HERBERT BOTT was born in New Jersey around 1887. As a young man he belonged to the Aquinas Club, a social club that many young men from North Camden belonged to in the years prior to World War I.

Herbert Bott married his wife Elinor at 18, and eventually obtained work with the Camden Police Department. Respected by his fellow officers, Officer Bott was one of three Camden policemen selected by the fellow officers to attend the State Convention of the Patrolman's Benevolent Association in Atlantic City in 1928.

In April of 1930, when the census was taken, Herbert and Elinor Bott owned a home at 118 Vine Street in North Camden. He had been promoted to Sergeant by June of 1939, and had also been serving as Acting Lieutenant in January of 1938..

By 1947 Herbert Bott had left the police force. He still lived at 118 Vine Street, and was working as a repairman.

Camden Courier-Post - March 29, 1930

300 POLICE OFFICIALS OF STATE MEET HERE
78 Departments Represented at Benevolent Association Session

More than 300 state officers and delegates representing 78 New Jersey police departments were present yesterday at a meeting of the State Patrolmen's Benevolent Association at Tenth Street and Kaighn Avenue yesterday.

All state officers were present at the afternoon meeting, including State President Dennis Byrne, of New Brunswick; First Vice President Henry Miller, of Rahway; Second Vice president, August Harasdzira, of Garfield; Recording Secretary Michael McKeever, of Trenton; Financial Secretary Thomas Higgins, of West Orange, and State Treasurer William Mallon, of West New York.

Police work used in various cities was discussed. Plans were made for the state convention in Wildwood September 14, 15 and 16. Everett Joslin, Herbert Bott and George Weber were named local delegates to represent the local union, No. 35 at the Wildwood convention.

Chief of Police Lewis H. Stehr welcomed the delegates. A telegram of welcome was read from Director of Public Safety David S. Rhone, who is in Washington.

The committee in charge of yesterday's meeting consisted of Clifford Flenard, president of Local No. 35; Stanley Wirtz, Edward Cahill, Frank Wilmot, John McTaggart, James McTaggart and Howard Henery .

Camden Courier-Post - February 6, 1933

BANDIT'S BULLET HALTS PURSUERS
Two Youths Escape After Robbing North Camden Grocery Store

A bullet whizzing past them caused several men to cease pursuit of two bandits on Elm street near Ninth Saturday night after the pair had obtained $18.75 in the holdup of a grocery store proprietor at 841 Elm Street.

The victim was Herman Kacmowitz, whose store was broken into and robbed twice recently. Kacmowitz said the two youths, about 17 years old, entered and asked for candy. When he started to get it, one pointed a pistol at him and demanded that he "stick 'em up."

While the one "covered" him the with the weapon, the other robbed the cash register. As they fled, Kacmowitz ran after them screaming. His alarm attracted the attention of several men passing, who started in pursuit of the bandits east on Elm street. One fired a pistol, however, and the men abandoned the chase.

The youths were about five feet five, Kacmowitz said, and wore gray caps. One had a dark gray overcoat and the other's was a light gray.

Detectives Joseph Carpani and Sylvester McGrath are investigating.

A purse-snatching and theft of a leather bag from an automobile also were reported to police. The theft of brass and copper fittings also is under investigation with a 17-year-old youth under arrest.

Anna Whiteman, 16, 1606 Pershing Street, reported that two boys, about 15, snatched her purse containing $1 while she walked with a companion, Ada Hans, 16, of 1342 Lansdowne Avenue, on Lansdowne near Norris Street. She pursued the boys but was compelled to give up the chase when she slipped and fell.

A black leather bag was stolen from the car of Frank Grotaski, of Cape May, parked Saturday night at Fifth and Arch Streets. The door of the car was forced open. The empty bag, minus clothes and letters it had contained, was found later by two boys in an alley on South Sixth street, near Stevens.

At liberty, under $500 bail, George Dotterer, 17, of 928 North Twenty-fourth street, is charged with larceny, although the brass and copper fittings he is suspected of stealing have not been identified as to ownership.

