Turnkey Isaac Hibbs

Isaac Hibbs

Turnkey Isaac Hibbs was shot and killed as two prisoners escaped from the Camden County Jail.

One prisoner was awaiting trial on murder charges and the other on forgery charges. The wife of the accused murderer was able to smuggle a revolver into the jail when she visited him.

As Turnkey Hibbs was walking through the cell block, one suspect called to him "Come here." When Turnkey Hibbs approached, the suspect told him "Open the door, I want to show you this note." The suspect was holding a piece of paper in his hand. When Turnkey Hibbs opened the cell door, the suspect dropped the paper and revealed his hidden revolver. The suspect ordered Turnkey Hibbs to put up his hands. When he did he shot him three times.

One of the suspects then took the keys for all the doors in the jail from Turnkey Hibbs' belt and both suspects fled on foot. As they ran through the jail, they encountered a jail keeper. The suspect who was the murderer pointed the revolver at the keeper and ordered him to step aside. The keeper, instead of obeying, went straight at the suspect, despite the fact that the suspect was pointing a revolver at him. He grabbed the suspect, but was not able to wrestle the revolver free before the suspect fired two shots, wounding him. The suspects then were able to make their way to the street and escaped.

The suspects were arrested the next day in Chester, Pennsylvania. With them was the woman who smuggled the gun into the jail. She too, was arrested and charged as an accomplice to the murder.

The 25-year-old murderer was in jail for shooting and killing a 25-year-old actress on January 22, 1916, as she stood in her yard with her father and 7-year-old son. It was said he was madly in love with her and the victim had let him know she wanted nothing to do with him. He was convicted of her murder and executed in the electric chair on January 3, 1917. The other escapee was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 5 to 30 years. The murderer's wife was sentenced to one to three years.

One of the two officers who made the arrest was Policeman William H. Padgett of the Chester Police Department, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on August 28th, 1917.