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CLIFFORD CARR was born in Pennsylvania on December 19, 1893. Hs served for many years as a detective with the Camden Police Department, joining the force on July 1, 1928. The 1930 census shows that Clifford Carr had married and was living at 712 Royden Street in South Camden. His wife Katherine was several years his senior, and her two adult daughters from a previous marriage lived with them, as did his brother, William Carr, a clerk for the Pennsylvania Railroad. By 1947 Clifford Carr had been promoted to Sergeant and was still serving with the Detective Bureau on Camden's police force. He still lived at 712 Royden Street, with his wife and brother. Clifford Carr moved after 1947 to 1210 North Octagon Road in the Fairview section of Camden, where he resided until his death. Clifford Carr died on September 15, 1967. |
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Camden Courier-Post - October 16,1931 |
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'FORGOTTEN' HOLDUP RECALLED IN CAPTURE OF FIFTH AS BANDIT Police last night cleaned up an old case of highway robbery that occurred at Second and Mt. Vernon Streets last August when Edward A. Turner, 48, of 1104 Cresson Street, was robbed of his watch, chain and knife. At the time of the hold-up, Turner told police there were four or five colored men in the robbery. Detectives Robert Ward and Clifford Carr arrested Earl Bundy, 17, of 819 Sycamore Street, who they said had the articles in his possession; also Charles Wing, 17, of 1012 Francis Street; Sherman Smith, 17, of 161 Ivins Street and William Jackman, 16, of 152 Sycamore Street. The last three pleaded guilty and were sentenced to Rahway Reformatory by Judge Samuel Shay. Bundy pleaded not guilty and was lodged in the local jail. Last night Ward and Carr with Patrolman Luke captured Oscar Moore, 19, of 135 Mt. Vernon Street as the fifth bandit. He will be held without bail on the same charge as the others.. |
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Camden Courier-Post - October 26,1931 |
Four
Suspects Caught as Series of Weekend Robberies Keep Police Busy 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 TheftWhen 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 17, 1933 |
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STORES, HOMES LOOTED; RADIO, PENNIES TAKEN Burglars who broke into two stores and a private home Thursday night got exactly $2.50, a radio, and some cigars for their trouble. At the store of Basile Constantine, 402 Berkley Street, cigars valued at $1.50 were stolen by the intruders, who forced a rear shutter. Michael Kelly, of 11 South Fourth Street, reported his store was broken Into and $2.50 in pennies stolen. Entrance was gained through a rear window. James Hayes, of 1287 Decatur Street, told the police his radio set was stolen by the thieves after they entered his house through a rear window. Detectives Clarence Arthur and Clifford Carr are investigating.. |
| Camden Courier-Post - June 19, 1933 |
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Pancoast Proves 3.2 ·Beer Did Not Make Man Tipsy Police Judge Pancoast is firmly convinced that 3.2 beer is not intoxicating. He emphatically expressed himself so to George Shuts, 34, of 410 Birch Street, Saturday when Shuts, who was charged with drunkenness, said he had been drinking beer. Detective Clifford Carr said he found the man "down and out." "You never got in the condition in which you were found by drinking 3.2 beer," the court said. "Right now in New York there is a drinking contest being waged in which the contestants have been drinking a bottle of beer every 15 minutes for the past two weeks and they are not drunk yet." Shuts then admitted that he had "a few liquors" on top of the beer. "1 thought so," Judge Pancoast said. "The man who be comes intoxicated on the new beer is either very weak physically or very imaginative mentally." He suspended sentence on Shuts with the admonition to "stick to the 3.2". |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 22, 1933 |
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Boys Smash Desks In Camden School But Take Nothing Hiding in the
H. B. Wilson
School, Ninth and
Florence streets, until a Parent-Teacher Association meeting was over and the school locked for the Lawrence Miller, of 814 Florence street, janitor, reported the incident to police yesterday. Detective
Clifford Carr after an inspection
of the school |
| Camden Courier-Post - June 25, 1933 |