Dotterer was arrested by Patrolman Herbert Botts when the youth asked for aid in recovery of the fittings from a junk man to whom he had "sold" the goods. He said the man, George Elliott, of Twenty-fourth and Pierce avenue, kept the fittings and refused to pay him.

Botts presumed after examining the fittings "they could not have been picked up as junk" and arrested the youth in the belief they had been stolen from the Pavonia railroad shops. Detective Sergeant Joseph Tully declared the fittings had not been stolen from the shops. The boy is to face Police Judge Garfield Pancoast this morning.

Camden Courier-Post - February 9, 1933

COPS AND FIREMEN WILL ELECT TODAY
Herbert Bott Is Unopposed for Presidency of Camden Association

The Camden Police and Firemen's Association will hold election of officers today at its headquarters, 1175 Whitman Avenue, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Herbert Bott is unopposed for re-election as president. William Thorn is unopposed to replace Richard Middleton for financial secretary and Walter Vecander is unopposed for the new post of assistant financial secretary. All these are police officers.

The police trustees will be named from the following nine candidates: William Marter, George Ward, William Britner, Joseph Shreeve, William Schriber, Joseph Mardino, Joseph Dunnett, Leon Feltz and Russell Young. Two police sergeant-at-arms will be chosen from among Stanley Wirtz, Harry Cattell, Joseph Schultz and George Clayton.

Three candidates are seeking the post of vice president, which goes to a fireman. They are William Spencer, Charles Edwards and Albert Dukes. Warren Rich, a fireman, is slated to succeed himself as recording secretary and Winfield Leviseur is unopposed for the new post of assistant recording secretary, which goes to a fireman.

Four fireman trustees will be chosen from ten candidates. They are Charles Cook, Henry Baumgartel, Walter Eastlack, Arthur Batten, William Getner, William Toy, Lawrence Newton, James Young, Russell Anderson and William Taylor. Three firemen are seeking two posts as sergeants-at-arms. They are William Judge, John Mulligan and Furman Price.

Camden Courier-Post - February 10, 1933

BOTT CHOSEN HEAD OF POLICEMEN, FIREMEN
Spencer Wins 3-Corner Fight for Vice-President of Association

Lauded by the members for his splendid work in behalf of the club, Herbert Bott, a patrolman attached to the Third Police District, last night was re-elected president of the Camden Police and Firemen's Association.

The praise was heaped upon the patrolman following announcement that he had received 107 of 110 votes cast in yesterday's balloting. He was unopposed for reelection.

In a three-cornered fight, William Spencer, a fireman, was elected vice president of the association. He received 73 votes. His opponents were Charles Edwards, given 12 votes, and Albert Dukes, 18 votes. Both are firemen.

Others unopposed for office were: William Thorn, financial secretary; Walter Vecander, assistant financial secretary; Warren Rich, recording secretary, and Winfield Leviseur, assistant recording secretary. The last two are firemen while the first two are policemen.

Lieutenant George Ward, Patrolman William Marter, and Firemen William Taylor, William Getner, James Young and Lawrence Newton were elected to the board of trustees.

Sergeants-at-arms named were Stanley Wirtz and George Clayton, police, and William Judge and John Mulligan, firemen. All had opposition.

After the ballots had been counted William H. Iszard, former assemblyman, appeared on behalf of the Elks Crippled Kiddies Committee, and asked police to support the wrestling show to be staged by that group February 13..

Camden Courier-Post - May 14, 1934

Camden Courier-Post - August 31, 1936

Camden Courier-Post - February 4, 1938

City Police Praised at Fete
Honoring Acting Lieutenant Bott

Camden police and firemen gathered last night to pay honor to Acting Lieutenant Herbert Bott, retiring president of the Policemen and Firemen's Association, heard their highest superiors make these statements:

Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of Public Safety, declared she had heard stories about the policemen "taking" but that she wanted to say "that the entire force was honest and she was proud to say that it was as good, as honest and efficient as any in. the United States."

Mayor George E. Brunner asserted "the city had gone to ____ before the three New Deal commissioners took charge, and they had brought order out of chaos, collected taxes so thoroughly that on January 1, 1939, the policemen and firemen will be given back the last five percent reduction that had been made in their pay."

