Camden Courier-Post, June 7, 1939View transcription
Dan McConnell's Scrapbook
MAJESTIC in the splendor of its architecture of the early 1900's, the old Court House seems overshadowed by the more ornate new City Hall-Court House.
Hallowed with memories the old building was our stamping ground for well nigh 14 years as a courts reporter.
Many beloved friends who were part of the old county seat are gone and others have taken their places. Nevertheless the old place has gone through transitory changes.
The old Chancery court room where the beloved Vice Chancellor Edmund B. Leaming presided many years is no longer a tribunal of equity. It has been taken over by a government agency.
County agencies are located in the former Circuit Court room, where Justice Donges, then a Circuit Court judge, held court. John Sweeney was the sergeant-at-arms more than a decade. No newspaperman ever held a more loyal friend. The court house seems to stand without genial Ed Holloway and the venerable Joe Burt, for many years its custodian. The little office on the Broadway side was a sort of political melting pot. More than one candidate for office was built-up in that room.
Few of the regular visitors failed to drop in to pay their respects to Burt or Holloway.
The Criminal Court room on the second floor hasn't changed much. Within its portals this reporter was present when the death sentence was passed on several defendants. The spirit of the revered Supreme Court Justice Frank S. Katzenbach seems to be present there. At least we get that feeling when visiting the court room.
* * *
BUCK LAI
Fellow scriveners are not prone to lush over the writings of each other but this humble narrator salutes Tom Ryan, Courier-Post sports editor for his feature yarn about an old friend, William "Buck" Lai, one of the original members of the great Chinese-Hawaiian base ball team of long standing.
* * *
JUST THINKIN'
Those old Temple Theatre press agent days... When Dr. Leopold Stokowski and his Philadelphia orchestra gave weekly programs at the vintage playhouse... How "Stoky" hated the adulations of music lovers who waited at the stage door... And the illustrious stage leader and his first wife, the lovely Olga Samaroff, Fred Falkner, the house manager, and his wife, ducking out the Market street stage door... And walking to the old Federal Street ferries...
McLaughlin's drug store at Second and Market streets. Those ambrosian ice cream sodas... And you bought your best girl's candy at the same place. The aroma that emanated from the coffee and tea-shop operated by that quaint old gentleman... the late Oscar Lawless...
Our first ride in Bob Schroeder's first Maxwell... The time when the revered Walt Lee and yours truly defied the edict of David Baird, Sr., South Jersey political boss... Running Bob for coroner and winning the election over Dr. William H. Price. Three years later all three of us trying to elect "Doc" to the same job.
10 luscious bivalves in your oyster stew... All for 15 cents. The lunch wagon that stood for years on the triangle at Federal, Arch and Hudson streets... Those Western sandwiches... A little onion, please!
Camden's first traffic cops... Charley Hose and Jules Bosch... At Broadway and Federal street. Dick Cornog and Deak Johnson... Haddon and Kaighn avenue... Camden's speed limit... 15 miles an hour.
* * *
CISSY LOFTUS
That grand old trouper from the London musical halls staging one of the most remarkable of comebacks and winning new friends and bringing many joys to old admirers who remember her for sterling performances at Keith's in Philadelphia. No singer could ever put over in better style that great hit of a decade ago, "Waiting at the Church." Bless you, Cissy Loftus.
* * *
FIRST NIGHTERS
Perhaps there are other among the old Keith's first row first nighters who are hoping vaudeville will come back. What say you Chief Jimmy Long, Charley Astermuhl, David Baird, Jr., et al.? Suggesting an old timers reunion at Keith's with such glorious artists as beloved Sophie Tucker, the incomparable Fanny Brice, the hilariously ludricrous Charley Grapewin, W. C. Fields in his old juggling act; Joe Santley and Ivy Sawyer, the Avon Comedy Four, Bobby Heath and his Twenty Melody Monarchs, Fred and Adele Astair, Donald Brian, Rae Samuels and Harry Jordan greeting his old patrons and friends in the lobby. You get that way when you're past forty.
* * *
MEMORY TEST
Wondering how many readers can spot the locations of those grain-painted drinking fountains established by old City Council many years ago. The municipal drinking places where man, horse and dogs could quaff the cool city water on sultry Summer days. One was located at the southwest corner of Third and Market streets. Others were situated at...
