Woodley Rex Snyder
WOODLEY REX SNYDER was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1925 to Rex W. Snyder and his wife, the former Anna Jackson. He was the first of at least seven children, the others being Clarence F. Snyder, Julius Snyder, Margaret Snyder, Leroy Snyder, James R. Snyder, and Florence Snyder. The Snyders had come to Camden from Philadelphia, shortly after the birth of Woodley Snyder. The 1930 Census shows them at 919 South 9th Street. Also living with the family were Rex Snyder's mother Jane and her second husband, Louis Frazier. Leroy, James, and Florence were all born after the 1930 Census. The family broke apart in the late 1930s, the most likely scenario is that Anna Snyder had passed away, and Clarence F. Snyder, Woodley’s twin, does not appear to have survived the 1930s.
The 1940 Census shows that Woodley Snyder was living at the New Jersey Home for Boys in Middlesex County. Julius, Leroy and James were living with grandparents Howard and Caroline Jackson, listed in the 1940 Census for Sleepy Hole, Virginia, which is now part of the city of Suffolk, Virginia. The Census indicates that the boys were living there as early as 1935. The 1940 Census also shows Rex Snyder was boarding at 904 Douglass Street in Camden, and grandmother Jane Frazier and her husband had moved to 736 Cherry Street. The Snyder daughters were raised elsewhere, Margaret by Chasten and Mary Howard, who lived for many years in Pennsauken, New Jersey. By 1942 Rex Snyder had moved to the 700 block of Mt. Vernon Street.
Woodley, Julius, Leroy and James Snyder were all back in Camden in the 1940s. Woodley Snyder had been getting in trouble with the law since the age of nine. He was sent to Jamesburg in 1942 for breaking and entering. He escaped from the Boys Home in September of 1942 and was arrested in Camden with stolen goods after a month on the run. He was sent to Jamesburg for five years for crimes committed during his escape. In October of 1952 he robbed and beat an elderly woman during a robbery so badly that she was paralyzed. Woodley Snyder was sentenced to a 10–15 year prison term for this crime. Woodley Snyder moved to Philadelphia after his release from prison, and his involvement with law enforcement appears to have ended after his time in New Jersey’s state prison system.
All four of the Snyder brothers had encounters with the law due to criminal behavior. Julius Snyder had at least four brushes with the law between 1946 and 1963 on charges that included gambling, embezzlement, burglary, and assault. Like Woodley, Julius Snyder appears to have straightened as the years passed. Leroy and James Snyder, on the other hand, were a whole other matter.
In December of 1949 Leroy Snyder was arrested for assaulting a young woman and attempting to strangle her with a clothesline. In and out of prison for a series of crimes that only escalated in violence, Leroy Snyder was put back on the street in January of 1969 after serving nine years in prison. Within six weeks of his being put back on the street, he had murdered his first victim, Mrs. Lula Crawley. His killing spree was stopped in September, shortly after the rape and murder of Mrs. Friedman, his seventh. On July 16, 1970, he was sentenced to three consecutive life terms. Referring to a court-ordered psychiatric report, the presiding judge publicly described Snyder as a “malignant psychopath” and a “threat to society,” expressing the hope that he would never be released from jail. Leroy Snyder died in prison October of 2001.
James Snyder was arrested in Camden on May 10, 1952 for possession of a stolen car and was fined $200 and turned over to the Army at Fort Dix. His life appears to have gone completely off the rails after this. He was next sent to prison on larceny charges for crimes committed in Washington D.C. Within two weeks of his release in 1956, he had robbed and assaulted a nurse, and killed a busboy with a hammer. He was acquitted for reasons of insanity and confined to the federal mental institution at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington. Although he had been violent on several occasions, he was allowed street privileges from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. to work in a vocational program. In 1969 while at one of these programs, he attacked a hospital employee, leaving his victim less one eye. The hospital’s response was to cut his time allowed off-premises to 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. James Snyder escaped from St. Elizabeth’s in July of 1972 and made his way back to Camden. He connected with Mrs. Muskogee Edwards, who had taught him when he had been a student at the John G. Whittier School. This was a fatal mistake, as James Snyder murdered her. He had already been caught and returned to St. Elizabeth’s when her body was discovered. James Snyder was not tried until 1975. He was convicted of first degree murder, but apparently never served time in New Jersey prisons, having been returned to federal custody. Criminally insane, James Snyder lived out his years at St. Elizabeth’s, passing away on July 16, 2013.