Bott, who has been at the head of the association for the past five years, retires because, as he stated, he felt he could not give such service as he felt he had rendered in the past. The affair was held at Kenney's and the ranking officials of the police and fire departments were on hand, together with guests from other parts of the state.

LIEUT. HERBERT BOTT who quit as president of the Camden Policemen and Firemen's Association after five years' service, and who was feted at Kenney's last night and presented with cash donations.

Wallace Lauds Men

Bruce A. Wallace was toastmaster, and he emphasized the remarks of Commissioner Kobus as to "the honesty of the men."

"When you got that 30 percent reduction in pay,” said Wallace, "I know how you came to my office, worrying about how you would meet your building and loans, how you would pay various debts that you owed, and I know that some of you even gave up your homes, because you couldn't afford to pay for them longer. That would never have happened if you were doing any 'put and-take stuff'."

Mrs. Kobus started with a tribute to Bott, for his own efficiency as a policeman and his fighting qualities as shown in the battles he made for his brother policemen.

“I knew Herb Bott," she said, "before I got into the department but once in there my sweet dream changed to a nightmare, because every day Bott was there with a delegation wanting something done for the policemen, or asking that something be not done to them.

"We have gone through stormy times together, through strikes and labor troubles and of course I have always found out, through others, naturally that 'the police are always wrong.' I have told the employers where they were wrong, and told the strikers that the police could not have abused them or wronged them because they belonged to an association of their own, fighting for the things that the policemen and the firemen felt that they wanted.

Citizens Gave Praise

"I hadn't been four weeks in the department before I thought everybody in Camden was affected by 'letter writingitis.' But after four weeks the other kind of letters began to come in, and the police were being given the credit which they had deserved and which they had won for themselves.

"And the longer I am in the department the prouder I am of the police and the fire departments of the city of Camden. I am proud of every policeman and of every fireman in both departments. I have been out at·1.30 a. m. and heard a call come for the car in which I was riding, and in one minute and a half that car was at the scene, in two minutes there was another and in four minutes a half a dozen cars had appeared on the scene.

"I want to say for the men of the police department that nowhere in the United States is there a more honest or more faithful group of men.

"I hear a lot of talk about policemen, I hear lots of talk of how they are 'taking,' but I also want to say that I haven't found one yet who wasn't honest and to prove it crime today in Camden is at its lowest ebb.

"Crime today in Camden has been lowered 40 to 60 percent, and I say to anybody who wants to know that you couldn't have had this condition unless Camden was guarded by an honest, efficient police department.

"That crime in Camden is at its lowest ebb is due entirely to the vigilance of the police department, and to its loyalty to duty. I want to pay tribute to Chief Colsey, to Babe Clayton, to Herb Bott and the other officers of the department for having the police department where it can be proudly acclaimed as without a superior in the whole United States."

Mayor Brunner, after paying his tribute to a personal friend, Herb Bott, declared "Mrs. Kobus is your superior but I'm the man who has to find the money to pay you. And that hasn't been any easy job, I can tell you, as the tax collector's job in any community is a tough one."

"I want to say that things in Camden have gone to ___ in the past, and until the three New Deal Commissioners took charge of affairs, things continued in just that manner. And that we have given an honest, efficient administration is the thought of the average citizen of Camden today.

Promises Pay Restoration

"When we first came into power the people thought they had to pay no taxes. I say now that we have collected the taxes as they should have been collected in the past and as they will be collected in the future.

"Camden doesn't need any new taxes. We have been successful in collecting the taxes because we made those who could pay to pay. The men we put in front, for the first collection of taxes, were the politicians who thought they stood in a favored group and could get away with it.

"I want to assure you policemen that on January 1, 1939, I feel sure that we'll be able to give you back the last five percent that we had to take from you, when things were left in such a shape for us that we could not do anything else.

"People are responding to our tax collections, and the people feel that we are giving them 100 cents for a dollar and that's the reason.

