Raymond H. “Mike” Stark Sr.
RAYMOND H. “MIKE” STARK SR. served as a member of the Camden Police Department for 27 years.
Camden to Improve 2 City Departments
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Surgeon Lippincott’s Recommendations for Police and Fire Approved
In connection with the plan of the Police and Fire Committees of Camden City Council to make departments under their supervision modern in every particular, Dr. A. Haines Lippincott, surgeon to both departments, has submitted recommendations, which have received the approbation of the Councilmen.
Among the suggestions are schools for firemen and policemen, complete medical survey for both departments, intensive physical culture training, first aid training, instructions in the use of firearms by the police, annual athletic meets for both departments, and intelligence and educational tests. He also recommends three assistant police and fire surgeons.
“I will say that the Camden policemen and firemen on an average are in fine physical condition,” he said, “but there probably are many men whose physical ailments can be corrected and the efficiency of both departments bettered by medical examinations.”
In addition to the seven men to retire on pension because they have reached the age limit of 65 years, nine others probably will retire because of disability. They are Detective Harry Brothers, Sergeant Harry Stowe, Traffic Officers Norris Steelman and Raymond Stark, and Policemen Adrian Bateman, Samuel Bakley, John Schuman, Camillus Appley and Frank Carle.
Arrested Bus Driver
Camden Post-Telegram —
When Robert Black, a driver of a Cramer Hill bus, stopped in the middle of the car track to let off passengers he was hailed by Traffic Officer Stark, at Twenty-sixth and Federal streets.
When asked to show his jitney bus driver’s license he was unable to produce it, saying he did not need one. Officer Stark sent him to the hall, and he was released on depositing $25 for his appearance in Court.
He didn’t last long, however, for it was only shortly afterward that Officer Stark again picked him up on the same complaint, he again being the driver of the bus. He again sent him to the hall, while another driver finished the trip with the passengers.
Wanted a Real “Cop”
Camden Post-Telegram —
Plain clothes men Hurlock and Schlam last evening arrested a man apparently well-loaded up with “moonshine,” lying on the lots near Twenty-sixth and Carmen streets, on complaint of residents.
They asked his name and address, but he steadfastly refused to give it. He then refused to be placed under arrest by the two officers, saying he wanted a real policeman to lock him up, the two officers being in plain clothes.
While the argument was at its height Traffic Officer “Mike” Stark, in uniform came along, and when “John Barleycorn’s ally” was asked if he would do as a policeman he was satisfied, but nevertheless refused to divulge his name to them. He was sent to the hall.
Broken Bottle Maims Officers Quelling Fight
Camden Courier-Post —
Hurlock Severs Artery in Thrilling Battle to Subdue Men Engaged in Raid in East Camden
FIVE UNDER ARREST AWAITING HEARING
East Camden was aroused last evening over a report that two policemen, William Hurlock and Louis Shlam, of the Third district, had been killed and a colored man shot in a riot at Thirtieth and Pleasant streets, and that another man was surrounded in a house nearby by a posse of police and that shots had been exchanged.
District Detectives Shlam and Hurlock and Acting District Detective Raymond Stark received a call that there was a riot at Thirtieth and Pleasant streets. They responded and found a fight in progress among some drunken men.
There were both white and colored men, and when Officer Hurlock attempted to arrest George Hill, white, one of the men, a tussle ensued and as the men rolled over the floor a broken bottle on the floor gashed the wrist of Officer Hurlock and severed an artery in the struggle he fainted from loss of blood.
In the meantime Officer Shlam was struggling with two more white men when it is alleged that George Carpenter, aged 74 years, a husky negro, despite his age, tried to hit Shlam with an axe. The officer jumped just in time and retaliated by hitting Carpenter a blow over the head with his blackjack. The blow did not hurt the aged man who fled to a nearby house and barricaded the door.
In the meantime the patrol wagon had arrived as well as Motorcycle Policeman Gus Koerner, who picked up Policeman Frank Carle to the scene. Policeman John Stanton also went to the scene.
