Introduction
WILLIAM E. BRICKNER was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 10, 1889. When the 1900 Census was taken in Camden, William E. Brickner was living at 403 Senate Court with his uncle and aunt, William and Netti Alburger. The 1910 Census shows William Brickner living in Clementon, New Jersey, and he does not appear in the 1912–1913 or the 1914 Camden City Directories.
William Brickner married in the early 1910s. His wife Ethel bore a son, also named William, around 1913, and another son, Howard, in 1915. By June of 1917 William Brickner had moved to Camden. He was working as a streetcar conductor for Public Service. The family then lived at 1224 Chase Street. By January of 1920 they had moved to 1605 Louis Street, and William Brickner had been appointed to the Camden Police Department. Besides Mr. and Mrs. Brickner and sons William and Howard, there were two other children, son Elmer and daughter Helen. By 1927 the Brickners had moved to 1244 Everett Street, where they remained into 1929. The 1930 Census found the family at 1328 Sheridan Street.
William Brickner was still a Camden Police officer as late as the fall of 1934. He was then living at 1263 Chase Street. By the spring of 1942 he had retired on a police pension. The family had moved to 1246 Dayton Street.
William Brickner’s son Howard G. Brickner served with the Camden Fire Department for 27 years before retiring in 1978.
World War I Draft Card
William E. Brickner — World War I Draft Card
Death Car Driver Held in $1000 Bail
Camden Morning Post —
DEATH CAR DRIVER HELD IN $1000 BAIL
Grand Jury to Probe Manslaughter Charge Against Oaklyn Man
Bail which had been furnished after his arrest last night, was accepted this morning for security as Thomas Atkins, 110 East Clinton avenue, Oaklyn, was held for the grand jury on a technical charge of manslaughter.
The hearing in traffic court before Judge Bertman was the aftermath of the fatal accident at Ninth street and Morgan boulevard last night.
Atkins was driver of the automobile which struck Mrs. Emma Scholl, 67 years old, 694 Tulip street. Mrs. Scholl died as she was being carried into West Jersey Hospital a few minutes later.
Walter Keown appeared as counsel for Atkins. Keown said he was satisfied that the grand jury, after investigating the accident, would exonerate the defendant.
William Menhenick, 50 years old, of Parry, was fined $15 on a charge of reckless driving. He was arrested after William Lamarcus, 1827 Gallingham street, Philadelphia, said Menhenick’s car struck his auto at Eighth and Linden streets.
Arrested on complaint of Policeman William Brickner, a Public Service taxicab driver, Jubulam Gandy, 26 years old, 103 North Seventh street, was fined $10 for speeding. Brickner said he chased Gandy’s cab from Broadway and Benson to Sixth and Penn. He said Gandy exceeded the speed limit the entire distance.
STORE BANDITS TO BE QUIZZED IN CHESTER ON FEITZ MURDER
Camden Courier-Post — Evening Courier —
Material Witness Will View Suspects Caught by Camden Sleuths
BRICKNER QUESTIONED BY COLSEY ON HOLDUP
Police Order All Persons Arrested to Face ‘Line Up’ in Slaying Probe
Seven men and women held by Camden as police as material witnesses in the murder of Detective William T. Feitz two weeks ago in an alleged South Camden disorderly house will look over two men arrested in Chester PA after a store holdup here.
This was announced today by County Detective Lawrence T. Doran, who is directing the investigation for Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando.
At the same time, Chief Doran disclosed that after a conference with Police Chief Arthur Colsey, orders were issued that every person arrested in Camden, whether the charge is trivial or serious, will be placed in a police “lineup” and the material witnesses will face them to see if any of Feitz’s killers are among them.
Chief Doran was not sure whether the Camden County authorities would be able to bring the two robbery suspects to Camden because they are also wanted in Pennsylvania for almost a score of other holdups and burglaries.
Will Visit Chester
In the event that Chester authorities will not turn the two men over to Camden detectives, the witnesses will go to Chester to examine them, Chief Doran said.
Those held in Chester in connection with the holdup Wednesday night of the candy store of Michael Guzik at 1301 Sheridan Street identified themselves as Peter Muraska, 10, of 342 McDowell Street, and Ray Tuttle, 30, of 2529 West Ninth Street, both of Chester.
While neither Chief Doran nor Chief Colsey believe Muraska or Tuttle may be implicated in the murder of the detective because they are not known to be killers, both declared the suspects will be questioned as to their whereabouts at the time Feitz was shot to death.
“We are letting nothing slip through our fingers at this stage of the investigation” Chief Doran said. “There is a bare possibility that either of these two suspects may be implicated or have some knowledge that would be useful to us in solving this crime.”
While negotiations were under way between Camden County authorities and Chester police to bring the suspects here, Chief Colsey was making inquiry into the actions of Patrolman William Brickner during the holdup.
Questioned by Colsey
Brickner was summoned to Chief Colsey’s office at City Hall today to explain why he had rushed from his home at 1263 Chase Street to the scene of the holdup when told by neighbors that it was taking place and then gave his gun to his son Elmer so he could watch the place so he the policeman could telephone police headquarters for help.
According to Guzik, the proprietor of the store, the bandits were in his store 30 minutes. They locked the doors behind them and gagged Guzik and guarded his wife, Blanche, and her sister, Mary Pitura, 18.
The bandits broke open a trunk from which they took $100 in pennies, $30 in scrip, and $4 in silver. Guzik said the pennies represented his profit in a penny vending machine over a period of time.
It was while Guzik was left alone that he shouted from one of his windows and neighbors called Brickner who was at home and off duty. His son Elmer, fired one shot at the fleeing car before the patrolman came back from telephoning for help.
Several numbers of the license plates on the bandits car were covered with tape but one of the youngsters in the neighborhood succeeded in pushing aside the tape and getting the complete number which was turned over to police. Yesterday Detective Lieutenant Ward, accompanied by Detective Sergeant Gus Koerner and Detective Joseph Carpani went to Chester and made the arrests.
The car, which carried Pennsylvania tags, was listed in the name of Archie Hendrickson of Morton Avenue, Chester, police said.
World War II Draft Card
William E. Brickner — World War II Draft Card