Shootout At Hampton Bogs

[Teegate]

I don't own Arthur Pierce's book called "Family Empire in Jersey Iron"; however, if you do you might want to read over the chapter titled "Three at Hampton". It tells the true story of a bloody gun battle that occurred at Hampton Bogs.

Many of the cranberry bogs in the pines around the turn of the century were owned by Andrew Rider the founder of Rider College. Long before Garfield DeMarco he was known as the "Cranberry King".

On October 5, 1916 Andrew Rider and his daughter Elsie Hinch, along with her uncle Henry Rider and a mechanic at the bogs were delivering the payroll for the cranberry harvesters at the Hampton Bogs. With over $4000 in the car, they had a gun with them. The money had been picked up in Hammonton early in the day, and they were now traveling up what is now 206 to Atsion.

The story mentions they turned off of what is now 206 a couple of miles above Atsion onto Hampton Bogs road. I am not certain if they are talking about the bogs farther up 206 from Atsion, or they had turned onto the road just past the ranger station leading to Hampton Furnace.

In any event when they came to a small bridge 10 or 11 men came out of the woods by the bridge and blocked the road. They all wore masks and some of them wore women's clothes.

Andrew Rider's daughter stopped the car until Andrew Rider told her to continue. Shots were fired and her uncle Henry Rider was shot. Andrew Rider pulled his gun but could not get it to work, so he passed it to the mechanic who soon was firing back.

All of them were shot numerous times, with Henry Rider shot in the jugular. By the time they reached the bog two miles away Henry Rider was dead. He was on vacation and had just decided to come along for the ride.

They were taken to Jefferson Hospital where some of the bullets were removed, and it was pronounced they would survive. Elsie Hinch believed that they only survived because the gunman had cheep guns.

One bandit was electrocuted in Trenton, one found in Italy and convicted, one was killed in a gang fight in Newark, one captured in a small Pennsylvania town, and one after fleeing to Spain and Italy was found 15 years later in prison in California.

Guy

 

[Boyd]

Are these the bogs?

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.757550,-74.722524&spn=0.015232,0.026378&t=h&hl=en

 

[Teegate]

I would assuming that; however, which road is Hampton Bog road? I say it is the road that says Hampton road, but the article states that they were two miles above Atsion when they turned onto Hampton Bog road. Somewhat confusing!

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

Are Boyds bog the bogs (hard to say that ) or are they talking about the bogs at Hampton Furnace? Google Earth shows Hampton Rd going along side the bogs at Hampton and going out to Carenza Rd west of Moores Meadow Rd. Google also calls Carenza Rd "Tuckerton Rd" at that point.

Steve

 

[Teegate]

My only confusion is why it says two miles about Atsion they turned off onto Hampton Bogs road. I think they are talking about Hampton Road that goes to Hampton Furnace.

Guy

 

[Oriental]

I've read a number of accounts of the incident and was always under the impression that the event took place on Hampton Road (the one just North of the ranger station). A little more than halfway to Hampton the road does a little turn and I always thought that site matched the descriptions I read. As his enormous packing house was right there at Hampton, it would make sense that he was traveling to that location to pay his workers. It is interesting that old maps don't show that road connecting Atsion to Hampton. Years back you may have had to go a few miles north to what is now East Stokes Road. That would then intersect with the road that continues into Hampton. See Scotts Atlas.

 

[woodjin]

I suspect Oriental is right. It makes more sense. It would also explain the bridge in the account.

Jeff

 

[Oriental]

Are Boyds bog the bogs (hard to say that ) or are they talking about the bogs at Hampton Furnace? Google Earth shows Hampton Rd going along side the bogs at Hampton and going out to Carenza Rd west of Moores Meadow Rd. Google also calls Carenza Rd "Tuckerton Rd" at that point.

Steve

I don't think that Rider had anything to do with those bogs that are adjacent to 206. They stretch from right behind the Pic-a-Lilli all the way out to East Stokes Road. It is my understanding that all of those bogs there were not owned by the same person. The Abrams family owned many of them at one time. Also, Hobart Gardner had bogs in the area. Lemunyon, Tassone, and Woolman also owned some bogs right there. Jeff Whalen owns most of them now.

I remember reading a quote from AJ Rider regarding the weather in South Jersey (temperatures in the bogs or something) where he claimed to own bogs in 5 counties. I can easily see Burlington, Atlantic and Camden because they all meet not far from there. I wonder where else he may have had berries.

 

[Oriental]

One bandit was electrocuted in Trenton, one found in Italy and convicted, one was killed in a gang fight in Newark, one captured in a small Pennsylvania town, and one after fleeing to Spain and Italy was found 15 years later in prison in California.