Four men were placed under arrest. They gave their names as George Hill, Joseph Lohrman, Frank Nidle and Leo Helvins. They were sent in to the City Hall in the patrol wagon, while District Detective Hurlock was rushed to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital in the car of Fritz Heger.
An attempt was then made to arrest Carpenter who had barricaded himself inside the house and defied the police for two hours. He was finally induced to come out into the street and was quickly nabbed.
Inability of Hurlock to appear in court to-day caused a postponement of the hearing. The officer was taken home after being treated at the hospital. His injury is causing him much distress. Hill is accused of assaulting Hurlock and Carpenter is charged with assault on Shlam. The others are accused of disorderly conduct.
Take Sergeant Examination
Camden Post-Telegram —
TAKE SERGEANT EXAMINATION.
District Detective Raymond H. Stark, Acting Sergeant John Potter and Mounted Officer Clarence Thorne, of the Third District, were among those who took the examination for appointment as sergeant for the district to fill a vacancy which exists there.
Lewis Brill, of the Eleventh ward, had also been summoned, but he with two others were not given the examination, but told to report on Tuesday of next week.
Acting Sergeant Boettcher was also slated to take the examination, but for some reason his name was dropped from the list and was not called.
Mounted Officer Joseph Shreve, whose name has been mentioned for the appointment, also was not summoned to take the examination.
The candidates who did appear are all now on the anxious bench awaiting the decision.
Break Into Home
Camden Post-Telegram —
Some time between 10.30 Tuesday night and 5 o’clock the next morning someone broke into the home of Mrs. Penven, 2746 Arthur avenue, and stole $80 that was hidden in a drawer in a sideboard of the dining room.
Entrance was forced through a window in the rear of the house and the drawer of the sideboard, which was locked, was forced open and the money, which was wrapped in a piece of cloth, in the back of the drawer, taken.
Apparently those who broke in were aware that the money was hidden there, as they apparently did not disturb anything else and were after the money.
The police were notified and District Detective Raymond H. Stark was detailed to make an investigation of the robbery.
Sergeant Stark Quits Bridge Police Force
Camden Post-Telegram —
Veteran Will Return to Duty in Camden Department Tomorrow
After serving as a sergeant of the Camden Bridge police for four months, Raymond “Mike” Stark today submitted his resignation to Captain Alfred Souders. He will resume his duties as a member of the Camden police department tomorrow.
Stark was a member of the Camden department for ten years before joining the bridge police. He was given a four-month leave of absence, and by returning to the Camden department today he protects his service record. Stark’s action today automatically drops the suit he instituted against the city for a pension under the disability clause.
Stark declared he deeply regretted to sever his connections with the bridge police. “They are a fine bunch of fellows and Captain Souders is a real leader,” he said today.
Stark will become chauffeur of the Third District police ambulance. Edward Sharp, former chief of police of Mt. Ephraim, has been named acting sergeant of the bridge police, and is expected to be promoted to the position of sergeant at the next meeting of the bridge commission.
2 Missing Men Are Found Dead
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Batter Down Doors to Find Both Victims of Heart Disease
Two Camden men, missed by relatives and friends, were found dead in their homes yesterday. Heart disease was the cause in each case, according to the coroner.
Thomas Green, 61, was found on the floor of a front room he used as a barber shop at 907 Federal street, after police battered down the front door.
George Hoffman, 804 Kimber street, collector for the Public Service Gas Company, notified police when he failed to get a response four consecutive days when he tried to attract attention at the place by ringing the bell.
Raymond Stark, patrolman, broke down the door and found Green, also known as William Maxwell, with his personal effects strewn on the floor. He had been dead more than 48 hours, Coroner Charles T. Murray said.
Neighbors said they had not seen the man since last Friday. When they saw an electric light burning day and night since then, they believed he had gone on a trip. He was unmarried and until Christmas had conducted the barber ship.
