William J. Hurlock
WILLIAM J. HURLOCK was born in Wilmington, Delaware around 1879. Little is known of his early days. Although no records seem to support this, his obituary states that by the early 1890s he had moved to Stockton, which was annexed by Camden in 1899, adding what in present times are the areas known as Cramer Hill and East Camden.
William J. Hurlock married Alice Adelia Bogart on December 20, 1904, who was 12 years his senior. A native of upstate New York, she was a divorcee, and was working at the State Hospital in Binghamton when the Census had been taken in 1900. A son, William Rexford “Rex” Hurlock, was born on October 29, 1905. The family then lived at 2002 Cooper street. William Hurlock was at the time working as a clerk. He became very active with a fraternal organization, Court Pride of Stockton Lodge No. 5, Foresters of America, which was still active in East Camden as late as 1984.
By the time the 1907 Camden City Directory was compiled, William J. Hurlock and family had moved to 2717 Cramer Street. His family maintained a presence at that address as late as 1970. Beginning in 1922 his neighbor at 123 North 28th Street was fellow Camden policeman John W. Golden. William J. Hurlock and John W. Golden would remain neighbors for the rest of their lives. The Hurlock family stayed at the Cramer Street address as late as 1970, the Goldens were still there as late as 1982.
William J. Hurlock was appointed to the Camden Police Department on April 12, 1912. After serving as acting sergeant on a number of occasions, around 1923 he was promoted to Detective, and in the early 1920s often partnered with Louis C. Schlam. William J. Hurlock retired in 1933.
A widower late in life, William J. Hurlock’s wife Alice died on June 27, 1941 after an illness of a year and one-half. William J. Hurlock’s last days were spent living with his son, William R. “Rex” Hurlock, a switchboard operator with the Camden Police Department, his daughter-in-law and his grandsons at 2717 Cramer Street.
Boy’s Brutal Murderer Collapses at Hearing
Camden Post-Telegram —
Coursey Breaks Down While Story of Cold-Blooded Killing of Karl Kellmann Is Told by Detective.
TWO “PALS,” TOO, ACCUSED OF CRIME
Collapsing when arraigned in Police Court this morning before Recorder Stackhouse on the charge of killing Karl Kellmann, aged 18 years, of 2919 High street, at Twenty-seventh and Sherman streets, shortly before midnight Saturday, Fred Coursey, alias “Mexican Pete,” alias “Cowboy Pete,” aged 20 years, of 121 North Twenty-first street, who admits firing the fatal shots while committing robbery, and Harry Duffield, aged 21 years, of 407 North Forty-first street, who acknowledged masking his face with a handkerchief and being with Coursey, sobbed piteously, resting their heads on the railing of the dock, while John Painter, the veteran detective, was briefly reciting the story.
When Recorder Stackhouse asked what became of the young man who was shot and Painter replied that he died, Coursey and Duffield sobbed afresh, and when Recorder Stackhouse committed them without bail Policemen Frost and Kay had to help them.
Linnans Staley, aged 21 years, of 1819 Federal street, who confessed that he was in the robbery plot but later got scared and hid in the bushes, was scarcely able to stand, and when his mother broke down as he was committed as a principal he staggered and would have fallen but for Sergeant McClong.
Prosecutor Boyle announced this morning that the Grand Jury will be recalled for Thursday of this week and the case will be made the special order of the day.
Without the slightest clue to start with in the most brutal murder committed in recent years in Camden county, police and detectives under the personal direction of Chief Gravenor in two hours arrested two of the three prisoners and obtained their signatures to confessions and before sunrise the other was lodged behind the bars at the City Hall.
According to their statements to the police the prisoners while drinking on a lot near Twenty-first and Federal streets on Saturday night planned to go to a lone spot near Twenty-seventh and Sherman streets to hold someone up to get money and jewelry to buy more drink. Coursey had a 38-calibre cowboy pistol and Duffield used Coursey’s bandanna as a mask. Staley weakened before the spot selected was reached and at the time of the murder was hiding in a clump of weeds a short distance away.
The murdered boy was the son of Karl and Lulu D. Kellmann. He was a member of the Bible class of Grace Presbyterian Church, East Side, and active in church work.
