Camden Courier-Post, November 29, 1930View transcription
Same Gang Returns and Flees With Only $5 Loot
Victim Near Death; He Attacks Thug
Two Boys, Imprisoned, Later Give Alarm From Lansdowne Avenue
Shot down last night by the same bandits who robbed him of business papers a week ago, John Cullen, 22, manager of an American Store at 1201 Lansdowne avenue, is near death in West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital. Physicians fear he will not recover from a bullet wound in the lung under the heart inflicted by one of the holdup men when Cullen struck out at them in an effort to protect himself. Police have obtained descriptions of the assailants from Cullen and from two youthful employes whom they forced into a rear section of the store. The boys, John Drexel, 16, of 1242 Lansdowne avenue, a clerk, and Gordon Feltz, 13, of 1417 Louis street, an errand boy, notified police and aided Cullen after he dropped to the floor of the store.
Bandits Flee With $5
Unable to obtain the day's receipts from the safe, the bandits escaped with $5 from a cash drawer. Last week's holdup occurred at 6.05 p. m., November 19, as Cullen was leaving the store. As he stepped out the door, the two men stepped up to him, drew pistols and grabbed a packet of letters he was about to mail. The letters contained sales reports and requisitions for stock. They ran around the corner and disappeared down Louis street. At 5.55 p. m., last night, Cullen, who lives at 1088 South Commons road, Fairview, had just placed the day's receipts in the safe. He directed Drexel to lock the front door. Drexel was about to turn the key when the same bandits forced open the door. Stalking into the store with pistols drawn, one of them covered Cullen. The other man ordered the two boys into a narrow passage behind an ice box and forced them to lie down between bags of sugar.
Victim Describes Event
The wounded manager, questioned at the hospital by Detective Sylvester McGrath, and the boys, who told their stories to Detective Lieutenant Samuel Thompson, described the events which followed in quick succession. The bandit covering Cullen gruffly ordered him to open the safe. Cullen knelt and attempted to follow the order, but he said he was so nervous he was unable to work the combination. "Come on, open it. Hurry up!" the bandit ordered as his companion, after warning the boys to remain silent behind the icebox, joined him. "I'm doing the best I can," Cullen replied. Then, attempting to stall for time, he told the bandits: "Go outside. I can't open this with you standing over me. I'll bring the money to you." At that remark one of the bandits struck him in the jaw. Cullen said he was uncertain whether the man used his fist or the butt end of his gun. "Don't hit me again," Cullen pleaded. "I'm doing this as quickly as I can." The same bandit drew off to strike him again.
Shot Attacking Bandit
"I went for him," Cullen told police, "and then he shot me." The bandits then ran from the store. The terrified boys, when they heard the door slam, ran from their uncomfortable prison. "I'm shot, Jack," Cullen gasped to Drexel. As Feltz ran to his side, Drexel dashed across the street to the Camden Meat Company, on the opposite corner of Lansdowne avenue and Louis street and telephoned police. Motorcycle Policeman Nathan Wine was dispatched to the scene. Meanwhile Feltz with difficulty aided the wounded man to stagger to the steps outside, where a passerby assisted in making him as comfortable as possible until Wine arrived. Wine commandeered a laundry truck operated by Russell Kaighn, of 642 North Eighth street, in which Dorothy Austin, 1443 Broadway, was also riding. They took Cullen to the hospital. Dr. Charles Ley, police surgeon, who examined the wounded man, said he feared he was suffering from an internal hemorrhage.
Suspect Not Identified
Cullen and the boys failed to identify as one of the bandits an armed man who was arrested several hours later at Third and Penn streets by Mounted Policeman Earl Wright. Wright became suspicious of a hatless man whom he saw leaving a house at 219 Friends avenue. As the man saw Wright he ran north to Penn street. Wright chased him and, threatening to shoot the fugitive, halted him at Third street. A 22-calibre pearl-handled pistol was found on him. One of the five chambers was empty. Taken to police headquarters, the man said he was John Yovankin, 22, of Forked Landing road, Maple Shade. Immediately after his arrest Detectives Walter Smith and Alfred Shires raided the house on Friends avenue and arrested Irma Marconi, 18. She and the Maple Shade man are being held on suspicion. Though police brought several suspects before the holdup victims, none of them a former employe of the store, they were unable to identify any as the bandits. Police said they had an establishment under surveillance and expected an arrest early today. According to Cullen and the boys, both bandits appeared to be foreigners. One was about 18 and the other, 22. The younger man, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, wore a dark overcoat and cap, while the other, slightly taller, wore a dark gray overcoat and a light felt hat. Cullen has a wife, Virginia, and a daughter, Jacqueline, a year old.
