Martin "Sid" Nelson
MARTIN BENEDICT “SID” NELSON was the son of Nels Martin Nelson and his wife, the former Bertha Ellis. He was the youngest of three sons, coming after Morris N. Nelson and Theodore S. Nelson.
When the 1930 Census was enumerated, the family lived at 561 Spruce Street. Martin Nelson’s older brothers had moved out by this time. Sadly, brother Theodore died in 1932, and brother Morris passed in 1935. His mother died in 1935. Martin Nelson married Caroline T. Schweiring in 1940. The couple lived at 561 Spruce Street until at least 1956.
On March 7, 1944 Martin Nelson was inducted into the United States Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He reached the rank of Private First Class before being honorably discharged. He returned to the Camden Police Department on his release from military duty.
Martin Nelson scored highly on Civil Service tests for both the fire and police departments. On September 1, 1940, Martin Nelson was appointed to the Camden Fire Department but was shifted over to the Camden Police Department on June 9, 1941. He worked in the Traffic Bureau in the late 1940s before being promoted to detective. His last posting was in the Communications Bureau.
Martin Nelson’s father, who lived with him at 561 Spruce Street, died in 1954. Martin & Caroline Nelson stayed at the Spruce Street home as late as the fall of 1956, then moved to 22 Maple Walk in Camden’s Fairview neighborhood.
Still employed with the Camden Police Department, Martin Nelson had moved to North Cape May, New Jersey and had filed his retirement papers when he suffered a fatal heart attack on his way home from work on October 1, 1964. He was buried at Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, New Jersey.
60-Day Sentence Given in Theft of Watch
Camden Courier-Post —
SIXTY DAYS IN THE COUNTY JAIL was the sentence meted out to Wilmer Brown, 52, of 3002 Thompson Street, when he was charged in police court yesterday with stealing a watch.
Arrested on complaint of Martin Nelson, 561 Spruce Street, Brown denied the charges and said he knew nothing of the timepiece. Nelson testified that he went to a house on Cherry Street near Sixth with Brown and fell asleep. His watch was taken while he slept, he said. He admitted he had been drinking.
William Pollard, of 751 Cherry Street, said he was in the back yard of the house on Cherry Street when Nelson and Brown appeared. An hour after they entered the place, he said, Brown asked him for a pair of pliers to cut it chain.
In sentencing Brown, Police Judge Pancoast said he believed the man wanted the pliers to cut Nelson’s watch chain.
561 Spruce Street, 1924–1956: Martin Benedict “Nils” Nelson & Family (ironworker) — Martin & Bertha Nelson; Martin B. Nelson Jr.; Theodore Nelson; Morris Nelson. 1924–1956: Martin B. Nelson Jr. & Family (policeman) — Martin B. & Caroline T. Nelson Jr.
Mrs. Kobus to Ask More Cops, Firemen for City Next Year
Camden Courier-Post —
New Appointment Return Forces to 1938 Status; Defense Increases Need
Appointment of 22 patrolmen and 10 firemen by City Commissioner Mary W. Kobus during the past three months has brought the personnel of the public safety department to figures comparable to 1938.
That announcement was made yesterday by Commissioner Kobus, who expressed the hope the city could afford additional members of both departments in the near future “as a safety measure and because of the great national, State and local defense programs, in which we must participate.”
“Camden is rapidly taking its rightful place as one of the greatest industrial centers of the entire nation. Thousands have been added to the payrolls of our various great industrial plants. Houses are at a premium within the city, and it is natural for the public safety department to keep in step with the times,” the commissioner stated.
“We have hundreds of new traffic problems confronting us today, that never existed back in 1931, when the police department was manned by 247 regular members and 83 special policemen and investigators.
Comparable to 1938 Figures
“Today the personnel of the police department totals 194 men, with no special investigators. This is comparable to 1938, when we had a total of 192 members of the department. Since 1938, 12 policemen have died and eight others requested to be placed on pension, after long and honorable service to their city.
“No replacements were made until a civil service examination was held and a list of eligible men provided. I have appointed 22 policemen from that list and 10 men as members of the city fire department, which had nine vacancies due to deaths and retirement.
“I will ask that sufficient money be placed in my budget for next year to appoint a few additional policemen, due to the defense measures which have been set up, and in which the public safety department is expected to participate.”