When Mrs. Bridget Curran awoke yesterday, she started a search for her husband, John, 75, and found him in the back yard of their home, 286 Liberty street. Coroner Arthur Holl issued a certificate. A son and daughter survive.
Cops Unable to Find Razor Fight Motive
Camden Courier-Post —
Two Men Held When Victim is Severely Cut at Pine Street House
Detectives were today still “checkmated” in their attempt to discover the cause of a razor battle in a Pine street house. One of the participants was severely cut.
The victim is Palmier Delaiso, 25 years old, 1264 Decatur street. Today his condition was said to be improved, following an operation.
Two men are being held in jail without bail pending the outcome of Delaiso’s injuries. They are Angelo Sobi, 41 years old, a boarder in the house at 343 Pine street, where the battle took place, who is charged with atrocious assault and battery, and Dominick DeVito, 29 years old, 317 Chestnut street, held as a material witness.
Detective Fiore Troncone announced after an investigation he was convinced Sobi and Delaiso battled over the affections of a woman. He was uncertain, however, whether this woman was Mrs. Richetto Diciento, owner of the house, who was cut when she attempted to separate the pair, or someone else.
Patrolman Raymond Stark, who answered an anonymous telephone call, found Delaiso lying unconscious in a front room. As Stark entered the house he ran into Sobi, who was attempting to flee. He arrested the older man, who accused Delaiso of starting a fight “over nothing at all.” He admitted slashing Delaiso.
2 Men, 2 Girls Jailed; Nabbed in Apartment
Camden Courier-Post —
Arrested last night in an apartment house on Federal street, two Gloucester men and two young Camden girls were found guilty of disorderly conduct after a hearing before Judge Bernard Bertman in police court this morning.
Martha O’Hara, 22 years old, of 804 Federal street, was sentenced to 30 days in jail; her 15-year-old sister, Anna, was sent to the Detention Home; George Mickle, 28 years old, of 305 Mercer street, Gloucester, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, and Edward Jones, 33 years old, of 518 Ridgway street, Gloucester, received 20 days.
Henry Ford, owner of the apartment house at 638 Federal street, said that tenants had complained that a party in the third-floor suite disturbed them. He called Policeman Charles Stone and later summoned Policemen Walter Patton and Raymond Stark, members of the First district patrol crew.
Stone testified that the men were intoxicated, and that he and Policeman Stark found the girls, scantily clad, hiding behind clothing in a bedroom closet.
Police Visit Times, No Arrests Made
Trenton Times —
Big Training Class Makes Call To Write of Newspaper Making
Husky officers from 24 police departments raided the Times Building today. In plain clothes, their hips bulging with lethal weapons, they first invaded the news room, then took the building piecemeal.
There were no casualties and no arrests—for the mission was peaceful.
The policemen, 27 of them, including chiefs, captains, sergeants, motorcycle men and patrolmen, are in training at the New Jersey Police Academy at Wilburtha, training quarters of the State Police. Their visit to the Times plant was part of an educational program. Upon their return to the academy, the policemen will write their conceptions of how a newspaper is published, and their scripts will be submitted to an examination not unlike that undergone by a school boy’s essay.
Lieut. W. J. Coughlin, of the State Police, school commandant, was at the head of the delegation.
The officers and the departments represented were:
Chief Oran W. Lloyd, Pitman; Chief Frank B. Conklin, Beach Haven; Chief Alvin C. Lich, Westwood; Chief Martin Clausen, Princeton; Captain James Hamilton, Wildwood; Sergeant James J. Smith, Paterson; Sergeant Arthur J. Wilhelm, Bloomfield; Sergeant William H. Kiernan, Glen Ridge; Sergeant George B. Patterson, Delaware Township Camden County; Sergeant Raymond J. Start, Camden; and Patrolmen Kenneth V. Tallman, Interstate Park; Harry P. Carty, Hasbrouck Heights; Nathaniel Estilow, Burlington; William E. Jester, Delaware Township, Camden County.
