City Policeman Drowns in Lake at Blackwood

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CITY POLICEMAN DROWNS IN LAKE AT BLACKWOOD Body of Joseph S. Ward Found Near Upset Canoe OFFICIALS START PROBE IN DEATH MYSTERY Tragedy Comes as Climax to Outing by Social Club JOSEPH G. WARD An intensive investigation into the mysterious drowning of Joseph G. Ward, a Camden motorcycle policeman, was opened today by Police Chief William Ritter, of Gloucester township, following the recovery of Ward's body in Blackwood lake. Ward drowned when a canoe he occupied overturned. He was 34, attached to the Second Police District, and lived at 1572 Louis street. The body was found by searchers led by Chief Ritter and Lieutenant Ralph Bakley, of the Camden police, after an all-night search. Ward's father, Joseph Ward, Sr., who has been seriously ill, collapsed when informed of his son's death. He operates a cafe on Mt. Ephraim avenue near Decatur street. The drowning victim's mother also is reported to be ill. The tragedy has aggravated her condition.

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Ward's father, Joseph Ward, Sr., who has been seriously ill, collapsed when informed of his son's death. He operates a cafe on Mt. Ephraim avenue near Decatur street. The drowning victim's mother also is reported to be ill. The tragedy has aggravated her condition. The drowning is a tragic aftermath of an outing yesterday of the Moonlight Social Club, which rented a clubhouse at Blackwood two months ago. With Ward on the outing were Clifford Del Rossi, a driver of the Second District police patrol; Theodore "Dorie" Guthrie, Second District detective, and other members of the Camden police department whose names have not been learned. Chief Ritter reported today having only meager clues as to the circumstances of the drowning. Ward is believed to have been in the canoe alone. Coroner Melvin Cain is expected to conduct an autopsy today or tomorrow. Chief Ritter said there is no suspicion of foul play, as Ward's body was unmarked. It was recovered at [illegible]30 a. m. by William McGrath, a city detective, who had been diving for it with George Hess, near the clubhouse of the Moonlight Social Club. The overturned canoe was found last night in the lake by girls who also have a clubhouse at Blackwood. Police Chief Ritter, with Peter English and Walter Wilkie, all of Blackwood, (Continued on Page Three)

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Camden Policeman Drowns in Lake (Continued from Page One) began grappling immediately for the body. Ward is believed by Chief Ritter to have drowned when the canoe upset. Whether he had a companion or companions in the boat is not known, but Ritter reported today that he found four hats in the rear of Ward's automobile parked near the lake. Auto Window Broken In addition to finding the four hats, Ritter also discovered that the left rear window had been broken. How the glass was smashed, Ritter would not venture to say, pending completion of his investigation. The upset canoe was found opposite the summer home of Sheriff E. Frank Pine which borders the lake on the Camden county side. North of Pine's place is the social club's headquarters. The girls' club is on the Gloucester county side. Ward was a brother of Urquhart Ward, superintendent of Camden sewage disposal plants and Thirteenth Ward Republican county committeeman, and Robert Ward, a Third District detective. He was appointed to

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[illegible] the force in 1925. He was married but had been separated from his wife. Ward, it was learned today, left Camden yesterday at 4:30 p. m. with Del Rossi and Guthrie. They were expected back at midnight. Ward had stopped for Del Rossi at the latter's home, 417 Winslow street, and the two then went to Guthrie's home on Ferry avenue near Eighth street. Reaching Blackwood, Ward parked his car near the lake and after exchanging greetings with members of the social club, informed Del Rossi that he was going out into the lake in a canoe. Del Rossi said today that he did not go into the canoe with Ward, having informed him that he wanted to get some sleep. Del Rossi said he waited a half hour for Ward to return from canoeing, but Ward failed to appear and Del Rossi reported for work at midnight, when he learned his companion on the trip was missing. Exonerated In Scandal The drowning victim was one of the central figures in a police scandal in 1927. Suspended from the force February 23 of that year on charges of extortion, he was exonerated by the State Civil Service Commission after a hearing and returned to duty in the Second District the following July 2. Ward had been accused with Policeman John Smith and a pensioned former officer, Maurice Mensch, of an attempt to "shake down" Michael Matthews, a storekeeper, 60, of 801 Florence street. He denied the charges against him, including an accusation that he had spoken disrespectfully about the then Mayor King with a remark that "King is no good." Matthews had told former Police Chief James E. Tatem that Ward and Smith had entered the store and introduced Mensch as "the biggest prohibition guy in the country and a great friend of President Coolidge." They had agreed to "forget" charges of violating the dry law, which otherwise would be made, if Matthews would

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pass them $100, the storekeeper had charged. Several witnesses for Ward attacked the story related by Matthews, and Ward himself insisted at the hearings that he had not said anything to Matthews about raid or money. His testimony was corroborated by Smith and others. Since his reinstatement after being cleared of the charges, Ward proved to be a very efficient officer, according to Captain Arthur Colsey, stationed at headquarters. Other police officials also spoke well of the policeman.