Saturday night was the closing of a carnival given on High street between Twenty-seventh and Thirtieth streets. Karl was there and made several purchases. At one booth he bought a necktie, from another some ice cream and a box of candy and spent some time conversing with the young ladies connected with the church.
When it grew rather late he noticed that Misses Bertha and Bessie Skillen, of 815 North Thirty-fourth street, the latter a teacher in Grace Church Sunday-school, were without an escort and he volunteered to see them home. They accepted his invitation to be their escort. He saw them safely home and he was on his way back and had reached a point on the east side of Twenty-seventh street south of Sherman street and near the foot of the bridge that spans the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks when two men jumped out from behind a tree and as one commanded him to hold up his hands the other began to shoot.
The first shot struck him in the breast and turned him partially around. The next ploughed a hole through his neck, knocking him down, and the third went wide.
Screaming for help he tried to rise to his feet and was on his knees when Night Yardmaster Albert Ludlow and Brakeman Joseph Wittick, who were on the opposite side of the bridge, ran to his assistance. By the light of their lanterns they saw that he was seriously hurt and they took him to ‘Squire Sasse’s house nearby to await the arrival of the ambulance. As the railroaders sped across the bridge Ludlow saw a man run down the tracks in the direction of Seventeenth street.
In the signal tower at Pavonia station known as C. B. the operator, Thomas Sink, heard the shots and cries for help and ‘phoned to Captain James at Police Headquarters that a murder had been committed. Sink also saw a man run down through the weeds and bushes on the east side of the bridge toward the railroad tracks.
Policeman Hurlock and Schmid, ‘Squire and Mrs. Sasse and several others were out on the street before the railroad men reached the Sasse home and all hurried to ‘phones to notify police headquarters.
In less than five minutes by use of the red light system Captain James had every officer on duty on the East Side hurrying to the scene, officers stationed at every bridge, ferry house and railroad terminal, and the downtown auto with Detectives Schregler, Painter, Brothers and Moffett on its way to East Camden.
On information from the railroad men Sergeant Horner took all the East Side officers and the four detectives and they worked westward among the cars while Captain James started Policemen Colsey and Kelly to walk eastward from Fifteenth street until they met the main body.
The search proved fruitless and as they returned to the bridge one of the men picked up a green bandanna with yellow spots and sheep burrs embedded on it on the incline near the signal tower. Later he recalled that the man who went down the slope wore a Khaki shirt and cap.
The handkerchief was recognized as the kind used by “Indian Bill” May, and Detectives Brothers and Policeman Abbott were sent to arrest him. They found May and Eugene Cafferty asleep in a moving van in Marlton avenue. “Indian Bill” soon established an alibi.
Detective Schregler and a couple of officers who were sure that the description of the man with the khaki shirt tallied with Duffield started for his brother’s house, but failed to find him there. About this time the downtown auto turned into Twenty-seventh street to get Karl’s father, mother and sister and take them to the hospital. Councilman Finkeldey and a friend shouted to the crew that a woman was down and out on a step nearby, but the crew yelled back that they were on an emergency run and the woman would keep until they returned. Fireman J. H. Vickers walked across the street to investigate and found that the supposed woman was Duffield and that he seemed to be asleep.
Vickers shook him and as he got up he said something about the shooting that aroused Vickers’ curiosity and he ‘phoned to Police Headquarters. Captain James immediately notified Chief Gravenor, who was on the scene and the latter sent Detective Moffett to investigate. When Moffett arrived he learned that Duffield had taken a Westfield avenue car. Moffett returned to the bridge and he and Detective Painter and Chief Gravenor took the down-town auto for Duffield’s home.
Painter went to the front door and saw Duffield in the act of taking off his shoes. Moffett in going around to the back door to prevent his escape that way passed by the window at which Duffield was sitting.
Grasping Duffield by the collar Moffett pulled him through the window to the ground. As soon as he landed on his feet, according to the Chief and detectives, Duffield said that Coursey did the shooting.
Placing him in the auto they next drove close to Coursey’s home and with Policeman Potter who knew the man wanted, the detectives entered the house with drawn revolvers while other officers guarded all avenues of escape.
Coursey was found awake on a cot and while he was covered with revolvers Detective Painter searched his trunk and found the weapon that he later admitted using. It was empty. The detectives late yesterday afternoon found three used shells adjoining the house near a spot where Coursey said he had thrown them.
