Camden Courier-Post – August 10, 1935
Men Nabbed Here Believed to Be Members of Ring
A tie-up between a huge counterfeiting ring and a gambling syndicate backing the “numbers” was believed unearthed by Camden police and Federal authorities following the arrest here yesterday of six colored men on charges of attempting to pass bogus money.
Federal investigators were delving into the intricacies of the Philadelphia and Camden numbers racket today to learn if the “pay-off” of any "bank” is made in counterfeit coins.
One of the men arrested, Edward Duncan, 36, of 805 Sheridan Street, Philadelphia, told Detective Sergeant Gustav Koerner and agents from the Department of Justice, that he had received a bogus $10 bill found in his possession is payment of a bet yesterday with a Philadelphia numbers syndicate.
Duncan and five companions were arrested yesterday as they attempted to have the bill changed at a gasoline station at Haddon Avenue and Sycamore Street.
An attendant, Samuel Goldberg, saw that the bill, tendered in payment for a purchase of gasoline, was counterfeit and called Special Officer John Voll and Patrolman Paul Jackson, standing nearby.
They arrested the men, who were later held in $10,000 bail each to await the outcome of the investigation.
It was learned later that the same men had attempted to pass a bogus bill at a gasoline station at Crescent Boulevard and Park Avenue, Collingswood, but had fled there when the station attendant summoned police.
Federal investigators working on the case expressed a belief last night that the counterfeit ring was using the numbers bank to flood this section with the spurious bills
The others arrested with Duncan were Frank Henderson, 27, of 2021 Lambert Street; Fletcher Hammonds, 28, of 2007 Mervine Street; Aaron Howell, 46, of 2008 North Twenty-first Street; James Wilson, 33, of 2023 Norris Street; and Samuel Stanley, 38, of 1936 North Twenty-second street, all Philadelphia.
"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 in 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.
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