Introduction
Lawrence Burton Reader was the third son of John Reader and his wife Lillia. The family had lived in Camden in the 1870s before moving to Minden NE, where Lawrence Reader was born on February 16, 1886. The family returned to Camden in 1890. John Reader was appointed to the Camden Police Department in 1898.
Lawrence Reader played baseball and studied law as a young man. In 1905 and 1906, and possibly in 1907 he was a member of the Orient team, one of the many local ball clubs in Camden and its environs. In that same year he became a notary public, working with another young lawyer, Ernest Bartelt. He married Bessie McLear in June 1907 at Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1908 Lawrence Reader was admitted as attorney, with an office at 207 Market Street, Camden.
Lawrence Reader became involved in politics. He was elected to city council from Camden’s 13th Ward six consecutive years, beginning in 1913. During his years as a councilman he served on the Property, Ordinance, Finance, Electrical and Accounts committees.
Lawrence Reader registered for the draft in Camden on September 12, 1918. He and wife Bessie were then living at 1362 Haddon Avenue. Sadly, Lawrence Reader died in Camden, a victim of the influenza epidemic, on October 10, 1918 and was buried at Harleigh Cemetery.
Lawrence Reader was survived by his wife Bessie and four children, his father, step-mother, and brothers Aaron and Dr. Addison B.G. Reader.
The Reader Family
Named: Lillia Grindle Reader, John Reader, and Dr. Addison B.G. Reader.
Orient of Gloucester Baseball Team
1907
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.
Ill Luck Defied by Maze of Thirteens
Philadelphia Inquirer —
CAMDEN NEWS
ILL LUCK DEFIED BY MAZE OF THIRTEENS
Thirteenth Ward Republican Club Plans a Final Whack at Time-honored Superstitions
In utter disregard to the usual superstition of ill luck in connection with the figure thirteen, the Thirteenth Ward Republican Club, recently organized, has planned to celebrate the thirteenth anniversary of the Liberty Park Republican Club, which it succeeded when the new ward was recently created by Camden City Council. The festivities will take place on March 13, 1913, at the club’s headquarters, 1313 and 1315 Haddon avenue, Camden. A committee of thirteen has been appointed to look after affairs as follows: Thomas Cunningham, Lawrence B. Reader, Calvin F. Bucks, Harry Kurz, Hugh Greenan, J. P. Scull, J. P. Daly, James Cunningham, Frank S. Albright, Wilbur Ellis, Henry Budney, Edward Kabinsky and George Williams. It is planned to have thirteen courses with thirteen toasts not to last more than thirteen minutes. Edward Kabinsky will be toastmaster and as it will be the thirteenth anniversary of his wedding the function will be of double interest to him. At the meeting at which all this was arranged thirteen new members were taken into the club.
Planning Memorial Day Program
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Mayor Ellis, in Camden yesterday, announced the committee of citizens who will act in conjunction with the veterans in arranging for the Memorial Day festivities. The committee follows: Frank W. Tussey, chairman; Charles M. Curry, secretary; Fred Roedel, William Sanginette, W. L. Tushingham, B. F. Schroeder, Edward H. Nieland, Daniel M. Stevens, W. F. Powell, Abe Fuhrman, C. K. Deacon, Jacob Neutze, Francis B. Wallen, Charles S. Ackley, Wallace McGeorge, Ralph D. Baker, Wm. F. Kelly, William Schmid, Lawrence B. Reader, M. D. Cornish, Harry Whaland, General John A. Mather, James E. Hewitt and David Jester.
Mary J. Ball Home and Day Nursery
Philadelphia Inquirer —
The Mary J. Ball Home and Day Nursery yesterday elected the following board of trustees: William J. Cooper, William F. Rose, H. C. Sharp, Frank Vanhost, H. C. Dole, L. B. Reoder, Mrs. Stephen Pfeil, Mrs. J. W. F. Bleakly, Mrs. John W. Croft, Mrs. Rose Batters, Dr. Emma M. Richardson. Mrs. Pfeil was elected chairman of the executive committee.
World War I Draft Card
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.