In order to keep the men apart they were taken to the City Hall separately and questioned and after they decided to tell all Sergeant E. B. McClong reduced their statements to writing and they signed them. It was on the strength of these statements that Staley was arrested.
Young Kellmann was taken into the hospital at 12.20 a. m. Chief Surgeon Schellenger saw at a glance that there was no hope for him and so notified Captain James, and Sergeant McClong was sent to the hospital to get all information possible.
The unfortunate youth could only speak a few words at a time because of the hemorrhages. All Sergeant McClong was able to get from him was that he was told to hold up his hands and that the shooting instantly began. The only description he could give was that they were small men and that the attack was so sudden that he could not tell whether they were black or white.
The injured young man kept asking the doctors if he was going to die, but they did not answer. He was conscious when his father and mother arrived and then sank rapidly until the end, dying at 1.50 o’clock, 90 minutes after he was admitted. Mother and father were prostrated and were taken home by the up-town auto.
County Physician Jones conducted the autopsy yesterday morning. He said that either wound would have caused death. The bullet in the breast pierced the right lung at the top and lodged in the cavity. It is now in the doctor’s possession. The other bullet went clear through the neck.
Coursey and Duffield have been working in the Pavonia car yard. The former was born in El Paso, Texas, but has lived East nearly all his life. He is an expert shot and was a member of the vaudeville team of Coursey & Cook, according to their letter heads presenting a fifteen-minute thriller.
Duffield was only recently paroled for robbing Gallagher’s saloon, Nineteenth and Federal streets of a lot of drinkables. Staley has been arrested several times on petty charges but was never convicted of crime. When Duffield’s coat was examined at the City Hall, it was found to contain sheep burrs.
To a reporter Coursey said that whenever he was drinking he had to get his gun and shoot something or somebody. He insisted that all were in on the job and that they let the man who preceded Kellman go over the bridge without molestation because he didn’t look as if he had any too much money.
Yesterday morning Assistant Prosecutor Wolverton and Stenographer Cleary called at the City Hall. The prisoners were examined by Mr. Wolverton and their statements taken by Mr. Cleary, but there was little or nothing new elicited.
Wanted a Real “Cop”
Camden Post-Telegram —
WANTED A REAL “COP.”
Plain clothes men Hurlock and Schlam last evening arrested a man apparently well-loaded up with “moonshine,” lying on the lots near Twenty-sixth and Carmen streets, on complaint of residents.
They asked his name and address, but he steadfastly refused to give it. He then refused to be placed under arrest by the two officers, saying he wanted a real policeman to lock him up, the two officers being in plain clothes.
While the argument was at its height Traffic Officer “Mike” Stark, in uniform came along, and when “John Barleycorn’s ally” was asked if he would do as a policeman he was satisfied, but nevertheless refused to divulge his name to them. He was sent to the hall.
Broken Bottle Maims Officers Quelling Fight
Camden Courier-Post —
Hurlock Severs Artery in Thrilling Battle to Subdue Men Engaged in Raid in East Camden
FIVE UNDER ARREST AWAITING HEARING
East Camden was aroused last evening over a report that two policemen, William Hurlock and Louis Shlam, of the Third district, had been killed and a colored man shot in a riot at Thirtieth and Pleasant streets, and that another man was surrounded in a house nearby by a posse of police and that shots had been exchanged.
District Detectives Shlam and Hurlock and Acting District Detective Raymond Stark received a call that there was a riot at Thirtieth and Pleasant streets. They responded and found a fight in progress among some drunken men.
There were both white and colored men, and when Officer Hurlock attempted to arrest George Hill, white, one of the men, a tussle ensued and as the men rolled over the floor a broken bottle on the floor gashed the wrist of Officer Hurlock and severed an artery in the struggle he fainted from loss of blood.
In the meantime Officer Shlam was struggling with two more white men when it is alleged that George Carpenter, aged 74 years, a husky negro, despite his age, tried to hit Shlam with an axe. The officer jumped just in time and retaliated by hitting Carpenter a blow over the head with his blackjack. The blow did not hurt the aged man who fled to a nearby house and barricaded the door.
In the meantime the patrol wagon had arrived as well as Motorcycle Policeman Gus Koerner, who picked up Policeman Frank Carle to the scene. Policeman John Stanton also went to the scene.