William E. Schultz, Camden; Walter E. Vecander, Camden; Fred Wandras, Kearny; Enos J. Fouratt, Metuchen; John P. Yunker, Dunellen; Raymond Stines, Belmar; Angelo Colacci, Bound Brook; George D. Conklin, Kenilworth; William A. Fischer, Cranford; James J. Regen, Union County; Archie Summers, Rutherford; Benjamin Van Volkenburgh, Kearny; Anthony C. Giordano, Madison; Raymond Lansche, Alpha.
Stolen Garage Loot Found in Auto As 4 Men Are Nabbed
Camden Courier-Post —
Four Suspects Caught as Series of Weekend Robberies Keep Police Busy
OIL STOVE IS STOLEN
Loot valued at several hundred dollars was recovered and four men arrested over the weekend as many robberies were reported to police throughout South Jersey.
Three of the men arrested were captured in Gloucester when merchandise stolen from a Westville Grove store and garage was found in their automobile. The fourth man was arrested in Camden.
Those under arrest in Gloucester, are Joseph Rietseh, 47, of 1245 Palmer street; Joseph Dorman, 18, of 103 Chango street, and Charles Headley, 18, of 936 North Fourth street, all of Philadelphia.
The loot found in their car consisted of automobile tires, cigarettes, safety razors, tubes and other articles. It had been stolen from the store and garage of George A. Fields, Delsea Drive, Westville Grove.
The three men were arrested by Patrolmen Walter Lane and William Fowler, who stopped their car because it had but one headlight.
Taken back to Westville the three men were held without bail for the grand jury by Recorder Charles H. Benner.
Held For Theft
When he walked down Federal Street with an oil stove Armstead Saunders, 56, of 314 Taylor Avenue, was stopped by the police Saturday night.
An investigation revealed he had picked it up as he passed the second-hand store of W.L. Ernest, 408 Federal Street, according to Patrolmen Walter Patton and Raymond Stark.
Saunders will have a hearing today before Police Judge Pancoast, on a charge of larceny.
James Josephson, 3320 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, a salesman for the Household Institute of New York reported the loss of two cases of aluminum ware and an investigation was conducted by Detective Sylvester McGrath. Upon information he entered the apartment alleged to have been tenanted by John Harrigan, of 1289 Dayton Street and found the merchandise. Harrigan is said by the police to have left the apartment. The goods are valued at $150.
William H. McMakin, of 119 West Pine Street, Audubon, reported to Detective Robert Ward that he was held up at Pine Street near Fifth on Sunday morning by three young men. They relieved him of his watch, valued $35, and his drivers license. McMakin was unable to describe the culprits.
William Harris, 53, of 1731 Fillmore Street, told Detective Clifford Carr he was relieved of his wallet containing $6.90 by an unknown man at Haddon Avenue and Copewood Street, Sunday morning. He described the man as being about 27 years old and wearing a light cap.
Thieves entered the candy shop of Jones Wilson, Park Boulevard and Kaighn Avenue, Saturday night and took three cartons of cigarettes, some candy and soda valued at $23.
Waclaw Hermanolski, 1322 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, reported to police that someone entered his barbershop through a rear window and stole an electric hair clipper, massage vibrator and $15.
A grocery store operated by Joseph S. Eskowitz, of 1022 Broadway, was entered early yesterday and the thieves took three dozen cans of malt syrup valued at $12. Detective Benjamin Simon discovered the burglar gained his entrance by cutting a pane of glass out of the back window.
Louis E. Barnes, 21, colored, employed by the police department to catch a colored man who has been reported preying on unemployed and collecting money from them in promise of a job, has informed police that such a man got away from him on October 24. He is known to the police and will be picked up, they said.
Barnes said the man being sought told him to give him $2.50 for a white coat and he would get him a job in the kitchen of the Cooper Hospital. When Barnes returned with the money the man had disappeared.
