Whitman Avenue

Whitman Avenue was originally called Pear Street, and was renamed in memory of Camden's “Good Grey Poet,” Walt Whitman. The street has three distinct sections. The first runs east from South 4th Street to Broadway, the second east from South 8th Street to South 10th Street, and the third runs east from Mount Ephraim Avenue to Haddon Avenue. Only the third section has any addresses associated with it; the first two are simply through streets.

Whitman Avenue between Rose and Louis Street is the northern boundary of the original Whitman Park, and the street lent its name to that neighborhood. The park is on one of the higher elevations in the city of Camden, and a large water tower is located there. Unfortunately, in a move so very typical of Camden's municipal government during the Arnold Webster and Milton Milan “administrations,” a revamped park between Thorn Street and Hallowell Lane, near the Ferry Station PATCO High Speed Line stop and on the grounds of what had been Camden Municipal Hospital, was christened “Whitman Park.” The fact that the new “Whitman Park” was not located in Whitman Park didn't seem to make a whole lot of difference to those who infested City Hall at the time.

— Phil Cohen

See: Mt. Ephraim Avenue

1900s–1910s: Walter J.A. Stanton Sr. & Family, Camden Police officer. His son Walter Stanton Jr. became an actor; another son Thomas C. Stanton served as Camden Police Officer from 1928 into the 1950s.

By Sarah Bloomquist

November 17, 2007 — A Camden man is in jail tonight after allegedly holding family members hostage for several hours.

Around noon today Camden Police were called out to 1150 Whitman Street. Upon arrival police observed an armed man in the window. Relatives identified the gunman as Anthony McKim.

McKim was locked inside the row home with a woman, believed to be his ex-wife, and his three stepchildren. The SWAT team suited up and moved in along with a hostage negotiator.

Several blocks from the scene, a woman was sobbing. She identified herself as Sabrina McKim — Anthony's wife of one year. “I am just scared. Scared for him,” said Sabrina.

The gunman eventually allowed the woman and children to go.

Then, about two hours into the standoff, the gunman called the Action News studios and identified himself as Anthony McKim. He said he was heavily armed and going to come out shooting. We immediately relayed the information to Camden Police.

Friends and relatives also talked to the suspect by cell phone. “We said we loved him. We cared about him. Please come out. You can deal with them while you're live and not without your life,” said Ahmad Muhammad, a friend of McKim's.

At one point several gunshots rang out inside the house. However, police do not know if they were aimed at officers or not.

After nearly four hours, the suspect came out of the house covered in blood. Clearly distraught and sobbing, he put his hands in the air and surrendered.

Police said when the gunman came out he tried to take his own life on the front porch of the home, but that the gun jammed. They expect to have more information as the investigation goes into the night. — WPVI-TV Channel 6 Action News, November 17, 2007

Members of the auxiliary to the Police and Firemen's Association will hold their annual Halloween party in the clubhouse, 1175 Whitman avenue, tomorrow night. Mrs. Sarah Tatem is president of the auxiliary.

Markowski, Implicated in Connecticut Case, Found at Sister's House

Edward Markowski, 21, of 1240 Whitman avenue, was arrested yesterday when a squad of city detectives visited a house at 1619 Norris street. Markowski is being held incommunicado at police headquarters.

Detectives said that Markowski was arrested on a warrant issued by State Police of Connecticut and that he is wanted in that state for participating in a holdup of a gambling house on Jan. 18 last. LeRoy Jenkins, 27, formerly of Camden, was captured when the holdup victims beat him severely and threw him into the street. Police said that Jenkins implicated Markowski as his pal during the holdup.

Ten days ago State Trooper D. Nelson, of Connecticut, came to Camden with a warrant for Markowski's arrest. Since that time Camden police have been searching for him. They received a tip that he would be at the home of a sister at the Norris street address and early in the morning visited the house and arrested him. Police said that when Markowski was arrested he vigorously denied his guilt and stated that he would fight extradition to Connecticut.

Arrested Thursday at the home of a relative here, Edward Markowski, 21, of 1240 Whitman avenue, yesterday waived extradition and agreed to go back to Connecticut, where he is wanted in connection with the holdup of a gambling house at Middletown.

According to State Trooper D. Nelson, of Connecticut, who has been looking for Markowski here for 10 days, the Camden youth was implicated in the holdup on January 18 by Leroy Jenkins, formerly of Camden, who has a criminal record here.

Jenkins was captured when the holdup victim beat him and tossed him into the street.

Markowski at first denied being involved in the holdup and stated he would fight extradition.

Fines for motor vehicle law violations were imposed on four autoists last night by Recorder George E. Yost, in Pennsauken.

Stanley Czajowski, 24, of 1133 Sycamore street, Camden, was fined $10 and $2.50 costs for having no drivers' license; Robert A. Young, 24, of 408 Linden avenue, Riverton, $5 and $2.50 in costs for speeding; Heronim Wisiewski, 26, of 102 Linden avenue, Woodlynne, $7.50 and $2.50 costs for speeding and passing red light, and Edward King, Jr., 21, of 1242 Whitman avenue, Camden, $2.50 and $2.50 costs for passing red light.

Three youths were sent to the detention home yesterday by Police Judge Pancoast to await action of juvenile court. Two of the boys were charged with attempted breaking and entering, and the third was held as incorrigible.

Henry Garbecki, 14, of 1201 Lansdowne Avenue, and Edward Bedanski, 13, of 1265 Whitman Avenue, entered pleas of guilty to trying to break into the Camden Storage Battery Company, 1459 Kaighn Avenue, last night. They were arrested by Patrolman George Schuyler, who testified he saw the boys trying to open the front door with passkeys. The complaint was signed by Elmer T. Woods, 901 Eldridge Avenue, West Collingswood, owner.

Samuel Rizzo, 13, of 329 Benson Street, was in police court for the second time in two weeks. His father, John, told Judge Pancoast the youth refused to attend school and was incorrigible. After being taken into court two weeks ago, the boy attended school two days, the father testified.

After being detained by police 24 hours for questioning after the robbery of the Airport Garage early yesterday, Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue, was released on “probation” last night by Recorder Herbert R. Schooley, of Collingswood.

The car that crashed the door of the garage to permit the robbers to escape bore license tags issued to Geda. He was arrested at his home by Camden police and turned over to the Collingswood authorities.

Geda maintained the car had been stolen from his garage and the police did not produce evidence to the contrary at the hearing. Geda was also questioned in the Radio Condenser Company holdup and released.

See: Norris Street — Bannard Alley

As a result of these meetings and some pressure from Camden's City government, the tunnel underneath the railroad that extended Whitman Avenue into Parkside was constructed.

See: Pershing Street

See: Haddon Avenue