Witnesses in Holdup: John Drexel, 16, of 1242 Lansdowne avenue, left, a clerk in the American Store at 1201 Lansdowne avenue, and Gordon Feltz, 13, of 1417 Louis street, an errand boy, were held at bay last night by two bandits who shot their employer, John Cullen, 22, of 1988 South Commons road. Drexel notified police after the bandits escaped.
Same Gang Returns and Flees With Only $5 Loot
Victim Near Death; He Attacks Thug
Two Boys, Imprisoned, Later Give Alarm From Lansdowne Avenue
Shot down last night by the same bandits who robbed him of business papers a week ago, John Cullen, 22, manager of an American Store at 1201 Lansdowne avenue, is near death in West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital. Physicians fear he will not recover from a bullet wound in the lung under the heart inflicted by one of the holdup men when Cullen struck out at them in an effort to protect himself. Police have obtained descriptions of the assailants from Cullen and from two youthful employes whom they forced into a rear section of the store. The boys, John Drexel, 16, of 1242 Lansdowne avenue, a clerk, and Gordon Feltz, 13, of 1417 Louis street, an errand boy, notified police and aided Cullen after he dropped to the floor of the store.
Bandits Flee With $5
Unable to obtain the day’s receipts from the safe, the bandits escaped with $5 from a cash drawer. Last week’s holdup occurred at 6.05 p. m., November 19, as Cullen was leaving the store. As he stepped out the door, the two men stepped up to him, drew pistols and grabbed a packet of letters he was about to mail. The letters contained sales reports and requisitions for stock. They ran around the corner and disappeared down Louis street. At 5.55 p. m., last night, Cullen, who lives at 1088 South Commons road, Fairview, had just placed the day’s receipts in the safe. He directed Drexel to lock the front door. Drexel was about to turn the key when the same bandits forced open the door. Stalking into the store with pistols drawn, one of them covered Cullen. The other man ordered the two boys into a narrow passage behind an ice box and forced them to lie down between bags of sugar.
Victim Describes Event
The wounded manager, questioned at the hospital by Detective Sylvester McGrath, and the boys, who told their stories to Detective Lieutenant Samuel Thompson, described the events which followed in quick succession. The bandit covering Cullen gruffly ordered him to open the safe. Cullen knelt and attempted to follow the order, but he said he was so nervous he was unable to work the combination. “Come on, open it. Hurry up!” the bandit ordered as his companion, after warning the boys to remain silent behind the icebox, joined him. “I’m doing the best I can,” Cullen replied. Then, attempting to stall for time, he told the bandits: “Go outside. I can’t open this with you standing over me. I’ll bring the money to you.” At that remark one of the bandits struck him in the jaw. Cullen said he was uncertain whether the man used his fist or the butt end of his gun. “Don’t hit me again,” Cullen pleaded. “I’m doing this as quickly as I can.” The same bandit drew off to strike him again.
Shot Attacking Bandit
“I went for him,” Cullen told police, “and then he shot me.” The bandits then ran from the store. The terrified boys, when they heard the door slam, ran from their uncomfortable prison. “I’m shot, Jack,” Cullen gasped to Drexel. As Feltz ran to his side, Drexel dashed across the street to the Camden Meat Company, on the opposite corner of Lansdowne avenue and Louis street and telephoned police. Motorcycle Policeman Nathan Wine was dispatched to the scene. Meanwhile Feltz with difficulty aided the wounded man to stagger to the steps outside, where a passerby assisted in making him as comfortable as possible until Wine arrived. Wine commandeered a laundry truck operated by Russell Kaighn, of 642 North Eighth street, in which Dorothy Austin, 1443 Broadway, was also riding. They took Cullen to the hospital. Dr. Charles Ley, police surgeon, who examined the wounded man, said he feared he was suffering from an internal hemorrhage.
Suspect Not Identified
Cullen and the boys failed to identify as one of the bandits an armed man who was arrested several hours later at Third and Penn streets by Mounted Policeman Earl Wright. Wright became suspicious of a hatless man whom he saw leaving a house at 219 Friends avenue. As the man saw Wright he ran north to Penn street. Wright chased him and, threatening to shoot the fugitive, halted him at Third street. A 22-calibre pearl-handled pistol was found on him. One of the five chambers was empty. Taken to police headquarters, the man said he was John Yovankin, 22, of Forked Landing road, Maple Shade. Immediately after his arrest Detectives Walter Smith and Alfred Shires raided the house on Friends avenue and arrested Irma Marconi, 18. She and the Maple Shade man are being held on suspicion. Though police brought several suspects before the holdup victims, none of them a former employe of the store, they were unable to identify any as the bandits. Police said they had an establishment under surveillance and expected an arrest early today. According to Cullen and the boys, both bandits appeared to be foreigners. One was about 18 and the other, 22. The younger man, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, wore a dark overcoat and cap, while the other, slightly taller, wore a dark gray overcoat and a light felt hat. Cullen has a wife, Virginia, and a daughter, Jacqueline, a year old.
