Yes, this is Howard…

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Camden Courier-Post, September 7, 1974

Courier-Post feature 'Yes, this is Howard...' on reporter Philip Buxton's phone call to Howard Unruh, September 7, 1974
Camden Courier-Post, September 7, 1974
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'Yes, this is Howard....it looks like a pretty good score.' PHILIP W. BUXTON has since died but he was a Courier-Post reporter who pulled a brilliant journalist coup by calling the Unruh house during the police seige and actually talking to Unruh. Or did he talk with Unruh? Here's the story. Buxton's story appeared on page one that evening. He said the call was made shortly after 10 a.m. "...while Unruh, gun in hand was still exchanging shots with a cordon of police." "Hello" said a strong clear voice. "Is this Howard?" I asked. "Yes, this is Howard. What's the last name of the party you want?" He asked again for the last name and Buxton said Unruh. Unruh wanted to know what the man wanted and who he was. Buxton said he was a friend and wanted to know what Unruh was doing. "Well, they haven't done anything to me yet but I'm doing plenty to them." Buxton asked how many people were killed and Unruh supposedly answered that he hadn't counted, "but it looks like a pretty good score." Unruh also said he didn't know why he was killing people and finally said, "I'll have to talk with you later. A couple of friends are coming to get me." The story was sensational and Buxton appeared that night for an interview on NBC radio. Rumors soon spread that Buxton had actually been talking to a cop. In 1964 William E. Kelly, a detective on the scene, made a sworn affidavit on what occurred that day and one of his memories concerned the famous telephone call. Kelly said he and other officers went up into the Unruh apartment right after the killer surrendered. "While doing this I heard the phone ring, and Officer Martin "Sid" Nelson answered the phone. I did not pay any attention to the conversation, but after we had hung up we went down to the celler and I asked him who was on the phone. He said, 'Some reporter that thought that I was the guy that did the killing—this guy Unruh.' Later we both had a lot of fun when we read of the reporter calling the killer." Sid Nelson and Buxton are both dead today so the case must rest with Kelly's memory and Bill Kelly is sure that the reporter did not speak with Unruh.

'Yes, this is Howard....it looks like a pretty good score.'

PHILIP W. BUXTON has since died but he was a Courier-Post reporter who pulled a brilliant journalist coup by calling the Unruh house during the police seige and actually talking to Unruh. Or did he talk with Unruh? Here's the story.

Buxton's story appeared on page one that evening. He said the call was made shortly after 10 a.m. "...while Unruh, gun in hand was still exchanging shots with a cordon of police."

"Hello" said a strong clear voice. "Is this Howard?" I asked. "Yes, this is Howard. What's the last name of the party you want?"

He asked again for the last name and Buxton said Unruh. Unruh wanted to know what the man wanted and who he was. Buxton said he was a friend and wanted to know what Unruh was doing. "Well, they haven't done anything to me yet but I'm doing plenty to them."

Buxton asked how many people were killed and Unruh supposedly answered that he hadn't counted, "but it looks like a pretty good score."

Unruh also said he didn't know why he was killing people and finally said, "I'll have to talk with you later. A couple of friends are coming to get me."

The story was sensational and Buxton appeared that night for an interview on NBC radio.

Rumors soon spread that Buxton had actually been talking to a cop. In 1964 William E. Kelly, a detective on the scene, made a sworn affidavit on what occurred that day and one of his memories concerned the famous telephone call.

Kelly said he and other officers went up into the Unruh apartment right after the killer surrendered. "While doing this I heard the phone ring, and Officer Martin "Sid" Nelson answered the phone. I did not pay any attention to the conversation, but after we had hung up we went down to the celler and I asked him who was on the phone. He said, 'Some reporter that thought that I was the guy that did the killing—this guy Unruh.' Later we both had a lot of fun when we read of the reporter calling the killer."

Sid Nelson and Buxton are both dead today so the case must rest with Kelly's memory and Bill Kelly is sure that the reporter did not speak with Unruh.

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