Mamie F. Piraine
Mamie F. Piraine, c. 1934
MAMIE PIRAINE was the Republican county committeewoman from Camden’s 8th Ward in the early 1930s. At the time of the May 1934 primary she had held that post for three years.
Mamie F. Piraine appears to have been born Philomena Pisseco in 1885 in Pennsylvania, of Italian parents. At 18 she married Constantino Piraine, a bricklayer who had been born in Italy. By 1910 there were two daughters, Elizabeth and Marie. The Pisseco family was living in the 600 block of Ferry Avenue as early as 1906.
Constantino and Mamie Piraine were living in Camden when the 1914 City Directory was compiled, at 650 Ferry Avenue. Constantino Piraine was then working as a stone mason.
By 1918, at 676 Ferry Avenue, Constantino Piriane was running a small movie theater. The Piraines were still at that address in January of 1920. Also there were Mamie’s two brothers Thomas and Charles Pisseco. The Piraine family was still on Ferry Avenue as late as 1924.
The Piraines lived at 2006 Broadway in the early 1930s. The 1930 census shows the Piraine family there, which by then included daughters Marie R. and Elizabeth. Constantino and Mamie Piraine ran the bar at 1944 Broadway into the mid-1930s. It appears that Constantino Piraine passed away in the mid-1930s.
1944 Broadway became the home of American Legion Post 274 in 1939, and was until 2008.
By 1947 Mamie F. Piraine was a widow, and was staying at 1297 Sayrs Avenue with daughter Elizabeth. She later moved to an apartment at 9 Willow Walk, in the Morgan Village section of Camden, where she was living in 1959.
8TH WARD CLUBWOMEN TO ELECT TOMORROW
Camden Courier-Post —
The Eighth Ward Women’s Democratic Club will elect its 1928 officers tomorrow night, instead of tonight, Mrs. Margaret Lloyd, corresponding secretary, announced today.
The change was ordered by Mrs. Catherine Corbett, president. Other officers of the club are Mrs. Mamie Piriani, vice president; Mrs. Constantina Schorpp, recording secretary, and Mrs. Lloyd.
Italian Women Republicans Stage Second Annual Ball
Camden Courier-Post —
Prominent Republicans gathered last night at the First Italian Republican League hall, 813 South Fourth Street, for the second annual ball of the Camden County Italian Women’s Republican Club.
The grand march was led by Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Mecca, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Laviano, Mr. and Mrs. Cascini, Mrs. Mamie Piraine, president of the club, with Anthony Di Marino, and Mrs. Anna Larusso with Harry Larusso.
Mrs. Mecca was chairman of the ball, assisted by Mrs. Laviano, secretary; Mrs. John Gargano, treasurer; Mrs. Frank Valeriano and Miss Mary Lario.
In addition to Mrs. Piraine, officers of the club are Mrs. Larusso, secretary; Mrs. Margaret Viggiano, secretary; Mrs. Josephine Tamru, financial secretary, and Mrs. Madeline Salvatore, treasurer.
Among the guests were Walter S. Keown, chairman of the Republican county committee; Assemblymen Frank M. Traveline, Jr., and George D. Rothermel, Postmaster Charles H. Ellis, County Detective Fiore Troncone, Miss Marie Doyle and Mrs. Pauline Caperoon, of Republican headquarters, and Walter Sekula, candidate for freeholder from the Eighth Ward.
Haines and Reinert Head G.O.P.
Camden Courier-Post —
Baird and Mrs. Verga Decline Posts During Spirited Committee Session
Joshua C. Haines, Camden county register of deeds, was elected chairman of the Camden County Republican Committee at its reorganization last night in one of the most spirited contests held within the Organization in a decade.
Mrs. Isabella C. Reinert, of Collingswood, nominee for Assembly, was elected vice chairman.
Haines succeeds Walter S. Keown and Mrs. Reinert takes the post held by Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga.
Their election came at 11.30 p. m., after more than three hours of heated argument behind closed doors, and after former U. S. Senator David Baird and Mrs. Verga had declined to accept the offices.
Others nominated were Keown and Camden City Commissioner Frank B. Hanna, for chairman, and Mrs. Etta C. Pfrommer, of the Eleventh Ward. Mrs. Pfrommer twice declined.
