Fallen Heroes

On January 30th, 2014, Omaha Police Detective Greg Hamill of the Narcotics Unit was working in his capacity as a detective during a narcotics investigation.  The investigation involved making a controlled buy of illegal narcotics, using a Confidential Informant (CI).  Prior to making the controlled buy, the CI met up with Detective Hamill, as well as Detectives Perna and Hansen.  During this meeting, the CI was searched by Hamill to ensure the CI had no illegal items on their person.  Hamill then searched the CI’s vehicle for the same reason.  The CI was then sent to make a controlled buy of illegal narcotics, and then returned to meet up with the detectives.  After returning, the CI was again searched by Hamill.  As the CI discussed the transaction with Perna and Hansen, their vehicle was extensively searched by Hamill.  After the CI was released, all of the detectives discussed the controlled buy, and handled the purchased narcotics.

On February 5th, 2014, Detectives Hansen, Hamill and Perna all became ill with what was later diagnosed to be Influenza.  Detective Hamill became seriously ill, and was subsequently admitted to the hospital.  During Hamill’s extended stay in the hospital, he was placed into a coma to try and fight the effects of the Influenza that was attacking his body.  During this stay, Hamill suffered a serious medical condition, from which he would not recover.  On Wednesday, February 19th, 2014, Greg Hamill passed away.

Subsequent investigation found out that the CI and a member of the CI’s family were sick with Influenza during the controlled buy operation that Hamill, Hansen and Perna worked on.  All of the detectives were found to have been exposed to Influenza by way of contact with the CI, and with the CI’s vehicle.  Detectives Hansen and Perna would recover from their illnesses.

Greg Hamill was born on March 21st, 1970, and was from Texas.  He was 43 years old at the time of his passing.  He was married to his wife, Vanessa, and had a son and daughter.  Hamill was an avid hunter, and was considered to be one of the best shots with a rifle on the department.  Hamill oined the Omaha Police Department on November 26th, 2001, and served for twelve years.

September 11th is a somber day in American history.  It’s a day that we honor the brave police officers and firefighters of New York, who died heroes as a result of a cowardly act.  The human tragedy.  The tragic loss of life.  Two years to the day, the Omaha Police Department would see a tragedy happen to one of its own.  And, it’s a tragedy that still affects many of us to this day.

On Thursday, September 11th, 2003, officers of the Northeast Precinct C-Shift set out for their duties of patrolling North Omaha.  The 30 Crew, led by Sgt. John Sokolik, was on their last day, before their two scheduled days off.  The 30 Crew consisted of many Northeast Precinct “veterans” – those officers who had worked the area and shift for some time.  Later in the evening, a tragic event would change the lives of those who were there.

At 9:50 pm, Officer Robert Branch and his recruit officer, Frank Platt, who were going by the call sign Adam 39, attempted to stop a green Chevy for driving recklessly.  The vehicle stopped near 33rd and Corby Street.  The driver of the vehicle, who was the only one in the car, jumped out and ran off.  A foot pursuit was put out over the radio, and Branch and Platt gave chase.  Instantly, officers began heading to the area to assist.  The foot pursuit headed west, through an overgrown alley in between Miami Street on the south and Corby Street on the north.  Platt got on the radio and indicated that he had lost sight of the suspect near 34th Ave and Corby.  Responding officers began arriving in the area and began setting up a perimeter.  The responding officers included Baker 31, which was the call sign for Officer Erik Gustafson and Officer Jason “Tye” Pratt. When the call of the foot pursuit came out, Gustafson and Pratt were with Sgt. Sokolik at “The Circle.”  If you’ve worked in the Northeast Precinct in the past ten years, you know where “The Circle” is, and probably have been there at least once or twice.  Gustafson and Pratt arrived in the area, and parked their cruiser (#231) on the northwest corner of 34th Ave and Miami.  Pratt proceeded north, up 34th Ave.  To the west, in between 34th Ave and J.A. Creighton Blvd, stood the residence of Darwin and Evelyn Montgomery.  Their house included a fence line on the east side, next to 34th Ave.  Just outside of their fence, stood a row of bushes that ran nearly the entire length of their fence.  Jason Pratt stood just outside of these bushes, on 34th Ave, as Frank Platt began searching in the bushes.  Platt began his search on the southern end, and worked his way north. A small break in the bushes appeared.  This is where a wooden utility pole was placed.  Platt maneuvered behind the poll and moved towards the remaining bushes.  Platt saw a pair of feet sticking out from the bushes.  Platt yelled “Police!  Come out!”  Jason Pratt, hearing this, stopped and faced the group of bushes in front of him.  A white flash then came from the bushes, and Officer Jason Pratt fell to the street.  The suspect jumped out of the bushes, right where Pratt fell, and began to run.  Officer Frank Platt emerged from the bushes, near the utility pole.  The suspect turned and shot at Platt twice, just as Platt began to return fire.  Platt shot nine times, hitting the suspect eight times.  The suspect fell to the street, just to the east of Pratt.  The shots fired at Platt both missed.  A witness to the shooting, Clifford White, who lived across the street and watched from his back window, later said “He (the suspect) just appeared from nowhere.”  White also saw Platt’s quick reaction in bringing down the threat.  A call went out over the radio from the scene – “An officer is down.”

