Benjamin
Simon


BENJAMIN SIMON was born January 23, 1892, according to his World War I draft card. He is listed in the 1914 Camden City Directory, living at 280 Sycamore Street in South Camden, and working as a carpenter. He joined the Camden Police Department on December 1, 1916. By the time he  registered for the draft in June of 1917 he had moved around the corner, to 280 Chestnut Street.

Benjamin Simon served as a detective on Camden's Police Department in 1930s and 1940s. He was often partnered with Detectives Clifford Del Rossi and Joseph Mardino. While partnered with Detective Del Rossi he was involved in the arrest of the notorious Philadelphia "Nig" Rosen. Detectives Simon and Del Rossi also were involved in a gun battle where the suspect was slain.

Benjamin Simon lived with his wife Bella at 1413 Kenwood Avenue in the Parkside neighborhood in the late 1940s. Also living at the Kenwood Avenue address at that time was his daughter, Rose Simon Swerlick, and her husband Morris, who was then in the wholesale grocery business in Philadelphia. The Swerlicks would move to Randolph Street in East Camden, where they would reside until 1962. Rose Swerlick served as President for both the Sisterhood at Beth El Synagogue (then in Parkside) and as President of the PTA at Cramer Elementary School.

Benjamin and Bella Simon remained in Parkside through the 1950s, until Bella Simon's death in 1959. Benjamin Simon remained on Kenwood Avenue until about 1963, when he moved to Cherry Hill NJ, where he lived out his days with his daughters and grandchildren. Benjamin Simon passed away in September of 1967.  He was survived by his sons George, William and Jack Simon, and his daughters Evelyn Fields and Rose (Swerlick) Rosenbloom, as well as his ten grandchildren. 

One of Benjamin Simon's granddaughters, Judy Swerlick, is an educator and painter. She has taught art in the United States and Japan since 1977.  She taught English in Japan in 1977-78 and has taught art and special education in the United States since 1978.  


World War I Draft Card - June 5, 1917


Philadelphia Inquirer - June 14, 1919
Israel Weitzman - Hyman Bloom
Joseph Varbalow - Benjamin Simon - Benjamin Natal

Camden Courier-Post - August 24, 1931
Robert Ashenfelter
Benjamin Simon
Charles Rettberg

American Stores
Robert Ashenfelter
Charles Rettberg 
Benjamin Simon
Pierce Avenue
North 32nd Street

Click on Image to Enlarge


Camden Courier-Post - August 24, 1931

...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
Robert Ashenfelter - Lawrence T. Doran
 Charles Rettberg - Theodore Rettberg - James Melbourne aka Melvin James
John Golden - Frank Evans - Gus Koerner - Charles Wainwright
Benjamin Simon - Joseph Shreeve - Elwood Humphreys - Louis Schlam
Richard Donnelly - Charles Johnson - Lewis Smith - Charles Schultz
North 36th Street - Pierce Avenue - North 32nd Street - Bergen Avenue

 

 

 

 

Camden
Courier-Post
August 24, 1931


 

 


Cleveland Plain Dealer - August 25, 1931



Camden Courier-Post * August 25, 1931
...continued...
...continued...
Robert Ashenfelter - Lawrence T. Doran
  Charles Rettberg - Theodore Rettberg - James Melbourne aka Melvin James
John Golden - Frank Evans - Benjamin Simon - Louis Schlam
Richard Donnelly - Clifford A. Baldwin - Gordon L. McRae - Emmalinda Canilus
North 36th Street - Pierce Avenue - North 32nd Street - Bergen Avenue
Beideman Avenue

Camden Courier-Post * August 25, 1931

Two of the three purported accomplices of the burglar slain by police yesrerday, and the young woman whose statements helped to implicate them, are shown in the above  photographs. Above are James Melbourne, center, and Theodore Rettberg, left. The latter is a brother of Charles Rettberg, 1189 North 36th Street, shot in a gun battle yesterday with Detective Robert Ashenfelter, who was seriously wounded, and Policeman Frank Evans. Miss Emmalinda Canilus, a material witness, is shown at right. Melbournea and Rettberg confessed to planning the robber with the youth who was slain, the police say., 



Camden Courier-Post August 26, 1931

Gordon McCrae
Theodore Rettberg
James Melbourne

 


Camden Courier-Post * August 26, 1931

 
...continued...
...continued...
Robert Ashenfelter - Lawrence T. Doran
  Charles Rettberg - Theodore Rettberg - James Melbourne aka Melvin James
John Golden - Frank Evans - Benjamin Simon - Louis Schlam
Richard Donnelly - Clifford A. Baldwin - Gordon L. McRae - Emmalinda Canilus
Mrs. Emma Bowden - Dr. H. Wesley Jack
North 36th Street - Pierce Avenue - North 32nd Street - Beideman Avenue

Camden Courier-Post - October 13,1931

COURT FREES GIRL WHO DRANK POISON

Pleading guilty to attempting to end her life by drinking poison, Sarah Turner, 17, of 338 Lansdowne Avenue, was given suspended sentence by Police Judge Pancoast yesterday.

The girl was arrested after she was treated at Cooper Hospital. She told Detective Ben Simon she drank the poison because she was jealous of her sister. William Harrity, 24, of 409 Senate Street, Sarah's sweetheart, was held as a material witness but was released today when he said he knew nothing of the quarrel between the sisters.


Camden Courier-Post - October 26,1931

Four Suspects Caught as Series of Weekend Robberies Keep Police Busy
STOLEN GARAGE LOOT FOUND IN AUTO AS 4 MEN ARE NABBED

Trio Held at Gloucester for Robbing Store at Westville Grove
OIL STOVE IS STOLEN

Loot valued at several hundred dollar was recovered and four men arrested over the weekend as many robberies were reported to police throughout South Jersey.

Three of the men arrested were captured in Gloucester when merchandise stolen from a Westville Grove store and garage was found in their automobile. The fourth man was arrested in Camden.

Those under arrest in Gloucester, are Joseph Rietseh, 47, of 1245 Palmer street; Joseph Dorman, 18, of 103 Chango street, and Charles Headley, 18, of 936 North Fourth street, all of Philadelphia.

The loot found in their car consisted of automobile tires, cigarettes, safety razors, tubes and other articles. It had been stolen from the store and garage of George A. Fields, Delsea Drive, Westville Grove.

The three men were arrested by Patrolmen Walter Lane and William Fowler. who stopped their car because it had but one headlight.

Taken back to Westville the three men were held without bail for the grand jury by Recorder Charles H. Benner.

Held For Theft

When he walked down Federal Street with an oil stove Armstead Saunders, 56, of 314 Taylor Avenue, was stopped by the police Saturday night.

An investigation revealed he had picked it up as he passed the second-hand store of W. L. Ernest, 408 Federal Street, according to Patrolmen Walter Patton and Raymond Stark.

Saunders will have a hearing today before Police Judge Pancoast, on a charge of larceny.

James Josephson, 3320 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, a salesman for the Household Institute of New York reported the loss of two cases of aluminum ware and an investigation was conducted by Detective Sylvester McGrath. Upon information he entered the apartment alleged to have been tenanted by John Harrigan, of 1289 Dayton Street and found the merchandise. Harrigan is said by the police to have left the apartment. The goods are valued at $150.

William H. McMakin, of 119 West Pine Street, Audubon, reported to Detective Robert Ward that he was held up at Pine Street near Fifth on Sunday morning by three young men. They relieved him of his watch, valued $35, and his drivers license. McMakin was unable to describe the culprits.

William Harris, 53, of 1731 Fillmore Street, told Detective Clifford Carr he was relieved of his wallet containing $6.90 by an unknown man at Haddon Avenue and Copewood Street, Sunday morning. He described the man as being about 27 years old and wearing a light cap.

Thieves entered the candy shop of Jones Wilson, Park Boulevard and Kaighn Avenue, Saturday night and took three cartons of cigarettes, some candy and soda valued at $23.

Hair Clipper Stolen

Waclaw Hermanolski, 1322 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, reported to police that someone entered his barbershop through a rear window and stole an electric hair clipper, massage vibrator and $15.

A grocery store operated by Joseph S. Eskowitz, of 1022 Broadway, was entered early yesterday and the thieves took three dozen cans of malt syrup valued at $12. Detective Benjamin Simon discovered the burglar gained his entrance by cutting a pane of glass out of the back window.

Louis E. Barnes, 21, colored, employed by the police department to catch a colored man who has been reported preying on unemployed and collecting money from them in promise of a job, has informed police that such a man got away from him on October 24. He is known to the police and will be picked up, they said.

Barnes said the man being sought told him to give him $2.50 for a white coat and he would get him a job in the kitchen of the Cooper Hospital. When Barnes returned with the money the man had disappeared..



Camden Courier-Post - June 4, 1932

...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
Benjamin Simon - Roy R. Stewart - John W. Golden - George Zeitz - William Taylor
Clifford A. Baldwin - Walter Keown - L. Scott Cherchesky - Garfield S. Pancoast
Charles Wilder - Liberty Street

Camden Courier-Post - June 11, 1932

...continued...
Russell "Buck" Sage - George Zeitz - Harry "Gyp" Waterhouse - John Golden 
Raymond O'Connor - Joey O'Connor - Harry Simon - Benjamin Simon - Oliver J. Stetser 

Camden Courier-Post - June 1, 1933

PAYROLL THEFT IS RE-ENACTED; TWO MEN HELD
Camden Suspects, Brought Back From Penna., Viewed by Victims
MAN ADMITS LOAN OF MACHINE TO ONE
Radio Workers Cannot Identify Them, They're Booked on Suspicion

The $11,790 payroll holdup staged last Friday at the Radio Condenser Co., Thorne and Copewood streets, was, re-enacted yesterday.

Two suspects nabbed late Monday, at Lykens in Dauphin County, Pa., played the "heavy" roles. Also in the cast were eight women and two men, employees of the firm. For an hour and 20 minutes the spectacular robbery was "rehearsed" under the direction of three Camden detectives.

When the curtain was, rung down LeRoy Jenkins, 23, who police say has addresses at 1161 Mechanic Street and 1220 Princess Avenue, and Joseph Putek, 23, said to reside at 1462 Louis street, were held on suspicion. They will be questioned further today.

