Introduction
Walter J. Staats was an executive with the Victor Talking Machine Company in Camden. He was also involved with the First National Bank and the West Jersey-Parkside Trust bank, and was active in other civic activities. He retired from Victor in 1928, and passed away in 1933.
First National Bank
Bank Directory — March–
First National Bank
Camden, N.J. — Philadelphia Office: 246 Market Street, Discount Day Thursday
Officers
| Name ↕ | Role ↕ |
|---|---|
| David Baird | President |
| William T. Read | Vice President and Solicitor |
| Charles Lafferty | Cashier |
| W.S. Ayres | Assistant Cashier |
| Theodore Thompson | Assistant Cashier |
Directors
| Name ↕ |
|---|
| David Baird |
| Frank L. Starr |
| Alfred W. Clement |
| Walter J. Staats |
| Frank C. Somers |
| David Baird Jr. |
| J.J. Albertson |
| Joseph W. Graham |
| Albert C. Middleton |
| Lawrence M. Verga |
| Ferdinand A. Loeb |
| Melbourne F. Middleton Jr. |
| William T. Read |
War Work Director Named
Philadelphia Inquirer —
F. Morse Archer, president of the National State Bank, is to direct the Camden drive for the war work fund. Former Judge William T. Boyle and William J. Strandwitz are the vice chairmen; Walter J. Staats is the treasurer and E. A. Stoll and David S. Rush, Jr., are the directors. The work in Camden city is to be done in six districts and the captains are E. G. C. Bleakly, James H. Long, William L. Hurley, F. B. Wallen, Wilbert Pike and Volney Bennett. Camden county’s quota is $227,500.
Walter Staats Quits as Victor Vice President
Camden Courier-Post —
Gives Up Charge of Export Department to Enter Insurance Firm
IN EMPLOY OF COMPANY DURING PAST 21 YEARS
No Successor is Named; Was One of Johnson’s Aides in 1901
Formal announcement of the resignation of Walter J. Staats as vice president of the Victor Talking Machine Company, in charge of exports and foreign trade, was made today at the executive offices of the concern in Camden.
No immediate choice of a successor to Mr. Staats in the vice presidency will be made, it was stated, and no shift in executive personnel of the company is expected at present.
Daniel P. Mitchell, export manager, will take over a more complete control of that department as a result of Mr. Staats’ resignation.
The retiring vice president is one of the small group associated with Eldridge R. Johnson, founder of the Victor Company, during the early days of the industry here. He entered the employ of the company in 1901.
“His career,” says the announcement given out today at the concern’s offices, “has been one of conspicuous success. From the beginning Mr. Staats was interested in the financial department. In March 1910 he was elected to the board of directors. In February, 1912 he was appointed comptroller; the following year assistant treasurer, and later was made assistant secretary. In January, 1920 he was appointed treasurer.
“Long experience as an officer of the company in charge of the financial departments and operations admirably fitted Mr. Staats for his next important post— that of vice president.
“During his long and distinguished career with Victor, Mr. Staats made a host of friends in the talking machine trade, who will regret his decision to transfer his activities to other fields.”
At the time of the reorganization of the Victor Company last year, when Mr. Johnson’s controlling interest was sold to a group of New York bankers and when Edward E. Shumaker was chosen president, Mr. Staats became vice president in charge of exports and foreign trade. At that time, E.C. Grimley succeeded him as treasurer, which position he now occupies.
Mr. Staats recently became vice president and treasurer of the Smith-Austermuhl Company, insurance organization here, by purchasing the financial interest of the late Andrew B.F. Smith. This purchase divided the interest in the firm equally between Charles Austermuhl, David Baird Jr., and Staats.
Widely known in South Jersey business and social circles, Mr. Staats is a director of the West Jersey-Parkside Trust Company and of the First National Bank of Philadelphia. His home is at 24 West Maple Avenue, Merchantville.
Patrons, Patronesses Announced Today for First Military Ball
Camden Courier-Post —
Patrons and patronesses for the first military ball of the Camden Post No. 960, Veterans of Foreign Wars, to be held on Friday evening February 3 in the Elks auditorium, Seventh and Cooper Streets, are announced today.
The following prominent men and women are listed: Mrs. J.W. Connor, Miss C.M. Day, Mrs. J.H. Forsyth, Mrs. H.J. Goodyear, Miss B. Graham, Mrs. R.E. Green, Mrs. E.F. Haines, Mrs. J. Hood Jr., Mrs. W. Hurley, Mrs. J. Jarrell, Mrs. T. Keefe, Mrs. J.F. Kobus, Mrs. L. Liberman, Mrs. F.L. Lloyd, Mrs. M.A. Logan, Mrs. T.P. McConaghy, Mrs. F.F. Neutze, Mrs. L.K. Marr, Mrs. J.A. Pennington, Mrs. M.E. Ramsey, Mrs. E. Truax, Mrs. S.M. Shay, Mrs. W.J. Staats, Mrs. B.G. Tarburton, Mrs. R.W. Waddell, Mrs. E. Watson, Mrs. E.P. Wescott, Mrs. C.A. Wolverton.
David Baird Jr., William T. Boyle, Isaac Ferris, William Hurley, John Hood Jr., John Jarrell, Victor King, William J. Kraft, Thomas Keefe, Joseph F. Kobus, Hon. Edmund B. Leaming, Dr. A. Haines Lippincott, James H. Long, L.K. Marr, Dr. Thomas P. McConaghy, Hon. Frank F. Neutze, Samuel P. Orlando, Albert E. Simmons, Edwin Watson, Ethan P. Wescott.
