Samuel
E.
Johnson

SAMUEL E. JOHNSON was born in 1879 in Pennsylvania. He began service with the Camden Police Department on April 19, 1910, and served 40 years before applying for his pension in July of 1950. He retired the following month. 

Samuel Johnson served as an Officer until 1920, when he was promoted to detective. At the time of the 1920 census, he was living at 526 North Front Street with wife Fredericka (Freda), daughter Mildred, 17, and mother-in-law Clara Staron. The Johnsons were still at that address in April of 1930, when the census was retaken. Samuel Johnson was elevated to sergeant in 1928, and lieutenant, in 1930. In 1942 he was raised to Captain by the Public Safety Director Mary Walsh Kobus. Captain Johnson was named acting police chief from December of 1947, replacing George E. Frost. Samuel Johnson served as acting chief for two years, when he was relieved by Gustav Koerner in  December of 1949. 

By 1947 Samuel and Freda Johnson had moved to 211 Elm Street. He applied for his pension in July of 1950, a mandatory retirement at 65 law having been passed covering police and firemen. His last day on the police force was August 31, 1950, when he retired along with Captain John T. Garrity, Detective Frank Crawford, and Patrolman Harry Stahl.

On April 3, 1954 a banquet was held at Kenney's restaurant on Market Street in honor of retiring Camden Police Department detective August Pfleiderer. Joseph Mardino chaired the committee which put the banquet together. Other members of the committee include Clifford Carr, Harry Tracy, George Ellis, Nathaniel Jones, James Mulligan, Russell Maurer, Samuel E. Johnson, Edward C. Garrity, Frank H. Ryan, James M. O'Neill, Stephen M. O'Keefe, Edward J. Quinlan and Joseph Webster.

Samuel E. Johnson died at his home at 211 Elm Street, Camden on March 14, 1962 and was buried at Harleigh Cemetery on March 17. He was survived by three sisters and two grandchildren.

Philadelphia Inquirer
October 15, 1922

William Schregler - Samuel Johnson
Ethel Griffen - John Mabe

ROBBERS TAKE JEWELRY
Man Returns to Elm Street Home to Find Thieves had Jimmied Window

When Joseph Verneeren returned to his home at 221 Elm Street last night, he discovered thieves had taken jewelry and money. 

A diamond ring and a $300, a wrist-watch worth $35 and $7 in money had been taken, Verneeren told the detective bureau. 

City Detective Samuel Johnson found that entrance had been gained by jimmying a side window. Johnson said he believed the robbery was the work of the same gang who had been pulling off petty thefts in the neighborhood for the past few weeks .

David Hunt - Thomas Cheeseman - Walter Smith - Rox Saponare
John W. Golden - Howard Pike Samuel Johnson - Lewis Stehr
William Beottcher - George Ward - Louis Shaw - Frank Malec
Lawrence T. Doran - Samuel P. Orlando -  Louis Shectman
Mrs. Mary Brown - Polack Joe Deven - Frank Smith - Walter Selby
Walter Wartmann - Charles Foulk - Mrs. Edward McGrath
Father John J. Henry - Joseph "Mose" Flannery"  
Joseph Moll - James Bonner  William Bonner  - James L. Hawkins
Walter Novak - Joseph Novak - Garfield Del Duca - Eugene Murphy 
Russell Sage - Patrick Driscoll - Joseph "Cuzzy" Scarduzio

September 18, 1928

Camden Courier-Post 
April 29, 1929

John Doris - Joseph O'Connor - American Restaurant - Kaighn Avenue

Camden Courier-Post * April 29, 1929

John Doris - Frank Doris - Joseph O'Connor aka Joseph Connors - Broadway - Kaighn Avenue

Russell Sage - Mechanic Street - James "Jimmie" Toland - Nonpariel Club
Charles Riehm - Haddon Avenue - William Kelly aka Leo Morton - Van Hook Street
Harry Selah - South 3rd Street - William J. Merrick - Liberty Street - Lorenzo Cole - Jefferson Avenue
Ernest Matsios - Leo McKenna - Mt. Vernon Street - United Shoe Repair - Amber Street