Has Nothing Definite

Acting Chief of Police John W. Golden admitted he "has nothing on the boys." Detectives Benjamin Simon, Clarence Arthur and Clifford Del Rossi, however, "were pressing pursuit of "hunches" and meager clues in attempts to solve the crime. There were several lines of information they obtained regarding the two suspects which will bear further study, Simon said.

Putak, who has a po1ice record although never convicted according to police, was questioned previously in connection with the Radio Condenser "job." He was released at midnight last Saturday. After that the detectives centered attention upon Jenkins. They learned Jenkins borrowed an automobile from a man who operates a garage in the 1200 block on Atlantic Avenue. The garageman was reluctant to talk but under threat of arrest as an accessory he admitted lending a car to Jenkins.

Fliers were dispatched to police throughout Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and New Jersey. The car was halted at Williamsport, Pa. and when Camden police were identified they were surprised that Putak was Jenkins' companion. This stirred detectives to renewed vigor in the probe. They learned the men were planning to visit relatives, of Jenkins in Williamsport and Pottsville. Acording to Simon police of both cities say Jenkins is well known to them.

While at Williamsport the three detectives learned Putak and Jenkins visited a vice den and quarreled with a woman over money. They quoted Jenkins as declaring that he "could buy and sell the joint!'

Had Little Money

Putak had but $3 when released Saturday and $11 when arrested, Simon revealed. He told the detectives he had won money in a poker game here.

The two men were returned with the detectives as far as Philadelphia but refused to cross the river. They were turned over to police there on suspicion and. brought to this city yesterday afternoon. Taken to the Radio Condenser plant they were confronted with the ten employees who were herded in a vault during the holdup last Friday.

According to Simon several of the employees felt there were certain mannerisms of the suspects which corresponded with actions of the bandits but confessed they were unable to definitely identify Putak or Jenkins as the heavily masked pair who threatened their lives with a revolver and shotgun.       .

The detectives propose an inquiry to al1 banks in this area in an effort to learn whether safe deposit boxes were leased by anyone answering the description of the suspects. The money obtained in the robbery was in bills and change of small denomination, numbers of the bills were not available.

Although never convicted Jenkins has a police record. Putak has never been formally under arrest, but has been questioned by the police in connection with various cases.

Jenkins was arrested December 18, 1931, charged with larceny of gasoline, and on last July 9 was charged with several robberies.  

On April 2, 1931, he was held for the grand jury, charged with manslaughter after his automobile killed Mrs. Mary Cavanaugh, 70, a cook in the service of City Solicitor E. G. C. Bleakly.


Camden Courier-Post - June 2, 1933

TWO SUSPECTS HELD IN PAYROLL HOLD-UP
South Camden Men Will Be Grilled on $11,790 Theft at Radio Condenser

Held as suspects in the $11,790 Radio Condenser Company payroll holdup of last Friday, Leroy Jenkins, 23, and Joseph Putek, 23, South Camden police characters, tomorrow will be given a police court hearing.

Police admit their evidence against the pair is "flimsy" but hope to be able to hold them in high bail pending further investigation.

Detectives Benjamin Simon, Clarence Arthur and Clifford Del Rossi, who have worked almost unceasingly to solve the crime, admitted last night they "had possibilities" for today.

They declared they have unearthed a South Camden garage man who will testify at the hearing that he rented a garage to Jenkins, in which a dark automobile, similar to the one used in the holdup, is stored at the present time.

The detectives have also found a special officer, they said, who will testify to having seen the two suspects riding in a small black car in the vicinity of the Condenser concern's plant a short time before the holdup.

The suspects' mannerisms and voices have been identified by, the ten office employees, victims of the two bandits staging the holdup. Further identification was impossible because the bandits wore hoods over their heads and down to their shoulders. 


Camden Courier-Post - June 3, 1933

4 YOUTHS HELD IN HOLDUP AT RADIO PLANT
2 in Jail at Time 'in on Plot,' Cops' Say; Booked as Witnesses
PAIR CAUGHT IN PENNA. TO FACE CHARGE T
ODAY
Condenser Company Payroll Robbery Planned in April, Sleuths Reveal

Two Camden youths, released from Camden county jail, were held by local police yesterday on suspicion of implication in the $11,790 holdup of the Radio Condenser Company, Thorne and Copewood streets, last Friday.

They are Leon Grinkewicz, 18, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue.

Although both denied knowledge of the payroll holdup, detectives said they admitted having been close pals of Leroy Jenkins, 23; of 1161 Mechanic Street, and Joseph Putek, 23, of 1462 Louis Street, who were arrested in Lykens, Pa., on Monday.

Grinkewicz and Geda are being held on suspicion but, according to Detectives Clarence Arthur; Benjamin Simon and Clifford Del Rossi, they will be charged today with being material witnesses, while Jenkins and Putak will be charged with the holdup and will be arraigned in police court.

Grinkwicz and Geda were arrested yesterday morning on their release from county jail. They had been committed May 9 by Recorder Joseph Patton, of Haddon Heights, for 30 days on charges of loitering with intent to steal. They were questioned all day by detectives.     

Detectives said they learned Jenkins and Putak were with Grinkewicz and Geda in Haddon Heights "to do a job" but that the other two disappeared when Grinkewicz and Geda were arrested. Although they were in the county jail at the time, the detectives said they learned they had participated with Jenkins and Putak in planning the Radio Condenser job five weeks ago.


Camden Courier-Post - June 4, 1933

BREWERY OFFlCE RANSACKED IN MYSTERY THEFT
Two Rooms Turned Upside Down But Safe Is Not Robbed
POLICE THINK PAPERS WERE BURGLARS' GOAL
Officials of Camden Firm Are Unable to Explain Motive of Attempt

Burglars ransacked the offices of the Camden County Beverage Company early yesterday but what they took, if anything, had not been disclosed late last night.

In a mystery "robbery" that has police puzzled, the thieves broke through a glass window on the rear loading platform, climbed inside and proceeded to turn three different offices of the brewery "inside out" in their quest.

The handle off the huge safe in the wall of the first-floor office, was broken, but the safe had not been opened according to Detectives Benjamin Simon and Clifford Del Rossi.

But it, appeared to have been the only thing not opened by the intruders.

Waste Baskets Searched

Filing cabinets and desk drawers were pulled out and their contents littered the floor. Even a wastebas­ket had been searched and its contents strewn about.

Apparently finding nothing of val­ue on the first floor, the thieves, or thief made their way to the second floor where another office of the concern was ransacked from top to bottom.

Entrance to the brewery was made between 6 a. m. and 7 a. m. A watchman, Richard McKinley, who lives at 550 Chelton Avenue left the building at 6 o'clock and Olaf J. Hall, a bookkeeper arrived there at 7. a.m.

Hall went immediately to a second floor office where he saw several of the filing cabinets and desks had been gone through, but he failed to report it to his, superiors.

According to Frank R. Allison, secretary and treasurer of the brewery, Hall believed someone connected with the brewery had been searching for something, and being in a hurry had forgotten to replace things as he found them.

The "robbery" was not noticed un­til Nicholas Enderle, brewmaster, entered the building shortly before noon. He saw the offices on the first. floor in disorder and notified Allison.

The latter notified police, who could not learn whether anything of value had been stolen.

Were Seeking Papers

Detective Simon advanced a theory that the thieves had, been in search of valuable papers, rather than cash.

McKinley was questioned at the plant and declared that everything was "in order" when he left. He said two police dogs were left on the rear platform to guard against thieves. Later it was learned the dogs followed McKinley to his home.

The Camden County Beverage Company has been cited by the government on a rule to show cause why its 3.2 beer permit should not be revoked. The hearing on the citation was, scheduled for May 22, but, has been postponed indefinitely to await the conclusion of other cita­tion hearings.

Allison said he did not know of any valuable papers that would in­terest thieves. He expressed belief the robbers sought collections made by drivers on Saturday and kept in the brewery office until the banks open on Monday.

After Brewery-Breakers Ransacked Offices

Pictures show how burglars ransacked the offices of the Camden County Cereal Beverage Company, Broadway and Bulson Street, yesterday after breaking into the brewery through a rear window. Detectives Benjamin Simon and Clifford Del Rossi are shown "looking things over" in the lower photo while Del Rossi is searching for possible fingerprints in the top picture. The robbers apparently failed to find what they were looking for.

Click on Image
to Enlarge


Camden Courier-Post - June 7, 1933

PANCOAST REFUSES TO LET COPS BARE HOLDUP EVIDENCE
Police Judge Then Holds Two Camden Suspects With­out Bail
CASH NOT RECOVERED

After refusing defense counsel's request that the city police bare their evidence, Police Judge Pancoast yesterday held two suspects without bail in the recent $11,790 Radio Condenser Company holdup and two other youths as material witnesses.

Frank M. Lario, attorney for the quartet, appeared in police court yesterday with William McDonald, court stenographer, and declared he wanted the police through witnesses on the stand, to reveal what evidence they have in the robbery.

But when Judge Pancoast asked Lario if he was willing to have the prisoners submit to cross examination by the court the attorney refused. Judge Pancoast thereupon declared that the formal complaints against the defendants were sufficient to establish a prima facie case, that no hearing was necessary and that the police therefore were not obliged to disclose any testimony.

Leroy Jenkins, 23, and, Joseph Putek, 23, who gave addresses at 1113 Mechanic Street and 1212 Lansdowne Avenue, respectively, were committed to the county jail without bail on charges of holdup and robbery. They pleaded not guilty.

Those held as material witnesses were Leon Grenkwicz, 18, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman Avenue. Lario pointed out they were in jail when the holdup occurred but, Judge Pancoast said he would hold them for the prosecutor's office which would probably fix bail for them.

City Detective Benjamin Simon, who signed the complaints, stated prior to the hearing that he has obtained information from North Jersey which is vital to his investigation of the robbery. But he would not reveal its nature.

None of the money stolen by the bandits, who herded 11 persons in a vault after forcing one of them to open the safe containing the payroll, has been recovered by the police. 


Camden Courier-Post - June 9, 1933

FIFTH SUSPECT HELD IN PAYROLL HOLDUP
Police Say Pool Room Owner Knew of Robbery Plot

A fifth man was arrested in the recent Radio Condenser Company $11,790 payroll holdup and held as a material witness yesterday after city detectives alleged he attempted to escape from them in his automobile. He is Nicholas Kubiak, 34, of 1301 Decatur street, owner of a pool room on the corner of Decatur and Norris streets. Arraigned, before Judge Pancoast in police court, Kubiak was committed to the county jail without bail as a witness.