"We have no favorites on the tax rolls. We saw to it that the politicians headed the list of those who were the first to pay, and we've given the little fellow a chance. We've let him pay by the week, or the month or anyway that would suit him best, because we believe that the little fellow is entitled to his own homestead, and we're going to see that he keeps it, but those who can afford to pay and wont are going to be made to pay."

Carlton W. Rowand related that his father, a former police official, had recently, told his son that "the police department today was the best in the history of Camden,"

Surrogate Frank B. Hanna also added his tribute to the department and to the guest of honor.

"The spirit of the police department”, Hanna said, "is shown to no better advantage than in the manner your association aids the underprivileged children of this city. I know, too, that whenever a committee is formed for a job to be done for the men in the department, Herb Bott jumps into action and does his level best for his associates.”

N. J. Crime Bill 10 Millions

Harry B. Gourley, of Paterson, president of the State Police Beneficial Association, declared that crime was costing the state of New Jersey $10,000,000 every year, and that the crime bill of the nation was more than $15,000,000,000.

He asked co-operation in crime prevention and declared that "any attempt to break down the morale of the police was wrong, and the way in which it was easiest broken down was when you dip into the pay check."

He cited numerous instances of the heroism of the policemen, and asked that every citizen stand squarely behind the men in the matter of pensions.

Commissioner Harold W. Bennett also lauded the guest and the police department, as did Harry Wilkers, who succeeds Bott as president of the association and Robert Wonstetler, who becomes delegate to the state convention to replace Bott.

Mrs. Emma Shriver, retiring president of the Ladies Auxiliary, presented Bott with a check, while Wallace gave him the gift of his associates, 50 silver dollars. Mrs. Bott was remembered with flowers.

Willard Schriver was chairman of the committee having the dinner in charge, and associated with him were Charles Cook, Arthur Batten, Maurice F. O'Brien, William Marter, Edward Leonard, Mrs. Schriver, Mrs. Anna Gleason and Mrs. William McGrath.

Camden Courier-Post * June 1, 1939

Group Disbanded 25 Years Ago;
Old Members to Meet at Dinner

A reunion-dinner of members of the old Aquinas Club, disbanded nearly 25 years ago, will be held during the latter part of June, Pasquale Iarossi, committee chairman, announced.

With Iarossi, widely-known North Camden barber, as the active worker in plans for the reunion, nearly 40 of the old members have signified their intentions of attending.

The dinner reunion will be held at Tom Kenney's restaurant at 531 Market Street. Other members who expect to join in the reunion, are asked to communicate with Iarossi at Third and Elm Streets.

Some of the charter members who have been reached and are expected to attend the reunion dinner are:

Tom Kenney, former Freeholder Samuel D. Payne, Police Sergeant Herbert Bott, William H. White, former secretary-treasurer of the Camden Housing Authority Charles (Homo) Marion.

Deputy Fire Chief William Harring, Freeholder John Daly, Pat and Louis Iarossi, Edward Bihn, Frank Cavallo, Joseph German, William Easterbrook, Walter Stevens, Carl Glendening, Herbert Schaefer, Bert Morris, Phillip Gorman, Joseph Loeffler, Pete Walker, Joseph Wells, Joseph Jones, Benjamin Taylor.

William (Chick) Simon, James Daly, Frank Bott, Hartley Pike, William Sayres, William Floagus, Dan McConnell, Walter McEntee, Sam Molineaux, William McCormick, Samuel Harring, Dan Market, Gerald Garner, John Molineaux, William Kistner, Alex Urban, William Brandt, H. Hambach, Roy Breitenstein, John Plum, Charles Berry, George Demellion, and L. Harter.

Camden Courier-Post * December 13, 1939

George Clayton - Edward Middleton - William Dolan - John B. Stanton - George Frost - Edward Carroll
Walter S. Mattison - Albert Cornog - Ralph Bakley - John Garrity - Joseph Mardino
Herbert Bott - Edward P. Leonard Sr.

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - JANUARY 8, 1938

Mary Kobus - Arthur Colsey - Ralph Bakley - Herbert Bott - Louis Shaw John Skolski - George Frost - Walter Welch - Nathan Pettit - Frank Evans Gus Koerner - Edward Hahn - Harry Newton