Camden Courier-Post - June 25, 1933

BURGLAR IS ROUTED AS WOMAN SCREAMS
Grocer's Wife Aroused by Rustling of Paper in Her Bedroom

Aroused by the rustling of paper in her bedroom, Mrs. Mary Smith, of 1043 South Second Street, was awakened early yesterday to discover a. colored intruder standing over her bed.

The man fled as she screamed, escaping through a rear bedroom window in a room where her husband, Arthur, was asleep. Smith, who is a grocer, told police that on the previous Sunday his son, Leonard, had seen a man depart through his bedroom window ·on the second floor; and that about a year ago a wrist watch was stolen from under his pillow.

The thief yesterday obtained $10 and small change in a paper bag taken from a bureau drawer in Mrs. Smith's room. Smith has given the name of a suspect to Detectives Clifford Del Rossi and Leon Branch.

Mrs. Jennie Simone, of'529 South Second Street, reported to police that on returning to her home Saturday after a week's absence she found thieves had gained entrance through a rear window and taken a watch, brooch and wedding ring..

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

Camden Courier-Post - June 25, 1933

Barred From Swim, Boy, 11, Finds Wine And Gets Plastered
Johnny Has Stomach Pumped Out Prior to Questioning Today

Johnny, 11, couldn't go swimming yesterday so he got drunk.

. Johnny, who lives on Girard Place, was seen late yesterday by Mrs. Bella Cheek, of 708 South Eighth Street, staggering between two other boys in the rear of Line Street near Eighth Street. She notified police.

When Detective Clifford Del Rossi arrived Johnny's companions had disappeared but there was Johnny, "plastered."

When the stomach pump had been administered at Cooper Hospital, Johnny said he and his pals had found a bottle of wine. He didn't say where, but police will question him further when he feels better.

His mother told police he had wanted to go swimming but that she was afraid something would happen to him. It did.

Camden Courier-Post - June 26, 1933

WIFE SLAIN BY JAGGED GLASS, HUSBAND HELD
ACCIDENT HOAX BROKEN BY COPS AFTER GRILLING FAMILY; FRIEND
On Deathbed, She Orders 4 Children to Say She Fell on Stairs
COMMAND AROUSES CONCEALED DETECTIVES
Woman Slashed by Broken Decanter; Man Faces Murder Charge Today

A death-bed command of a South Camden mother to her four children to stick to their story failed of its motive last night and the woman's husband was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The charge will be changed today, police said, to one of murder.

"Say only what I say, that I fell down the steps."

Mrs. Philomena Marcozzi, 4l, died in West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital shortly after she made that remark; at 4 p.m. yesterday. She bled to death from a severe cut on her left arm.

At her bedside were her children, Josephine, 15; Ida, 13; Louise, 17, and David, 19.

Cops' Suspicions Aroused Nearby

Out of sight of the dying woman, stood Detectives Clifford Del Rossi and Fiore Troncone.

Their suspicions aroused, the sleuths renewed their investigation. As a result the woman's husband, Guilio Marcozzi, 55, of 321 Pine Street was put in the city jail last night, charged with the death of his wife.

Mrs. Marcozzi was cut with the jagged edge of a broken wine decanter, during an argument with her husband over the cleaning of some hardshelled crabs.

But it wasn't the children who said that.

A neighbor, Mrs. Ida Lupini, 31, of 311 Line Street, was in the Marcozzi home when the children returned Sunday night from a crabbing trip to Sea Side Heights. She told police, they declared, that she saw the children jubilantly deposit their catch on the kitchen table.     

Then she watched, alarmed and afraid to leave, as Marcozzi told his wife to "throw them out."

The wife refused.

The husband insisted, and when his wife told him he should clean the crabs, he grasped the wine decanter and struck the mother over the temple, Mrs. Lupini said.

Cut by Jagged 'Glass'

The decanter broke. Grasping the long, neck of the bottle, Marcozzi continued to attack his wife. He swung the jagged edge towards her breast, and to protect, herself she raised her arm.

The broken bottle cut deeply into her skin. An artery was severed.

Then the children rushed, the mother to West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital.

That is the story Mrs. Lupini told: according to Acting Chief of Police John W. Golden and Assistant Prosecutor Rocco Palese.

