Roland Evans
Roland Evans appears to have been born in Delaware on November 10, 1892 to Abram Evans and his wife, the former Alice Nickels. The family, which included older brother Francis and younger siblings, Duane, Baynard, Richard, and Mary lived in or around Smyrna, Delaware when the Census was taken in 1910. Roland Evans, then 17, was working on a farm.
Young Roland Evans got himself into serious trouble around Christmas of 1911. He procured a pistol, and he may or may not have shot a man named John Barrett in Delaware. On December 26, 1911 he was in a house on Sycamore Street in Camden, brandishing his gun and boasting about having shot a man. Robert Green apparently tried to relieve Evans of the firearm, which discharged, fatally wounding Green. Evans was arrested and brought to trial on April 22, 1912. Charged with first degree murder, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to serve four to ten years in prison.
Roland Evans behaved himself while in prison and was pardoned on April 26, 1915. He appears to have settled in Philadelphia, registering for the draft there in 1917, and stayed out of trouble until his passing in 1957.
Peacemaker Fatally Shot
Harrisburg Patriot —
Tried to Take Pistol From Man Who Was Flourishing It
Camden, N. J., Dec. 26.—David Green, colored, was shot and killed late tonight by Roland Evans, also colored, when the former attempted to take away a revolver which the latter was flourishing. Evans, who arrived in town today was boasting that he had shot a man last night in Smyrna, Del. He drew a loaded revolver and was demonstrating to a crowd of colored people how he had used the weapon. Green fearing that some one would be injured attempted to get possession of the revolver and was shot in the stomach. He died almost instantly. Evans was arrested.
Defends His Shooting Man
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Assailant Captured in Camden—Victim’s Condition Is Critical
“He tried to cut me with a razor and I shot him in the stomach,” is what Roland Taylor, alias Evans, a negro, is alleged to have said when he shot and killed David Green, also a negro, in a house on Sycamore street, Camden. Taylor, or Evans, was held without bail yesterday by Recorder Stackhouse on a charge of murder preferred by Detective Schregler. The alleged murderer is also accused of shooting John Barrett while in a hotel at Smyrna, Del.
Murder Cases on in Camden Court
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Prosecutor and His Assistant Will Be Kept Busy at This Term of Court
Beginning with tomorrow, Prosecutor Boyle and his assistant, Charles A. Wolverton, will be kept busy in the Camden Criminal Court disposing of many cases, including four defendants charged with murder. This is the first term of court in which there have been so many such cases for many years.
Yesterday Supreme Court Justice Garrison fixed Monday, April 22, as the date when he will preside at the trial of Roland Evans, who shot to death David Green in a house on Sycamore street on December 26 last. The State will press for a first degree. Lawyers Herbert Drake and William Harris have been assigned to defend Evans.
The next case to be tried will be that of William Graedwell, who brained his boarding mistress, Mrs. Georgeanna Gilliand, with an ax in her home in East Camden. After that will come to trial Stefano Torcesso, who stabbed to death Nunzioto Imperato in a duel over a girl. The last of the quartet of murder cases will be that of Charles Ford, who shot to death Mrs. May Effie Wagner, his erstwhile housekeeper.
About two hundred persons against whom indictments have been returned by the grand jury will be called upon to enter pleas tomorrow. Prosecutor Boyle will then begin to dispose of the cases on Tuesday before Judge Carrow, it being his intention to so systematize matters that everything will be cleaned up by the beginning of summer.
Roland Evans Murder Trial
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Roland Evans will be placed on trial for the murder of Robert Green in the Supreme Court before Judge Garrison this morning. The State will press for a first degree verdict.
Speedy Murder Trial
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Negro Youth Quickly Convicted of Manslaughter in Camden
One of the quickest murder trials on record in Camden county was that of Roland Evans, a negro youth, who faced Supreme Court Justice Garrison and a jury yesterday for the fatal shooting of Robert Green. Within three hours the case had been completed, both by the State and defense, and shortly after a verdict was rendered of manslaughter. Evans was given an indeterminate sentence of from four to ten years in State prison.
There are three more murder trials to take place in Camden within the next few weeks.
Freedom Given N.J. Long-Term Prisoners
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Pardons Court Denies Clemency to Petitioner With Roosevelt as One of Signers
Special to The Inquirer.
TRENTON, N. J., April 26—Two long-term murderers were released from prison today by the Court of Pardons at its April meeting. Robert Clayton, of Princeton, serving forty-two years for killing a man during a quarrel, and William Knapp, of Bergen county, serving twenty-five years, were the men paroled. The former had been in prison since 1904 and the latter since 1903. Ernest W. Powell, of Atlantic; Roland Evans, of Camden, and John S. Smith, of Cape May, were the other slayers freed. None of the latter was serving more than ten years.
The court denied the appeal for a pardon for Frederick R. Boyd, an Industrial Worker of the World, serving a State Prison term for his participation in the silk mill strike in Paterson a few years ago. Former President Roosevelt signed a petition circulated in Mr. Boyd’s behalf.
The court commuted the sentence of death imposed on Alpino Fiorelli, of this city, to life imprisonment. The application of former Freeholder Frank Enderlin, James W. Lane and William Malia, of Atlantic City, for full pardon, was not taken up.
Paroles were granted as follows:
Atlantic county.—Samuel Rooney, false pretense, one to three years, parole effective April 29; Jack Johnson, breaking with intent, three to seven years; Harry H. Jones, atrocious assault and battery, three and a half to seven years; Ernest W. Powell, manslaughter, ten years.
Burlington county—Frank Horner, assault and battery, one to three years; Edward Wilbur, assault with intent to kill, three to twelve years. Harry Bowker, atrocious assault and battery, one and a half to seven years; Thomas Crawley, breaking and entering, three and a half to seven years. William Johnson, breaking and entering, three and a half to seven years. Samuel D. Miller, larceny, three and a half to seven years.
Camden county—Joshua Baynard, assault and battery on officer, one to three years. Benjamin Kobler, larceny from person, three and a half to seven years; Philip Miller, grand larceny, one to seven years; Frank J. Payne, false pretense, one to three years. George Benson, atrocious assault and battery, two to seven years; Roland Evans, manslaughter, four to ten years; Frank Marvin, robbery, two to seven years; Rose Mitchell, petit larceny, one and a half to three years.
Cape May county.—John S. Smith, murder, five years.
Cumberland county.—Amato Carmelo, attempt to rob, twelve years. Caleb Green, larceny, twelve years. John Penn, carnal abuse, fifteen to thirty years.
Ocean county—Frank W. Lear, incest, fifteen years; George G. Wilson, larceny, one to three years.
Gloucester county.—Frank Burns, robbery, seven and a half to fifteen years.
Mercer county—Chris Hart, grand larceny, three and a half to seven years; Ceasero Deproposto, assault with intent to kill, three to twelve years. Bert Johnson, carrying concealed weapons, four to eight years; Thomas Pacillo, assault with intent to kill, three and a half to twelve years.