Four men were placed under arrest. They gave their names as George Hill, Joseph Lohrman, Frank Nidle and Leo Helvins. They were sent in to the City Hall in the patrol wagon, while District Detective Hurlock was rushed to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital in the car of Fritz Heger.
An attempt was then made to arrest Carpenter who had barricaded himself inside the house and defied the police for two hours. He was finally induced to come out into the street and was quickly nabbed.
Inability of Hurlock to appear in court to-day caused a postponement of the hearing. The officer was taken home after being treated at the hospital. His injury is causing him much distress. Hill is accused of assaulting Hurlock and Carpenter is charged with assault on Shlam. The others are accused of disorderly conduct.
Mrs. William J. Hurlock
Camden Courier-Post —
Mrs. William J. Hurlock, 76, mother of Camden’s police and fire radio operator, died Friday at her home, 2717 Cramer street, after an illness of a year and a half.
Mrs. Hurlock, the former Alice Adelia Bogart, was born at Smithboro, N. Y. and was superintendent nurse for eight years at State Hospital, Binghamton, N. Y. She had lived in Camden for the last 40 years and was a member of Grace Baptist Church.
Surviving are her husband, William J., and a son, William Rex Hurlock, employed as radio operator in the Camden Electrical Bureau. Funeral services will be held at 1 p. m. tomorrow in the Sudler Funeral Home, 60 South Twenty-seventh street. Burial will be in Vineland.
Boy Suspects Caught in Running Gun Fight
Camden Courier-Post —
Arrested after a chase during which shots were fired at them, two boys, who already have criminal records, according to police, were released last night in $3000 bail each.
The youths are Merritt Hall, 17, of 514 Ray street and Philip Schatz, 19, of 214 Arch street. Both are charged with attempted larceny of an automobile and an additional charge of carrying concealed deadly weapons was lodged against Schatz.
Hurlock, a detective, and Ashenfelder, a policeman, saw the boys trying to start a car parked on Cooper street near Fifth. The boys fled amid a volley of shots, but were not captured until several hours later by Beutler and Roger, policemen who recognized the two from description.
Schatz, police say, threw a pistol into the gutter while police pursued him. Both boys are believed responsible for thefts of a number of cars in the vicinity of Cooper street.
Boys Held in Gem Theft
Camden Courier-Post —
Lads, 11 and 10, Charged by East Camden Woman With Taking Purse and $725 Diamond
Charged with the theft of a $725 diamond ring, two small boys were ordered held for Juvenile Court by Police Judge Pancoast yesterday. One of the boys, William McGinnis, 11, of 2639 Carman Street, had been released from the county detention home last Thursday on probation by Judge Shay. He had been one of six boys held in connection with a series of nine robberies in East Camden.
The other boy is John Auletto, 10, of 2824 Howell Street.
Mrs. Catherine Tydeman testified the pair had come to her apartment at Twenty-eighth Street and Westfield Avenue Thursday afternoon and told her she was wanted on the phone. Returning, she saw the two boys leaving her apartment, and a short time later she discovered that her pocketbook containing a $725 diamond ring was missing. District Detective William Hurlock arrested the pair at the Garfield School. He said he found the ring in their possession.
Parents of the McGinnis boy pleaded for him before Judge Shay last Thursday and said he was “backward” because of a fractured skull he had suffered in an accident.
William J. Hurlock, Ex-City Detective, Dies at Age of 82
Camden Courier-Post —
William J. Hurlock, 82, of 2717 Cramer street, retired city detective, died today. A native of Wilmington, Del., he lived in East Camden 60 years, moving to the area when it was the Township of Stockton.
Mr. Hurlock, who was a graduate of Girard College, was appointed to the Camden police force April 12, 1912, as a patrolman. For 12 years he was a detective working out of headquarters. He retired in 1933.
He was a member of the Court Pride of Stockton 5, Foresters of America, for many years. His wife, Alice, died June 27, 1941.
Surviving are a son, William R. “Rex” Hurlock, of the Cramer street address, an operator on the police board, and two grandchildren, William and Paul Hurlock, also of the Cramer street address.
Services will be held Monday at 11 a. m. in the funeral home of Clarence J. Eichel, 60 South Twenty-seventh street, where friends may call Sunday night. Burial will be in Siloam cemetery, Vineland.