Body of Joseph S. [sic] Ward Found Near Upset Canoe

OFFICIALS START PROBE IN DEATH MYSTERY

Tragedy Comes as Climax to Outing by Social Club

JOSEPH G. WARD

An intensive investigation into the mysterious drowning of Joseph G. Ward, a Camden motorcycle policeman, was opened today by Police Chief William Ritter, of Gloucester township, following the recovery of Ward's body in Blackwood lake.

Ward drowned when a canoe he occupied overturned. He was 34, attached to the Second Police District, and lived at 1572 Louis street. The body was found by searchers led by Chief Ritter and Lieutenant Ralph Bakley, of the Camden police, after an all-night search.

Ward's father, Joseph Ward, Sr., who has been seriously ill, collapsed when informed of his son's death. He operates a cafe on Mt. Ephraim avenue near Decatur street. The drowning victim's mother also is reported to be ill. The tragedy has aggravated her condition.

The drowning is a tragic aftermath of an outing yesterday of the Moonlight Social Club, which rented a clubhouse at Blackwood two months ago. With Ward on the outing were Clifford Del Rossi, a driver of the Second District police patrol; Theodore "Dorie" Guthrie, Second District detective, and other members of the Camden police department whose names have not been learned.

Chief Ritter reported today having only meager clues as to the circumstances of the drowning. Ward is believed to have been in the canoe alone. Coroner Melvin Cain is expected to conduct an autopsy today or tomorrow.

Chief Ritter said there is no suspicion of foul play, as Ward's body was unmarked. It was recovered at [illegible]30 a. m. by William [sic] McGrath, a city detective, who had been diving for it with George Hess, near the clubhouse of the Moonlight Social Club.

The overturned canoe was found last night in the lake by girls who also have a clubhouse at Blackwood. Police Chief Ritter, with Peter English and Walter Wilkie, all of Blackwood, began grappling immediately for the body.

Ward is believed by Chief Ritter to have drowned when the canoe upset. Whether he had a companion or companions in the boat is not known, but Ritter reported today that he found four hats in the rear of Ward's automobile parked near the lake.

Auto Window Broken

In addition to finding the four hats, Ritter also discovered that the left rear window had been broken. How the glass was smashed, Ritter would not venture to say, pending completion of his investigation.

The upset canoe was found opposite the summer home of Sheriff E. Frank Pine which borders the lake on the Camden county side. North of Pine's place is the social club's headquarters. The girls' club is on the Gloucester county side.

Ward was a brother of Urquhart Ward, superintendent of Camden sewage disposal plants and Thirteenth Ward Republican county committeeman, and Robert Ward, a Third District detective. He was appointed to the force in 1925. He was married but had been separated from his wife.

Ward, it was learned today, left Camden yesterday at 4:30 p. m. with Del Rossi and Guthrie. They were expected back at midnight.

Ward had stopped for Del Rossi at the latter's home, 417 Winslow street, and the two then went to Guthrie's home on Ferry avenue near Eighth street.

Reaching Blackwood, Ward parked his car near the lake and after exchanging greetings with members of the social club, informed Del Rossi that he was going out into the lake in a canoe.

Del Rossi said today that he did not go into the canoe with Ward, having informed him that he wanted to get some sleep. Del Rossi said he waited a half hour for Ward to return from canoeing, but Ward failed to appear and Del Rossi reported for work at midnight, when he learned his companion on the trip was missing.

Exonerated In Scandal

The drowning victim was one of the central figures in a police scandal in 1927. Suspended from the force February 23 of that year on charges of extortion, he was exonerated by the State Civil Service Commission after a hearing and returned to duty in the Second District the following July 2.

Ward had been accused with Policeman John Smith and a pensioned former officer, Maurice Mensch, of an attempt to "shake down" Michael Matthews, a storekeeper, 60, of 801 Florence street. He denied the charges against him, including an accusation that he had spoken disrespectfully about the then Mayor King with a remark that "King is no good."

Matthews had told former Police Chief James E. Tatem that Ward and Smith had entered the store and introduced Mensch as "the biggest prohibition guy in the country and a great friend of President Coolidge." They had agreed to "forget" charges of violating the dry law, which otherwise would be made, if Matthews would pass them $100, the storekeeper had charged.

Several witnesses for Ward attacked the story related by Matthews, and Ward himself insisted at the hearings that he had not said anything to Matthews about raid or money. His testimony was corroborated by Smith and others.

Since his reinstatement after being cleared of the charges, Ward proved to be a very efficient officer, according to Captain Arthur Colsey, stationed at headquarters. Other police officials also spoke well of the policeman.