William "Reds" O'Brien
WILLIAM JOSEPH “REDS” O’BRIEN was born in Camden NJ on January 21, 1913. He graduated from Camden Catholic High School in Camden in 1931. While at Camden Catholic he played on the basketball team, and was a member of the 1929 squad that competed for the national parochial school championship.
After marrying Shirley Poole in 1940, William J. O’Brien joined the Camden police force a few years later, in 1943. He served on the city police department until 1969, when he retired. He then took a position as an investigator with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. He retired as a senior investigator in 1987.
The O’Brien family resided at 1016 Haddon Avenue in the late 1940s, and remained in Parkside for many years. William and Shirley O’Brien raised seven sons and twin daughters.
William Joseph “Reds” O’Brien passed away in Camden NJ on December 2, 2002 at the age of 89. After a funeral mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden, he was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill on December 7, 2002.
Retired Fireman Kills Himself in Camden Home
Camden Courier-Post —
William K. Buzine, 81, Found on Bed With Revolver in Hand
A retired Camden city fireman today shot and killed himself in the bedroom of his home at 856 Haddon avenue, police said.
He was William K. Buzine, 81, who retired from the bureau in 1933 after 28 years of service. He spent most of his time with Engine Co. 7 at Mt. Ephraim and Kaighn avenues.
Buzine was killed by a single shot fired from a .32 caliber revolver. The bullet entered the right temple and lodged in the brain, Coroner Blake said.
Buzine’s wife, Katherine A., told city and county investigators she knew of no reason for him to take his life. Blake ordered the body to Cooper hospital.
Mrs. Buzine told City Detective William O’Brien she heard one shot about 9.45 a.m. while she was in the bathroom. She rushed to the bedroom and found her husband lying across the bed, the revolver in his hand. She called a neighbor who summoned police. Police said they found one shell and four cartridges in the revolver.
Buzine had just returned from a visit to a nearby firehouse. He was a member of the Fireman’s Mutual Benevolent Association, local 5. The couple had no children, police said.
Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Harry A. Prevost, Woodlynne, and Mrs. Edward S. Hyde, Haddonfield.
Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the Murray funeral home, 408 Cooper street, where friends may call Thursday night. Burial will be in Harleigh cemetery.
Sleep Pills Overcome Woman Hotel Guest
Camden Courier-Post —
Mrs. Eleanor Shaw, 28, registered at the Hotel Plaza, Fifth and Cooper streets, was admitted to Cooper hospital late Friday night after taking an overdose of sleeping tablets, according to Camden police.
Detectives Milton Cahill and William O’Brien placed a police detainer against the woman, pending treatment, for a hearing.
Dr. Herbert Weinberg, 563 Benson street, hotel physician, said he was called to the hotel late last night after the woman was found lying unconscious on the floor.
Beside the woman was an empty bottle of sleeping tablets, the doctor said. After preliminary examination she was ordered to the hospital, where she was taken by Patrolmen William Miller and Carman Fuscellaro.
3 Men Held Here in Alleged Theft of 500 TV Tubes
Camden Courier-Post —
By JAMES A. DONAHUE
Acting on a “tip” that three men, two of them employes of the Philco Corp., Philadelphia, had arranged to sell 500 television tubes to a Camden dealer, police Thursday night arrested the trio.
Philadelphia Detectives Joseph Duffy and Richard Towne, of the Fourth Detective division, Paul and Ruan streets, and Camden City Detective William O’Brien made the arrests.
Held on charges of larceny, conspiracy and receiving stolen goods, are twin brothers, William Hall, of 14 Princeton avenue, South Merchantville, and John Hall, of 527 Pfeiffer street, both (Continued on Page 2—Column 6)
Burglary Victims Recover $4,360 in Stolen Goods
Camden Courier-Post —
Display at City Hall Rivals Oriental Bazaar in Variety Shown
Loot valued at $4,360 by detectives was returned to its owners in detective headquarters in city hall Tuesday night.
Headquarters resembled an Oriental bazaar as the stolen articles were spread over seven tables, two large desks, and hung on clothing racks.
Detectives are holding George Wilmer, 30, of 521 Liberty street, a parolee, whom they suspect of being Camden’s daytime “phantom burglar” who has been plaguing the department for the last three months. To date police say they have charged Wilmer with 29 counts of breaking and entering and two counts of attempting to break and enter.