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MAN JAILED 3 MONTHS IN THEFT OF WATCH Charged, with the larceny of a watch belonging to Albert L. Hawkins, of Collingswood; John H. Evans, 64, of 2117 Sherman Avenue, was sentenced to three months in jail Saturday by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast. Hawkins, who is a painter, said he was at work Thursday on the second floor of a vacant house at 805 Cooper Street, when he saw a man come in and take the watch from his trousers, which he had left downstairs. Hawkins recognized Evans' picture in the rogues gallery and police arrested the man. Detective Clifford Carr testified Evans has been arrested a number of times on larceny charges. |
| Camden Courier-Post - June 25, 1933 |
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2 JAILED FOR BEGGING MONEY FROM AUTOISTS Charged with being drunk and disorderly, James Kelly, 34, of 324 Penn Street, and Charles Murphy, 59, of 423 Stevens Street, were each sentenced to 60 days in jail Saturday by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast. They were arrested at Eleventh and Linden streets yesterday on complaint of motorists who said the men would wait until a red light flashed and then walk into the street and ask for money. |
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Camden Courier-Post - August 11, 1933 |
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Illness
Drives Merchant
to Take His Life Despondent over a prolonged illness, Isaac Greenstein, 50, of 411 Broadway, proprietor of a men's clothing store at that address, committed suicide last night by inhaling gas. Greenstein was found slumped over a gas range in the kitchen of his home when his daughter Rose, 18, returned home at 6:30 p. m. All jets were open. The girl rushed out and notified neighbors, who apprised police. Greenstein was taken to Cooper Hospital in the Second police district patrol. Greenstein,
whose wife Sophia was in Atlantic City, left two notes, one addressed to
his family, asking their forgiveness and the other asking that
a brother, A. Greenstein of 949 North Franklin Street, be notified. The
notes were found on a table by Detective Clifford
Carr,
who declared Greenstein has suffered from a stomach disorder for years. The
note addressed to his family follows:
"Do
not blame anybody for my deed. My terrible suffering compelled me to
make an end to my unbearable life. Goodbye, my dear, good, faithful and
affectionate wife. Goodbye, my dear and unfortunate children. Fate has
been very ugly and cruel to me. The only thing left for me to do is get
rid of my suffering. Please, good people, be good to my unfortunate
family." |
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Camden Courier-Post - August 11, 1933 |
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WILLIAM
NECE DIES William B. Nece, 50, of 30 Strawbridge avenue, Westmont, was found dead last night at the wheel of his automobile, parked near Fourth and Penn Streets. Death was attributed to a heart attack by Coroner Benjamin R. Denny, who will perform a postmortem at Cooper Hospital today. Nece was the proprietor of the Camden Elbow Company, roofing supply house at 420 South Fifth street. He is married and is survived by his widow, Mrs. Lotta Nece. Detective Clifford Carr said Nece has been taking treatments lately at the offices of Dr. C. B. Scheffer for a heart condition. |
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Camden Courier-Post - September 2, 1935 |
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Youthful
Bandit Stages Quiet Holdup at Broadway Drug Store; Gets $50 The
Nevins Drug Company, 1124 Broadway
was robbed of $50 Saturday by a youthful bandit who forced a clerk to
hand over the contents of the register while a customer unsuspectingly
sat in a booth a few feet away. Edward
Malikoff, 19, of 58240 Malvern Street, Philadelphia, an employee, told
police a "customer" approached the drug counter shortly tar
8.30 p. m. A patron was eating ice cream in a nearby booth, Malikoff
said. The
Intruder, Malikoff told police, whipped an object which "looked
like a pistol" from his pocket, pointed it at him, and ordered him
to band over the money in the cash drawer. Malikoff
said he obeyed. The bandit then swiftly walked away, and disappeared In
the Saturday night crowd of shoppers. Be was gone, according to the
clerk, before an outcry could be raised. The bandit was described to police as 5 feet 9 inches tall, about 23, with dark curly hair. He was hatless and was dressed in a. brown suit. Detectives Clifford Carr and Delaware Palmer are investigating. |
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Camden Courier-Post - February 29, 1936 |
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FATHER FINDS DAUGHTER VICTIM OF GAS FUMES Miss
Viola Kester, 32, was found dead by her father in the bathroom of her
home at 1214 North Thirty-third Street at 11 :30 a. m. yesterday.