City Detectives Benjamin Simon, Clifford Del Rossi and Clarence Arthur stated they went to the pool room this morning and told Kubiak he was under arrest. He accompanied them to the sidewalk and suddenly stepped into his own automobile parked at the curb. The detectives said he started the engine, whereupon the police car was driven in front of him so he couldn't move. Simon declared that he jumped on the running board of Kubiak's car and reached in to grab the ignition key. Kubiak tried to push him off the running board. Simon said, and the key was obtained only after a tussle.

Simon said he has three statements signed by persons who charged they heard Kubiak declare the holdup was planned in his poolroom and that Leroy Jenkins and Joseph Putek were the actual bandits. Jenkins and Putek are charged with the holdup and are held under $3000 bail each. The bail was fixed by Prosecutor Baldwin.

Simon stated he previously had questioned Kubiak, but could learn nothing to warrant holding the man until he received the statements late last night. Simon said if he had been able to obtain the statements prior to yesterday, he doubted that bail would have been fixed so low. 

Two other youths, arrested as material witnesses in the case, were released by Prosecutor Baldwin today under $500 bail each. They are Leon Grenkwicz, 18, of 1469 Louis Street, and Stanley Geda, 19, of 1273 Whitman avenue.


Camden Courier-Post - June 13, 1933

MAN JAILED 6 MONTHS FOR THEFT OF WATCH

Found guilty of stealing $25 and a wrist watch from a man who came to Camden for liquid refreshments John Cheek, 27, colored, of 735 Kaighn Avenue, was sentenced to six months in jail by Judge Garfield Pancoast in Camden Police Court yesterday. 

His accuser, William Henninger, of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, was roundly scored by Judge Pancoast for coming here to drink beer, and was warned to stay away from Camden. Henninger said Cheek attacked and robbed him near Second and Pine Streets. John Barton, 25, of 830 South Second Street, and Viola Lewis, 39, of 315 Division Street, both colored, who were arrested on suspicion, were exonerated and freed. Detective Benjamin Simon said the stolen wrist watch and $3.75 were found on Cheek.. 


MYSTERY SHOTS PIERCE DOOR OF CAMDEN HOME

Mystery shots that splintered the door of a South Camden home yesterday started the police on a search for a group of youths seen loitering in the neighborhood.

Mrs. James Falconiero, of 354 Cherry Street, reported to Detective Benjamin Simon that she was awakened at 5 a. m., by a series of shots. She said she looked out a window and saw several young men entering an automobile a short distance from her home.

An inspection of the front of the house revealed several holes in the door caused by bullets. One missile, of 38-calibre was found buried in the plaster in the hallway.

Camden Courier-Post
June 17, 1933


Camden Courier-Post - June 19, 1933

PRIZE PRISONER HELD SECRETLY SEVEN WEEKS SAWS WAY OUT 
Guarded Rigidly, Segregated From Others, Accused of Two Robberies 
SLIPS THROUGH HOLE 'TOO TINY FOR ANY MAN' 
Drops to Yard by 'Rope' of Sheets; Saw Horse Helps Him Over Wall 

"Eddie" Adamski, most notorious of local gangland's safecrackers, has escaped from Mt. Holly jail. 

He was in solitary confinement, allegedly under special guard and allowed no visitors other than his sister. He sawed away the bars of his cell early yesterday and fled hours before his 
disappearance was discovered. 

The famed "Jimmy Valentine" of Camden-Philadelphia mobsters was a mystery prisoner at Mt. Holly. In February Adamski, alias Harry Burns, was sent to State Prison for a three-year term by Judge Samuel M. Shay, following conviction on a gun-toting charge. Several weeks ago Judge Shay issued a secret writ ordering his appearance in the local court and the sentence was 
suspended and Adamski turned over to Burlington county authorities. 

Ellis H. Parker, chief of the Burl ington county detectives, said yesterday Adamski was being held on two robbery cases- one at the home of Circuit Court Judge V. Claude Palmer, Moorestown, and the second at the home of Kirkland Marter, Burlington. Parker declares Adamski was indicted on both robbery charges by the Burlington county grand jury last week. The indictments were among the 45 impounded by the court and not made public, Parker said. 

Adamski was tn the south wing of the jail, in a cell block known to inmates as "murderers' stir." Forty other prisoners were in the north wing of the jail. The wardens office separates the two wings, with the prisoners exercise yard, surrounded by a 30-foot wall, in the rear.

At 11 p. m. Saturday Deputy Warden Atwood Wright and Lovando Pond, a special assistant only recently hired by Sheriff George N. Wimer. visited the south wing and "put the prisoner to bed." 

That is the last seen of Adamski by jail officials. 

At 7 a. m. yesterday, one of the two jail attaches- Wimer refuses to reveal which- went to Adamski's cell with his breakfast.

His cell was empty. 

Three bars had been neatly sawed away from the lone window, leaving a space 13 by 7 inches, hardly enough for anyone to squeeze through. 

Helpful Saw Horse 

Attached to one of the remaining bars was Adamski's bed clothing, knotted together and stretching to within a few feet of the ground, 20 feet below. While his fellow prisoners had been asleep- and the guards apparently busy elsewhere- Adamski had filed the bars, made his rope of bed clothing and fled. 

But even then he was not free. 

He had to get out of the jail yard. A saw horse placed against the wall of the yard at the sheriff's house, where Wimer has his offices and a deputy sheriff lives, showed where Adamski had made his final bid for freedom. The wall at this point is slightly lower than around the rest of 
the yard. 

Prisoners Grilled 

It is believed that "Eddie" climbed the wall, and then used the roof of an outhouse adjoining the rear of the sheriff's office, to reach the ground. 

As soon as his disappearance was discovered, Parker, at his summer home in Brant Beach, was summoned, as were Sheriff Wimer and Prosecutor Howard Eastwood. All of the prisoners in the north wing were questioned, but little information gathered from them. Eastwood then questioned both Wright and Pond. Deputy Warden Benjamin F. Farner, who was off duty and asleep in the sheriff's apartment, also was questioned.

No one could tell how Adamski came by he saws. His last visitor and the only one he has been allowed since put in the jail was his sister, who talked with him last Friday. 

Rigidly Guarded 

A deputy warden stood by her side during the conversation and she was not allowed within arm length of the prisoner. Only once in the last seven weeks has Adamski been allowed 
in the yard for exercise. And on that occasion two guards watched his every move. No explanation of the care in guarding the prisoner was advanced by Burlington authorities other than their claim that he was "a tough guy and very tricky."

Parker sent flyers to every police department in the east immediately following notification that his prisoner had escaped. His two secretaries, Mrs. Anna Bading and Mrs. Anna 
Lippincott, and Detectives Clifford Cain and Clinton Zeller, worked throughout the day on the case. State police under Corporal Jarvis Wood, of the Columbus barracks, also assisted in notifying other departments. 

Adamski is said to be wearing a brown suit, with a light hat. He is five feet, ten inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. 

Gang's Lone Survivor 

Adamski is the lone survivor of a gang of 12 men, known to Philadelphia police as the "Seventh and Parrish streets mob." His delicate sandpapered fingertips have opened a thousand 
safes without the aid of knowing the combination, police said. He has been arrested scores of times and spent much of his 28 years in jail.

His last arrest was when Camden Detectives Benjamin Simon and Edwin Mills led a raid on a Gloucester cafe, where Adamski and two others, suspects in the $150,000 bond robbery of the George K. Bartle home in Philadelphia, were. 

Adamski pulled a pistol from' his pocket and was about to "shoot his way out" when the weapon was knocked from his hands by Simon and Mills

Parker Sends for Him 

The two arrested with Adamski, Adam Szewezak and Solomon Lutz, were turned over to Philadelphia authorities. Szewezak was convicted in the bond job and is serving a 15 
year term in Eastern Penitentiary. Lutz was sentenced to a year in Moyamensing for another robbery. Adamski was given three years in New Jersey state prison on the weapon charge by Judge Shay

After Adamski's imprisonment there, Parker learned of his connection with numerous Burlington county robberies and sought to have him brought to Mt. Holly to answer for these 
crimes. 

Special Guard Denied 

Parker said he had recovered part of the loot of the Palmer-Marter home on information he received from Adamski. He said he "had enough on him to send him a way for 15 years." Parker denied knowledge of a special guard over Adamski. Sheriff Wimer also denied the guard. He said Pond had been hired recently "to fill in when the regular men went on their vacations." He has been "learning the ropes" at the jail in preparation for the other men's absence.

Philadelphia detectives were assigned last night to "old haunts" of Adamski in the hope that, penniless, he would return there .

Authorities were puzzled how he got the saw. He filed through three bars, each an inch and three-quarters thick.

Did He Go Through Hole! 

Wimer believes the saw was concealed in his shoe when he was brought to prison. At Trenton this was denied. Prison officials there said they were certain nothing was concealed on his person when he was turned over to Burlington authorities. 

Parker, too, was skeptical about Adamski's escape through the hole in the window bars. "I can't see," Chief Parker said, "how any man could get through such a small hole. But Adamski must have done so because he's sure enough gone."

The photo shows jail wall surrounding Burlington County jail which "Eddie" Adamski (Inset) scaled early. yesterday to escape. "Eddie" filed away the bars of his cell, climbed down a blanket rope and scaled the wall, which at this point is 25 feet high. He reached the ground by way of the roof of the sheriff's house next door.


Camden Courier-Post - June 24, 1933

Stricken by Food in Camden Factory

Two girl employees of the RCA Victor Company who are among nearly 100 persons suffering from ptomaine poisoning as the result of eating from "box lunches." Miss Clara Schaeffer, left, of Gloucester, and Miss Violetta Brown, Brooklawn, were confined to their beds at their homes last night after receiving treatment at Cooper Hospital.

60 OVERCOME WHILE AT WORK IN  RCA VICTOR; PROBE STARTED
New York Ship Employees Sent to Hospital From Ptomaine
WORKERS OF 4 FIRMS LISTED AMONG VICTIMS
Sandwiches Served by Philadelphia Caterer Believed to Be Responsible

Nearly 100 Camden factory and shipyard workers were poisoned yesterday after eating food contained in box lunches.