The mother told hospital attaches she fell down the steps of her, home, cutting her arm on the broken bits of a bottle she was carrying at the             time.    

The children, hearing this story, corroborated her.

Wife Dying- Man at Work

The father failed to appear at the hospital. Police were forced to get him at his work yesterday, according to Detective Joseph Carpani, when his wife was dying.

Last night he denied the crime. He said he was not at home when his wife suffered the fatal injury.

But his children, confronted with Mrs. Lupini's tale, broke down and confessed, according to police.

Eighteen hours of almost constant questioning of the Lupini woman by Detectives Carpani, Del Rossi and Troncone solved the tragedy. All three were complimented last night by Acting Police Chief John W. Golden.

 Residents along the 900 block on Howard Street were thrown into a turmoil at 9:15 a.m. yesterday by a reported shooting, after a woman, screaming for help, ran from her home and fainted on the street.

The police arrested Charles Bensley, 73, of 936 Howard Street, charged with threatening to kill Mrs. Anna Morgan, 55, of 934 Howard Street, and carrying  concealed deadly weapons.         

A few minutes later Police Judge Pancoast held Bensley without bail for the grand jury. He admitted having the pistol at the hearing, but. had denied possession of the weapon when first arrested.

"Were you going to shoot her?" the court asked.

"No,“ Bensley replied, "I don't know what made me do this, I think I'm half-crazy. I own the house and wanted to collect the rent or make her move."

When Motorcycle Patrolmen Russell Young and George Getley arrived in front of Bensley's home, 100 neighbors were crowding the street outside.

Bensley, they said, eluded them and ran out the front door after pretending to make for the back. He was grabbed by August Hasher, 41, of 217 Erie street, a bystander.

Meanwhile, a motorist had taken the unconscious Mrs. Morgan to Cooper Hospital when she fainted in front of. her home. She was questioned at the hospital by Detectives Clifford Del Rossi and George Zeitz.

The detectives quoted Mrs. Morgan all saying that Bensley, who owns the house in which she lives, came into her home this morning to talk about rent which was two months overdue.

"He asked me," she said, "if I had received a court notice to move, and I said I had, but was waiting for an eviction notice.

"Then he said, 'Well, I'm going to take the law in my own hands', and with that he pulled out a pistol and began brandishing it. I ran out the front door calling for help and then I fainted. That‘s all I remember."

Bensley admitted asking Mrs. Morgan to move out. The police found a 38-caliber revolver and a box of bullets hidden behind a rafter in the cellar of his home, they said.

2 More Held In Bogus Bill Passing Here
Man and Woman Believed to Have Fled as Pals Were Trapped

Coincident with police warnings throughout South Jersey for merchants to be on the look­out for spurious $10 and $1 bills, a man and woman were arrested in Philadelphia yesterday as suspected members of a ring flooding South Jersey with counterfeit notes.

Two others are under arrest, taken into custody Saturday night at Somerdale after they allegedly passed counterfeit $10 notes on three storekeepers. The two arrested yesterday have been identified as the man and woman who fled in an automobile when the other two were apprehended at Somerdale. All four are colored. A fourth man is being sought.

Meanwhile fake bills have ap­peared in Camden and Ocean City. Three spurious $1 bills were passed in Ocean City and a $1 and $10 bills in Camden.

Were Passing Tens

State police with the Berlin Barracks, who provided Philadelphia police with the clue resulting in the arrest of the man and woman, declared the four colored persons apparently devoted themselves to passing false tens.

The four are David and Estelle Mitchell, both of 623 South Seventeenth street, Philadelphia, arrested at that address yesterday; Carlton Hollen, 37, of 2519 West  Turner street, Philadelphia, and Thomas E. Sprinkles, 38, of Emlen Avenue, Lawnside.

All four will be arraigned here tomorrow morning before U. S. Commissioner Wynn Armstrong.

Alertness of Mrs. Bella Mitchell, storekeeper on Evesham avenue near a colored amusement park, and that of two Somerdale policemen, resulted in arrest of Hollen and Sprinkles.

Mrs. Mitchell called Police Recorder Edward C. Ziegler and Policeman Charles W. Rush, to examine a counterfeit bill which she said one of the group had given to her.

Man and 'Woman Flee

A few minutes later the party returned, and Zjegler and Rush attempted to arrest them. One man and the woman fled in an automobile while Ziegler pursued the other two men around the Mitchell home. One man escaped through a woods at the rear of the property, but Rush arrested Hollen.