All of the new police and fire appointees must serve for one year at a salary of $1500. The second year they receive $1560, with their salaries going to $1680 for the third year and $1800 for the fourth year.
Normally they would have received $2040 for the fifth year, when they become full-fledged members of the department, but a referendum approved by the voters at the last general election sets the salary of police and firemen at $2400 annually after 1943.
As it will be after that year the present appointees will reach the end of the five-year period during which they receive annual increments in their pay, it was indicated they would jump to $2400 after their fourth year in the two departments.
Appointments Listed
The new policemen appointed by Commissioner Kobus were:
Joseph Caputi, 332 Mt. Vernon street; Joseph M. Carroll, 427 Lansdowne avenue; Roland Comerford, 2931 Cramer street; Vincent Conley, 423 Beideman avenue; James Eskridge, 716 North Seventh street; Joseph Hooven, 501 Beideman avenue; Julius Kaunacki, 1183 Sheridan street; William E. Kelly, 55 State street; William F. Large, 729 Mickle street; William H. Neale, 773 Line street; Francis J. Nelson, 720 Penn street; John E. Opfer, 323 North Second street; Cecil H. Picou, 1127 Cooper street; Earl Quinton, 687 Jefferson avenue; Edw. W. Tatem, 565 Mt. Vernon street; Harry Tracy, 2003 Federal street; Harold I. Vecander, 1039 North Twenty-sixth street; John H. Watkins, 2902 Constitution road; Edward Watson, 1048 Haddon avenue; Donald R. Watson, 841 Lois avenue; George T. Weber, 1231 North Thirtieth street; Stanley Zuckowicz, 1157 Thurman street.
The new appointees to the fire department are:
Philip H. Farrow, 529 Newton avenue; Anthony W. Bretschneider, 1621 Louis street; John Gryckiewicz, 810 North Front street; Thomas Winstanley, 329 Bailey street; William Palese, 900 South Fourth street; Anthony Dzinski, 1230 Atlantic avenue; Joseph R. Guarino, 25 Morse street; Martin B. Nelson, 561 Spruce street; William Cleary, 614 Federal street; Otto Kaiser, 904 North Twenty-sixth street.
Camden Traffic Squad on New Motorcycles
Camden Courier-Post —
THREE MEMBERS OF CAMDEN TRAFFIC SQUAD are shown on new motorcycle mounts which went into service this week. Left to right are Patrolmen Martin Nelson, Frank Wilmot, and Thomas Carr in front of City Hall. Seven of the new $800 vehicles were delivered to the department on Wednesday, Capt. Nathan Petit, squad commander, announced.
5 Accused Cops To Ask Rhone for Full Exoneration
Camden Courier-Post —
Claim Falsifications Of N. J. Work Record In Overpass Case
Director of Public Safety Rhone soon will be asked to “completely exonerate” five of eight Camden traffic officers who have been accused of accepting pay from the state for traffic duty at the Baird boulevard overpass during their regular city hours.
State Senator Wallace made that announcement today on behalf of Sgt. Anthony Skolski and Traffic Patrolmen Charles Hance, Martin Nelson, George Getley and Everett Joslin.
Wallace said he would base his appeal to Dr. Rhone on testimony produced at a preliminary hearing held yesterday on orders of Dr. Rhone for all eight men, including Captain Nathan Petit, and Sgts. James Wilson and Walter Vecander.
“There is no question that the payroll records which were the basis for the accusations against the five men I represent, were falsified,” Wallace said. “Sergeant Wilson, who kept the records admitted frequently in his testimony yesterday the records were ‘mistakes, errors and not based on actual time put in.’”
‘Charges Groundless’
“The whole hearing proved without doubt that the charges against the five men were groundless and I will ask Dr. Rhone to make a public statement that the records were falsified and these five men were blameless and not guilty of accepting state pay for work on city time.”
Wilson admitted at the hearing he did not pay the traffic men the full time recorded for them on the overpass payroll records. He was asked by Assistant City Solicitor Goldman:
“Then it comes down to the fact that the men in the traffic bureau only worked on their off hours. That the reports are mistakes. They only received the money to which they were entitled. You got more money than they were entitled to but you won’t tell us where that money went to, is that correct?”
“Yes,” Wilson answered.
Wilson said the hours marked on the payroll were a mistake and that they had been listed “at random” because “a man doesn’t have much time to himself on such a job.”
Asked by Goldman if he would care to reveal where the additional money went, Sergeant Wilson replied:
“No. I would not.”
