Introduction
Prescott V. Johnson III
Prescott V. Johnson III was born in Crooch, Virginia on March 29, 1936. He was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on June 29, 1962 and reported for duty on July 1. After training at the department’s Fire Training School, Prescott V. Johnson was assigned to Engine Company 8 at 619 Kaighn Avenue, where he served until April 2, 1980, when he was assigned to 1st Battalion, Platoon 2.
Prescott V. Johnson made his home at 1487 Kenwood Avenue in Camden. When residency restrictions were lifted on Camden firefighters, he moved to Voorhees Township.
Prescott V. Johnson was murdered on May 3, 1981. He was survived by his father, who died in February of 1984.
9 Firemen Graduate In City Test
Camden Courier-Post —
Graduation exercises for nine of the city’s newest firemen were held Tuesday in headquarters at 3rd and Arch Streets under direction of Public Safety Director Bedell and Fire Chief Edward R. MacDowell.
The graduates and their assignments are Joseph Anderson, Canterbury Apartments, No. 1 Ladder; Prescott Johnson, 1238 Kenwood Avenue, No. 8 Engine; Philip Maycott, 1023 North 32nd Street, No. 9 Engine; George Getty, Canterbury Apartments, No. 2 Engine; Ronald Bowers, 617 Clinton Street, No. 2 Ladder; William Young, 3167 Westfield Avenue, No. 2 Engine Company; Wayne Kraft, 1052 N. 35th Street, No. 3 Ladder; Raymond Eldridge, 7 North Dudley Street, No. 7 Engine; and Donald Goehringer, 30 North 24th Street, No. 7 Engine Company.
They will receive a starting salary of $4,800. Chief MacDowell said this brings the department to 170 hosemen and to 224 total personnel in the department.
All nine were graduated after receiving three weeks of training at the fire school under the direction of Captain Leo J. Tompkins.
Their training also included two days at the Navy Fire School at the Philadelphia Naval Base.
Fire at 1001 Chestnut Street
Prescott V. Johnson III, Lacy Phelps Sr., Herman Reed – Fire at 1001 Chestnut Street, January 30, 1965
Firefighters offer reward on murder
Camden Courier-Post —
CAMDEN — Two of the city’s firemen’s unions and a firefighters’ association are offering a reward for information on the murder of one of their members Sunday.
The body of Prescott Johnson Jr., 45, was found Sunday morning in the parking lot of the Beacon Place Apartments, Hollowell and Decatur streets.
His death brings to four the number of murders in the city in the last four days.
Johnson, who was on leave from Engine Company No. 2 of the city fire department, had been stabbed in the chest. He was also apparently robbed, according to police.
Frank McGuckin, president of Local 788 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said his union and Local 2578, IAFF, are offering a combined $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers.
In addition, the Brotherhood of United Fire Firefighters is contributing an additional $250 to the reward.
McGuckin said the reward is being offered to help police solve the case and to demonstrate the concern of the two unions over what he called steadily rising crime in the city.
He also criticized budget cuts in police and fire protection.
“As long as you continue to put emphasis on saving dollars, you’re looking at a situation where this could happen more and more often,” he said.
Like Johnson, two of the other three murder victims had also apparently been robbed, according to Assistant Camden County Prosecutor Dennis G. Wixted, head of the office’s homicide unit.
Only one suspect, a 16-year-old city youth, is in custody in connection with one of the murders. He is charged with the Thursday night stabbing and apparent robbery of Michael Robinson, 25, of the 500 block of Berkley Street.
Friday afternoon, David Yellin, who operated a shoe store at 1152 Broadway, was found shot to death in his store. His pockets had been turned inside out and police believe he also was a robbery victim.
Several hours later, the body of Efraim Cintron, 25, of 47 N. Dudley St., was found by his wife. He had been beaten by a blunt instrument, thought to be a baseball bat, and stabbed several times.
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
JOHNSON
Prescott III. Of 250 Echelon Road, Voorhees, N.J. Age 45 years. Died May 3, 1981. Survived by his wife Sandra. One son Prescott IV, three daughters, Yolanda, Cassandra and Monica. Parents Mr. and Mrs. Prescott Johnson Jr. Four brothers, Bernard, Braden, Erskine and Harold. Two sisters, Mrs. Pauline Cream and Mrs. Bernetta Trotter. A host of other relatives and friends. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral services on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at THE CARL MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 831 Van Hook Street, Camden, where friends may call after 6 p.m. Intermet [sic] Harleigh Cemetery, Camden.
Memorial Card