In previous years reorganization of the county committee had been effected without dispute, and with unanimous action by the members. Last night, however, the discussion waged long and loud.
Other officers were re-elected as follows: Howard B. Dyer, secretary; William D. Sayrs, Jr., treasurer, and Mrs. Lottie B. Stinson, assistant secretary. Mrs. Anna G. Holl, of Collingswood, was elected assistant treasurer to succeed Mrs. Reinert.
Keown opened the meeting and then Baird spoke. The former Senator presented the recommendation of the Republican executive conference committee that the members elect Haines and Mrs. Reinert in view of the fact that Keown and Mrs. Verga had resisted all requests to continue.
Then Mrs. Margaret Wermuth, of Delaware township, and Carlton M. “Cy” Harris, of the Twelfth Ward, presented a petition signed by virtually all the committee, asking Baird and Mrs. Verga to accept the chairmanship and vice chairmanship.
Baird then declared that he was unable to take over any additional work. “I must not be chosen, but must work with and for you, and I ask that you respect my wishes.”
He then proposed that Haines and Mrs. Reinert be chosen unanimously. Despite his proposal, Mrs. Wermuth moved the election of Baird and Mrs. Verga. The vote was virtually unanimous. Immediately J. C. Remington, Jr., of Haddonfield, moved to adjourn. The chair refused to recognize the motion.
Several members threatened to resign from the committee unless Baird and Mrs. Verga accepted. To this Baird answered: “I’m still fighting for the party, no matter who quits. If you quit, you’re not worthy to be members.” His remarks were greeted with applause.
In announcing her decision not to accept renomination Mrs. Verga said her duties as state vice chairman, taking her into all the 21 counties, made it impossible for her to continue to devote the time to the county committee which it deserved.
Then Baird accepted the resignation from the chairmanship and Mrs. Verga from the vice chairmanship. Keown was nominated for re-election, and Hanna for the chairman position. Baird was renominated by Remington. Keown reiterated his insistence, issued some months ago, not to stand for re-election. Baird again declined.
Then Keown moved the election of Haines and Mrs. Reinert and the discussion which followed continued for three hours. Finally the vote was taken at 11.30 and Haines and Mrs. Reinert were elected.
Mrs. Reinert, however, declined the office, stating her candidacy for the Assembly precluded her at this time. Then Mrs. Pfrommer was nominated, but she turned it down twice. After much persuasion Mrs. Reinert agreed to accept the office, with the provision that she serve through the summer and that she be permitted to resign later, if she wished.
In congratulating Mrs. Reinert, Congressman Charles A. Wolverton urged the election of Baird and Mrs. Verga.
The committee elected the following solicitors: Carl Kisselman, Edward R. Deibert, L. Scott Cherchesky, William E.A. King, J. Claud Simon, T. Phillips Brown, J. H. Reiners, Jr., Rocco Palese and Morris Praissman.
Members of the Republican County Committee, which organized last night, include from the Eighth Ward: Edmund A. Walsh and Mamie F. Piraine.
G.O.P. Groups Unite For Dance And Fair
Camden Courier-Post —
Four Republican groups will join in staging their thirty-seventh annual ball and fair March 17 at the headquarters of the First Italian Republican League, 813 South Fourth Street. The units under whose auspices the program will be presented include the league, the Fifth Ward unit of the Young Republicans of Camden County, the Camden County Women’s Italian Republican Club, and the Young Ladies’ Italian Republican Club.
The committee in charge includes Antonio Mecca, former coroner, chairman; Mrs. Mamie Piraine, vice chairman; Richard Troncone, secretary, and Vincent Sarubbi, treasurer.
June 1933
Tax stamp for the Piraine bar at 1944 Broadway, June 1933
Rival Candidates Enter Baird's Fold
Camden Courier-Post —
Endorsements From Same Organizations Cited in Eighth Ward
Contests for the Republican nomination for freeholder and for Republican county committeeman and committeewoman will enliven the primary election May 15 in the Eighth Ward.
Freeholder contestants include Dr. Orris W. Saunders, 1700 Broadway, “Regular Republican,” and Walter Sekula, 1635 South Sixth street, “Regular Organization Republican”; for committeeman, Edmund A. Walsh, 1633 Broadway, “Regular Republican,” and William Tansky, 1903 South Sixth street, “Regular Organization Republican”; for committeewoman, Mamie F. Piraine, 2006 Broadway, “Regular Republican,” and Theresa Maloney Di Lello, 723 Ferry avenue, “Regular Organization Republican.”