Captain of Detectives Thomas Murphy said that Tuesday night’s display was only a portion of the loot and that police believe Wilmer pawned a quantity of the goods in Philadelphia. They also suspect he sold some to secondhand and antique dealers, Murphy said.
The display that met the claimants when they went to headquarters looked like a mail order catalog come to life. There were women’s dresses, men’s suits and top coats, several types of radios, an oil space heater, binoculars, cameras; costume jewelry, empty wallets and even a clothes chest with the clothing still in it.
Missing from the collection were two parakeets which detectives returned to their owner Thursday because — unlike the birds — they had to be fed.
Assisting Capt. Murphy in the identification and return of the stolen items were: Detective Sergeants Earl Quinton, William Neal, William Kelly and Clifford Carr, and Detectives William O’Brien, John Huston, August Pfleiderer, George Ellis and Marshall Thompson.
Woman Held in S. Camden Fatal Knifing
Camden Courier-Post —
Row at Party
Municipal Judge Marino today held a 36-year-old woman without bail for a further hearing Friday in the fatal stabbing of a South Camden man early today.
Miss Evalena Watkins, of the 1200 block S. 3rd st., was charged with the death of James W. Atkins, 27, of 1225 S. 3rd st. He was pronounced dead at West Jersey Hospital.
Det. Lt. William D. Neale said Atkins was stabbed in the heart while at a party in a first-floor apartment of his house. He lived on the second floor. Marino also set $25,000 bail for Willie Simmons, 31, also of the 3rd st. address, as a material witness.
Two Report Emergency
Police received a call at 4 a.m. from off-duty Ptl. James Johnson, who said he had been requested by Miss Watkins and Simmons to call an emergency patrol. Ptl. Edward Fulton and Leo Tompkins answered the call and found Atkins sitting on the first-floor hall steps in a crouched position. They took Atkins to the West Jersey Hospital but he was dead on arrival.
Dets. Russell Young and John Huston were called. They notified Dube, Neale, the city homicide squad of Acting Lt. Vincent Conley, Nathan Jones, William O’Brien and County Det. James P. McLaughlin.
Guests are Questioned
Several guests at the party, including Miss Watkins, Simmons, Mrs. Atkins, the victim’s wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. Perry, were taken to detective headquarters for questioning.
Dube and Neale said they learned Atkins had been stabbed following an argument in the stairway of the first floor. He and his wife had been guests at a party in the apartment of Mr. and Mrs. Perry, Neale said. Neale said Mrs. Atkins was just returning from her apartment when the stabbing occurred. Neale said Mrs. Atkins told him she witnessed the assault. Neale said witnesses told him the group had been at a party in the Perry apartment and they had been drinking.
Joey Powell — Veterans Boxing Association Ring 6, 11th Annual Banquet
Managers: Dick Graminga, Charles Humes and Tony Georgette. Trainers: Eddie Prince, Lew Sparks and Jack Blackburn.
Joseph Grochowski — Al Bunker — Ed Kaszycki — Andy Friday — John Skiba — John Dombrowski — Walter Szalanski — Nick Pawlak — Wm. O’Brien — Bill Neil — Wm. Schultz — Tom Scarduzio — Peter Paull — Barney Tracey — Dave Hainsworth — Walter Zimolong — Edward Shapiro — Thomas McLaughlin — John Opfer
Joey Powell’s Well-Wishers Also Extend Best Wishes To
Sergeant Ray Smith — Vallie Francesconi — Tom Ryan — Leon Lucas — Jesse Urban — Bobbie Zimmerman — Joe (Kid) Murphy — Pee Wee Wilson — Jackie Gleason — Joe Vitarelli — Al Daley — Frankie Youker — Joe McEvoy — Frank Valenti — Jim McFadden — Charles Bauer — George Ballantine — James O’Neill — Dorothy Dougherty — Agnes McHenry — Vicky Dangler — Francis Souders — Loretta and Reds — Bart Roger Cotton — Leon McCarthy — Kenneth Geitz — Joe Daubman — Norman Jacobson — Nick Colofrancisco — Chris Rago — Charles Myers — Ray Cohand — Paul Harduk — Charles Wells — Carl Stolinski — Walter Wilson — Steve Straub — Charley Kmiec — Jimmy Tyler — Joe Dorfy — William Vogel — John Campbell — Steve O’Keefe — Sam Laird — Ed Rickter — Don Cragin — John Odorisio — Michael Przywara — Walter Paleszewski — Watson Burdalski — Stanley Snajkowski — Frank Drabik — John P. Kawczak — Frank Kulesa — Steve Kirby — James R. Asher — Polack Tony — Stephen Yakopczyna — Helen and Chick — Don Wilson — James Monaghan — George Carr — Bill Jentsch — John Greenan — Charles Galasso — Don’s Barber Shop — Joe Shaw — Ben Gutowski — Tom Bristow — Joseph Stelmach — Leon Hood — George Saunders — Mike Borman — Anthony Cirelli — Bob Hardy — Frank Hardy — Benny DePalma — Frank Padulla — Mike Yack — Stanley Powell — George Kroecker — A Friend — The Fox — Tom Fish
William O'Brien, 89, Officer and Detective
Camden Courier-Post —
By CHERYL SQUADRITO MOSKOVITZ
Courier-Post Staff
Mr. William Joseph “Reds” O’Brien, a Camden City police officer and county detective, died Monday with his family at his bedside at Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center. He was 89.