More than 60 of the workers, stricken at their machines in. the RCA Victor Company plants, were rushed to the company's dispensary and local hospitals. Many are reported in serious condition.

At the New York Shipbuilding Company others became ill after partaking of the lunches. Four are in West. Jersey Homeopathic Hospital recovering from the effects of the poisoned food. At least three more were stricken at the leather plant of the John R. Evans Company, Second and Erie Streets.

In Philadelphia more than a score of laundry workers were carried to physicians and hospitals, all said to be victims of contaminated foods. Physicians believed all would recover.

Dr. David D. Helm, city sanitary inspector, believed the ptomaine condition resulted from the eating of egg sandwiches.

Dr. Helm, along with Sergeant Rox Saponare and detectives, last night questioned Ray Konst, 3313 D Street, Philadelphia, owner of a Philadelphia box lunch concern.

Put Ban on Sales

Following the quizzing, Konst was ordered to refrain from further selling of the box lunches in Camden, pending the result of an investigation. He also must obtain complete approval from the Philadelphia Board of Health before being allowed to resume operations here. 

The boxes, distributed by Konst, are labeled "The Majestic Lunch." Konst declared that never before had complaint reached him as to the quality of his food. 

"I have ordered distribution of Majestic Lunches in Camden be stopped," Dr. Helm said, "until the investigation has been completed and the health authorities in Philadelphia to whom all evidence will be given because they supervise this company, give them a clean bill of health."            

Two of the box lunches have been obtained by police and will be chemically analyzed today by order of Dr. A. L. Stone, city health officer.

Konst assured police he would assist in any manner possible to learn the source and nature of the foodstuff causing the illness.

Woman First Victim

'The first illness occurred shortly after 3 p. m. at the RCA Victor plant. A young woman was overcome after partaking of a glass of water. She was taken to the dispensary where Dr. Reuben L. Sharp said she was suffering from ptomaine poisoning. 

Within a short time several other girls and men in various sections of the plant were stricken. Some fainted at their machines and had to be carried to the dispensary.

Soon Dr. Sharp and his staff of nurses had more than, they could handle. Private automobiles were pressed into service and many of the victims taken to Cooper Hospital, where stomach pumps were used to clear their bodies of the poisonous food.

One man, B. H. Poole, 40, of 144 North Sixtieth street, Philadelphia, was admitted and his condition described as serious.

Others were treated and sent to their homes, where many were at­tended last night by their personal physicians.

Girl Describes Scene

Miss Clara. Shaeffer, 19, of 226 South Fifth Street, Gloucester, employed at the RCA Victor, told of the scenes near her shortly before she became ill and was rushed to Cooper Hospital for treatment.

"I saw many of the girls running upstairs to the restroom," Miss Schaeffer said at her home, where she is confined to bed, "but paid little attention to them, although several had to be assisted up the steps.

"Suddenly I felt sick at my stomach and had a desire for a drink of water. I asked the girl next to me to get me a drink, but she was unable to leave her machine at the time and I walked to the fountain.

"After taking the drink everything seemed to whirl about and I thought I was going to faint. I told my foreman and he ordered me taken to the dispensary.

"When I arrived there the place was filled and someone took me to Cooper Hospital, where the doctor gave me some medicine and I was taken to my home."

Miss Schaeffer said she grew worse after she arrived home and her parents summoned a physician.

Fall at Machines

Others told similar stories of the scenes as worker after worker was stricken. Plant officials said many had fallen where they stood, the ptomaine attack seizing them so suddenly they had no time to summon aid. 

Konst told Detectives Benjamin Simon and John Opfer that he sells more than 200 box lunches in Camden daily. He has agents at the RCA plants, New York Shipyard and at the leather companies.

He also sells more than 500 box lunches daily in Philadelphia.

The lunch yesterday was made up of a cheese sandwich, an egg and lettuce sandwich, a piece of apple pie, cupcake and fruit. Some of the lunches contained tuna fish sandwiches.

Man's Condition Serious

According to Dr. Helm, all of those taken ill had eaten the egg sandwiches, some had partaken of the tuna fish and others of the cheese.

One man became ill when he ate half an egg sandwich given him by a fellow employee late in the afternoon. 

The laundry workers affected were employed at the Forrest Laundry, 1225 West Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia.

One of these, John Gilligan, 52, of 1923 East Willard Street, was taken to St. Luke's and Children's Homeopathic Hospital in a critical condition. 

Police were checking other hospitals to learn if additional victims were unreported. 


Camden Courier-Post - June 24, 1933

Partial List Of Poisoned

A partial list of the nearly 100 persons poisoned by food at local factories yesterday follows:

  RCA VICTOR EMPLOYEES:

Treated at Dispensary:

Barbara White, 3136 North Twenty-ninth Street, Philadelphia.

Vera White, 825 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia.

E. B. Bauers, 1255 Kenwood Avenue.

Mary Mossman, 3163 Amber Street, Philadelphia.

Anna Cullen, 2124 Memphis Street, Philadelphia.

Clyde Lape, 562 Mickle Street .

WIlliam H. Scott, 222 Crestmont Terrace, Collingswood.

M. E. Wagner, 581 Carman Street.

A. Burman, 1466 Kenwood Avenue.

Miss M. Brennan, 2141 North Dover Street, Philadelphia.

Emma Randelbach, Lindenwold,

John Derry, Camden.

Helen Shevlin, 854 South Fifth Street.

Miss Shaefer, 2825 Amber Street, Philadelphia.

Treated at Cooper Hospital:

B. H. Poole, 40, of 144 North Sixtieth Street, Philadelphia.

Admitted to hospital.

Miss Violetta Brown, 21, Brooklawn.

Miss Clara Schaeffer, 226 South Fifth Street, Gloucester.

Dorothy Kurtz, 32, of 308 Penn Street.

Alfred Shaefer, 42, of 932 Cooper Street.

Gertrude Carl, 17, of 820 Brown Street, Gloucester.

Peter I. Cassell, 42, of 353 East Cambria Street, Philadelphia.

Willard Stipezell, 25, of 3918 Camden Avenue.

Frank Di Nardo, 24, of 222 Second Street, Schenectady, N. Y.

NEW YORK SHIPYARD EMPLOYEES:

Treated at West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital:

Howard Fryer, 42, of 214 Bergen Street, Gloucester.

William Shaeffer, 54, Woodbury Heights.

Philip Saponaro, 33, of, 422 Evans Street.

John Joyce, 32, of 310 Manton Street, Philadelphia. 


Camden Courier-Post - June 25, 1933

Detectives He Called Saps Turn Tables on Suspect

Anthony Gibbons, 35, of 1332 Decatur Street, has learned that calling detectives saps is a very "sappy" remark to make- he is now in the city jail on charges of possessing stolen goods.

Last Wednesday the automobile of John Harwan, of 1317 Sheridan Street, was stolen from Van Hook Street and Mt. Ephraim Avenue. It was recovered Thursday with four wheels and tires missing. Charles Reynolds, of 1331 Van Hook Street was arrested and sentenced to six months.

Gibbons, was suspected of having the wheels and, tires. He was questioned Thursday night and released by Detectives Benjamin Simon and Clifford Del Rossi after denial. The two detectives then heard via the "grapevine" that Gibbons called them "saps." So they shadowed him all day Saturday and discovered him making several visits at the home of Vito Balducci, 1329 Decatur Street. An investigation of the cellar of Balducci's home revealed the missing tires and wheels.

Simon and Del Rossi said that Balducci was an innocent party to the crime and did not know Gibbons had placed the articles in his cellar. Michael Reggiero, of 327 Sycamore Street, told the detectives he saw Gibbons taking the tires and wheels into the house while Balducci was out..


YOUTHS PEDDLING RADIO
ARRESTED ON SUSPICION

Two youths were arrested late last night on suspicion of stealing a radio when one of them was interrupted by detectives while attempting to sell it.

Detectives Benjamin Simon, Clifford Del Rossi and Robert Ashenfelter became suspicious of a car parked at Norris and Sheridan Streets. The occupant, Stephen Stanziak, 19, of 1279 Sheridan Street, said he was waiting for a companion who was in the store of Michael Gucik, northeast corner of Norris and Sheridan Streets. The detectives entered the store and found Joseph Fiume, 16, of 1349 Van Hook Street, attempting to sell a radio to Gucik. The youths said it had been given to them by a man they did not know.

Camden Courier-Post
June 25, 1933


HE'S NOT QUITE CERTAIN

William P. Sweeten, 66, of 1245 Washington Street*, was treated at Cooper Hospital yesterday for cuts of the nose and head after he had been found wan4erlng in the vicinity of Fifth and Royden streets.

Detective Benjamin Simon declared Sweeten told varied incoherent stories of being robbed.

* This is an incorrect address. It does not exist. William Sweeten had lived at 533 Elm Street in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Camden Courier-Post
June 25, 1933


Camden Courier-Post - August 15, 1933

TWO MEN NABBED AS NUMBERS AIDES

Nicholas Scarduzio, 32, of 427 Emerald Street, and Joseph Tavolieri, 33, of 421 Emerald Street, were arrested yesterday afternoon by Detectives Clarence Arthur, Clifford Del Rossi and Benjamin Simon on charges of collecting numbers slips.

Slips totaling $25 were found in Scarduzio's possession. Tavolieri had only a few. The arrests were made near Fourth Street and Ferry Avenues. They will be arraigned in police court today before Judge Garfield Pancoast.


Camden Courier-Post - August 16, 1933
FORMER COP IS FINED AS NUMBERS COLLECTOR

Nicholas Scarduzio, 32, of 427 Emerald Street, a former policeman, and Joseph Trevolini, 31, of 421 Emerald Street, were fined $25 each by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast yesterday on charges of collecting numbers slips.

They were arrested Monday afternoon near Fourth street and Ferry Avenue by Detectives Clarence Arthur, Clifford Del Rossi and Benjamin Simon. Numbers slips were found on both.


Camden Courier-Post - September 18, 1933

JOBLESS SON KILLS JAKE SCHILLER 
WHO SAVES BOY’S WIFE FROM GUN

SLAYER CRAZED BY SEPARATION, RELATIVES SAY
Dazedly Insists He Had No Intention of Shooting Sire
ESTRANGED WIFE SEEN IN SUICIDE TRY
Slain Man Long Was Prominent Figure in Camden Politics

Jacob Schiller, 72, for 45 years a political figure here, is dead, shot by his own son.