Both the “Regular Republican” candidates and the “Regular Organization Republican” candidates announce that they are with the Baird-Baker faction. At the same time both groups claim the endorsements of Republican clubs in the ward.
Active in Politics
Dr. Saunders is a former Camden county coroner, a former member of city council from the eighth Ward, a former city commissioner candidate; a member of the Board of Managers of the Lakeland Tuberculosis Hospital; a director of the West Jersey-Parkside Trust Company.
Walsh has been a county committeeman for two years. He expressed confidence of re-election with a large majority.
Mrs. Piraine has been county committeewoman for three years. She predicts a big majority for the “Regular Republican” candidates at the primary.
Walsh said that Dr. Saunders, Mrs. Piraine and himself have been endorsed by the precinct committeemen and women of the ward; by the Eighth Ward Republican Association, and by the Regular William H. Jones Colored Republican Club, both men and women.
Walsh added that at a workers’ meeting last night at Mill Tavern, Broadway and Jefferson street, attended by 150, the Baird-Baker ticket was endorsed. Mrs. Florence Baker, candidate for state committeewoman, was among the speakers, he said.
Mass Meeting Friday
Walsh also announced that a mass meeting will be conducted May 11 at Empire Hall, Fillmore and Viola streets, when the Baird-Baker candidates will speak.
Sekula said the candidacies of himself, Tansky and Mrs. Di Lello have been endorsed by the Eighth Ward Republican Club and the Jones Colored Republican Club. Sekula said neither club has endorsed the candidacies of Dr. Saunders, Mrs. Piraine and Walsh, who, he added, have only the endorsement of a new Republican club in the ward that has just been organized. Sekula said that as to endorsements by precinct committeemen and women, they are divided in their support.
Sekula is seeking the nomination for a second term as freeholder. He is in the trucking business and served as president of the Eighth Ward Republican Club, 1718 Broadway, for eight years.
Tansky, who has lived in the ward 24 years, served three enlistments in the Army and the Navy and is in the cafe business. He was 15 when he served in the World War, the youngest soldier. He is a member of Veterans of Foreign Wards, Post 980.
Sekular [sic] predicted victory for himself, Tansky and Mrs. Di Lello.
Club Endorsement Denied in 8th Ward
Camden Courier-Post —
Action Rescinded Due to Choice of Running Mates, Candidate Says
Denial was made yesterday by three Eighth ward candidates, Walter Sekula, William Tansky, Jr., and Mrs. Theresa Maloney Die Lello, that their opponents have the endorsement of two political clubs.
Sekula is candidate for re-election as freeholder; Tansky is a candidate for Republican county committeeman, and Mrs. Di Lello is running with them for county committeewoman.
All three are “Regular Organization Republican” candidates, and announce their endorsement by the Baird-Baker faction.
Opposing them are Mrs. Mamie F. Piraine, for committeewoman; Dr. Oris W. Saunders, for freeholder, and Edmund A. Welsh [sic], for committeeman. Their designation is “Regular Republican.”
The Regular Organization Republican candidates deny their rivals have the support of the Eighth Ward Republican Club, 1718 Broadway, and the William Jones Republican Club, 707 Ferry avenue.
“Mrs. Piraine,” said Tansky, “was endorsed by the Eighth Ward Republican Club with the understanding she would run with two other candidates. After secret meetings, she picked up two candidates who were not members of the club, Walsh and Dr. Saunders.
“As a result, the club held a special meeting and rescinded its motion endorsing Mrs. Piraine.”
“Dr. Saunders cannot rightfully claim affiliation as a Regular Republican by virtue of his candidacy in 1927 on a Non-Partisan ticket,” Tansky added.
Tansky has served in the United States Army and Navy with three overseas enlistments. He has resided 24 years in the Eighth ward, is married and has two children. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wards, Post 980.
Sekula has been in the trucking business for 15 years at 1635 South Sixth street, while Mrs. Di Lello conducts a confectionery store at Kossuth street and Ferry avenue. She was born and reared in the Eighth Ward.