Guy

In an address to the American Cranberry Growers' Association, Rider mentioned that Burlington County was the leading producer of cranberries in the state then went on to say that it was just about the only thing good that could be said about the county. He criticized the corrupt government that allowed murderers to go free. Apparently he was still quite bitter about some aquittals that were given to some of those involved. Newspaper articles at the time talk about the inappropriate comments he made at that meeting.

 

[Teegate]

Newspaper articles at the time talk about the inappropriate comments he made at that meeting.

Can't blame him if his relatives killer got off.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

I found this tonight which someone may find interesting.


Date: January 5, 1938

Mrs. Mary Ida Stout Rider - Mrs. Mary Ida Stout Rider, widow of Andrew Jackson Rider, a pioneer in the cranberry industry in Burlington and Atlantic counties, died on Thursday at the home of a sister, Mrs. Charles Wilson, in Vineland. Mrs. Rider had been in a hospital there but removed recently to the Wilson home. Mrs. Rider was born in Berlin and made her home in Hammonton for more than 35 years. She was the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. Huff Stout. Henry Rider, brother of Andrew, was shot and killed in the celebrated cranberry bog holdup and murder of some years ago near Atsion. Andrew Rider was one of the founders of Rider College, a business school in Trenton. Mrs. Rider, in addition to her membership in various other organizations, was a member of the board of the Soldiers' Home in Vineland, a member of the Colonial Dames and a member of the Founders and Patriots Association. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, of Hammonton. Mrs. Rider is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Elsie Rider Hinch of Great Neck, L. I., Who(sic) as a young woman was in the car when her uncle was fatally shot in the cranberry murder; a son, Charles J., of St. Petersburg, Fla., one grandchild and two sisters. Mrs. Hinch was the widow of Robert Smathers, brother of U. S. Senator William H. Smathers. The two sisters surviving are Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Charles Worcester, of Berlin.

 

[Teegate]

Headline: Echo of Rider Tragedy
Date: July 18, 1917

John N. Rigley, who was in the Rider automobile at the time the attack was made on the party last Fall, at Atsion, as it was going from Hammonton to Hampton Neck, where the Rider cranberry bogs are located, has brought suit under the employers' liability act, to recover for injuries received at that time. On the day the tragedy occurred Rigley, who is fifty-eight years of age, was assigned by his employers, R. L. Latimer & Company, of Philadelphia, to go to the Rider place to repair some machinery. When the car was held up by the Italians, Rigley was shot in the left arm, shoulder, neck and left leg and for a time his condition was serious. Part of the time he was paid $19.80 a week by his employers, but the payments ceased after a while. His wages were $21.50 a week and he asks adequate continued compensation. The action is brought in the Burlington county courts, in which jurisdiction the shooting occurred. It will be recalled that on the fateful day Henry Rider, brother of Andrew J. Rider, owner of the bogs, was killed by the bandits that attacked the party, and that Giovanni Iraca was convicted of the charge of participating in the crime and is now awaiting electrocution at the State prison. Three prisoners alleged to have been implicated in the hold-up are still in the county jail awaiting trial.

 

[Patty Schwenger]

I don't think that Rider had anything to do with those bogs that are adjacent to 206. They stretch from right behind the Pic-a-Lilli all the way out to East Stokes Road. It is my understanding that all of those bogs there were not owned by the same person. The Abrams family owned many of them at one time. Also, Hobart Gardner had bogs in the area. Lemunyon, Tassone, and Woolman also owned some bogs right there. Jeff Whalen owns most of them now.

I remember reading a quote from AJ Rider regarding the weather in South Jersey (temperatures in the bogs or something) where he claimed to own bogs in 5 counties. I can easily see Burlington, Atlantic and Camden because they all meet not far from there. I wonder where else he may have had berries.

Well, I am not following this story so well, but I will add that my grandfather Antonio Tassone did have cranberries and blueberries out on East Stokes Road. I remember the Lemunyons, the Gibersons and the Wells family names from that area. There is one cousin of mine left that actually would be able to fill-in the history of the area on East Stokes Road. She is Mary Jane Tassone Lippincott Mullins. My uncle Theodore Tassone lived there as well until recently.

 

[Teegate]

The Gibersons owned the small lot behind the gun club on Quaker Bridge Road where the chimney now stands. It was .1722 acres which is quite small. John Wells owned the far left lot along the lake. Today the state owns the land. The property at one time was owned by Phoebe and Andrew Etheridge and Theodore Kell. Kell purchased it on July 23 1907 and by the mid 1950 it was owned by Wells.

Guy

 

[dogg57]

Enjoyed, Reading this.