The slayer, William Schillcr, 30, a former summer policeman now unemployed, was held over today to the grand jury on a charge of murder. He made no comment whatever during his police court hearing.

A few hours later, young Schiller's wife, Augusta, whom he lad also tried to shoot, was found wandering through the city street, in all hysterical condition.

She had written a note which police believed showed intent to commit suicide, and had staggered dazedly through the streets last night. Both in her note and in her incoherent statements to detectives she declared she was to blame for the tragedy.

She said her father-in-law had tried to save her and was killed in the attempt.

 The slaying occurred Saturday night at the elder Schiller's home, 2420 Carman Street. It climaxed an estrangement between young Schiller and his wife, with "Jake" Schiller attempting to reconcile the couple.

Mrs. William Schiller, who had had her husband arrested several months ago, said she believed he had become mentally deranged, but Police Judge Pancoast was informed that an alienist had examined young Schiller in July and pronounced him sane.

Couple Separated

Young Schiller had been living with his father at the Carman Street address, while Mrs. Schiller has been residing with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John I. Green, 409 North Thirty-seventh Street. The cause of the estrangement has no been revealed by police, but it is stated that young Schiller refused to consent to a reconciliation.

"Jake" Schiller was a Republican worker in the Twelfth ward for years, and was at the time or his death inspector of city street lights.

Were Alone it Home

The father and son were at home 9.00 p. m. Saturday night and apparently were quarreling when the young Mrs. Schiller, her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. William Miller and another sister, Mrs. Lottie Bennehler, reached the house.

"Don't come in here," the older Schiller shouted as they started to enter the front sun parlor. But Miller did enter and said young Schiller was clutching a revolver in his right hand. He declared he closed in on his brother-in-law and tried to wrench the revolver from him. Two shots rang out and the father fell to the floor.

Patrolman Joseph Keefe was standing at Twenty-fifth and Federal Streets when two boys ran up and told him there was a shooting at Twenty-fifth and Carman Street. He ran to the scene and said he reached there in time to see young Schiller shooting up the street at his wife.

Keefe said Schiller ran into the house when he saw him. Aided by Miller, Keefe overpowered Schiller and placed an iron claw on his right hand after disarming him.

Jacob Schiller Jr., another son, learning of the shooting, went to his father's home and took him to Cooper Hospital in a passing automobile As he was being taken into the hospital he failed to recognize City Detective Robert Ashenfelter and died five minutes later.

Expresses No Regret

Police Sergeant John Potter joined Keefe and Miller and they took young Schiller to police headquarters.

Keefe said the son expressed no regret at shooting his father.

At about 5 a, m. today, Policeman Keefe was patrolling his "beat" when he passed the Schiller home on Carman Street. He noticed the front door was standing open, and he went inside to investigate.

The officer saw a note on a smoking stand. Picking it up, he read:

"Dear Everybody:

 "Please forgive me ... You have all been so wonderful ... But I couldn't go on to see you all suffer for what is my fault ... Lottie was right ... He killed his father because of insane love for me ... But he didn't. I killed Pop and now am sending Bibs to jail for my weakness.

 "Tell him I love him and ask my poor mother and dad to forgive me. I should have done this long ago and saved everyone all this suffering ... I love Billy and I know he loves me but I am afraid he has been turned against me. But I forgive him for all.

 “Gussie"

 "Gussie" is Mrs. Schiller.

Finds 'Gussie’ Hysterical

Keefe ran to Federal Street, but could not see Mrs. Schiller.

Meanwhile, Constable Dugan of the Twelfth Ward, saw Mrs. Schiller walking on Federal Street near the Cooper River. She was mumbling to herself and was in a hysterical condition, Dugan said.

Dugan telephoned police headquarters. City Detectives Rox Saponare and Maurice DeNicoli went out Federal Street and took her back with them to detective headquarters. There they sought to quiet her, but she continually sobbed.

"I want to take the blame- if I hadn't gone to Pop's home he would be living now."

"Pop wanted to save me," she said. "and he was shot. I can't eat or sleep. I think I'm going crazy."

Later, she was permitted to return to the home.

Young Schiller had been held in the city jail over the weekend. Today he was taken into police court. He wore no necktie and carried a raincoat over his arm. He was rep resented by counsel, C. Lawrence Gregorio, who said he had been retained "by friends" to act as attorney for the accused man.

City detective Benjamin Simon had signed the complaint in which he charged "on information received” that Schiller did feloniously and with malice aforethought shoot and kill his father.

The complaint was read to him and Gregorio told him not to say any thing, as Judge Pancoast would enter a plea of "not guilty" in his behalf. This was done by the court and Schiller was then held without bail pending grand jury action. He was taken to the county jail.

Declared Sane

After the hearing, Mrs. Etta C. Pfrommer, acting overseer of the poor, told Judge Pancoast that on July 26, Dr. Harry Jarrett, Broadway and Cherry Street, well known alienist, had examined young Schiller and declared him sane. The examination was made on the request of Mrs. Schiller in police court on the previous day. At that time young Schiller had been released by the court in the custody of his father.

County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran, who was among the first to question young Schiller Saturday night, said the man did not seem repentant over what he had done. He said Schiller did not give authorities much information. According to Doran, young Schiller declared he had objected frequently to his father that he did not want his wife to come to their home.

"It doesn't seem possible," said young Mrs. Schiller some hours after the tragedy. "It seems as though it was only a dream. I don't seem to remember anything.

"Poor Bill. He must have been crazy. He idolized his father. You can blame this all on the depression. He has been without work since they eliminated summer policemen two years ago. He has been worried as a result of being unable to obtain work. Just recently he started to drink.

"Bill intended to shoot me but his father tried to get the gun away from him and I believe it went off accidentally. Nothing could convince me that Bill would shoot his father in cold blood.

"I went to his father's home last night to try to effect a reconciliation with my husband. He had been drinking."

Registered as Sober

The police docket at headquarters shows Schiller registered as sober. The entry was not made until 2.15 a. m., and the shooting occurred shortly after 9.30 p.m.

Relatives said the father had attempted for months to patch up the marital difficulties of the couple.

Young Schiller had been living lately with his sister, Mrs. Bennehler, 2530 Bank Street and his wife with her parents at 409 North Thirty-seventh Street. He formerly lived at that address with his wife. He was appointed a summer policeman in 1929 and served until they were all dismissed two years ago.

Coroner Holl and Dr. Edward B. Rogers, county physician, yesterday performed an autopsy on the senior Schiller's body and ascertained that death was due to an internal hemorrhage caused by a bullet wound of the upper portion of the abdomen. They said a .32-callbre revolver had been used in the shooting.

Camden Lodge of Elks will hold services tomorrow night at the Schiller home, at which time the body will be on view. The funeral will be private on Wednesday with burial in Evergreen Cemetery.

Judge Pancoast last night recalled that young Schiller was arrested two months ago after he had kept his wife a prisoner on a lot all night. At that time "Jake," as he was affectionately known to his friends, tried to act as a mediator between his son and daughter-in-law.

The young Mrs. Schiller at that time told Pancoast she believed her husband was deranged and asked permission to have him examined by physicians she would name. Pancoast released young Schiller in the custody at his father. The police judge said the examination had apparently not been made as no commitment papers had been sent through his office.

Few political workers were better known that "Jake” Schiller. He was born in Philadelphia and was brought to Camden in early life by his parents, who conducted a saloon near Twenty-third and Federal Streets. East Camden was then the town of Stockton and the scene of Saturday night's shooting was a farm. Schiller recalled to friends that he drove cows through a pasture on which his house now stands.

 He was originally a Democrat but became a Republican through persuasion of the late U. S. Senator David Baird and remained a friend of the former leader for 40 years.

 Schiller had been melancholy over the death of his wife on February 13 last, friends said.

 When his son was arrested he remarked to Pancoast:  What is next?"

Figured In Shaw Case

None was more in the public eye 35 years ago in South Jersey than Schiller. It was the that he figured prominently in one phase of the locally celebrated Shaw murder trial.

It was during the second trial of Eli Shaw for the murder of his mother and grandmother, Mrs. Anna Shaw and Mrs. Emma Zane. They were found shot to death in September, 1897, in their bedroom of their home on Line Street near Third. Detective John Painter had found a revolver hidden in the chimney, one of several points in the circumstantial evidence that resulted in the indictment of Shaw. He was then a widely known young man about town and his arrest caused a big sensation. As time drew near for the trial feeling was intense, for there were adherents for and against the son and grandson, those arguments often grew bitter.

Henry Sidney Scovel, then one of the prominent criminal lawyers of Camden county, was retained to defend Shaw. Scovel was son of James Matlack Scovel, himself one of the leading barristers of this section. When the trial of Shaw was under way the city was astounded when it was charged Scovel had tampered with the jury. It was Schiller who made the charge.

The trial stopped abruptly. Scovel emphatically denied the story of Schiller and demanded vindication. An indictment for embracery was returned and at a trial, which had Camden on the tip toe of expectancy for days, it developed there was absolutely nothing to verify the charge, and Scovel was acquitted. He acted in two subsequent trials of Shaw, the second being a disagreement and the third acquittal for the son and grandson of the slain women.

Schiller, strangely enough, in later years became friendly with Scovel and when the latter was prosecutor from 1905 to 1912, "Jake," as he was familiarly known, was usually to be found in the office at the courthouse. Scovel was then a white haired man of flowery speech and impressive personality who let bygones be bygones.

Long Excise Inspector

For more than 20 years Schiller was inspector of the Excise Commission in Camden. It was during the days when the principal object of the inspector apparently was to keep the saloonmen in line. He was considered pretty good at that job, by no means an unimportant one from the organization viewpoint. It was also during that period the city had its troubles enforcing the Sunday liquor laws. There were those who considered they had enough pull to keep their back or side doors open on the Sabbath to let in their regular thirsty trade. Some succeeded in getting by, but "Jake" had his own troubles in keeping the boys straight and sometimes causing their arrest, although that was not frequent by any means.

His reign as inspector, too, was in the halcyon days of free lunch and schooner beers. Saloonmen themselves were against the lunch idea eventually since it meant too much of a financial burden. Jake kept tabs on the recalcitrants so that the liquor dealers knew who was obeying the order and who was "cutting corners" to get some extra trade.