Petit and Wilson both testified they worked 77 hours some weeks at the overpass scene, but insisted this was in addition to their regular 48 hours on city time.
The testimony was presented before Rhone and Goldman with Deputy Director Edward C. Garrity and Police Chief Samuel E. Johnson attending. A stenographer from Dr. Rhone’s office took notes. Newspapermen also were present but only one policeman was allowed in Dr. Rhone’s office at one time.
On behalf of the five men he represented, Wallace said:
“I represent these men and they are here for the purpose of having me make a statement and offer our cooperation to the director and deputy director in the investigation of this matter,” Wallace said.
“We did not anticipate there would be any hearing or that there would be questioning by the city counsel or that the statements would be taken by a stenographer. We have no objection to that except we did not receive the payroll sheets referred to here until a short time ago and we have been unable to determine who kept those payrolls. We have not had sufficient time to make a check of them.”
Worked on Own Time
“The statement of each man is the same. They were asked to do this work by Capt. Petit. They were paid by Sergeant Wilson. They didn’t sign any payroll sheets or checks and they were paid in cash. At no time did they receive money for work at this project for the time when they were supposed to be doing city duties. They did work on their off hours and were paid.
“They did not work such hours as have been stated in the press and they did not receive the compensation also published. At no time did they receive money for work during city hours. These men have daily reports from pull boxes and other records showing they carried on their public duties. These are records over which they had no control and were kept by someone else.”
Hold Duty Record
“They also have records in their own handwriting such as tags and summonses which were issued by them to motorists and will show the time when they were in various parts of the city doing traffic work.
“These records not only show the time but they show the man’s name and where it was he tagged the car. All these records have been turned into the department. We will be glad to compare our records and the alleged records of this contractor to show that regardless of the time shown in the record they did not work on city time. They were not required to use their motorcycles as it was all hand work, the mere turning of a light to relieve tie-ups and getting trucks through. They did wear their uniforms which they buy themselves with a small contribution by the city.
“Arrests were made at this project and will show the time these men worked there and that they were there to enforce the law and protect public property.”
“After examining the record will you be in a position to have the men come in and tell us where the discrepancies are?” Goldman ask [sic] Wallace.
Pledges Full Report
Wallace said he would, adding “we will make a full report so the case can be followed through. I would like to say in regard to Officer Hance he has a complete record of his work on this project and it shows he received only $289.75 while the payroll sheets as quoted in the newspapers said he received $469.50. He has a complete record of his pay and it shows he did not work there at any of the city time.”
In describing how he put in the time for the officers, Wilson told Goldman he tried to strike a “happy medium” by giving “an honest count.”
Both Petit and Wilson admitted that at no time did they ever tell Dr. Rhone, Garrity or Chief Johnson they were receiving pay for their work at the overpass.
When Wilson was asked to identify three men being carried on the payrolls, James Bishop, Joseph Weller, and Charles Howell, he said:
“All three of those men were sent to me for jobs by a political friend of mine. I gave them work at night.”
Later Wilson was asked to identify the “political friend.”
He declined, but admitted the man was not a resident of Camden.
Petit admitted that he made the original arrangement for the hiring of city policemen for the state highway work. He said he did so at the request of John Williams, local representative of the state highway department. He said Williams approached him, saying the state needed men for traffic control at the overpass and would pay them $1.35 an hour.
He said Wilson took over as “sergeant in charge” and that Wilson paid them in cash.
Wilson explained that he was too busy to keep a detailed account of each officer’s hours. He admitted that he was not at the overpass from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m., as he had filled out some of the time sheets.
Drew Lump Sum
Wilson also admitted that he personally received all eight policemen’s pay “in a lump sum—cash” from the contractor (who later was reimbursed by the state) and that he paid the other seven men. He also said under questioning by Goldman that he did not deduct any money from the men’s pay for withholding taxes.
Several times Wilson was warned by Goldman that anything he said at the examination could be used against him. Wilson said he would answer any question he felt would not incriminate him.
Petit entered a general denial of ever working on the overpass project on time for which he was paid by the city.
He said Wilson was in charge of the traffic detail at the project, and that he, Petit, had not seen any payrolls that Wilson allegedly made up for payment of the men.
At no time did he work continuously 7 a. m. to 5 p. m. as is indicated by the payrolls, Petit said.