Sprinkles, who had been seen with Hollen, was detained as a suspect.

In the meantime, a call to the Berlin state police barracks brought Troopers Sol Polkowitz and Nicholas Torrell, at whose suggestion the men were taken to the Berlin State police barracks and questioned. No counterfeit money was found on either man. Sprinkles was arrested after Trooper Torrell had found a wad of counterfeit $10 bills lying on the ground.

Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. Elizabeth Showell, Evesham Avenue, and Mrs. Gertrude Gross, Warwick road, identified Hollen as the man who had given them counterfeit bills, after having been introduced by Sprinkles. They identified Mitchell and the Jones woman at Philadelphia city hall. The prisoners were then turned over to the United States Department of Justice.

A teletype message sent out by Berlin state police, containing the license number of Mitchell's car, CV453, led Philadelphia detectives to Mitchell and his woman companion.

The four are being questioned by U. S. Department of Justice agents as to whether they circulated any of the false notes in Camden.

Cigar Dealer Duped

Detective Clifford Del Rossi, assigned to counterfeit activities in Camden, disclosed yesterday a spurious $10 note had been passed upon Charles Goldberg, cigar merchant at 433 Broadway, and that Goldberg was unaware of being duped until he had given the note to Detective John Schimer in exchange for scrip. Schimer learned of the bill’s spuriousness when he deposited at the Camden Safe Deposit and Trust Company with $20 in genuine money. Goldberg made good the note to Schimer.

One of the many counterfeit $1 bills being circulated found its way to the circulation department of the Courier-Post Newspapers. When compared to a genuine note the printing on the bill was indistinct. It was shorter by a quarter of an inch than the real issue and the outline of George Washington's face was dim. The bill was turned over to Camden police.

The three $1 bills passed in Ocean City, all of which are in hands of police there, were made with faulty engravings which depict Washington needing a haircut and with a front tooth protruding.

Two men arrested in Atlantic City yesterday as counterfeiters of half dollars were held for the U. S. grand jury last night by U. S. Commissioner Herbert Voorhees.

They are Theodore Osbern, 26, who gave his address as Richmond, Va., and William Carey, 27, of 315 Drexel avenue, Atlantic City. They were arrested by Constable A. H. Frankel at 500 North Tennessee Avenue after a man told him the two had sought his aid. Frankel said the men were starting to pour molten metal into molds when he arrived.

Camden Courier-Post - May 7, 1934

CAMDEN COURIER-POST

MAY 12, 1934

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CAMDEN COURIER-POST - MAY 19, 1934

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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 * October 12, 1934

Left: Thomas Cheeseman
Right: Vernon Jones

 By Charles L. Humes 

In a shakeup of Camden police officials yesterday afternoon Lieutenant Samuel E. Johnson was named acting chief of detectives by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety. 

Lieutenant George A. Ward, who has been in charge of the detective bureau for a year, was transferred to take Johnson's place in charge of headquarters. 

Detective Louis Shaw was made assistant to Johnson, replacing Detective Sergeant Gus Koerner. Koerner was transferred to the Second District, for radio car and street duty. The new order became effective at 4:00 PM yesterday                       

Police Chief Arthur Colsey announced the changes in the bureau after a two-hour conference with Commissioner Kobus yesterday afternoon. 

Maurice Di Nicuolo, who has been an acting detective, was transferred to the First Police District, with former Acting Detective Clifford Del Rossi returning to his old post in the detective bureau. 

In the only other transfer announced, Sergeant Harry Newton was switched from the First Police District to the Third, with Sergeant Edward Carroll going from the Third to the First. 

Although no other changes were made public, it is believed yesterday’s are a forerunner of numerous shifts to be made today or early next week.’ 

“These changes are being made for the good of the service,” Commissioner Kobus declared. “There will be other transfers of officers and men so that all the police may familiarize themselves with all the branches of the department.”

 Lieutenant Johnson was a appointed a policeman on January 1, 1910. After 10 years as a patrolman, he was promoted to a detective, where he made a splendid record. On November 28, 1928 he was made a sergeant, and again promoted on April 8, 1930, when he became a lieutenant.