Schiller was virtually raised with the saloon trade since his father was one of the old time German beer garden owners here, having had a place at Fourth and Line Streets. That was in the days when that section was largely populated by the German, English and Irish families lately come from the motherlands. When he was a boy, Schiller entered the U. S. Navy and served several years. When he came out he went to the old Town of Stockton, now East Camden, where he opened a saloon on Federal Street near Twenty-fourth. At that period, some 45 years ago, Stockton seethed with politics and it was just as natural for a young man to get into the game as it was for a duck to swim. Jake at that period was a Democrat and during the battle in the middle 90's when the West Jersey Traction and the Camden Horse Railway Company were fighting for the rail franchises in the town he was a candidate for council from the old Second Ward. The late Robert Lee was the Republican candidate and won out by the narrow margin of two votes. In later years Schiller became a Republican and was elected a constable.

Never Ran From Scrap

Throughout his career Schiller never quite forgot his training In the navy, particularly with reference to boxing or fighting at the drop of a hat. He was a scrapper in his early years and never ran from a fight. That was just as true in political battles, frequent then around the polls, as in purely personal matters. And Jake would battle for a friend just as readily as for any personal reason. He was usually in the thick of the political fracases of the years when it was the accepted thing to fight at the drop of a hat. But he also had lots of native wit which kept things interesting when he was a frequenter of the prosecutors' office during the Scovel and Wolverton regime's. In late years, with the approach of age, he had tempered his propensity to get into an argument and liked nothing more than to tell of “the good old days" when he helped the elder Baird in his organization battles.

He made his last political stand for leadership of the Twelfth Ward in 1926 when he supported the candidacy of Sergeant Ray Smith against Commissioner Clay W. Reesman for ward committeeman. Schiller was supporting Congressman Charles A. Wolverton and the late Senator Joseph H. Forsyth in a campaign against former Congressman Francis F. Patterson and State Senator Albert S. Woodruff.

Reesman won and among the first to visit the hospital after learning of the shooting was the city commissioner. Reesman was his latest chief as lights inspector as he was attached to the highway department. Commissioner Frank B. Hanna also visited the hospital.

"In all the years I have known him he has always been an enthusiastic and loyal friend with a good heart for everybody in trouble," Congressman Wolverton said when he learned of Schiller's death.

Schiller was also a familiar figure at the Elks Club, where he was an ardent card player. But after the death of his wife he gave up this pastime, contenting himself with watching the games. He was also a frequent visitor among old friends at the courthouse.


 

Camden Morning Post
October 20, 1933

Harry Yellin - Garfield Pancoast
Clarence Arthur - Clifford Del Rossi Benjamin Simon - Thomas Kauffman 
South 2nd Street - South 4th Street
South 7th Street - Broadway - Clinton Street
Delaware Avenue - Everett Street  
Haddon Avenue
- Kaighn Avenue
Market Street - Mt. Ephraim Avenue
Mt. Vernon Street - Pine Street
Royden Street - Walnut Street
Whitman Avenue
Emil Muckensturm's Saloon
Parkside Grill - Thompson's Grille


...continued... 

Camden Courier-Post - May 7, 1934

 ...continued...

 

CAMDEN COURIER-POST

May 12, 1934

Click on
Image to Enlarge

...continued... 

Click on
Image to Enlarge

North 19th Street

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - MAY 19, 1934

...continued... 

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - MAY 19, 1934

Identified in Police Line-Up

      John Lenkowski, upper left; Earl Stainker, center, and James Mealy, upper right, all identified yesterday in a police line-up by victims and witnesses of four holdups and robberies. The trio was picked from five suspects who were viewed by more than 20 victims of recent holdups.

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - MAY 19, 1934

...continued... 


Camden Courier-Post * September 15, 1934

...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
Mickey Blair - William T. Feitz - Roy R. Stewart - Frank T. Lloyd - George Ward - Arthur Colsey
Edward V. Martino - Samuel P. Orlando - Fred Klosterman - Joseph Klosterman - J. Harry Switzer
Lawrence T. Doran - George Frost - Benjamin Simon
Vernon Jones - Stanley Wirtz
Nathan U. Katz - Kaighn AvenueGeorge Clayton - John Geronio -
Crawford Smith
Cooper Street -
Carman Street

Camden Courier-Post * October 12, 1934

...continued...

Left: Thomas Cheeseman
Right: Vernon Jones

...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
...continued...
Frank T. Lloyd - William T. Feitz
Emma Heisler - Roy R. Stewart
Glenn Brown - Michael Tocco
Thomas Cheeseman - Vernon Jones

George Weber - Frank Wilmot
Howard Fisher - Joseph Leonhardt
Frank F. Neutze - Arthur Colsey
Lawrence T. Doran - Samuel P. Orlando
Rand Street - Baring Street
Division Street - South 6th Street
Kaighn Avenue - Princess Avenue
Sycamore Street


George Weber - Frank Wilmot - Howard Fisher - Joseph Leonhardt
...continued... 
...continued...
...continued...
 Frank Martz - Erie Street - Albert Young - North 2nd Street - Andrew Pointkowski - South 9th Street
Crawford Smith - Carman Street - Charles Simonin - Fairview Street - John Studinger - Federal Street Samuel Ford - John Geronio - Cooper Street - James Davis - Mt. Vernon Street - Oscar Conway
Mitchell Street - Mary Angelo - Pine Street - Thomas Kirk -
Carpenter Street - Samuel Karon
Mt. Ephraim Avenue - Walter Hart - Thurman Street - Frank Kulczynski - Orchard Street
Clarence Arthur - Clifford Del Rossi - Benjamin Simon - Leon Branch - Walter Smith - Howard M. Smith
Michael Tenerelli aka Mickey Blair - Anna Smallwood - Fred Klosterman - Joseph Klosterman
Lillian Vincent - Frank Tyson - Edmund Powell - William Kinsler - John Feitz - Walter Taylor - Joseph Rea
Harry Smith - John Lockwood - Edward Troutman - Thomas Moreland 

Camden Courier-Post * October 29, 1935

PAIR HELD FOR JURY IN THEFT OF LIQUOR

Charged with possession of stolen goods, Leon Grenkwicz, 21, of 1213 Louis street, and George Sanders, 22, of 307 Walnut street, Haddonfield, yesterday were held without bail for the grand Jury by Police Judge Lewis Liberman.

Charges were placed against them by Detective Benjamin Simon after they had been arrested in Audubon for being drunk and disorderly. Simon said his investigation indicated they were the men who, on September 25, stole a liquor truck belonging to James Thompson, wholesale beverage dealer, from Fourth and Arch streets, where it was parked.

Simon said that he has the sworn statement of Hugh Gaffney, of 3 Albertson avenue, Westmont, and John Whelan, of 831 Linden street, that Grenkwicz tried to sell him some of the stolen liquor, for 
which Thompson is the sole agent in Camden.

Furthermore, said Simon, he has the evidence of a Merchantville man and his sister, whose names he  did not reveal, that Sanders sold them a case of the same brand.

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - MARCH 17, 1936

WOMAN, STUDENTS TAKEN IN HOUSE RAID
Camden Residents and Phila. Visitors Arrested in Parkside Dwelling

 Three Camden women and two Temple University students were arrested in a raid on an al1eged disorderly house at 1450 Kenwood Avenue last night.

Charged with being proprietress of the place is Mrs. Charlotte Grimes, 48. She is the wife of Elmer Grimes, employed by the city as a custodian at Convention Hall and formerly custodian of the Camden High School athletic field, according to City Prosecutor John H. Reiners, Jr.

The students under arrest gave their names as Sidney Goldberg, 19, of 1400 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, and Herman Katz, 19, of 2601 Wilder Street, Philadelphia.

Welch Leads Raiders

The arrests were made by Police Lieutenant Walter Welch and Detectives Benjamin Simon and Joseph Mardino.

According to Welch, Mrs. Grimes signed a statement in which she said she had resided at 1450 Kenwood Avenue for 27 years, and maintained a disorderly house there for the last seven years. He has had men watching the place for a year, to get evidence on which to base a raid, he said. He declared that only persons recommended by patrons were admitted, and then only after making telephone calls.

Simon, who lives three blocks from the house, and Mardino saw a car with Pennsylvania license plates parked near the place last night, Welch said. They waited until they saw Goldberg and Katz leaving the house, and questioned them. It was on the strength of statements by the two youths that the raid was made, Welch added.

Cases Continued

The five prisoners were taken to police court today. After waiting until 10.05 for Simon and Mardino to appear, Welch asked that the case be continued until tomorrow.

Judge Lewis Liberman set bail for $1000 for Mrs. Grimes; $500 each for the other two women, $200 for Katz and released Goldberg in the custody of his brother, an attorney.

The latter said the two youths were willing to plead guilty to disorderly conduct charges, admitting they had been in the place, but Judge Liberman said he preferred to wait and hear the entire case tomorrow.

In answer to the query by the court as to how the two knew about the existence of the disorderly house" Katz said:

"Oh, things like that get broadcast around the university."

Camden Courier-Post - August 26, 1936

CAMDEN COURIER-POST

August 26, 1936

 

Camden Courier-Post - August 30, 1936

CIGAR STORE RAIDED BY ‘SECRET6’ SQUAD
Alleged Proprietor is Held in $500 Bail for Police Court Hearing

 Raiders of the “Secret 6” of the Camden police department yesterday arrested Oscar Bendler, 40, as the alleged proprietor of a cigar store at 217 Market Street, where they reported hey seized horse racing sheets, three phones and $114.

 Bendler, who gave his address as 310 Erie Street, is charged with violating the city ordinance prohibiting gambling and is held in $500 bail for a police court hearing today.

 The raid on Bendler’s place was made after the police squad had searched five other small shops and found only legitimate business being conducted,

 Two of the shops were located on the Market Street ferry walk, two on Market Street between Second and Third Street and on Federal Street between Second and Third Street.

 Fine-combing of establishments were it is suspected the gambling gentry may flourish was ordered by Police Chief Arthur Colsey. The picked squad of men who operated as members of Colsey's ”Secret Six” yesterday were Detective Sergeant Clifford Del Rossi, Sergeant Walter Rowand, Detectives Benjamin Simon and Joseph Mardino.