Worked 77 Hours
Petit was unable to answer a question as to the total amount of money he earned on the project.
He was paid for the entire time, from April 26 to Sept. 6, he said, except for a period he was off sick with a back ailment from Aug. 2 to Aug. 16.
Petit further stated if the records showed he was paid for those two weeks they were wrong. Wilson testified the payroll records showed Petit was paid for the two weeks.
Petit was asked whether he delegated to Wilson the authority to run the project and pay the men. He said he did not give Wilson any special authority, but he was detailed there to be in charge.
As to the contract he had with the highway department representative, Petit said he was told the rate would be $1.35 an hour, and as far as he knew all the men were paid that rate for the time they worked.
Cops and Counsel in Dual Job Case
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photos
FIVE CITY TRAFFIC BUREAU MEMBERS are shown at top presenting their defense through counsel to Public Safety Director Dr. Rhone on charges they collected pay from state highway funds for working at the Baird boulevard overpass at the time they were required to be on duty for the city. State Sen. Bruce A. Wallace is at extreme right denying the charges for the five officers he represents. Standing with him from left are Sgt. Anthony Skolski, Patrolmen Charles Hance, George Getley, Everett Joslin and Martin Nelson. The lower photo shows Traffic Sgts. James Wilson and Walter Vecander, and Park Guard Anthony Palese waiting to be called.
Life Hereabouts
Camden Courier-Post —
Reprinted From The Courier-Post, Sept. 7, 1949.
“KIDS…LITTLE KIDS…murdered in their own home.”
Tears were streaming down the face of a lovely little lady as she spoke those words.
In front of her, in the middle of the carpet, was a spot, sort of whitish, where someone had tried to remove the blood of a little boy…a little boy who was “going on three”…a little boy who never harmed no one…
Just down the block a bit, people were perring [sic] through a big plate glass window, looking at a “hobby horse” in a barber shop that is closed.
At the base of the standard which held the wooden horse in place was another blotch of blood…the blood of another little boy “just past six” who was having his hair cut in preparation for his first trip to school the next day….
In the back seat of an automobile parked a little farther away was another great stain…where another boy died.
And the killer says: “I’m glad I did it, but I’m sorry about the children.”
WE ARRIVED at the scene of the Mad Mission of Cramer Hill after all of the shooting was over. Walt Carley and Jake Weiner, Courier-Post scribes, had arrived with the cops. They witnessed the capture and went on to do a great job of reporting the terrible tragedy.
We walked along the street peering in windows where only minutes before, people were happy and gay—and now they were dead.
Two holes showed in the front screen of a home near the center of the block. Detectives Stanley Bobiak and William Deery, identification chief, approached and Bobiak looked into the home.
“Was anyone shot in here?” Bobiak queried through the window.
“My little boy was killed,” replied the tearful voice of a mother whose anguish was pitiful to see and hear.
This was a terrible thing that happened in Our Town.
HUMAN beings are a funny bunch. And cops are human beings. The shooting was over and there was this bluecoat and that bluecoat insisting that he was “first on the scene.” You could have had a couple of dozen “firsts” if you were interested in that. And all those who said they were first and were not given credit for it would have been sore.
But that was after the shooting was over. When the chips were down, when a maniac was shooting innocent men, women and children and was still on the loose with that big Luger, that is when the cops of Our Town proved they rank right up there with the best in the world.
Through the years, there has been many an occasion where we witnessed the bravery of Camden policemen.
This time we missed, but we know what happened from the lips of reliable newspapermen and other witnesses.
We know that Russ Maurer stepped out into the clear, while other cops covered him with their guns, to hurl tear gas into the home of the man who was bent on kill. Russ could have paid with his life, because the killer seldom missed. That was a brave act.
THERE were Charley Hance, Ev Joslin, Cecil Picou, Tommy Carr, Bill Moll, Sid Nelson, Barney Tracy, Bill Kelly, Marshall, Thompson, Vince Conley, Lennie Andruzza and dozens of others closing in on the killer, inch by inch.
Kelley and Tracy on a roof, moving in, Bill with a machinegun, Barney with gun in hand…exposed like the other cops for a quick shot that might mean death.
Picou and Bill Rogers…moving the wounded and the dead…with the killer still free…Johnny Ferry stepping into the clear to keep the slayer from shooting from the upper front windows of his home.