Illuminating gas was flowing from a hose. Cracks around the door had
been stuffed with paper. Police described the case as one of
suicide. The
woman's father, William, 55, told Acting Detective Sergeant Joseph
Carpani,
Detective Clifford
Carr
and Coroner Charles G. Jackson that his daughter had been brooding
over the death of her mother, last July, and also the death of an
aunt, in October. The father, who is unemployed, told police that when he left the house his daughter was apparently all right. |
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Camden Courier-Post - March 17, 1936 |
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'JOEY'
POWELL REARRESTED AS COUNTY
OPENS
HOLDUP
PROBE Joseph
"Joey" Powell, former boxer who was arrested by city police in
connection with a South Camden holdup and subsequently released, was
rearrested by county detectives last night. Powell
was taken into custody on orders of Prosecutor Samuel
P. Orlando,
who also ordered the arrest of a second suspect. Camden police turned the case over to the prosecutor's
office after the arraignment of Walter Lewandowski, who was caught in
a police trap Friday night as he allegedly attempted to steal a $800
payroll
at the Eavenson
& Levering Company's
plant at Fourth Street and Ferry
Avenue.
He formerly was
employed
there. Two Others Implicated Lewandowski implicated Powell, 25,
of
46 Woodland Avenue, and Leonard Rogalski, 20, of 1219 South Tenth
Street, in a plot to steal the payroll, according to Police Chief Arthur
Colsey.
Powell thereupon was taken into custody and questioned,
then, according to Colsey, he was released temporarily, in his own recognizance,
pending further investigation. Rogalski was not arrested until County
Detectives James Wren and Casimir
Wojtkowiak took him in last night. The same detectives arrested
Powell. Both suspects were charged with attempted holdup and robbery
and committed to the county jail.
Lewandoski,24, of 924 Atlantic
Avenue, also in county jail, committed without bail by Police Judge Lewis
Liberman Saturday. According to Chief Colsey, Lewandowski made a statement in
which he accused Powell of plotting the holdup and making him the “goat”. "The holdup was Powell's idea” Colsey quoted Lewandowski as saying. "He got me in on
it, and Rogalski was supposed to take part, too. Rogalski got “cold
feet” though, and Powell sent me in while he was supposed to watch
outside.” "Instead he beat it because he
had tipped off the police that the place was going to be held
up." Released After Quiz On the strength of Lewandowski's statement, patrolman Edward Suski was sent to arrest Powell. After questioning, however, the former pugilist was released. "We found no evidence against
Powell," Colsey explained. "Lewandowski's story
looked like an attempt to get himself off easier. "We turned the case over to the
prosecutor's office, as we always do after making an arrest that seems
to clear up the case." Lewandowski was captured by Sergeant Gus
Koerner and City Detective Clifford
Carr. The detectives were tipped off that the factory office
was to be held up and laid in wait
for the man. When Lewandowski showed up, Carr and Koerner pointed revolvers at him. He fled down a stairway and Carr fell on him. The two grappled and the detective says the man pointed a .32 caliber pistol at him. Carr overpowered him with blow on the head with the butt of his revolver. |
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Camden Courier-Post - March 18, 1936 |
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WIRTZ
ORDERED TO FACE INQUIRY BY MRS. KOBUS Detective Stanley Wirtz, suspended by Police Chief Arthur Colsey yesterday pending investigation into charges that he supplied the guns and an automobile for a holdup, has been ordered to appear today before Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety. Wirtz, who has been in charge of the city accident bureau, will be asked to "give his side of the story," Commissioner Kobus said. Doran
Accuses Wirtz County
Detective Chief Lawrence
T. Doran
yesterday charged that
Wirtz
had supplied the guns and automobile to be used in the holdup and then
posted Carr
and Koerner
inside the plant to capture the bandits. Wirtz, Doran said, admitted the charges in a statement given in the office of Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando. No motive for the detective's action were revealed by Doran. Justice
Lloyd
said later he had conferred with Commissioner Kobus