Jason Pratt had been shot once in the head, above his left eye, sustaining serious trauma.  Officers rushed to the scene of the shooting, and began to administer first aid to Pratt.  Officers Branch, Gustafson, Warnock, and Sgt. Sokolik all took turns performing CPR on Pratt.  A rescue squad arrived on the scene, and Pratt was rushed to Creighton University Medical Center.  The suspect, who was later identified as Albert W. Rucker, 21, was shot multiple times.  He was placed in handcuffs, and was transported to CUMC.  At 2:21 am, Rucker died.

Doctors advised family and friends of Pratt that he would not survive his wound.  But, for eight days, Tye survived.  This allowed his many friends and family members to come see him at the hospital and say their good-byes.  Although he was not conscious, Tye was able to tell everybody his good-byes, as well.  On Friday, September 19, 2003 at 4:25 am, Jason Tye Pratt passed away.  His family and close friends were by his side.  Pratt was 30 years old at the time of his death.

The funeral for Jason Tye Pratt was held on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.  More than 6,000 people attended the service, including 1,300 police officers from 90 agencies all over the country.  Mike Pratt, brother of Jason and a police officer in Lincoln, talked about Jason’s courageous fight in the hospital and that he had the largest family in the world, with more brothers and sisters in blue than could be counted.  The funeral procession went from 19th & Capitol Avenue to Calvary Cemetery at 78th and West Center Road.  It consisted of hundreds of police cars, and stretched from its starting point to its ending point.

Thousands of citizens lined the streets to show their final respects to Tye Pratt, many holding signs and American flags, along the seven mile route.  At the cemetery, the mood was solemn.  A twenty-one gun salute was given, and a fly-over by police helicopters was performed.  At the end of the service, hundreds of officers lined up to touch Pratt’s casket before they left.

Albert Rucker was a convicted felon who had warrants out for his arrest for probation violation and being a felon in possession of a handgun.  Much was made about the lenient sentences he received for his crimes, and for the fact that he was even out on the streets at all.  Albert Rucker represented the constant threat to police officers and their safety…a threat that still exists today.  When he ran from his vehicle, Rucker was armed with two handguns - a .357 Magnum (which was found ditched in the alley that Rucker ran through) and a 1911 Auto Ordinance .45 caliber (which was found next to Rucker).  As tragic of an evening this was, Rucker’s actions and intentions could have lead to the death of more officers that evening.

Jason Tye Pratt joined the Omaha Police Department on September 10, 1996.  He was married to his wife, Stacy, and had two daughters, Madison, 3, and Jordyn, 9 months.  He and his wife had just dug the foundation to their dream home, which was being built in Bennington.  Pratt was a member of the Emergency Response Unit.  While in the hospital, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  Pratt’s regular Baker partner, Trevor Thrasher, was out of town on training, when Pratt was shot.
   The wooden utility pole at the scene where Pratt was shot now bears his badge number on a field of black, to remember a fallen hero, high above the scene.  This is not an official memorial, but a personal memorial placed by one of Pratt’s close friends on the force. <p>Pratt’s police family rallied support for his wife and kids.  The Omaha Police Union sponsored a benefit that included food and auctions, which raised well over $100,000.  Other auctions and events raised the overall total even higher.

Before Pratt’s funeral, a newspaper reporter asked Officer Scott Beran, one of Pratt’s closest friends, about the loss of Tye.  “All of us lost something when we lost Tye,” Beran told them.  “I lost a great friend.  Stacy lost a loving, caring, compassionate husband.  His daughters lost a father.  His parents lost a son.   We’re all better people for having known Tye.  He put a little bit of happiness in all of our lives.”  This could not be put any better.

Jason Tye Pratt died doing the same job you and I continue to do.  It is a reminder to me (and it should be to you) that there are more Albert Ruckers out there.

