Paul A. Woodward

Paul A. Woodward, a resident of 221 Benson Street, committed the murder of two young boys by poisoning them on October 1, 1902. He was the son of Thomas and Bella Woodward. Following his arrest, Woodward was tried, convicted of the first-degree murder of one of his victims, and subsequently executed at the Camden County Jail on January 7, 1903. He was later buried in Philadelphia.

The case attracted significant attention, involving many prominent figures from Camden's legal, medical, law enforcement, political, and police communities. Extensive coverage of the case appeared in newspapers such as the Philadelphia Inquirer. The media at the time, as it often does, extended its reporting beyond the facts, offering speculative angles on the story. One article even suggested that Woodward might have been a "degenerate," while another hinted that his behavior could have been influenced by smoking cigarettes.

The Inquirer published several articles leading up to and following the trial, reflecting both the public interest and the sensationalism often associated with high-profile cases.