in regard to the case. "I advised the commissioner," Justice Lloyd said, "to go cautiously with the investigation and gather the facts before taking any action. It is a common thing for officers to lay traps for men who are prone to commit crime, although they have no business to encourage crime. I think it is bad policy to suspend any policeman before the facts of the case have been heard." The
charges against
Wirtz came after an
investigation was ordered into a statement made by Walter Lewandowski, 24 of
924 Atlantic Avenue, who was
captured when he attempted to hold up a clerk at the wool scouring
company, Ferry Avenue and
Jackson Street. Lewandoski claimed he had “been framed" and named Joseph
Powell, a police stoo1 pigeon, as the one who planned the holdup
and then informed
Wirtz of
the plans. When
Lewandowski was nabbed, his gun was loaded with blank cartridges. This
gun, according to Chief Doran,
was given
by
Wirtz to Powell, who in
turn gave it to Lewandowski. Another youth, Leonard Rogalski, 20, of
1219 South Tenth Street, was
supposed to take part in the ho1dup, but "got cold feet and ran
away” police were told by Lewandoski. Doran’s
statement follows: "Stanley Wirtz, Camden city detective, supplied the gun and the automobile used in the attempted holdup of the Eavenson & Levering Company payroll office Friday night. Statements were given us by three suspects all tally. “Walter
Lewandoski worked at the Eavenson
& Levering
plant, but was laid off there February 28. On March 3 he had money
coming to him and he returned to the plant. Joseph
owell accompanied him. Powell talked to Lewandoski then of the payroll, and
suggested the holdup. Powell then got in touch with Stanley
Wirtz, and told him that Lewandoski was going to stick up the
payroll March 4. "Wirtz
on that night loaned Powell a car but someone got cold feet, and the
holdup was not attempted. The following week, on March 13, last Friday, Wirtz
took a car to Powell’s home and there turned over to him two guns and
the automobile. Wirtz
then had detectives posted at the scene to arrest the
bandits when they made the holdup attempt. "Powell
met Lewandowski and Rogalski and drove them to the plant. There Powell
turned over to his two companions the two guns that had been given him
by, Wirtz.
Rogalski got cold feet and refused to go through with the holdup. Powell
then went into the plant with Lewandowski. After Lewandowski went in the
door, Powell ran from the building. “Sergeant
Gus
Koerner
and Detective Clifford
Carr,
hiding in the office arrested Lewandowski. Powell knew where these
officers were hiding. "Wirtz
was outside the building. He did not catch Powell." Chief
Doran
said that no one implicates Koerner
or
Carr
in any way in the statements received. Koerner
said: "I
was doing police work. I was brought into this case on a tip that a
holdup was going to be staged and I had no knowledge of the guns or the car. I didn't know what it was all about
but merely was there to perform my duties as a policeman. Wirtz
is 37 and lives at 1197 Thurman Street. He was one of the first of the
new policemen to be appointed to the department in 1924 after Civil
Service was put into effect following the adoption of Commission
government in 1924. He is a veteran of the World War and got a special rating
for that reason when he took the Civil Service examination. In 1931 Wirtz was appointed as an accident investigator in the detective bureau and has served in that capacity ever
since. He has a good reputation as a policeman and has never been in
trouble before. About
four years ago
Wirtz
figured in an automobile accident that caused serious injury to one of
his legs. Rogalski
was not arrested until County Detectives James Wren and Casimir
Wojtkowiak took him in Monday night. The same detectives arrested Powell. Both suspects were charged with attempted holdup and robbery and
committed to the county jail. Lewandowski also is in county jail, committed without bail by police Judge Lewis Liberman Saturday. |
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Camden Courier-Post - March 19, 1936 |
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WIRTZ
TO HEAR FATE IN BANDIT QUIZ TODAY Decision on any action to be taken
against Stanley
Wirtz, suspended Camden detective charged
with having furnished the guns and automobile for a holdup, will be made
today by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus and Police Chief Arthur
Colsey. Wirtz, with Sergeant Gus
Koerner
and Detective Clifford
Carr, was questioned yesterday, and
decision was reserved. Prosecutor Samuel
P. Orlando, however, said he would place the