Camden Courier-Post
October 2, 1936

Lewis Liberman
Richard Everett
Carteret Street
Joseph Mardino
Benjamin Simon

Vernon Jones
George Weber

 


Camden Courier-Post - October 3, 1936


Lewis Liberman - Richard Everett - Meyer Sakin - Carteret Street
Joseph Mardino - Benjamin Simon - Vernon Jones - George Weber


CAMDEN COURIER-POST

October 9, 1936

 

Camden Courier-Post - February 4, 1938

MATTSON SUSPECT HELD IN JAIL HERE
Admitted Ex-convict Tallies With Description of West Coast Slayer

 A suspect in the kidnapping of Charles Mattson, 10, of Tacoma, Washington, is being held by Camden police.

The suspect was arrested last night by Patrolman Raymond Carson as he appeared before the sergeant's dealt at police headquarters and asked for a night's lodging.

The suspect gave his name as Edward F. Keach, 40, with no home. He admitted he served three years in the New Jersey state prison for larceny. He was arrested for the crime at Newark when he was 23, accord mg to an admission to Carson and City Detective Benjamin Simon.

"His face resembles the sketched portrait published in newspapers of the suspect wanted after the Mattson boy was stolen from the home of his father, Dr. William W. Mattson, on the night of December 27, 1936," Carson said.

The suspect is described as being slender built, has sharp features, similar to the fugitive kidnaper, has dark hair and dark complexion. He is five feet, 10 inches tall and weighs about 165 pounds.

Keach admitted to Simon and Carson that he has been roaming the country for three years and has been in almost every state in the Union except the state of Washington.

The Mattson boy was kidnapped from his parents home while a brother, a sister and a girl friend stood helplessly by, cowered by the pistol of the kidnaper. The kidnaper demanded a ransom of $28,000. The parents were prepared to pay the ransom when the body of the boy was found dead near Everett, Washington, several miles from the scene of the kidnapping.

Simon said Keach will be held here until police can check up his record and his whereabouts during the past three years.


Camden Courier-Post - February 4, 1938

4 Hurt as Auto Strikes Pole Strewing Live Wires on Road

 Four persons in a small coupe were injured last night when the machine crashed into a pole at Seventeenth Street and Admiral Wilson Boulevard during a dense fog.

The car broke off a telephone pole at the base, strewing live wires on the highway. Traffic was detoured until the damage could be repaired by Bell Telephone Company linemen.

The fog, which covered Camden and its suburbs like a blanket, grounded air liners at Central Airport, slowed up motor traffic on highways and the Camden bridge.

Thomas Tomlinson, 18, of Oak Avenue, Delaware Township, was taking driving lessons in a car he purchased a week ago when he crashed into the pole. Police said three passengers were crowded in the front seat and three more in a rumble seat.

Tomlinson was driving on a student's permit and was accompanied by Allen Filer, 20, a licensed driver, of 713 Grant Street, police learned, Filer is in Cooper Hospital with a fractured right leg. His brother, William, 18, suffered a possible concussion of the brain and is in the same hospital. Tomlinson received bruises of the right leg and arm and was treated at Cooper Hospital.

Samuel McCall, 18, of 708 Bailey Street, was taken to West Jersey Hospital, where he was treated for cuts of the nose. He told police there that someone struck him with a bottle and he would get his assailant later. When taken to police headquarters. McCall was confronted by the others and admitted he was injured in the automobile accident, City Detective Benjamin Simon said.

Mary Williamson, 18, and Eleanor Shockley, 16, both of 625 North Front Street, escaped with a few minor bruises.

Delaware river ferryboats were operated with caution as the view of pilots was obscured, by the density of the fog. Whistles were blown continuously and fog bells rang throughout the night.

Automobiles and buses were slowed down to five miles an hour by thick fog in the suburbs, especially in lowlands and near meadows.

The airport reported all local planes grounded and no airliners were making a call here.

The Weather Bureau forecast indicated it will be colder and cloudy today. The cloudiness will increase tomorrow followed by rain at night.


Camden Courier-Post - February 10, 1938

5 YOUTHS ARRESTED AS HOLDUP SUSPECTS
Police Believe Bandit Gang Plans of Group Halted by Roundup

Police believed they had frustrated the formation of hoodlum bandit mob yesterday with the arrest of five South Camden youths after a holdup of a grocery store at Tenth Street and Ferry Avenue.

Two of the five suspects were identified by the grocer, John Jacobs, as the bandits who entered his store at 960 Ferry Avenue, held him up at gun point and escaped with $23.95. , Jacobs told Detectives Heber McCord and Clarence Arthur that he recognized one of the bandits as Anthony Mona, 19, of 947 South Third Street, a former boxer, whom he saw fighting in the ring, McCord said.

A radio call was sent to all cars to pick up Mona. A short time later, District Detectives Leon Branch and John Houston arrested Mona as he was eating in a restaurant near Broadway and Kaighn Avenue.

After questioning by McCord and Arthur, Mona implicated the others. They are Dominick Spinagotti, 17, of 251 Mt. Vernon street; Vito Brandimorto, 20, of 245 Chestnut Street; Salvatore Martorano, 21, of 344 Cherry Street, and Victor Labato, 19, of 274 Mt. Vernon street.

Mona was searched in the detective bureau. Police found $6.65 in change in his pockets. The others were rounded up at their homes by Detective Sergeant Benjamin Simon and Detectives Joseph Mardino and Robert Ashenfelder.

According to Simon the youths were "just beginning to embark on a career of crime."

When the others were brought to the detective bureau for questioning, all but $2 of the loot was recovered, Detective McCord said.

McCord said the youths signed statements saying Mona and Labato entered the store while the others waited in Mona's car outside the store, all fleeing together after the holdup.


Camden Courier-Post - February 16, 1938

Poor Acting Leads To Youth's Arrest In Theft of Cash

Curious detectives yesterday made it embarrassing for Charles Pennington, 21, of 906 South Seventh street.

The youth told his employer, Louis Tartar, junk dealer of Ninth and Liberty streets, a stranger stole $25 in receipts from a load of materials shipped to Philadelphia. Pennington's employer took him to the Detective Bureau to report the theft. There, Detectives Benjamin Simon and Joseph Mardino  chatted with the youth.

Frankly doubting the story he told, the detectives suggested Pennington 
disrobe. The sleuths found $22 concealed in his shoes. Simon and Mardino 
said Pennington admitted the money belonged to his employer and that the 
theft story was false. He was held for police court on a larceny charge.


Camden Courier-Post - February 17, 1938

ABSENCE OF VICTIM DELAYS LARCENY CASE

Because the complainant was not in police court yesterday Judge Gene R. Mariano continued the hearing of a larceny charge against Charles Pennington,  21, of 906 South Seventh street, until today.

Louis Tarter, the youth's employer, took him to detective bureau Tuesday when Pennington said a stranger stole $25 in receipts from a load of junk shipped to Philadelphia by Tarter.

Detectives Benjamin Simon and Joseph Mardino forced Pennington to disrobe and found $22 in his shoes. Pennington, according to the detectives, admitted his robbery story was a fake and he was held on the larceny charge. Pennington said the money belonged to Tarter, who has a junk yard at Ninth and Liberty  streets.


Camden Courier-Post - February 18, 1938

PHILA. MAN ARRESTED IN THEFT OF LIQUOR

David Miller, 27, a window decorator for a liquor concern, who lives at 547 Whitaker Avenue, Philadelphia, was arrested yesterday and charged with larceny of whisky on complaint of Benjamin Rosensweig, proprietor of the Camden Bottling Co., 254 Kaighn avenue

Miller had an office at the Kaighn avenue address. Rosensweig told Detectives Ben Simon and Gus Fortune he missed $500 worth of liquor in the past several months. The detectives found whisky hidden in equipment used by Miller.

At Miller's home, they said, they found $180 worth of liquor, and Miller, they reported, admitted some thefts. 


Camden Courier-Post - February 28, 1938

M.F. Middleton Felled by Gas In House Here
Former City Commissioner Found Unconscious in Old Home

With gas flowing from a pipe detached from a gas range, former City Commissioner Melbourne F. Middleton, Jr., was found unconscious in the kitchen of his former home at 538 Cooper street early Saturday night.

Middleton was reported last night to still be in a critical condition at West Jersey Hospital, where he was taken. The Camden Fire Department First Aid Squad worked over him for an hour at the house in a vain effort to revive him.

Middleton, a former president of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, and one time city councilman, was found by a son, C. Barry Middleton, and a friend, John Williams Rossell, who lives with the Middletons on Laurel road, Moorestown. Middleton was clad in overalls and two large pipe wrenches were lying on the kitchen floor near him.

Young Middleton said his father told his family he intended to take up some linoleum in the kitchen of his former home. Middleton first went to his office Saturday and then to St. Paul's Episcopal Church to a service. From there he was traced to his former home, which is owned by him.

When Middleton failed to return home for dinner at the usual time Saturday his son and Rossell decided to search for him. When young Middleton discovered his father's plight he notified police. Patrolmen Frank Cavallo, Henry Lutz, Walter Vecander and George Getley responded in radio cars and gave first aid until the fire department squad arrived.

The firemen worked on the former commissioner one hour with an inhalator before ordering his removal to the hospital, where they continued to work on Middleton for another hour but were unable to revive him. Hospital physicians continued working on him without success. They said his condition was critical.

Gas Man Called

At 4 p. m. Saturday the family living next to Middlemen's home telephoned Public Service that gas was coming from the house. Public Service sent a man to investi­gate but he was unable to get into the house.

Young Middleton and Rossell said they reached the house at 6.17 p. m.

While he was a member of the first city commission Middleton was director of finance but never missed responding to all alarms of fire. He was a member of the fire committee while serving in City Council as a member from the Second ward. In that capacity he also answered all alarms.

Members of the Firemen's First Aid Squad responding to the call were Deputy Chief William R. Harring, Hosemen Christopher Moll, William Spencer, Harry Haines, Russell Anderson, William Harry Deitz and Nelson Andrews.

City Detectives Benjamin Simon, Joseph Mardino and William Marter are investigating the cause.  

Camden Courier-Post - January 8, 1940
FRED KLOSTERMAN
HIT BY PUMP GUN FIRE
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Camden Courier-Post - January 10, 1940

GUNMEN IN PHILADELPHIA
MURDER COLOZZI IN NUMBERS WAR
Westmont Victim Reported to Have Been Aide of Klosterman
SCARDUZIO DEATH TIEUP ALSO SEEN

A reputed employee of Fred Klosterman, Camden numbers baron, was shot and killed in Philadelphia last night in what police there believed was an inter-city fight for control of the numbers racket.