It was Sunday, August 20th, 1995, and Officer Jimmy Wilson, Jr. reported for his shift at about 3 pm.  He was assigned to work out of the East Police Assembly Area at 40th and Nicholas.  Wilson had just recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his graduation from the Academy, where his father, Jimmy, Sr., had pinned his badge on him.  It was another typical day for the 40 Crew, and for Jimmy Wilson.  At approximately 8:01 pm, Wilson, who went by the call sign Adam 45,  radioed to Police Dispatch and requested a registration check on a tow-tone brown van that he was following.  Dispatch responded that the license plate (Nebraska plate 1-N7731) belonged to a 1981 Mazda passenger car, and not a van.  Wilson replied that he was going to perform a traffic stop on the van.  That was the last radio transmission Wilson would make.

Approximately one minute after Wilson radioed in the plate, 9-1-1 began receiving calls.  A resident near 40th and Blondo Street called and reported that an officer had been shot and needed help.  An “officer down” call was quickly put out over the radio, and officers began to rush to the scene.  The first officers that arrived found Wilson’s cruiser sitting near the intersection alone.  The cruiser was damaged by gunfire, with damage on the roof, the windshield heavily damaged and the rear driver’s side window and back window blown out.  On approach of the cruiser, officers found Wilson sitting in the driver’s seat.  He had sustained an obvious wound to his right shoulder and to his head.  He was not responsive.  He still had his seatbelt on, and held his radio mic in his hand.  It appeared that the attack was sudden and immediate, affording Wilson no time to react.  Other officers were quickly told to look for the van, believed headed south.  At 8:15 pm, Wilson was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center by ambulance.  At 9:00 pm, Wilson was pronounced dead.  He was the first Omaha police officer to be killed in the line of duty in twenty-one years.

At the scene, it was determined that the weapon used was an AK-47 assault rifle.  Several witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots just after the police cruiser’s siren had sounded.  “I heard the beginning of a siren, just ‘geek,’ like that, then the next thing I heard was ‘pow, pow, pow, pow, pow,’” a woman at the scene said.  Another witness told reporters that the burst of gunshots was so quick, he could not count them.  Numerous shell casings were found, many of them grouped together, between the sidewalk and the curb on the west side of 40th Street, by the flashing indicator sign.  This indicated that the shooter was stationary, standing in one place as he shot at Wilson.  It also indicated that the shooter exited the van from the sliding passenger side door.  The fact that Wilson had stopped a van, and that he positioned his cruiser as he was trained to, meant that he would have been unable to see the shooter exit the van.  Wilson probably did not see the armed man until he began shooting.

At 8:26 pm, twenty-five minutes after Wilson’s last radio transmission, police officers spotted the van that Wilson had tried to stop.  It was at 30th and Q Street.  Officers turned on their lights and sirens to stop the van, but it did not stop.  Officers chased the vehicle to 29th and T Street, where the vehicle stopped and two black males jumped out and ran.  The two males ran into the Southside Terrace Housing Project.  Responding officers surrounded an apartment building where it was believed the two males ran into.  In fact, the entire Southside Terrace complex was in virtual lockdown throughout the night.  A perimeter was set up around the complex, from 27th to 30th Streets, R Street to W Street.  Anybody wanting to enter or leave the complex was stopped and interviewed by police.  At 1:28 am, entry was made into an apartment where it was believed the males from the van ran to.  However, the apartment was empty.  At dawn, officers began to go door to door at the Southside Terrace, looking for the suspects.  At about 9:30 am, police received information that the two men had gone into an apartment at 2913 T Avenue.  Within a span of five minutes, police had arrested two suspects at and near that address.

A total of seven people were arrested and charged with Wilson’s murder.  Kevin L. Allen, 18, and Quincy Hughes, 20, were each charged with first degree murder.  Five others were charged with being accessories to murder.  They were: Walter “Dion” Harris, 22, Tavais L. Minor, 18, Charles R. McSpadden, 21, Ronnie D. Perry, 14, and Otis J. Simmons, 15.  Charges against Hughes were eventually dropped, as the investigation showed he was very likely not in the van at the time of the shooting, and did not match the description of the shooter given by witnesses.  Despite a belief by some officers (even to this day) that Hughes was the actual shooter, investigators were confident in their findings that he was not involved.  The focus turned on Kevin Allen.

