J. Mulligan, chief of county detectives, said Wilkie sent word to the prosecutor’s office this morning that he had no desire to be present at the rites.
“He was present at the viewing,” Mulligan said, “but he said he just didn’t want to go to the funeral. So we made no arrangements for him to go.”
Approximately 100 persons attended the viewing, and Wilkie was present the entire time.
Fabricated Confession
Wilkie’s admission he fabricated the “confession” that he accidentally killed his son came Thursday after he learned that church authorities had declined to alter their original ruling that the youth could not be given solemn requiem rites and be buried in consecrated ground. Canons of the Church forbid religious services and burial in suicide cases.
The veteran police sergeant had claimed that he accidentally shot the boy in a struggle for possession of Wilkie’s service revolver at the Wilkie residence, 1144 Princess ave. But, in his admission that this version of the death was untrue, he said he found his son dead of a revolver shot when he returned home at 2.18 a. m. Sunday, Dec. 20.
Cohen said no request for reduction of Wilkie’s $50,000 bail had been made, but that he would consider such a request if it is received. He said he had no alternative but to present all the facts in the Wilkie case to the grand jury.
‘Going Home and Take Care of My Children’
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Sgt. John V. Wilkie was released from the Camden County jail late Wednesday afternoon shortly after the grand jury returned a no bill on a manslaughter charge against the veteran policeman in the death of his son James Wilkie, 17.
Wilkie, as he was released from the county jail, told Undersheriff Charles O’Keefe he was “going home and take care of my children, they are my only concern now.”
Young Wilkie was found shot to death Dec. 20 at his father’s home, 1144 Princess ave. A certificate of suicide was issued by Coroner John A. Healey.
Admits Hoax
Later, Sgt. Wilkie surrendered at police headquarters and said he had accidentally shot his son in a struggle for possession of his service revolver. Wilkie was confined to the county jail in default of $50,000 bail on a manslaughter charge.
Last Thursday, Wilkie admitted to Prosecutor Cohen he had concocted the story of shooting his son in an attempt to obtain the full burial rites of the Roman Catholic Church for his son.
Cohen accepted the withdrawal of Wilkie’s “confession” but said he would have to submit the case to the grand jury. Cohen summoned Wilkie’s two other children, Richard, 16, and Theresa, 14, and City Detective Capt. Thomas Murphy before the jury Wednesday.
Murphy was questioned by the jurors 25 minutes and Richard was in the jury room for 15 minutes. Theresa was not called before the jury and at 3.30 p. m. was dismissed, less than a half hour before the jurors returned a no bill on the charge against the father.
Joseph Bennie, 69, Former Freeholder
Camden Courier-Post —
JOSEPH BENNIE, 69, FORMER FREEHOLDER
Joseph Bennie, 69, of 515 Royal Avenue, retired county detective and former county freeholder; died yesterday in Cooper Hospital.
Mr. Bennie, the father of Camden County Counsel John R. Bennie, retired August 30, 1957, after serving 24 years in the prosecutor’s office. He also served as a county jury commissioner and was the operator of the Bennie Detective Agency in Camden.
Mr. Bennie has been active in various civic social and charitable organizations. He was a past president of the Independent Order, Sons of Italy, and a member of the County Detective’s Benevolent Association.
Also surviving are his Adeline; a daughter, Mrs. Marie DiMattia of Runnemede and five grandchildren.
Requiem high Mass will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Procathedral, Pennsauken, 29th and Federal Streets.
Friends will meet at 8:30 a.m. tonight at the Joseph A. and Frank V. Falco Funeral Home, 6600 N. Browning Road, where they may call tomorrow night.
Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill.