Thomas J. Carr Sr.
Thomas J. Carr Sr. was the son of James J. Carr and his wife, the former Anna Roberts. He was appointed to the Camden Police Department on December 1, 1940. He lived at Bank Street in East Camden as early as 1947 through at least early 1965. Thomas Carr retired on disability from the Camden Police Department.
In 1961 Thomas Carr was elected chairman of the Republican city committee in Camden. He did not stand for re-election in 1962. In 1965 he took a position in Trenton with the New Jersey State Senate as assistant sergeant-of-arms.
Three Members of Camden Traffic Squad
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.
Life Hereabouts by Charley Humes
Camden Courier-Post —
“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 peering 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 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.
Mrs. Mary Carr Dies, Patrolman’s Mother
Camden Courier-Post —
Mrs. Mary J. Carr, 63, died in her home, 128 North Twenty-first street, Tuesday. She was the mother of Motorcycle Patrolman Thomas J. Carr. Born in Camden, Mrs. Carr was a lifelong resident. She was employed by Howland Croft Sons & Co. and was a member of the Textile Workers Union of America, Local 229.
Also surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Anna M. Burns; another son, James J. Jr., both of Camden; a brother, John Roberts, Gloucester; a sister, Mrs. Adeline Pomeroy, Toms River; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
High Mass will be celebrated Saturday at 9 a. m. in St. Joseph’s R. C. Church, Twenty-ninth street and Westfield avenue. Relatives and friends will meet at 8 a. m. at the residence, where friends may call Friday night. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery under the direction of Frank J. Leonard, Camden funeral director.
Thomas Carr Heads Police, Fire Group
Camden Courier-Post —
Thomas J. Carr Sr. has been reelected president of the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association, it was announced today.
Other officers elected for 1958 are John K. Voll, vice president; Harrison Pike, treasurer; Joseph Gfrorer, financial secretary; Arthur C. Batten, recording secretary; Winfield Leviseur, chairman of the board of managers; Joseph Ballinghoff, John Moore and Howard Brickner, members of the board of managers, and Joseph Dmochowski, Leon Puszczykowski, Ernest Tartaglia and Spencer Smith, sergeants-at-arms.
Appointments include: Gfrorer, flower committee; Leviseur, memorial committee; Pike, Leviseur and Gfrorer, loan committee; George Bowen, auditor; Bruce A. Wallace, solicitor.