Sgt. Wilkie Remains in County Jail As Son Is Buried Without Ritual

By Camden NJ History
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Courier-Post article on Sgt. John V. Wilkie held in jail as his son is buried, December 28, 1953
Camden Courier-Post, December 28, 1953
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Funeral Director Recites Prayer: Sgt. Wilkie Remains in County Jail As Son Is Buried Without Ritual Police Sgt. John V. Wilkie, whose "confession" that he accidentally killed his son proved to be a hoax, remained in the county jail today during the funeral of his 17-year-old son, James. Wilkie, Camden's "notebook cop," is being held in county jail in default of $50,000 bail pending submission of his case to the grand jury, although authorities accepted his admission that the story of accidental death was concocted in an effort to obtain the full burial rites of the Roman Catholic Church for his son. James, whose death on Dec. 20 was officially declared a suicide, was buried from the Robert J. Blake Funeral Home, 851 Haddon ave. Only about 20 persons were present, and there was no formal service of any kind. Among those at the funeral home were James' mother, Mrs. Tessie Bogacki, of Woodlynne; his brother, Richard, 16, and sister, Teresa, 14, and two aunts, Mrs. Elizabeth Meredith and Mrs. Jane Salus. James was buried in the rain in New Camden Cemetery, Mt. Ephraim and Ferry aves., a nondenominational cemetery, also without any formal service. Blake re- (Continued on Page 4—Column 1) cited the Lord's Prayer as the casket was lowered. Members of the immediate family and a few friends attended. Attends Viewing Wilkie attended the public viewing at the funeral home Sunday night in the company of County Detectives James McLaughlin and Joseph Bennie and a guard from the sheriff's office, Walter Wilkie, no relation. He was promised release from jail so he could attend today's burial, but James J. Mulligan, chief of county detectives, said Wilkie sent word to the prosecutor's office this morning that he had no desire to be present at the rites. "He was present at the viewing," Mulligan said, "but he said he just didn't want to go to the funeral. So we made no arrangements for him to go." Approximately 100 persons attended the viewing, and Wilkie was present the entire time. Fabricated Confession Wilkie's admission he fabricated the "confession" that he accidentally killed his son came Thursday after he learned that church authorities had declined to alter their original ruling that the youth could not be given solemn requiem rites and be buried in consecrated ground. Canons of the Church forbid religious services and burial in suicide cases. The veteran police sergeant had claimed that he accidentally shot the boy in a struggle for possession of Wilkie's service revolver at the Wilkie residence, 1144 Princess ave. But, in his admission that this version of the death was untrue, he said he found his son dead of a revolver shot when he returned home at 2.18 a. m. Sunday, Dec. 20. Cohen said no request for reduction of Wilkie's $50,000 bail had been made, but that he would consider such a request if it is received. He said he had no alternative but to present all the facts in the Wilkie case to the grand jury.

Funeral Director Recites Prayer:

Police Sgt. John V. Wilkie, whose "confession" that he accidentally killed his son proved to be a hoax, remained in the county jail today during the funeral of his 17-year-old son, James.

Wilkie, Camden's "notebook cop," is being held in county jail in default of $50,000 bail pending submission of his case to the grand jury, although authorities accepted his admission that the story of accidental death was concocted in an effort to obtain the full burial rites of the Roman Catholic Church for his son.

James, whose death on Dec. 20 was officially declared a suicide, was buried from the Robert J. Blake Funeral Home, 851 Haddon ave.

Only about 20 persons were present, and there was no formal service of any kind. Among those at the funeral home were James' mother, Mrs. Tessie Bogacki, of Woodlynne; his brother, Richard, 16, and sister, Teresa, 14, and two aunts, Mrs. Elizabeth Meredith and Mrs. Jane Salus.

James was buried in the rain in New Camden Cemetery, Mt. Ephraim and Ferry aves., a nondenominational cemetery, also without any formal service. Blake recited the Lord's Prayer as the casket was lowered.

Members of the immediate family and a few friends attended.

Attends Viewing

Wilkie attended the public viewing at the funeral home Sunday night in the company of County Detectives James McLaughlin and Joseph Bennie and a guard from the sheriff's office, Walter Wilkie, no relation.

He was promised release from jail so he could attend today's burial, but James J. Mulligan, chief of county detectives, said Wilkie sent word to the prosecutor's office this morning that he had no desire to be present at the rites.

"He was present at the viewing," Mulligan said, "but he said he just didn't want to go to the funeral. So we made no arrangements for him to go."

Approximately 100 persons attended the viewing, and Wilkie was present the entire time.

Fabricated Confession

Wilkie's admission he fabricated the "confession" that he accidentally killed his son came Thursday after he learned that church authorities had declined to alter their original ruling that the youth could not be given solemn requiem rites and be buried in consecrated ground. Canons of the Church forbid religious services and burial in suicide cases.

The veteran police sergeant had claimed that he accidentally shot the boy in a struggle for possession of Wilkie's service revolver at the Wilkie residence, 1144 Princess ave. But, in his admission that this version of the death was untrue, he said he found his son dead of a revolver shot when he returned home at 2.18 a. m. Sunday, Dec. 20.

Cohen said no request for reduction of Wilkie's $50,000 bail had been made, but that he would consider such a request if it is received. He said he had no alternative but to present all the facts in the Wilkie case to the grand jury.

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