Liquor Raid Fines Enrich City $1020
Camden Courier-Post —
Small Cigar Stores Draw Big Penalties; Late Closing Costs Saloon $100
Patrons of speakeasies, their proprietors and 13 youthful craps players paid a total of $1020 into Camden city’s treasury yesterday in fines and forfeitures.
The fines and forfeitures were those of small operators caught in raids by police in virtually every section of the city Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Fines of $100 each were paid by four proprietors charged with violation of a city ordinance forbidding the congregation of disorderly persons on their premises. Another alleged proprietor was fined $100 on the same charge and an additional $300 for operating without a license.
Hearings for proprietors of three other places were postponed until Wednesday at the request of police.
The fines came on the eve of the new Grand Jury’s vice probe. Walter J. Staats, Grand Jury foreman, former treasurer of the Victor Talking Machine Company and now treasurer of the Smith-Austermuhl Company, yesterday turned over to Prosecutor Baldwin, a number of anonymous letters he received informing him of alleged violators. Staats, who conferred with the prosecutor on today’s session of the Grand Jury, declined to give out any statement on what he hopes the jury will accomplish, but declared that it is not interested in anonymous letters. He said that if letters are signed, the senders will be questioned, but unsigned letters were generally valueless bits of spite work.
Cigar Dealer Fined $300
George Palmer, proprietor of a cigar store at 2315 Federal street, raided by District Detectives Louis Schlam and Walter Smith early Sunday morning, was fined $300. Detective Walter Smith testified six patrons were arrested and a small quantity of beer was found. The sleuth asserted that John DiLorenzo, 36, of 22 Marlton pike, whose home also was raided Sunday, “dumped” some liquor.
William Stettler, 47, of 1137 South Fourth street, pleaded guilty of violating the city ordinance as proprietor of the Harry Bach Cafe, where he and ten men were arrested at 12:03 a. m. Sunday. Lieut. Ralph Bakley testified that six weeks ago he had warned Stettler to close at midnight and the proprietor grew abusive. He was raided Sunday morning when the establishment was found open three minutes after midnight. A $100 fine was imposed on Stettler in court yesterday.
Oyster Shop Raided
Schlam and Smith raided the oyster saloon of Joseph Dugan, 2222 Federal street, at 2:45 a. m. Sunday. Dugan was held in $500 bail when alleged liquor was found. He was fined $100.
Max Levin, 48, grocery proprietor of 530 Kaighn avenue, was arrested on charges of violating the state prohibition act after a raid on the store. He furnished bail of $500 to insure his appearance before Judge Pancoast tomorrow.
Five men were arrested at a cigar store at 2314 Federal street. Two empty bottles which police said smelled of whiskey were seized and the alleged proprietor, William Hopkins, 38, was fined $100.
47 More Men Join League to Aid Baird
Camden Courier-Post —
Professional and Business Leaders Back Camden Man for Governor
Forty-seven more prominent professional and business men yesterday joined the Baird-for-Governor Business Men’s League and pledged themselves to work actively in interest of David Baird Jr., for governor, and add special impetus to his campaign.
The league was organized this week at an enthusiastic meeting of 18 outstanding Baird supporters in professional and business life at the Camden Club, 315 Cooper Street. The league membership is open only to business, professional and industrial leaders who are not holding public office and who are not politicians.
The latest enrollments among community leaders pledging themselves to devote themselves to the Baird cause are the following:
F. Morse Archer, president of the First Camden National Bank; Clinton L. Bardo, president of the New York Shipbuilding Company and of the New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association; George C. Baker, of the Baker-Flick Company; Watson Shallcross, president of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce; Howard J. Dudley, Broadway merchant; Thomas E. French, prominent attorney; J. David Stern, publisher of the Courier-Post newspapers and of the Philadelphia Record; Wellington K. Barto, of the West Jersey Trust Company; Dr. Joseph Roberts, Cooper Hospital; William Clement, of the Clement Coverall Paint Company; Robert Wright, of the Haddonfield National Bank; Arthur J. Podmore, of the Camden Pottery Company; Nathan Leopold, Haddonfield druggist; Dr. J. Edgar Howard, of Haddonfield.
Dr. Alfred N. Elwell, of this city; Edward Preisendanz, Clarence Peters, N. Franks, of Franks & Sweeney; U. G. Peters, Ralph D. Baker, prominent real estate man; Archibald Dingo, George Bachman, Sr., and George Bachman, Jr., Dr. O. W. Saunders, Henry Cooperson, Leon Cooperson, Herman Z. Cutler. Charles Bauman, Harry Rose, George Austermuhl, Walter Gulick, Albert Voeglin, Howard Fearn, John A. Schlorer, Ernest L. Bartelt.
William S. Casselman, George M. Carr, J. Price Myers, Carl R. Evered, former president of the Camden County Real Estate Board; Francis B. Wallen, former president of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce; William H. Alff, Edmund J. Alff, Harry Pelouze, Walter Campbell, Dr. Thomas R. Bunting, Joseph F. Kobus and Henry E. Kobus.
Enrollments, it was announced, may be made through the following committee of the league:
Ludwig A. Kind, Thomas Gordon Coulter, Charles H. Laird, Walter J. Staats, Frank C. Middleton, Jr., Frank J. Hineline, William T. Read, Charles S. Boyer, W. W. Robinson, George R. Pelouze, Paul A. Kind, Dr. Paul A. Mecray, Jerome Hurley, Harry A. Moran, James V. Moran, William J. Strandwitz, former Judge Lewis Starr and Frank C. Norcross.