Ex-Camden Youth Arrested in Thefts
Camden Courier-Post —
A 17-year-old former Camden youth was held on suspicion by police this morning after he allegedly was found with two suitcases filled with stolen merchandise and had confessed he escaped from Jamesburg Reformatory.
Under arrest is Woodley Rex Snyder, who said he formerly lived on Mt. Vernon street, near Seventh. He was arrested in a parked car on a lot at Broadway and Everett street.
Patrolmen Ralph Cline and Stewart Patterson said two suitcases were in the car containing shoes, neckties, pants, scarfs, magazines and candy which had been stolen from a mid-city store. They said the youth admitted he escaped from Jamesburg about a month ago.
Camden Man Held In Store Beating Of Aged Widow
Camden Courier-Post —
Suspect’s Police Record Started at Age of 9 Years
A Camden man with a record of arrests since he was nine years old is being held by Camden police today charged with the near fatal beating of Mrs. Rachel Weiner on Oct. 1.
Woodley Rex Snyder, 26, of 737 Kaighn ave., was booked Wednesday night in police headquarters on a charge of atrocious assault and battery with intent to kill after he allegedly admitted the savage beating of Mrs. Weiner in a small candy store she operates at 763 Kaighn ave. Her condition remains critical at Cooper Hospital.
Snyder “surrendered meekly” and was arrested at 6.15 p.m. Wednesday at the parsonage of the Rev. George Nicholas, 823 Walnut st., pastor of the Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church, Ann and Sycamore sts. Police said Snyder lived at the parsonage until Sept. 11.
Convinced by Pastor
Detective Sgt. Vincent Conley and Detective Clifford Del Rossi, who had worked around-the-clock since the beating in an effort to capture Mrs. Weiner’s assailant, made the arrest. The detectives said the Rev. Mr. Nicholas cooperated with police and had convinced Snyder he should give himself up.
Police Chief Koerner said Snyder “admitted hitting Mrs. Weiner on the head seven or eight times” with the butt of a .25-calibre automatic pistol.
The blood-stained pistol and a blood-stained jacket and pair of pants, recovered during the investigation, are being sent to Trenton for examination at the State Police laboratory.
Lived With Brother
Detective Capt. Thomas Murphy disclosed how suspicion fell on Snyder.
“Snyder and a roommate, William Spearman, lived at the home of Snyder’s brother, Julius, on Kaighn ave.,” Murphy stated. “Spearman told police that some of his clothing was missing. A search of the room revealed bloodstained clothing, which Spearman said must belong to Snyder.
“Further search disclosed a .25 calibre revolver under a mattress and Spearman said this did not belong to him and must be Snyder’s. Snyder’s brother backed up Spearman on identification of the clothing.”
Conley and Del Rossi quoted Snyder as saying:
“I had no motive. I walked into the store to get something to eat and she walked toward me. A feeling came over me.”
The detectives said Snyder admitted having the gun in his possession, but denied that he entered the store planning a hold-up. Snyder was quoted as saying:
“If I needed money, I could get it this way.”
Snyder’s trail after the beating led from Camden to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Rockville Center, L.I.; back to Philadelphia, to Camden, to Philadelphia, to Washington, to Baltimore, to Philadelphia and then to Camden Wednesday when he was arrested.
Eluded Pursuers
Detectives were on Snyder’s trail continually and missed him by less than an hour in Baltimore. Conley and Del Rossi traced him to an uncle’s home in Baltimore, but Snyder at the same time was in an aunt’s home in the same city, where he allegedly stole $12, according to detectives.
According to detectives, Snyder served time continually from the time he was nine years old until he was 20. In 1942 he was sentenced to Jamesburg on five charges of breaking, entering and larceny, and served additional time for escape.
Agrees to Surrender
Detectives said Snyder returned to Camden at 4 a.m. Wednesday after telephoning the Rev. Mr. Nicholas, who pleaded with him to give himself up, from Philadelphia.
Detectives quoted the preacher as saying Snyder told him he’d “rather be shot walking down the street than return to prison.” The Rev. Mr. Nicholas fed him and after continued pleadings Snyder “told him to call police,” Conley said.
Snyder was first aware that he was wanted by police when he visited an aunt in Rockville, L.I. on Monday.
Man Held (Continued from Page One)
Man Held
(Continued from Page One)
Trenton for examination at the State Police laboratory.
Lived With Brother
Detective Capt. Thomas Murphy disclosed how suspicion fell on Snyder.
"Snyder and a roommate, William Spearman, lived at the home of Snyder's brother, Julius, on Kaighn ave., Murphy stated. "Spearman told police that some of his clothing was missing. A search of the room revealed bloodstained clothing, which Spearman said must belong to Snyder.