case before the grand jury. The charge involved the attempted holdup of the Eavenson & Levering Company payroll, in which one of the alleged bandits was captured at the scene last Friday night. "No charges have been preferred against Wirtz,” Mrs. Kobus announced after the investigation. "And I don't believe any charges will be made," Colsey commented, adding: Suspended Tuesday Wirtz was suspended Tuesday after County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran announced Wirtz had admitted supplying the pistols and car, allegedly used in the abortive attempt to obtain a $800 payroll at the wool-scouring plant. Wirtz was still under suspension last night, Colsey announced. William B. Macdonald, court stenographer, recorded the statements made by each man, Koerner and Carr were "planted" in the office of the company before the holdup and frustrated the attempted crime, capturing Walter Lewandowski, 24, of 924 Atlantic Avenue. "All three made full statements
to us;" Colsey said and then declined to reveal
what the statements contained. Denies Stories Clash Asked if there was any conflict
between the statements made to Doran and those made to Mrs. Kobus and him, Colsey said: ''No, I wouldn't say so." Wirtz appeared briefly before the
commissioner and chief at the start of
their
probe, which was conducted in Mrs. Kobus'
office. He left the room after about two minutes and told reporters,
sitting outside: "I refused to make a statement. I made one yesterday and that is
enough." Mrs. Kobus, however, said Wirtz did not refuse to make a statement but, instead,
asked for a little time to consider his statement. "He said he had been In court all day and was nervous,” Mrs. Kobus said. No
Charges Made Asked for a statement at the
conclusion of the investigation, Mrs. Kobus said: "No charges have been preferred
against Wirtz. This was not a hearing on any
charge. This was an investigation of reports which I read in the
newspapers. It is the duty of the police officials to investigate any
such report, and Wirtz and the other two detectives who
figured in the case were called in to make statements. 'This was not, a
trial and I do not care to make a statement now about what went
on." The suspension of Wirtz
came after an investigation was ordered into a statement made by
Lewandowski. Lewandowski charged that he had been
"framed" by
Joseph
Powell, a police stool pigeon. He named
Powell as the one who "planned the holdup and, said Powell then informed
Wirtz
of the plans. Rearrest Made Doran said Wirtz, admitted dealing with Powell and giving Powell,
two
pistols and an automobile for use in the holdup. As a result Powell,
who had been arrested and released by city police, was rearrested by the
county detectives. In addition, Leonard “Rags” Rogalski, 20, of 1219 South 10th Street, was arrested by the county detectives. They said Lewandowski told them Rogalski originally was intended to take part in the holdup but got "cold feet", and backed out at the last moment. Powell, Lewandowski and Rogalski are
held in the county jail. When informed last night of the
statements made by Mrs. Kobus and Colsey, Prosecutor Orlando said: "I have nothing to do with the discipline of the police department. I will present the full facts of this holdup to the grand jury and, that body may take any action it desires." Jury to Get Case Asked if he would request an
indictment against Wirtz, Orlando said: "I will give the grand jury the full facts. The members
will decide for themselves what action to follow." Doran was in conference briefly with Mrs. Kobus and Colsey before the three detectives were questioned. He said he gave them statements made by Lewandowski, Powell, and Rogalski, and also by Wirtz. Later Doran returned to Mrs. Kobus' office with a copy of charge of carrying concealed deadly weapons, preferred in 1930 against Lewandowski in 1930, when Lewandowski was 18. This charge was no-billed, Doran said. "He was listed as a mental case,"
Doran
said, "and was examined by the county physician and pronounced O.K."
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Camden Courier-Post January 24, 1938 Detectives examining recovered guns and valuables |
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| Camden Courier-Post - February 5, 1938 |
| WOMAN
IS ARRESTED IN SLAYING OF MAN
Madeline Slaughter, 28, of 819 South Second Street, was arrested in Philadelphia yesterday at the request of Camden police, who charged her with manslaughter in the death; December 12, of Jerry Brisbane, 36, of 115 Kaighn Avenue. The Slaughter woman waived extradition and was brought to Camden by Detectives Clifford Carr and Donald Swissler. They signed a complaint charging, her with stabbing Brisbane during an argument at his home. He was dead when discovered by the proprietor of his rooming house, Charles Stewart. |