Man Hurt, Driver Held
Camden Courier-Post —
One man was injured and another arrested in an automobile collision Saturday night at Second and Penn streets.
George Cassidy, 34, of 216 Sycamore street, suffered cuts of the head, lip and wrist when hit by a car driven by Marshall Reinheimer, 28, of 546 Erie street. Reinheimer is said to have struck a parked car of Burt Tutnell, 35 Cedarcroft avenue, Audubon.
Reinheimer was arrested by Patrolmen Raymond Stark and Walter Patton when he failed to show a registration card. He was also charged with reckless driving. Although Dr. Garnett Summerill, police surgeon, pronounced him intoxicated the police did not press that charge against him.
Wife Tied in Chair, Periled With Knife
Camden Courier-Post —
Charges Husband Trapped on Pretense of Returning Child
KIDNAPPING CHARGED
Accused by his wife of binding her to a chair and threatening her life with a knife and with gas, Charles Flippen, 26, of 609 Grant Street, was held without bail for the grand jury by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast yesterday.
Flippen’s wife, Lillian, 24, lives at 1626 Wingohocking street, Philadelphia. She said the threats took place Saturday afternoon in the third floor front room of a rooming house in Penn street near Sixth. Patrolmen William Thorn, Walter Patton and Raymond Stark said they found adhesive tape and towel strippings in the room, and took two knives from Flippen.
Mrs. Flippen said her husband went to California last September, leaving her and their four-and-a-half year old daughter at his mother’s home in Grant street. She heard nothing from him, she said, and in December she moved with the baby to Philadelphia. Last month, she charged, he returned and kidnapped the child in the street near her home.
On Saturday, she said, she received a telegram from Flippen, telling her he would give her the baby if she would meet him. She met him in Philadelphia and he took her to the Penn street house, where, he said, his brother was to bring the baby.
They went to a room ostensibly to wait for the brother to bring the baby, she said, and he told her he was going to kill her and himself.
He bound her arms and legs to a chair with adhesive tape and strips from a towel, she said. Then he waved a knife about her head and turned on the illuminating gas, Mrs. Flippen charged.
She pleaded with him and finally induced him to take her to a restaurant, where she whispered to a waitress to call the police, the wife testified in Police Court. The waitress did so, and the police arrived shortly afterward.
Flippen pleaded not guilty to a charge of threatening to kill. He did not testify.
War Veteran Commits Suicide by Hanging in Eighth St. Home
Camden Courier-Post —
Edward Nixon, 38, said by police to be a shell-shocked World War veteran, committed suicide early today by hanging himself from the banister of his home at 124 North Eighth street.
He was found by his wife, Leona.
He left a note blaming domestic troubles for his act.
Mrs. Nixon called First district police and Patrolmen Raymond Stark and Walter Patton cut down the body. Nixon was pronounced dead at Cooper Hospital.
Taps Sound for Jack Airedale, Canine Mascot of Fire Laddies
Camden Courier-Post —
By BOB COLLINS
Camden firemen and policemen paid their final respects to stout-hearted Jack Airedale yesterday.
The beloved mascot of Headquarters Fire Company, Fifth and Arch streets, whose life was crushed out under the wheels of truck No. 2, his own wagon, Monday, was accorded a hero’s funeral. His body was interred in the cemetery at the rear of St. Paul’s and the First Baptist churches, close by his fire station home, and taps were sounded at 5 p. m., just as the sun was setting in the west.
People from every station of life visited the fire station to pay homage to the doughty fire-fighter, who was killed answering his last call. Senator Albert S. Woodruff, City Commissioner Harold W. Bennett, Miss Florence Hughes, chairman of the Camden County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Fire Chief John S. Lennox and Deputy Chief William Hearn were among the estimated throng of 3500 who passed his bier.