NO WORDS of ours can give comfort to those families which suffered so much with the loss of dear ones. We can only say that everyone we met throughout Our Town mourned with them.
But we can say a word about the police and the manner in which they tackled this job.
And out of all them there we will take Ev Joslin and say that Ev will never be outdone where courage is concerned. We have seen that courage through the years and we have heard many a cop say they will take Ev as their sidekick in a tough situation any day.
So the only way we can give Our Cops their proper due is to say that every one of them who participated in the Mad Mission of Cramer Hill was just as courageous, just as mindful of their sworn duty, just as concerned over the safety of others, forgetting themselves as the man we picked as a symbol of courage.
And whointhehell cares who got here first or who struck the killer?
Two Thugs Fell Victim, Take $210
Camden Courier-Post —
Gas Attendant On Boulevard Kicked in Face
An attendant at a service station on Admiral Wilson blvd. was beaten and robbed of $210 by two thugs early today.
The attendant, Joseph A. Ronketty, 36, of 206 Elm ave., Woodlynne, was knocked down and kicked in the face and ribs after he had handed over $150 from a wall safe and $60 which he was carrying in his pocket.
Ronketty told detectives he was servicing a car at a Sunoco station on the boulevard at the Baird blvd. overpass about 2:15 a.m. when two Negroes walked up and asked if there was a mechanic available.
Hands in Pockets
He said he told the men to wait in the office and he would take care of them as soon as he finished the job he was doing. When he entered the office a short time later, Ronketty said, the men were standing there with their hands in their pockets “as though they had guns.”
One of the men said: “This is a stickup. Open up the safe.”
Ronketty opened a small wall safe, removed a leather bag containing $150 and handed it over. Then the thugs ordered him to turn over the money he carried in his pocket—$60.
Slugged and Kicked
“Is that all there is?” one of the men asked.
“That’s the works,” Ronketty replied.
Then, without warning, one of the holdup men slugged Ronketty in the face, knocking him to the floor. As he lay there, the other thug kicked him in the face and ribs five or six times. Then both left.
Ronketty got up and called police. He told Detectives Thomas Scarduzio and Martin Nelson he didn’t know whether the men fled on foot or in an automobile, or in which direction they went.
Police took Ronketty to Cooper Hospital, where he was treated for multiple lacerations of the face and bruised ribs. Then he was taken to detective headquarters to examine photographs of known thugs and holdup men.
Detectives declined to give reporters any description of the two men other than the fact that both were Negroes.
Snatcher Gets Purse, Woman's $27
Camden Courier-Post —
A South Camden woman told police Friday night a thief grabbed her purse containing $27 while she was on her way home from a shopping trip.
Eleanore LuBrant, 39, of 1212 Liberty st., told Sgt. Martin Nelson she was at 9th st. and Atlantic ave. when the thief ran past her, grabbing her handbag.
She said the thief, whom she described as Negro about 16 years olds [sic], slim, and wearing a suede or leather jacket, fled up a nearby railroad embankment.
Veteran Camden Cop Suffers Heart Attack
Camden Courier-Post —
Cape May Court House, June 15—Police Sgt. Martin Nelson, of 22 Maple wk., Camden, assigned to the Electrical Bureau, was reported slightly improved today although still in critical condition in Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital suffering a heart attack.
Nelson, a veteran police officer, was stricken Saturday while visiting in Cape May with his family.
Sgt. Nelson Is Stricken, Dies at 57
Camden Courier-Post —
SGT. MARTIN B. NELSON
Sgt. Nelson Is Stricken, Dies at 57
Camden Police Sgt. Martin B. “Sid” Nelson, 57, died of a heart attack last night at North Cape May where he planned to live when he received his disability pension scheduled for this month.
Sgt. Nelson had worked yesterday on the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift in the Communications Bureau at City Hall. He left for Cape May before 8 p.m. from his home at 94 E. State st. He collapsed and died in a store where he had stopped to purchase milk after getting off a train. He had suffered previous attacks.
A veteran policeman, Sgt. Nelson entered the Camden Fire Department in 1940 and several months later transferred to the police. He started his police career at headquarters and later was assigned to the traffic division as a motorcycle policeman. He was promoted to sergeant in 1954. He was a veteran of World War II.
Surviving is his wife, the former Caroline Schwiering, of 92 Deland ave., North Cape May.
Funeral arrangements are pending under the direction of Arthur H. Holl of Haddonfield.