 Ward was appointed a policeman on August 2, 1917, promoted to detective January 1, 1927, sergeant November 14, 1928 and lieutenant on January 24, 1930.

  Johnson was a detective sergeant when former Police Chief John W. Golden was head of that bureau, but later was transferred to police headquarters.

Ward has been in and out of the detective bureau several times. He served for a time as the commander of the First District and later was ion charge of the police headquarters on the 12:00 midnight to 8:00 AM shift. He was a political lieutenant of former Public Safety Director David S. Rhone.

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.

BOY HELD IN THEFTS REFUSES TO “SQUEAL”
Leads Sleuths to Loot Cache After Confessing Possession of Stolen Goods

 Foster G. Stickler, 16, of 825 Linden Street, arrested yesterday for allegedly robbing parked cars refused to reveal the name of a companion who aided him in the robberies, police said. .

The youth admitted another boy was with him but he refused to give his name.

"Nothing doing, I won't squawk," he told Detective Sergeant Clifford Del Rossi, Detective Donald Swissler and Patrolman John Ferry.

Patrolman Ferry took the youth into custody at Eighth and Linden streets, on a hunch, when he found a dozen automobile keys in the youth’s pockets.

Stickler was taken to police head quarters and booked "on suspicion for further investigation," where Del Rossi joined Patrolman Ferry in questioning Stickler. After about 20 minutes the youth admitted, according, to Del Rossi and Ferry, that a fountain pen in his possession was stolen.

Stickler also said he stole a woman's gold ring, a flashlight and a man's gold watch. He hid the flashlight and gave the watch to another boy to sell, police learned.

The two detectives and patrolman took the youth to his home where, according to Del Rossi, they found the flashlight.

Stickler then led the way to a lot in the rear of 813 Linden Street where he measured off two paces from a fence and then stepped off four paces in another direction, stooped and began digging in the soil with his hands.

He unearthed a man's watch valued at $60 and described by police as the one which the youth said he gave to a boy to sell. Nothing else was recovered from the "treasure hole."

Persons who have lost articles from their automobiles are requested to go to the detective bureau to see if they can identify the youth as having been around the machines.

Police said Stickler made a practice of watching parked cars.

Camden Courier-Post - February 11, 1938 

CANIO LORUSSO FETED ON HIS 73D BIRTHDAY

The family of Canio Lorusso, widely known South Camden resident, gathered at his home at 319 Stevens street last night at a birthday party given in his honor.

Lorusso was 73 yesterday. He has resided in this country 50 years and had conducted a saloon business now operated by his son at the 241 Stevens street address for almost 50 years. He is the father-in-law of Detective Sergeant Clifford Del Rossi.

Among those attending the party were two sons, Joseph and William Lorusso; five daughters, Mrs. Catherine Abate, Mrs. Angeline Romano Mrs. Margaret Del Rossi, Mrs. Beatrice Dandrea, and Mrs. Carmela Trancanna; 28 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Camden Courier-Post
July 28, 1941

Harry Kyler
Angel Kascaturos
Everybody's Lunch
Kaighn Avenue
Clifford Del Rossi

1950 Ernest Wolf

Camden Courier-Post
January 9, 1950

Clifford Del Rossi
August Pflederer
Haddon Avenue

Vincent Conley
Clifford Del Rossi
Gustav Koerner
Thomas Murphy
Woodley Snyder
Rachel Weiner
Kaighn Avenue
Wesley Zion A.M.E. Church
William Spearman
Julius Snyder

Camden Courier-Post
December 12, 1957

Camden Courier-Post
December 13, 1957

Fifteen retired Camden City policemen will be honored by the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Local 35, Wednesday night at the Police and Fire Club, 1175 Whitman Avenue.

Police Chief William H. Neale, will present awards. The awards will be gold retirement badges mounted in wallets. The men receiving them will have served 20 or more years.

According to Patrolman Robert Mentz, PBA secretary, this is the first time since 1960 that retirement badges have been presented. The ceremonies will follow the organization’s business meeting.

Awards will be made to: Edward Suski, Harry Cattell, Clifford DelRossi, Frank Gutherman, John Houston, Thomas Kauffman, William Stibi, Leon Feltz, Russell Young, Henry Leutz, George Ellis, Everett Joslin, Ralph Cline, John Kaighn and former Chief Gustav Koerner.