Frank T. Lloyd Sr.
David S. Rhone
Rocco Palese
Lawrence T. Doran

Camden Courier-Post * January 25, 1930

Walter Welch

Ralph Bakley

Charles Laib

* Samuel Johnson was erroneously named "Thompson" in the above article

Camden Courier-Post * December 31, 1932

  Nathan Petit - Roy R. Stewart - A. Lincoln James - Samuel Johnson - Charles Laib
Frederick Watson - William Boettcher - Thomas Stanger - George Ward - George Frost - Louis Shaw Thomas J. Murphy - William Robertson

FAULTY ALARM CAUSES BANK ROBBERY SCARE

A crossed wire in the Camden Safe Deposit & Trust Company's burglar alarm system caused a bank robbery scare for a few minutes yesterday afternoon.

At 2.28 p. m., the alarm connecting the bank, at Broadway and Market Street, with police headquarters, sounded, Lieutenant Samuel Johnson immediately communicated with, every patrolmen and motorcycle policeman available in the business section.

A horde of bluecoats descended upon the bank, but found a prevailing calm. No one, either in the bank or outside, knew what was wrong. There had been no holdup and no one had touched off the alarm.

Bank officials said they had been having some trouble with the alarm system, and they laid the false warning to a crossed wire. 

POLICE FORCE POLITICS BANNED COMMISSIONER KOBUS DECLARES
Calls for 100% Efficiency and Promises Square Deal
 for All in Talk to Commanders; Stresses Fact Colsey is Chief

 “I want 100% efficient police department and not a political machine.”

 Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, new director of public safety, made that declaration yesterday afternoon at a joint police-press conference in her office at city hall before she was served with a writ restraining her from taking that office.

 Commissioner Kobus was the kindly mother talking to her “boys” for the most of the conference- but at times she became the stern parent-  with the birchrod in the cupboard- as she instructed the police heads to “divorce themselves from politics.”

 “For many years I have nursed in my heart a desire to see Camden with a 100% efficient police department”, the commissioner said. “Now that time is at hand.”

 “I have known all of you men for many years,” she told the assembled commanders, “and I don’t care what your respective political affiliations might be. You have a right to you opinions, but I want the police department to divorce itself from politics.

 . “You must know what is going on in your city and you must let me know. I must have 100 percent cooperation if I am to succeed in this new undertaking. 

“If you have any complaints, don’t go around and growl, undermining the department. Lay your cards on the table, I guarantee you a fair deal.

 “Chief Colsey is head of the police department and not in name only. You others in the rank you occupy are also commanders in fact and not in name. It is up to you.”

 The commissioner urged a closer co-operation between police and the press and concluded by saying she wanted her “family” to be honest-to-goodness policemen “because there is no room in the department for those who are not.”

 Attending the conference was Chief Arthur Colsey, Lieutenant Herbert Anderson, chief clerk of the bureau; Lieutenants George Frost, Ralph Bakley, Walter Welch, Samuel E. Johnson and George Ward.

 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.

Camden Courier-Post * January 4, 1936

Camden Courier-Post - January 18, 1949

SIGNING ON AS a new patrolman is William Bennett, 27, of 313 North Eleventh street. Watching are Director of Public Safety Rhone, Police Judge DiMona, and Police Chief Johnson. New officers, grouped from left to right, are James J. Large, William J. Miller, William C. Lewis, Edward W. Campbell, Carmin J. Fuscellaro, Charles W. Richards, Robert J. Kelly, and Franciesco Senatore. 

Camden Courier-Post * November 29, 1949

NAMED CHIEF of the Camden police department today, Captain‘Gustav Koerner, a 26-year veteran of the department and one time baseball player, is shown receiving the congratulations of Public Safety Director Aaron. A native of Camden, Chief Koerner succeeds George W. Frost, who resigned Jan. 1, 1948. Captain Samuel Johnson had been acting chief since then.

Gustav A. Koerner - George W. Frost
E. George Aaron - Mary MacClennan 
John Garrity - Walter Mattison
Albert Cornog - Edward Carroll
Samuel Johnson - Walter Rowand
Frank Call - George Brunner
Angelo Malandra - James J. Mulligan
Bart A. Sheehan - Nathaniel Petit
David S. Rhone - Mitchell Cohen
Charles T. Humes

Samuel E. Johnson
Elm Street
William Cahill
William Neale