The dead man was Joseph Colozzi, 49, of Westmont, known in the underworld and police circles as a “cheap thief”.

While Captain John Murphy, of the Philadelphia vice squad, expressed belief the slaying of Colozzi and shooting last Sunday of Klosterman were related.  County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran was working on another angle.


Visited
Colozzi’s Home

Doran said Colozzi had been closely associated during the last 10 days with John Lenkowski, 22, a fugitive wanted here in connection with the murder of Andrew Scarduzio.

“Both of them were convicted of similar offences- thievery, and they apparently were hooked up together lately. I could not say whether either of them ever was In the numbers racket."

Philadelphia police, however, seemed certain Colozzi was shot as a result of a new “numbers war”. They said they had Information that the dead man apparently was in the employ of a Camden numbers bank.

Credence was given the report that local numbers barons are attempting to “muscle in” on the “Philadelphia play” when Irving Bickel, 34, who admits being friendly with Klosterman was arrested yesterday.

New Setup Alleged

Bickel, Murphy said, declared he had been contacting numbers writers in Philadelphia to inform them of a “new setup” and invite them to join.

Detective Sergeant Benjamin Simon and Detective Edwin Mills questioned Bickel in Philadelphia yesterday and said he admitted “knowing Klosterman” but denied he worked for him.

Simon and Mills were in Philadelphia again today working on the Colozzi shooting to ascertain whether there was any connection between the slaying and shooting of Klosterman on Sunday. Simon said he would investigate to learn if the slain man ever had been in the employ of Klosterman.

A theory advanced yesterday by police that Klosterman had been shot by killers hired by Atlantic City gamblers brought on an expression of surprise from shore police.

Detective Captain Frank Feretti said he did not know of any gambling house near the Union Station in which Klosterman may have been interested. He said no request had “been made by Camden police for an inquiry at the resort.”

Colozzi was murdered at Eleventh and Carpenter Streets, South Philadelphia, last night. The top of his head was blasted by shotgun slugs to end1a career in crime that extended over 30 year, with at least 30 arrests.

Colozzi's body was found lying across the trolley tracks in a darkened section near the Bartlett Junior High School.

Police of the Seventh and Carpenter streets station a few minutes before received an anonymous telephone call that "there's been a shooting at Eleventh and Catherine.” The caller hung up.

No One Sees Shooting

Homicide squad detectives under Acting Captain William C. Bugle rounded up a number of persons in the neighborhood but could locate no one who admitted he saw the shooting. That was what the police expected, for the section has been the scene of unsolved gang killings in the past.

Captain Engle admitted the possibility that Colozzi, may have been allied in some way with Jersey gamblers attempting to poach on Philadelphia territory,  and had met sudden death for that reason.

Though Captain Engle described the murdered man as a “cheap thief" he wouldn't deny the possible link to the threatened outbreak in a numbers war between rival operators as evidenced by the Klosterman shooting.

“I won't say there’s a tie up, and I won't say there's not” said Engle. “We can't tell, right now”.

Syndicate Under Way’

But the story told Captain Murphy, head of Philadelphia's vice squad, by a Camden man known to be a pal of Klosterman, put further credence in the rumored attempts at revision along the numbers front

The man Is Bickel of a hotel at Delaware Avenue and Market street, who yesterday was held in $1000 bail for a hearing next Tuesday by Magistrate Thomas Connor in Philadelphia’s central police court on suspicion of being connected with the numbers racket. He was picked up in Germantown.

Captain Murphy said Bickel admitted to him he was contacting various numbers writers for the purpose of having them pool their resources.

"He admitted verbally he had the names of several Philadelphia writers and that he was trying to line up the boys,” Murphy said. “He is trying to coerce them with a new numbers set-up. That will cause a revival of gang warfare”.

Although the murdered man was never known to have had theatrical connections police said he often boasted he was an entertainer in a New York cabaret. 

Brother of Philadelphia Cop

The body of Colozzi, brother of a Philadelphia policeman, was identified by the officers wife at the Pennsylvania Hospital, Eighth and Spruce Streets. Five bullets had penetrated his skull.

Police said Colozzi lived at 113 Westmont Avenue, Westmont, since his last release from prison, some time during September 1939.

He lived with his wife Rose and most of their eight children.

In Colozzi’s pocket, when a police ambulance arrived at the scene, was a card bearing his name and the Westmont address.

He was one of two brothers of John Colozzi, whose police record was said to be longer even than Joe’s, and is being sought.

Police of Haddon Township said Colozzi was known to them only as an "innocent” junk dealer, who plied his trade picking up old car parts in and around the section/

Colozzi's last brush with the law according to the Philadelphia police records, was last Spring when he was implicated in a dress robbery. He was freed in September after serving part of his sentence.

Meanwhile Camden city and county detectives continued their investigations into the pump gun shooting of Klosterman, who remained in critical condition at West Jersey Hospital.

Klosterman was shot down in front of his saloon at Mount Ephraim Avenue and Mechanic Street at 10:00 PM Sunday as he went to the street to drive his car to a garage. The would-be killer sped away. 

Seldom In Jail Long

Colozzi had run afoul of the law since early school days, but he often boasted that “with all the friends I got, I can't stay in jail long." He invariably managed to regain freedom, only to renew his jostles with police.

The stiffest sentence he ever got was on December 13, 1934 when Judge Frank F. Neutze sent him and an accomplice to state prison for robbing a coat factory at 7 South 3rd Street four months before.

          In passing sentence on the much arrested “Manayunk Joe”, Judge Neutze put aside pleas the prisoner was the father of eight children and sent him “up the river” for a term ox six to seven years.

          "You're a typical criminal and a menace to the public" Judge Neutze said in a searing rebuke. "A light sentence won't do you any good. Your record is one of the longest shown to me since l have been on the bench. You represent a type that is better off behind bars, for outside of prison you are a menace to the public. I’ll go the limit with you” 

Obtained Police Badge

But Colozzi merely nodded, apparently thinking of which “friend” he would call on this time to get him out.

Previously Joe had established a second-hand tire shop on the White Horse Pike at Lindenwold and escaped serious penalty as police held a continuous club over his head for suspected escapades.

On one occasion he diverted his talents to another “profession”- extortion. By some means he obtained a police badge in Clementon township. A few months later he and several other members of the police department were rounded up for wholesale extortion of money from motorists and truck drivers

Those were the day of Prohibition, and the White Horse Pike was a frequently used. Highway for passage of beer trucks between Philadelphia and Camden and Atlantic City and other sea shore points.

The extortion continued among other motorists most of them guilty of petty violations. There were times when Colozzi took “anything they had”, police said. 

35-Year Police Record

Colozzi’s police record dates back to1904, when as a a child of 12 he was committed to the Glen Mills, Pa. Home for Boys for petty larceny.  He served 19 months.

In 1909 he was given a two-month sentence In the Montgomery county .jail at Norristown PA, after another conviction for larcerny.

Then: followed a series of brushes with the law, with Colozzi landing behind bars a dozen times, but invariably obtaining freedom before the expiration of his term.

The record continues: 1914, committed to Philadelphia County Prison, larceny, three months;

In 1915, for receiving stolen goods, Eastern Penitentiary, four years and six months;

In 1919, at Newark, larceny, sentenced to two to seven months and pardoned in December, 1920.

A 10-year stretch followed during which his name failed to appear on police records. 

Acquitted of Charge

 In 1929, State Police of the Hammonton barracks arrested him for extortion, but he was acquitted in Camden County Criminal Court May 90, 1930.

In 1930 he was arrested in Trenton for breaking and entering and sentenced to a year and six months in Mercer County jail.

In 1933 he was taken in custody by the U.S. Marshal at Trenton. No disposition of the case is listed.

Later in 1933. he was arrested for Larceny in Philadelphia, and no record is known further of the case.

Later the same year Camden police arrested him for attempted larceny. No disposition.

In October 1933, he was jailed  by U. S. Marshals for violation of the Dyer Act, interstate transportation of a stolen auto, but was placed on five years’ probation.

In July. 1934 he was arrested in Camden for breaking and entering and in December of the same year was sentenced to six to seven years in State Prison.

The last time he appeared in local police records was less than a year ago, when he was arrested on a detainer for violation of federal parole and sent to Mercer County jail. A few days later he was freed.

 

Camden Courier-Post
February 22, 1942

Harry Benzuk
Alex Slucareck
Benjamin Simon
Harry Kyler

Gettysburg PA Times - October 6, 1943
Bombings Being Probed By FBI

Camden NJ, October 6 (AP)- The federal Bureau of Investigation took a hand Tuesday in the investigation of two bombings here early on Sunday.
      The first blast ripped the doors off the H.B. Wilson public school. The second wrecked the entrance to a poolroom in a different part of the city. They occurred about two hours apart.
      Detective Benjamin Simon said the FBI is working on the case because the school is headquarters for a draft board.
      "We are convinced that the bombings are the work of the same person or persons," he added "even though there appears to be no connection between the two."
       Simon said the bombs were of the home-made variety- sections of heavy pipe filled with black powder.  

Waterloo IA Daily Courier - February 29, 1948
INTEREST AROUSAL

Camden NJ (UP)- Detective Benjamin Simon had a personal interest in his investigation of the theft of three pistols from the gun shop of William Stein. Called on the case, Simon discovered that one of the missing weapons was his own. He left it there for re-bluing.

Camden Courier-Post
December 17, 1949

Leroy Snyder
Benjamin Simon
George Ellis
Richard H. Thompson
Cherry Street

Camden Courier-Post
December 10, 1956

Haddon House
Benjamin Simon
Kaighn Avenue
Douglas Tydeman
Vincent Wall
Theodore Wise
William Simon

 

 

 

 




Camden Courier-Post * May 7, 1958

E. George Aaron - Anthony C. Mitchell - Walter E. Rowand - Harry Kyler Sr. - John Stanton
Benjamin Simon - Samuel Corsella - Karl Friedrichs - Thomas P. Murphy - Marshall Thompson
Clifford Carr - William Thorn - Joseph Hooven Sr. - Joseph W. Cowgill - Anthony Skolski
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