Thomas J. Carroll
Officer Thomas J. Carroll
THOMAS J. CARROLL was born in Colorado, Pennsylvania on December 10, 1891. When he registered for the draft in June of 1917 he was living at 738 Pearl Street in North Camden. He was then working as a driver for the Victor Talking Machine Company. In July of 1917 Thomas Carroll joined the United States Army and rose to the rank of corporal before the end of hostilities.
After returning to Camden Thomas Carroll found work as a railroad brakeman. He was living with his wife Susanna at 432 North 7th Street in North Camden. She worked as an operator in a dress factory, but would soon leave employ to start a family. He was serving with the Camden Police Department by April of 1925. On April 9, 1925, while in the company of Officer Charles Naylor, Officer Carroll was injured while investigating the underground rooms of “voodoo doctor” E.H.H. Hyghcock.
By 1930 Thomas Carroll and his wife Susanna had bought a home at 15 South 38th Street in East Camden, where they lived with their two sons, Thomas and Richard. Thomas J. Carroll was still serving with the Camden Police Department.
The Carrolls appear to have moved from Camden by 1947. Thomas J. Carroll died on September 9, 1958 and was buried at Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly NJ. His wife Susanna died in February of 1985 and was buried by his side.
Houses of Voodooism Yield Weird Tales and Queer Scenes That Attract Thousands
Camden Courier —
Upper left: A section of the crowd that surged about the front of the “Voodoo Houses,” Liberty Street. Upper right: Courier artist’s drawing of the tunnels which led from the cellar throughout the back yards. Right center: The fronts of the two houses, with one of “Doctor Hyghcock’s” three automobiles standing by the curb, with a wheel off. Left center: Policemen Chas. Naylor in the “control room” pulling the ropes which jangled bells and opened doors through the labyrinth. With him is Motorcycle Policeman Tommy Carroll, who was hurt while exploring one of the passages yesterday. Bottom: A view of the “doctor’s” back yard, under which the tunnels run.
Cop Rescues Boy, 7, Drowning in River
Camden Courier-Post —
Dives Fully Clothed Into Stream, Swims Ashore With Child
Three little boys at play along the river bank with a toy airplane … the plane falls into the water … one of the children reaches for it with a stick and tumbles into the river. This was the scene that greeted Thomas Carroll, a city policeman on vacation, when he approached Tenth and State streets Saturday afternoon. He was out for a stroll with a neighbor’s child and was searching for his own son, William Carroll, 8.
Leaving his little companion on the wharf, Carroll, without removing any part of his clothing, dived into the river. The water at this spot is about 20 feet deep. The boy who had fallen into it was being carried upstream by the tide. Carroll quickened his strokes and 300 feet from where he dived, he came upon the drowning child. The boy had sunk for the third time. Reaching for the youngster, the bluecoat gathered him in his arms and with long, strong strokes, swam back to shore.
Although a bit tired after the rescue, the policeman bent every energy in resuscitating the child. He placed him on a log and rolled him. Finally, the boy showed signs of life.
Carroll, elated with the success of his rescue, then had the boy, Howard Lecates, 7, of 616 State street, removed to his father’s home in an automobile. The father, Arthur Lecates, is assistant ferrymaster at the Camden terminal of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The child showed no bad effects from his experience.
Howard had gone to the river bank at Tenth and State streets with John and George Simpson, both 8, of 611 Vine street. John is an uncle of George. It was while the trio were playing with a toy airplane that Howard tumbled into the river. He had sought to retrieve the lost toy with a stick.
Wife Hurt in Fall Fleeing Angry Man
Camden Courier-Post —
Drops 20 Feet From Roof of Porch Seeking to Elude Husband
An East Camden woman was injured early today in a 20-foot fall from a porch roof to which she fled after an alleged quarrel with her husband. The woman, Mrs. Blanche Thatcher, 56, of 2203 Howell street, suffered cuts and bruises and was admitted for observation at Cooper hospital. Her husband, Andrew, 58, was “booked by police” on suspicion and committed to jail without bail.
According to police Mrs. Thatcher fled when her husband attempted to enter a bedroom by breaking through the door with an ax. The noise awakened neighbors who called police. Thatcher was arrested by Patrolmen Thomas Carroll and Ralph Cline.
The policemen reported Mrs. Thatcher told them her husband had been drinking heavily and became angry when he found the bedroom door locked. She said she was attempting to slide down one of the porch pillars when she fell. Mrs. Thatcher was taken to the hospital in a car operated by Herman Grimmer, 2204 Howell street.
Ax Murder Threats Sends Husband to Jail
Camden Courier-Post —
Charged with threatening to kill his wife, Blanche, with an ax, Andrew Thatcher, 58, of 2203 Howell street, was held without bail for the grand jury, by Judge Lewis Liberman in police court yesterday. Detective Clifford Carr testified Thatcher came home drunk early Saturday, and attempted to break down the door of his wife’s bedroom with an ax. Mrs. Thatcher became alarmed and fled. She climbed out on the front porch roof and in attempting to slide down a pillar to get to the street, slipped and fell 20 feet. She was admitted to the Cooper Hospital, suffering shock and a fractured pelvis. In police court yesterday the husband claimed he did not remember what happened.
20 Firemen and Police Save Two Boys Marooned in River
Camden Courier-Post —
Their Rowboat Stuck in Mud Flat, Brothers Frantically Cry for ‘Help’ Three Hours; Rope Pulls Craft Ashore
Two small boys, brothers, were rescued after being marooned three hours in a rowboat on a mud flat in the Delaware east of Cooper river.
The rescue was effected by Camden police and firemen after the boys had frantically yelled for aid. Despite their long exposure, the boys were discovered to be in good physical condition when police took them to Cooper Hospital at sundown Saturday.
John Castor, Jr., 11, of 511 North Eighth street, and Thomas Castor, 8, of 1228 North Nineteenth street, ventured out into the Delaware river in a boat they found moored off Ninth street. The mother of the boys is dead and John lives with his father at the North Eighth street address and the other boy with his grandmother, Mrs. Teresa Mather, at the North Nineteenth street address.
The boys said they started to return to shore about 2.30 p.m. and did not notice the tide had gone out while they were in the boat. The boat stuck on a mud flat north of State street on the shore of the old airport. The boys were unable to budge the craft and called continuously for “help!”
About 5 p.m., they attracted the attention of Harrison McNeir, 14, of 822 Birch, who happened to be walking along an embankment. Young McNeir ran to State street and told Patrolman Thomas Carroll and Clarence Barnes, who were in a radio car, about the plight of the boys.
They sent an alarm to police headquarters. Police were unable to reach the boys and summoned the emergency crew of the Camden Fire Department. The firemen, using a rowboat, also were unable to reach the flat.
Finally, a long rope was tied to the waist of Fireman William Deitz and he waded out in hip boots to the marooned boat. He tied one end of the rope to the rowboat containing the boys and waded ashore. About 20 firemen and police grabbed the other end of the line and pulled the rowboat off the flat to shore.