Earl Wright
Earl Wright was born in 1903 to William and Stella Wright. On March 1, 1928 he began working as a policeman on the Camden city police department. The other officers appointed that day were John V. Wilkie, Francis Guetherman, August Riehm, William Schriver, Edward Shapiro, Edward Cahill, Marshall Thompson, Stanley Bobiak, Paul Edwards, Leon Feltz, George Getley, Joseph Lack, Thomas Stanton, Otto Toperzer, Walter Vecander and Frank Wilmot. At the time of the 1930 Census, Earl Wright was divorced and living with his parents and younger brother Wilbert at 404 Birch Street in North Camden. William Wright was at this time managing a store.
In August of 1936 Officer Wright, with policemen John V. Wilkie, Oliver Morgan, and John Kaighn, participated in a raid on a store at 1806 Broadway that resulted in the seizure of a then illegal pinball machine and the arrest of Felix Bocchicchio, who would go on to fame as boxer Jersey Joe Walcott’s manager.
Earl Wright served for many years as part of the Camden Police motorcycle squad, along with George F. Jefferis. By 1947 he had been promoted to Sergeant, assigned to the traffic bureau. At that time he was living at 234 North 7th Street.
On September 6, 1949 Sergeant Earl Wright was on the scene at 32nd Street and River Road when Howard Unruh went on a shooting spree which resulted in the death of thirteen people. Sergeant Wright was the arresting officer.
Tag: earl-wright
Manager Is Shot in Second Holdup of Store in Week
Store manager John Cullen was shot and near death after the second holdup of his American Store on Lansdowne Avenue in a week. Mounted Policeman Earl Wright arrested an armed suspect hours later at Third and Penn Streets.
Charity Solicitor Gets 50-Day Term
William W. Jones, arrested by Motorcycle Policeman Earl Wright for soliciting "charity" funds on a Philadelphia permit, was sentenced to 50 days in jail by Police Judge Pancoast.
2 Wives Give Same Block Duplicate Murder Scares
Within two hours, two wives in the 200 block of Chestnut Street ran into the street crying "murder"; Motorcycle Patrolman Earl Wright subdued both knife-wielding husbands.
2 Men Pay Fines for Interference
Two men were fined $25 each for interfering with Motorcycle Policeman Earl Wright's investigation of a 2:20 a.m. auto accident at Ninth Street and Kaighn Avenue.
Two Crippled Vets Are Arrested Here on A.W.O.L. Tour
Two wounded World War veterans who went A.W.O.L. from Walter Reed Hospital to "tour" the country in a borrowed automobile were arrested at the Camden bridge entrance when they couldn't pay the toll.
Sentence Suspended on 2 With Blackjack
Two Woodbine brothers received suspended sentences after a blackjack was found in their car, which had been halted for passing a red light. They had been arrested by Motorcycle Patrolman Earl Wright.
Reckless Driver Held After Punching Cop
A Philadelphia motorist who forced off-duty Policeman Earl Wright's car onto the sidewalk and punched him was chased to the bridge and arrested on reckless driving and assault charges.
Motorcop Gives Blood 25th Time to ‘Save’ Patient in Operation
Motorcycle Patrolman Earl Wright gave a pint of blood — the 25th time he had done so — to save Camden bank bookkeeper William Canning before an operation at Cooper Hospital.
3 Panhandlers Jailed After Cop Testifies
Three panhandlers were sentenced to six months each in jail by Police Judge Garfield Pancoast after Patrolman Earl Wright testified they had been panhandling at Second and Market Streets.
Boy Found Drunk Gets 30-Day Term
Julius Carter, 16, of 1288 Van Hook Street, was found unconscious from drinking in a vacant house at 534 Ray Street by Motorcycle Patrolman Earl Wright, and sentenced to 30 days by Judge Garfield Pancoast.
Uninvited Picket Given Year Term for Having Gun
Henry Parks, a Philadelphia strikebreaker who muscled uninvited into the picket line at New York Shipbuilding with a loaded pistol, was sentenced to one to three years in state's prison. Motorcycle Policeman Earl Wright was among the arresting officers.
Committees Named for Tenth Ward Ball
The Tenth Ward Republican Organization Club named committees for its tenth annual ball, held February 28 at Eagle's auditorium on Broadway. Earl Wright served on the program committee.
Owner Held in Taproom Brawls
Camden Courier-Post - February 24, 1936 Proprietor of Wall Street Club Charged With Hitting Policeman Four persons were arrested early yesterday during a free-for-all fight in the Wall Street Club, 340 Federal Street , according to police.
Woman Shouts Murder and Police Raid House
Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes of 519 Newton Avenue was fined $25 for allowing disorderly persons to congregate after a woman screamed murder at 3 AM, drawing police to the house.
Wilkie Exonerated of Strike Assault
Assault charges against Police Inspector John V. Wilkie, stemming from the July 1936 RCA strike riot, were dismissed after the complainant failed to appear for the eleventh time. Patrolman Earl Wright had made the original arrest.
Cops Score High on This Slot Machine
Camden police, including Patrolmen John Kaighn, Oliver Morgan, Earl Wright and John V. Wilkie, seized a pin-ball slot machine in a raid on a store at 1806 Broadway.
2 Policemen Hurt by Prisoners Here
Two Camden policemen were injured in battles with drunken prisoners at police headquarters; Earl Wright suffered a fractured nose.
2 Who Fought Police Get Hearings in Court
Frank Wade and Thomas Golden, who fought their police captors, appeared before Judge Lewis Liberman; Patrolman Earl Wright had arrested Wade.
Man Gets 4 Months for Saloon Entry
John H. Fagen was sentenced to four months for breaking into a South Second Street saloon "just to buy a drink." In the same court session Policeman Earl Wright testified against Earl Bundy in a liquor case.
Mrs. Stella Wright
Obituary of Mrs. Stella Wright of 1139 North Twentieth Street, mother of Patrolman Earl Wright, who died July 30, 1941.
Policeman Rescues Boys Adrift in Boat
Police Sgt. Earl Wright rescued three small boys adrift on the Cooper River in a water-logged skiff, rowing out and towing them to shore.
Bandit Gets $30 in Hyde’s Cafe
Joseph F. Hyde Jr., operator of Hyde's tavern at 1600 South Sixth Street, reported an armed masked bandit robbed him of $30. Sgt. Earl Wright investigated.
Veteran Kills 12 in Mad Rampage on Camden Street
For a distinguished example of local reporting during the year, The New York Times submits the story by Meyer Berger of the mass shootings in Camden, New Jersey on September 6, 1949.
2 Men Given 6 Months on Theft Counts
Municipal Judge Marino gave six-month jail sentences to two men for theft of an auto battery and $5 of gasoline; Sgt. Earl Wright testified in the gasoline case.
Signal Award Presented to Police Hero
Patrolman Peter Yecco received the Camden Police Department's Distinguished Service Award for a Delaware River rescue; among 16 officers commended was Sergeant Earl Wright.
Ramona Gonzalez Street
Division Street runs across South Camden. In 1997, a portion of the street was renamed Ramona Gonzalez Street to honor a community leader; the remainder continues to be known as Division Street.
20th Street
Twentieth Street runs through Cramer Hill and East Camden, from Harrison Avenue to Bank Street, established by the 1887–1888 Camden City Directory. In 1954, fourteen homes with South 20th Street addresses were added when McGuire Gardens public housing was built; they were demolished and redeveloped in the 1990s.