MAJESTIC in the splendor of its architecture of the early 1900's, the old Court House seems overshadowed by the more ornate new City Hall-Court House.
Hallowed with memories the old building was our stamping ground for well nigh 14 years as a courts reporter.
Many beloved friends who were part of the old county seat are gone and others have taken their places. Nevertheless the old place has gone through transitory changes.
The old Chancery court room where the beloved Vice Chancellor Edmund B. Leaming presided many years is no longer a tribunal of equity. It has been taken over by a government agency.
County agencies are located in the former Circuit Court room, where Justice Donges, then a Circuit Court judge, held court. John Sweeney was the sergeant-at-arms more than a decade. No newspaperman ever held a more loyal friend. The court house seems to stand without genial Ed Holloway and the venerable Joe Burt, for many years its custodian. The little office on the Broadway side was a sort of political melting pot. More than one candidate for office was built-up in that room.
Few of the regular visitors failed to drop in to pay their respects to Burt or Holloway.
The Criminal Court room on the second floor hasn't changed much. Within its portals this reporter was present when the death sentence was passed on several defendants. The spirit of the revered Supreme Court Justice Frank S. Katzenbach seems to be present there. At least we get that feeling when visiting the court room.
* * *
BUCK LAI
Fellow scriveners are not prone to lush over the writings of each other but this humble narrator salutes Tom Ryan, Courier-Post sports editor for his feature yarn about an old friend, William "Buck" Lai, one of the original members of the great Chinese-Hawaiian base ball team of long standing.
* * *
JUST THINKIN'
Those old Temple Theatre press agent days... When Dr. Leopold Stokowski and his Philadelphia orchestra gave weekly programs at the vintage playhouse... How "Stoky" hated the adulations of music lovers who waited at the stage door... And the illustrious stage leader and his first wife, the lovely Olga Samaroff, Fred Falkner, the house manager, and his wife, ducking out the Market street stage door... And walking to the old Federal Street ferries...
McLaughlin's drug store at Second and Market streets. Those ambrosian ice cream sodas... And you bought your best girl's candy at the same place. The aroma that emanated from the coffee and tea-shop operated by that quaint old gentleman... the late Oscar Lawless...
Our first ride in Bob Schroeder's first Maxwell... The time when the revered Walt Lee and yours truly defied the edict of David Baird, Sr., South Jersey political boss... Running Bob for coroner and winning the election over Dr. William H. Price. Three years later all three of us trying to elect "Doc" to the same job.
10 luscious bivalves in your oyster stew... All for 15 cents. The lunch wagon that stood for years on the triangle at Federal, Arch and Hudson streets... Those Western sandwiches... A little onion, please!
Camden's first traffic cops... Charley Hose and Jules Bosch... At Broadway and Federal street. Dick Cornog and Deak Johnson... Haddon and Kaighn avenue... Camden's speed limit... 15 miles an hour.
* * *
CISSY LOFTUS
That grand old trouper from the London musical halls staging one of the most remarkable of comebacks and winning new friends and bringing many joys to old admirers who remember her for sterling performances at Keith's in Philadelphia. No singer could ever put over in better style that great hit of a decade ago, "Waiting at the Church." Bless you, Cissy Loftus.
* * *
FIRST NIGHTERS
Perhaps there are other among the old Keith's first row first nighters who are hoping vaudeville will come back. What say you Chief Jimmy Long, Charley Astermuhl, David Baird, Jr., et al.? Suggesting an old timers reunion at Keith's with such glorious artists as beloved Sophie Tucker, the incomparable Fanny Brice, the hilariously ludricrous Charley Grapewin, W. C. Fields in his old juggling act; Joe Santley and Ivy Sawyer, the Avon Comedy Four, Bobby Heath and his Twenty Melody Monarchs, Fred and Adele Astair, Donald Brian, Rae Samuels and Harry Jordan greeting his old patrons and friends in the lobby. You get that way when you're past forty.
* * *
MEMORY TEST
Wondering how many readers can spot the locations of those grain-painted drinking fountains established by old City Council many years ago. The municipal drinking places where man, horse and dogs could quaff the cool city water on sultry Summer days. One was located at the southwest corner of Third and Market streets. Others were situated at...