Dozen Battles Draw 1000 as Victory March Pays Serenade
Camden Courier-Post —
Youth Cut in Chest by Bullet; Bystander Cut on Head — Political Leaders Put to Quiz by Detectives
At least one person was shot and many were hurt in a street battle last night that was the aftermath of a bitter political contest at the primary election between rival Republican factions in the Eighth ward.
When nearly a score of police arrived in response to a riot call from Sixth and Viola streets a crowd of 1000 excited residents of the ward had gathered there and a dozen or more individual combats were in progress.
Nicholas Sustich, 15, of 1804 Hale street, was treated at Cooper hospital for a flesh wound of the chest, which police said was caused by a ricocheting bullet.
Joseph Samenich, 1005 South Sixth street, was treated at the West Jersey Homeopathic hospital for cuts on the forehead. He claimed to be an innocent bystander.
Detectives investigated a report that Isaac D. Shute, former city detective and former county committeeman from the Eighth Ward, had been shot in the leg. According to Detective George Zietz, he learned from a member of Shute’s family that he had received treatment by a physician for cuts of the right hand resulting from a fall.
After questioning a score of persons at detective headquarters last night, including leaders of each of the rival Republican factions, John Hess, 24, of 1825 South Sixth street, was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of firearms and held in $1000 bail for a hearing in police court this morning.
According to Zeitz, the melee started when a parade led by Nicholas Scarduzio, of 1963 South Fourth street, a former summer policeman, stopped in front of the saloon of William Tansky, Jr., 1903 South Sixth street, two doors below Viola street.
Tansky was unsuccessful candidate for the post of county committeeman in the Tuesday primaries. He was reputed to be backed by the Woodruff-Verga faction.
The parade was in celebration of the victory of Dr. Orris W. Saunders, who won the Republican nomination for freeholder, defeating Walter Sekula, the incumbent, of Edmund A. Walsh, who defeated Tansky, and of Mamie F. Piraine, re-elected county committeewoman over Theresa Malony Di Lello. The successful candidates were of the Baird-Baker faction.
Walsh and Miss Piraine were in the parade, according to Zeitz. The celebration of victory had started the night before and centered largely throughout the day in the saloon of Celie Ellis, across the street from that of Tansky.
More than 100 persons were in the procession, which was led by an improvised band of accordions, fifes, drums and bugles.
When it stopped in front of the Tansky place, according to the police, Benjamin Tansky, 30, a brother of the proprietor, came to the door of the saloon and objected to the political jibes that were hurled by the parading factionalists.
When the paraders remained, the police said, hot words were exchanged, a dozen or more others who were in the Tansky place came out, and the battle started.
Eye-witnesses described it later as a bloody free-for-all in which fists and “billies” were used. The riot call was sent to police at 7.30.
Motorcycle policemen converged to the scene and a squad of detectives arrived led by Zietz and including Leon Branch, Fiore Troncone and Richard Donnelly. Many of the combatants fled, but hundreds remained as police and detectives strove to locate the injured, most of whom had been removed.
They learned that Scarduzio had been badly beaten on the head and that two shots had been fired in the melee.
According to Zietz, Hess admitted at detective headquarters that he had fired the shots from a revolver which he had procured from back of the Tansky bar, and that he had aimed the shots at the pavement for the purpose of “scaring” the parade crowd away.
Benjamin Tansky told police that when he remonstrated with the rival political group about 15 of them attacked him. They knocked him down, he said, and poked him in the eye with a pole. He exhibited a black eye to substantiate his story.
Zietz said he found a loaded revolver, with two shells fired, in a radio cabinet in the living room behind Tansky’s barroom.
Shooting Suspect in 8th Ward Riot Held in $1000 Bail
Camden Courier-Post —
John Hess Accused of Firing Two Shots; Denies Illegal Possession of Pistol — Faction Spite Revealed
Alleged to have fired two shots in a riot at Sixth and Viola streets Wednesday night, staged by groups of political factions in the Eighth Ward, John Hess, 34, of 1825 South Sixth street, was held in $1000 bail for the grand jury yesterday by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast.
Hess pleaded not guilty to a charge of illegal possession of firearms. A 15-year-old boy was slightly wounded by a ricocheting bullet and several persons were badly beaten in factional melees.
