Mobster Slain by Enemies of Phila. Gang on Camden 'Ride'

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MOBSTER SLAIN BY ENEMIES OF PHILA. GANG ON CAMDEN 'RIDE' Joseph Hillop Is Beaten, Strangled and Shot Near Ancora QUARREL ON ROBBERY BELIEVED TO BE CAUSE Is Second Victim of Vengeance Police Think; Widow Gives Clue Joseph Hillop, cheap Philadelphia crook, was taken on a "one-way ride" early yesterday and his body dumped in a sparsely settled section of Camden county. He had been beaten, strangled and shot four times. Identification was made through fingerprints and later verified by the dead gangster's widow and mother, both of whom were prostrated with grief. The body of the red-headed blue-eyed mobster—who once was accused of ratting on his companions in a Camden jewelry robbery—was found beside the old White Horse pike, about a half mile from where it joins the new pike at Ancora. Three youths, starting a fishing trip, made the discovery at 5 a. m. yesterday. Police said the man had been dead for several hours. Strangled and Shot Hillop had been strangled, slugged and shot, much in the same manner as his former "buddy in crime," Joe Bielec, whose mutilated body was found on the shore of Peter's creek, Oaklyn Manor, March 7, 1931. A "clue" to the latest police theory of the crime was furnished, unwittingly, late yesterday by Hillop's widow, Mrs. Anna Hillop, with whom he lived on Wallace street, near Eleventh, in Philadelphia. Although denying any knowledge of the reason behind the killing of her husband, or who committed the crime, Mrs. Hillop suddenly shouted at Prosecutor Clifford A. Baldwin and County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran: "If I knew anything about a robbery, don't you think I would cut myself in? Do you think I'd let 'em (Continued on Page Four) Phila. Man Slain By Rival Mobsters (Continued from Page One) get away with it without giving me a piece?" Then, suddenly, as though she remembered she was telling something the police wanted to know, she began to talk on a new line of conversation. Her remarks, police believe, were made because her husband had been engaged recently in forcing other crooks to divide loot with him on robberies he knew they had committed, but with which he had no connection. Prosecutor Baldwin first believed Hillop's death had been the result of the Furhman jewel robbery more than two years ago. Jewelry Store Robbed At that time three bandits held up and robbed a clerk in the jewelry store of Abe Furhman & Son, 444 Broadway, escaping with $3000 in jewels. A short time later Hillop, Bielec, Frank Rock, Tommy Rielly, Alfred Ripka and Louie Frank, all Philadelphians with police records, were arrested in connection with the holdup. Rock and Reilly were each sentenced to serve 10 to 30 years in the Eastern Penitentiary, following a conviction for the Camden job, while Bielec was given three months and Hillop 18 months for their part in the crime. Ripka and Frank "beat the rap" and were freed. Because of the light sentences dealt Hillop and Bielec, their friends in the underworld thought they had double-crossed Rock and Reilly. Then a short time after Bielec had served his sentence he was put on the spot and his body found at Oaklyn. Hillop has only been out of jail for about four months, police said last night, and during that time he married Mrs. Hillop, widow of a former Philadelphia motorcycle patrolman, John Kelly. Although police refused to admit it, a search was begun last night for Ripka, brother of the notorious Frankie and Howard Ripka, and Frank. They are to be questioned regarding their whereabouts on Tuesday night and early yesterday. "At first I thought the murder of Hillop might be connected with the Fuhrman robbery," Prosecutor Baldwin said, "but after talking with his wife, I don't think that is the right track. Three boys starting early for a day of fishing discovered the body a few feet off the road. They notified state police at Hammonton and the body was brought to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital morgue after being examined by Coroner Arthur H. Holl. Fingerprints were taken by state police and copies taken to Philadelphia by State Police Detective Wilfred Dube. Chief Doran began his investigation as soon as the body was identified. County Detectives Jules Derowski and Harry Ireton were sent to Philadelphia to bring Hillop's mother, Mrs. Lena Hillop, of 1003 North Oriana street, Philadelphia, to the prosecutor's office for questioning. She told police she knew nothing of her son's recent habits or friends. He left her home more than three months ago, telling her at the time he was going to get married. Wants to See Body While Mrs. Hillop was being questioned, Doran received a telephone call from the hospital, being informed that a woman was there who demanded to see the body. Derowski and State Trooper Detective Ray Osborne were sent to bring the woman in. She proved to be Hillop's widow, although at first telling the police her name was Anna King. She was accompanied by John Roseman, of 716 Race street, a drug store clerk. Police released them after questioning them for an hour. When Hillop's body was found it was nattily dressed in brown pinstriped suit, soft blue shirt, red and black silk socks and tan low shoes. His cream-colored fedora was found 200 feet from the body, some half a mile from where the old pike rejoins the new pike at Ancora. It later developed from the label he had bought it around the corner from his home. Joe's nose was broken, his ear bashed in, head cut and swollen from blows of a blunt instrument. His pockets had been stripped except for a 5-cent piece, half a pack of cigarets and two handkerchiefs, whose initials, "L" and "C," proved as useless a clue to his identity as the monogram "P" on the pearl-studded buckle of his tan leather belt. But the fingerprints cant' be counterfeited, so it was only eight hours or so after the police were called in that the body was identified by means of them.