Letters and telegrams of sympathy poured into the headquarters company throughout the day. There were more than 10 offers of dogs to serve as mascots and take Jack’s place. These were kindly but firmly rejected by members of the headquarters company. “There will only be one Jack,” they said. “We appreciate all these offers, but we don’t want another mascot right now.”
The funeral rites for the dog were impressive.
Active bearers included Raymond Stark, John K. Taylor and Everett Joslin, members of the Camden police department; William Spencer and John Strouss, of fire truck No. 1; John McKay, Lester Anderson and Chester Andrews, of truck No. 2.
The honorary members were Captain Van Phefferts, Russell Anderson, Harry Haines and Charles Edwards, of truck No. 1; Nelson Andrews, Christopher Moll, Arthur Batten, George Boone and Rox Abbott, of truck No. 2.
At the appointed hour a dummy alarm was sounded. Jack Airedale was carried to his favorite place on fire truck No. 2. The vehicle moved slowly along Fifth street to Federal, then to Fourth and back to Arch street. When it passed the fire station the bells in the tower tolled.
At the cemetery Jack was placed alongside his predecessors, Alva and Gimp, dogs, and Skibby and Old Black Bill, cats, who were at one time mascots at the fire station.
Merchantville Driver Held on Tipsy Charge
Camden Courier-Post —
Charged with drunken driving, Preston Fisher, 33, of 8124 Fisher avenue, South Merchantville, was held by Camden police last night in $500 bail for a hearing in police court this morning.
The charge was made by Policeman Richard Donnelly, who with Policeman Fred Garbrecht arrested Fisher at Twenty-seventh and Thompson streets. Donnelly said Fisher was driving his car “in circles” and that he found a half-pint bottle of whisky in the machine.
At police headquarters Lieutenant George Ward and Sergeant Raymond Stark, after Fisher had undergone tests to determine whether he was intoxicated, said that in their opinion he was not and so informed Policeman Donnelly. The latter, however, insisted that the charge stand.
Mute Saved from Jail for ‘Refusal’ to Speak
Camden Courier-Post —
City Jailer William Michalak proved a friend in need yesterday when Alexander Purzycki, 22, of 1267 Kaighn avenue, was arraigned in police court on a drunk and disorderly conduct charge.
Purzycki was arrested Sunday night in Johnson Park by Policeman Raymond Stark. Stark questioned him, but Purzycki failed to answer. For several hours at police headquarters he was questioned further. He still failed to answer.
In Police Court, Judge Gene R. Mariano asked him how he pleaded. Purzycki still did not answer.
Mariano was becoming angry when Michalak entered the court room.
“I’ve known this man for years,” Michalak told the court. “He is a deaf mute.” The charge was dismissed.
R. H. Stark Dies At 59; Retired City Policeman
Camden Courier-Post —
Raymond H. (Mike) Stark Sr., 59, of 141 N. 32nd st., a retired Camden City policeman, died Thursday afternoon in Cooper Hospital of a heart condition.
Mr. Stark was born in Philadelphia and had resided in Camden since he was 10 years old. He was appointed to the Camden police force April 11, 1917, with badge number 139. He was appointed to the mounted traffic squad Jan. 11, 1919. He retired on pension May 15, 1944.
During a leave of absence in 1926, Mr. Stark organized the police force for the Camden Bridge and as a sergeant of the body led the parade across the bridge when it was opened in 1926.
Since his retirement, Mr. Stark had been active with the Retired Police and Firemen’s Association of Camden County of which he was a charter member. He was secretary of the group.
He was a life member of the South Jersey Suburban Police Inc., a member of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Rescue Council 151, JrOUAM, and of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in East Camden.
Surviving are his widow, Vera M.; two sons, Raymond H. Jr., and Alvin L., both of Camden; two brothers, Edward C. and Frank, and a sister, Mrs. Mabel Levick, all of Camden.
Services will be held Monday at 2 p. m. in the funeral home of Mason E. Bradley, 3203 Federal st. The Rev. Charles G. Bauer, pastor of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Lakeview Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday night.