It was learned yesterday that among the injured was a 14-year-old girl, Stella Wojciechowski, 1907 South Sixth street, who said that someone punched her on the mouth. She and the boy who was shot, Nicholas Sustich, of 1804 Hale street, were treated.
The disorder was over the ward contest between Republicans in the primary contest, it was stated yesterday by Walter Sekula, defeated candidate for the freeholder nomination, who said he arrived at the scene of the riot at the time the police patrol appeared in response to a riot call.
Sekula asserted that candidates on both local tickets had worked on behalf of the Baird-Baker county slate, but that he had been accused of working for the Woodruff-Verga ticket. He said he confronted his accuser with David Baird, Jr., and forced the admission that the accusation was without foundation.
During that conversation, Sekula revealed, Edmund A. Walsh, successful candidate for county committeeman, asserted there had been “cutting of the head of the Baird-Baker ticket.” It was in front of Tansky’s saloon, at Sixth and Viola streets, that the riot occurred when an impromptu parade in celebration of the victory of the opposing faction halted there.
Grand Jury Clears Number Suspects
Camden Courier-Post —
Pair Suspected by Police as Having Succeeded Klosterman Brothers
Two men alleged by city and county authorities to have succeeded the Klosterman brothers in controlling the Camden numbers racket last Spring, were exonerated by the Camden county grand jury.
Those whose cases were “no billed” are Chester “Gassy” Szalinski, 30, of 1188 Chestnut Street, and Joseph Putek, 29, of 2955 Tuckahoe Road.
At the same time, the grand jury in its report to the County Clerk Charles S. Wise, failed to find an indictment against Robert Bloodworth, another suspect arrested in connection with the operation of lotteries in Camden.
After the trial of the Klosterman brothers, Fred and Joe, both of whom were convicted last spring of number charges, Szalinski was named by Police Chief Arthur Colsey as the “Sixty-ninth Street mobster who had taken over the Klosterman numbers play.” Every policeman in Camden was ordered to arrest Szalinski on sight.
The suspected numbers operator was arrested and later released in $1500 bail to await the action of the grand jury.
Putek was arrested last April after police had engaged in a sensational chase of 15 blocks after a suspected numbers pickup automobile at which they fired a number of shots, one of which struck a bystander.
Police allege Putek joined Szalinski in control of the Klosterman numbers game. Arrests of both men climaxed orders to county police authorities by Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd and Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando to clean up the number racket in this area.
“No bills” were returned by the grand jury for Harry Hartman and John Burke charged with attempts and breaking and entry; J.G. Flynn, accused of being a fugitive from justice from Philadelphia; Ralph Latshaw, Anna Green, and Theodore Jones, statutory charges.
Hartman and Burke were held for the grand jury last month on charges they attempted to enter the Saloon of Mrs. Mamie Piraine, Republican county committeewoman from the Eighth Ward, at 1944 Broadway.
Orlando to Probe Charge G.O.P. Used City Pay for Poll
Camden Courier-Post —
Hartmann Reports $23,039 Spent to Hire 500 Workers — Grand Jurors May Get Case
Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando announced yesterday he will investigate charges that $23,039 spent in the Department of Public Works prior to the city election in May was a political misuse of city funds.
The charges were filed, Orlando said, by City Commissioner Frank J. Hartmann, Jr., who alleged the money was used to add 500 to 800 emergency jobs to the city payroll for political purposes of the Baird Republican organization. He listed 258 names yesterday.
The charges will reach the grand jury if his investigation discloses any illegal expenditures, the prosecutor said.
“Hartmann alleges the expenditure to be a subversion of public funds,” said Orlando. “I understand he made the charges public. I shall take the complaint in its present form, and if in the course of our investigation we find anything illegal, we shall go further to discover if there is misfeasance or malfeasance.”
Hartmann accompanied his informal complaint to the prosecutor with a list of names which he estimated between 500 and 800. He said they were persons hired in the Department of Public Works before the city commission election, but all of whom were dismissed on the day after election. He referred to them as “F.A.E.” employes—“fired after election.”
Orlando to Probe Hartmann Charges (Continued from Page One)
The $23,039.78 was taken from appropriations for street cleaning, grading and asphalt repairing, he averred.
