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Earl Wright

Earl Wright, Camden Police

People

Earl Wright

Earl Wright joined the Camden police force in 1928, serving as a motorcycle patrolman and later Sergeant. He is best known as the officer who arrested mass murderer Howard Unruh on September 6, 1949.

July 31, 2026·2 min read

1239 and 1241 North 20th Street, March 15, 2012

Streets

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.

January 22, 2024·9 min read

Scene of Camden Bombing

Streets

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.

August 2, 2023·11 min read

Signal Award Presented to Police Hero - newspaper clipping

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.

October 28, 1960·2 min read

2 Men Given 6 Months on Theft Counts - newspaper clipping

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.

December 18, 1957·2 min read

Howard Unruh Arrest, September 7, 1974

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.

September 7, 1949·17 min read

Bandit Gets $30 in Hyde's Cafe - newspaper clipping

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.

February 9, 1949·1 min read

Policeman Rescues Boys Adrift in Boat - newspaper clipping

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.

June 5, 1947·1 min read

Mrs. Stella Wright obituary — Camden Courier-Post, July 31, 1941

Mrs. Stella Wright

Obituary of Mrs. Stella Wright of 1139 North Twentieth Street, mother of Patrolman Earl Wright, who died July 30, 1941.

July 31, 1941·1 min read

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.

February 2, 1938·2 min read

2 Who Fought Police Get Hearings in Court - newspaper clipping

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.

October 13, 1936·1 min read

2 Policemen Hurt by Prisoners Here - newspaper clipping

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.

October 12, 1936·1 min read

Wilkie Exonerated of Strike Assault

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.

August 12, 1936·4 min read

Camden police pinball raid, Patrolmen Kaighn, Morgan, Wright, Wilkie

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.

August 12, 1936·1 min read

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.

August 6, 1936·1 min read

Bar Fight - AI Stock Photo

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.

February 24, 1936·2 min read

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.

February 20, 1936·1 min read

Uninvited Picket Given Year Term for Having Gun

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.

May 19, 1934·3 min read

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.

August 16, 1933·1 min read

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.

February 2, 1933·1 min read

Motorcop Gives Blood 25th Time - newspaper clipping

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.

June 16, 1932·1 min read

Reckless Driver Held After Punching Cop - newspaper clipping

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.

June 13, 1932·1 min read

Sentence Suspended on 2 With Blackjack

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.

June 8, 1932·1 min read

Two Crippled Vets Are Arrested Here on A.W.O.L. Tour - newspaper clipping

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.

June 1, 1932·1 min read

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.

March 19, 1932·2 min read

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.

October 27, 1931·1 min read

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.

October 26, 1931·2 min read

Manager Is Shot in Second Holdup of Store in Week

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.

November 29, 1930·5 min read