Joseph Hillop Is Beaten, Strangled and Shot Near Ancora

QUARREL ON ROBBERY BELIEVED TO BE CAUSE

Is Second Victim of Vengeance Police Think; Widow Gives Clue

Joseph Hillop, cheap Philadelphia crook, was taken on a "one-way ride" early yesterday and his body dumped in a sparsely settled section of Camden county.

He had been beaten, strangled and shot four times. Identification was made through fingerprints and later verified by the dead gangster's widow and mother, both of whom were prostrated with grief.

The body of the red-headed blue-eyed mobster—who once was accused of ratting on his companions in a Camden jewelry robbery—was found beside the old White Horse pike, about a half mile from where it joins the new pike at Ancora. Three youths, starting a fishing trip, made the discovery at 5 a.m. yesterday. Police said the man had been dead for several hours.

Strangled and Shot

Hillop had been strangled, slugged and shot, much in the same manner as his former "buddy in crime," Joe Bielec, whose mutilated body was found on the shore of Peter's creek, Oaklyn Manor, March 7, 1931.

A "clue" to the latest police theory of the crime was furnished, unwittingly, late yesterday by Hillop's widow, Mrs. Anna Hillop, with whom he lived on Wallace street, near Eleventh, in Philadelphia. Although denying any knowledge of the reason behind the killing of her husband, or who committed the crime, Mrs. Hillop suddenly shouted at Prosecutor Clifford A. Baldwin and County Detective Chief Lawrence T. Doran:

"If I knew anything about a robbery, don't you think I would cut myself in? Do you think I'd let 'em get away with it without giving me a piece?"

Then, suddenly, as though she remembered she was telling something the police wanted to know, she began to talk on a new line of conversation.

Her remarks, police believe, were made because her husband had been engaged recently in forcing other crooks to divide loot with him on robberies he knew they had committed, but with which he had no connection.

Prosecutor Baldwin first believed Hillop's death had been the result of the Furhman jewel robbery more than two years ago.

Jewelry Store Robbed

At that time three bandits held up and robbed a clerk in the jewelry store of Abe Furhman & Son, 444 Broadway, escaping with $3000 in jewels.

A short time later Hillop, Bielec, Frank Rock, Tommy Rielly, Alfred Ripka and Louie Frank, all Philadelphians with police records, were arrested in connection with the holdup.

Rock and Reilly were each sentenced to serve 10 to 30 years in the Eastern Penitentiary, following a conviction for the Camden job, while Bielec was given three months and Hillop 18 months for their part in the crime. Ripka and Frank "beat the rap" and were freed.

Because of the light sentences dealt Hillop and Bielec, their friends in the underworld thought they had double-crossed Rock and Reilly.

Then a short time after Bielec had served his sentence he was put on the spot and his body found at Oaklyn.

Hillop has only been out of jail for about four months, police said last night, and during that time he married Mrs. Hillop, widow of a former Philadelphia motorcycle patrolman, John Kelly.

Although police refused to admit it, a search was begun last night for Ripka, brother of the notorious Frankie and Howard Ripka, and Frank. They are to be questioned regarding their whereabouts on Tuesday night and early yesterday.

"At first I thought the murder of Hillop might be connected with the Fuhrman robbery," Prosecutor Baldwin said, "but after talking with his wife, I don't think that is the right track.

Three boys starting early for a day of fishing discovered the body a few feet off the road. They notified state police at Hammonton and the body was brought to the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital morgue after being examined by Coroner Arthur H. Holl.

Fingerprints were taken by state police and copies taken to Philadelphia by State Police Detective Wilfred Dube. Chief Doran began his investigation as soon as the body was identified.

County Detectives Jules Derowski and Harry Ireton were sent to Philadelphia to bring Hillop's mother, Mrs. Lena Hillop, of 1003 North Oriana street, Philadelphia, to the prosecutor's office for questioning. She told police she knew nothing of her son's recent habits or friends. He left her home more than three months ago, telling her at the time he was going to get married.

Wants to See Body

While Mrs. Hillop was being questioned, Doran received a telephone call from the hospital, being informed that a woman was there who demanded to see the body.

Derowski and State Trooper Detective Ray Osborne were sent to bring the woman in. She proved to be Hillop's widow, although at first telling the police her name was Anna King.

She was accompanied by John Roseman, of 716 Race street, a drug store clerk. Police released them after questioning them for an hour.

When Hillop's body was found it was nattily dressed in brown pinstriped suit, soft blue shirt, red and black silk socks and tan low shoes.

His cream-colored fedora was found 200 feet from the body, some half a mile from where the old pike rejoins the new pike at Ancora. It later developed from the label he had bought it around the corner from his home.

Joe's nose was broken, his ear bashed in, head cut and swollen from blows of a blunt instrument. His pockets had been stripped except for a 5-cent piece, half a pack of cigarets and two handkerchiefs, whose initials, "L" and "C," proved as useless a clue to his identity as the monogram "P" on the pearl-studded buckle of his tan leather belt.

But the fingerprints cant' [sic] be counterfeited, so it was only eight hours or so after the police were called in that the body was identified by means of them.