“Committeewomen Hired”
Many of the names were those of women, several of them Republican county committeewomen, Hartmann asserted.
He based his charges, he said, on records left in his office by his predecessor, Frank J. Leonard, and by former Commissioner Martha Kemble, who remained as a deputy with Leonard.
“I will give this complaint consideration and advise Commissioner Hartmann what action is to be taken,” Orlando added.
Deputy Commissioner Kemble could not be reached for comment. It was stated at her home that she had gone to Wildwood to visit former Commissioner Leonard.
Hartmann gave Orlando a written statement containing his charges and a copy of a letter allegedly signed by former Commissioner Leonard in which Leonard authorized his deputy, Miss Kemble, to sign payroll vouchers.
“This delegation of power may have been illegal,” said Hartmann. “It was executed May 22, the day after the city commission re-organized.”
‘Appropriation Wiped Out’
His department, Hartmann said, was appropriated $5,587.05 for grading, but this appropriation was wiped out in a total expenditure of $12,979.32, leaving a deficit of $7,392.27 which must go into the tax bills next year.
He charged an over-expenditure of $6,665.76 in the appropriation for asphalt repairs.
Among those whom Hartmann declared were hired for election purposes were Mrs. Mamie Piraine, Eighth ward Republican committeewoman, who conducts a saloon at 2006 Broadway. She was hired on April 9 of this year. She is now on vacation, with pay, I understand.
“Another committeewoman, Mrs. Madaline Salvatore, in the Fifth ward, is listed as a laborer on grading work. Her husband conducts a saloon at 300 Mechanic street.
“Also listed as an emergency employee, was Charles Auletto, now a bartender for his brother, Daniel Auletto, who is a Republican committeeman in the Third ward.
“Henry Gilbert, of 614 Federal street, and Maurice Gilbert, brother of 903 N. Eighth street, brothers of Mrs. Florence Baker, Republican State Committeewoman, are on the list.
‘Cost Taxpayers $23,000’
“This cost the taxpayers $23,039.78. This I construe to be a subversion of public funds.
“I was elected to office to serve the people, and I am going to serve them. Until officeholders, given public trust, are made responsible for their acts, we cannot get good government. I am determined to get good government and instill the fear of public wrath in the hearts of all who would subvert for selfish purposes by pressing for action in the cases which I am bringing to the Prosecutor’s attention.
“The department was appropriated $5,587.05 for grading, but this appropriation was wiped out in a total expenditure of $12,979.32, leaving a deficit of $7,392.27 which must go into the tax bills next year. The department was appropriated $3,366.62 for asphalt repairs, but spent $12,027.38, leaving an expenditure of $6,665.76. When taxpayers realize that for approximately every $16,000 in money to be raised by taxation, on the basis of present assessments, a cent is added to the tax rate, they will see to what extent they have been bludgeoned by the administration which they have just repudiated.
‘Only $7000 Left’
“The appropriation to the department for street cleaning was $24,254.29, and in six months a total of $17,237.06 was spent, leaving only little more than $7000 for this work for the next six months. And, $6,470.91 of the $17,237.06 was spent over and above $10,766.15 expended up until the month of May.
“I have had several clerks working all day and they have not yet finished their work of listing the persons employed. Among those employed as street grading laborers appears the name of Mrs. Mamie Piraine, Republican committeewoman in the Eighth ward, who conducts a saloon at 2006 Broadway. She was hired on April 9 of this year. She is now on vacation, with pay, I understand.
“Another committeewoman, Mrs. Madaline Salvatore, in the Fifth ward, is listed as a laborer on grading work. Her husband conducts a saloon at 300 Mechanic street.
“Also listed as an emergency employee, was Charles Auletto, now a bartender for his brother, Daniel Auletto, who is a Republican committeeman in the Third ward.
“Henry Gilbert, of 614 Federal street, and Maurice Gilbert, brother of 903 N. Eighth street, brothers of Mrs. Florence Baker, Republican State Committeewoman, are on the list. Henry was hired January of this year, and is in the department now. Maurice was hired April 16 along with the other emergency employees and dismissed the day after election, but he was rehired on July 23 and still is in this department.
“These are examples of what has been happening to the taxpayers under Baird Republicanism. I will not leave any stone unturned to bring efficient and honest government to the people of Camden.”