"Further search disclosed a .25 calibre revolver under a mattress and Spearman said this did not belong to him and must be Snyder's. Snyder's brother backed up Spearman on identification of the clothing."
Conley and Del Rossi quoted Snyder as saying:
"I had no motive. I walked into the store to get something to eat and she walked toward me. A feeling came over me."
The detectives said Snyder admitted having the gun in his possession, but denied that he entered the store planning a hold-up. Snyder was quoted as saying:
"If I needed money, I could get it this way."
Snyder's trail after the beating led from Camden to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Rockville Center, L.I.; back to Philadelphia, to Camden, to Philadelphia, to Washington, to Baltimore, to Philadelphia and then to Camden Wednesday when he was arrested.
Eluded Pursuers
Detectives were on Snyder's trail continually and missed him by less than an hour in Baltimore. Conley and Del Rossi traced him to an uncle's home in Baltimore, but Snyder at the same time was in an aunt's home in the same city, where he allegedly stole $12, according to detectives.
According to detectives, Snyder served time continually from the time he was nine years old until he was 20. In 1942 he was sentenced to Jamesburg on five charges of breaking, entering and larceny, and served additional time for escape.
Agrees to Surrender
Detectives said Snyder returned to Camden at 4 a.m. Wednesday after telephoning the Rev. Mr. Nicholas, who pleaded with him to give himself up, from Philadelphia.
Detectives quoted the preacher as saying Snyder told him he'd "rather be shot walking down the street than return to prison." The Rev. Mr. Nicholas fed him and after continued pleadings Snyder "told him to call police," Conley said.
Snyder was first aware that he was wanted by police when he visited an aunt in Rockville, L.I. on Monday.
Thug Who Beat Elderly Woman Gets 10-15 Yrs.
Camden Courier-Post —
County Judge Palese today imposed a 10 to 15-year prison sentence on Woodley R. Snyder for the savage beating of an elderly woman in her Kaighn ave. candy store last Oct. 1.
Snyder, 26, of 737 Kaighn ave., had pleaded guilty previously to atrocious assault and battery with intent to kill Mrs. Rachel Weiner, 70, who has a small store at 763 Kaighn ave.
“This is one of the most serious cases the court has ever had to deal with,” remarked Judge Palese as he pronounced sentence.
Victim Was Near Death
Assistant Prosecutor Benjamin Asbell informed the court that Mrs. Weiner was released recently from Cooper Hospital where she had hovered between life and death since the beating.
Asbell said the woman is blind and partially paralyzed as a result of her injuries. Police said Snyder beat Mrs. Rachel on the head with a pistol butt.
Asks Leniency
A plea for leniency on Snyder’s behalf was made by the Rev. George Nicholas, pastor of the Wesley Zion AME Church, Ann and Sycamore sts.
The pastor, who was instrumental in getting Snyder to surrender to police after detectives ascertained he was a suspect, said Snyder had made attempts to rehabilitate himself.
Leaves Prison Farm
Millville N.J. The Daily —
Millville and other area police were notified at 11:45 last night that an inmate at the State Prison Farm, Leesburg, had walked off the premises. He was identified as Woodley Rex Snyder, 33.
Beater of Woman Eligible for Parole
Camden Courier-Post —
A city man, who was sentenced in 1953 to 10-to-15 years in state prison for the beating of an elderly woman, is eligible for parole, the state Parole Board announced at Trenton today.
The prisoner is Woodley Snyder, 33, whose last address was listed in the 800 block Walnut st. He has not come up for hearing yet before the board.
Snyder was sentenced in Feb. 1953, for the beating of Mrs. Raechel Weiner, 70, who operated a candy store in the 700 block of Kaighns ave. The beating took place during a robbery attempt in Oct., 1952.
At the subsequent trial, the assistant county prosecutor told the court Mrs. Weiner became blind and partially paralyzed as the result of the injuries suffered from the attack.
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
SNYDER
Woodley R., of 5702 Ashland Ave., Phila. Died April 9, 1976. Age 53 years. Survived by 3 brothers, Julius, LeRoy and James Snyder, 2 sisters, Mrs. Margaret Sharp, Mrs. Florence Woolford, step-brother, John Felton, Uncle LeRoy Jackson, Aunt Evelyn Jackson. Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services on Wednesday 8 p.m. in THE CARL MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 831 VanHook St., Camden, where friends may call after 6 p.m. Interment Evergreen Cemetery, Camden. Family and friends will meet at 1336 Atlantic Ave., Camden