A Camden native, Mr. O’Brien graduated from Camden Catholic High School in 1931 and played on the school’s famed 1929 basketball squad that competed in the national parochial championship.
Mr. O’Brien joined the Camden City police as a patrolman in 1943, said his wife of 62 years, Shirley. He investigated one of Camden’s most infamous cases, the Howard Unruh mass murder in 1949.
Mr. O’Brien retired in 1969 and then served in the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office until 1987, retiring as a senior investigator.
First Assistant Prosecutor James P. Lynch worked with Mr. O’Brien from 1982 to his retirement. Mr. O’Brien was beloved among the staff, he said.
“Bill was soft-spoken and gentlemanly in an old-school way,” Lynch said. He was nicknamed “Reds” for his bright red hair.
A father of seven sons and twin daughters, Mr. O’Brien had 25 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
As children, the family spent a month at the shore, said son Francis, 58. Looking back, Francis wondered how his parents could afford the vacation while raising nine children. Every summer, Mr. O’Brien would rent a truck, drop off his family at the Surf City beach house and return by bus to the Parkside section of Camden where they lived.
An avid sports fan, Mr. O’Brien attended all of his sons’ games at Camden Catholic and their college matches, too, said his youngest son Patrick, 44. Their father organized family trips to South Bend, Ind., to attend games by his favorite team, Notre Dame.
Patrick said the family picked a plot at Calvary Cemetery that overlooks the nearby Camden Catholic High School football field. “He’s got a good spot to watch the games,” said Patrick.
A viewing will be held Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Blake-Doyle Funeral Home, 226 Collings Ave., Collingswood. The funeral will begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at Blake-Doyle. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden. Memorial contributions may be made to the Camden Catholic Development Fund, Route 38 and Cuthbert Boulevard, Cherry Hill 08002.
Obituary Notice
Camden Courier-Post —
O’BRIEN, WILLIAM JOSEPH ‘REDS’ — On December 2, 2002, of Pennsauken, aged 89 years. Beloved husband of Shirley T. (nee Poole); devoted father of William J., Jr. & his wife, Dianne, of Marlton, Francis and his wife, Priscilla, of Shreveport, LA, Terrance & his wife, JoAnn, of Medford, Timothy & his wife, Mary Beth, of Whitehall, PA, Kevin & his wife, Mary Ann, of Marlton, Patrick & his wife, Colleen, of Palm Harbor, FL, Denise Nucifora & her late husband, Dennis and Eileen Mento of Marlton; 25 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.
“Reds” was a member of Camden Catholic Class of ’31. Mr. O’Brien retired from the Camden Police as a detective in 1969. William then served in the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office until 1989, retiring as Senior Investigator. Mr. O’Brien is a member of the NJ State PBA.
Relatives and friends are invited to the Funeral on Saturday at 8:30AM from the BLAKE-DOYLE FUNERAL HOME, 226 Collings Ave., Collingswood. Funeral Mass 10AM in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden. Interment in Calvary Cemetery. Viewing Friday 7–9PM at the Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials to the Camden Catholic Development Fund, Route 38 & Cuthbert Blvd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08002.