The funeral for James Bradley Wilson, Jr. took place on Thursday, August 24th, 1995 at St. John’s Catholic Church on the campus of Creighton University.  An estimated 1,200 police officers from several states were among the 2,500 mourners who had gathered for the funeral.  The church was overflowing with mourners.  Hundreds had to stand outside and listen to the service on a speaker system.  Hundreds more gathered in the church basement and in the nearby student center, and watched the service on television.  Senator Bob Kerry, Congressmen Jon Christensen, Mayor Hal Daub, and Reverend Eldon Curtiss were all in attendance.  Officer Chuck Noonan spoke on behalf of Wilson’s crew and all of the other officers.  He talked of the helplessness that officers felt on that terrible day.  “We all still want nothing more than to hear Jimmy on the radio saying ‘Adam 45, I’m 88.  I’m safe’” he told the mourners. After the funeral, there was a procession that led from the church to Calvary Cemetery at 78th and West Center Road.

The route was lined with citizens showing their final respect for Wilson.

Kevin Allen was convicted of first degree murder on March 22, 1996, and was sentenced to life in prison.  The others that were in the van on that fateful evening plead to accessory charges.  Allen, whose street name was “Dumb,” was wanted in connection with a shooting on July 2, 1995 near 27th &amp; Q Street, in which he shot a man in the leg who tried to stop him from breaking into a car.  Just before Wilson attempted to stop the van, Allen told the others in the van that he wasn’t going back to prison.  When stopped, Allen jumped out of the passenger side door, assault rifle in hand.

The assault rifle used to kill Wilson has never been recovered.  A reward was put out for the recovery weapon.  Several tips came in that led to the confiscation of several assault rifles, but none of these were the weapon used in Wilson’s murder.

immy Wilson, Jr. was born on October 11, 1970 to Jimmy, Sr. and Barbara Wilson.  He was 24 at the time of his death.  He attended Westside High School, and graduated from Creighton University in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.  Wilson was a third-generation Omaha cop.  His father was a well-known and respected detective, retiring just before his son’s death.  Before that, his grandfather was an Omaha cop for 31 years.  He was survived by his parents, and his sisters Jeannie and Kimberly.  Wilson was also engaged at the time.  Wilson’s organs were donated, and used to save the lives of the recipients.

At the funeral, Wilson’s sister, Jeannie, told the mourners about a game she and Jimmy used to play that they called “Touched You Last.”  She explained that it was basically a game of tag, in which the last person to touch the other would win.  She went on to say that recently, Jimmy, who was in uniform and on his way to work, smacked her and ran off.  He later called her and taunted her, saying “I touched you last!”  Jennie went on to tell the audience “I want to let Jimbo know that he won.  He touched us all last.  He touched us all very deeply.  He’s a winner.” Jimmy Wilson, Jr. did indeed touch us all last.  He died a hero, in the never ending war against those that wish to destroy this city and prey on its citizens.  Wilson’s death reminded us of the sacrifices that police officers make in the name of justice.  This city would be reminded of this on a fall evening in September, 2003…

On Wednesday, June 5, 1974, Elza Carr, Jr., a 33 year old man who lived in a rooming house at 1818 N. 25th Street, went downstairs and spoke to his landlady, Mrs. Mary Owen.  Carr asked Owen to call his half-brother, Jesse McDonald, 47, of 4409 Pinkney Street, and tell him to come over with $10, as he was not feeling well.  Owen left the message with McDonald’s wife, and then told her that Carr was “acting like he is losing his mind.”  Later in the evening, McDonald arrived at the rooming house and left the money with Owen.  He did not go upstairs to see Carr.  As McDonald was preparing to leave, Carr yelled down from upstairs: “here I am sick and you won’t even see me.”  McDonald called up to Carr and asked him if he had a message for their mother.  “Tell her I love her,” Carr said.  McDonald walked outside, and was shot from behind from the second floor of the rooming house he had just left.  McDonald ran east, down an alley between Decatur Street and Parker Street, towards 24th Street, and collapsed in front of 1812 N. 24th Street.  It was approximately 9:30 pm.

When Hale reached the intersection of 25th and Decatur, he heard two loud shots from behind him.  He turned around to see Krzemien chasing a black male down 25th Street.  Hale ran towards Krzemien to assist.  As he got half way down the block, Hale noticed that Krzemien had dropped his police hat (hats were required to be worn during this era).  As Hale continued to run to assist, he bent down to scoop up Krzemien’s hat.  Just as he was picking up the hat, Hale was shot in the neck by a shotgun blast.  Eight pellets would enter his neck.  The impact of the shot knocked Hale to his knees so hard, that he broke both of his kneecaps (in 3 places on his left knee, and 2 places on his right knee).  Hale immediately jumped up and ran for cover, knowing that the shot had come from his west, along 25th Street.  Krzemien jumped into a police cruiser and sped off with lights and sirens.

Later, Hale would learn that Krzemien was not chasing the black male.  Krzemien and the man, Booker Stubblefield, who lived at 2433 Parker and was a bystander, were shot and were both fleeing the area.  Krzemien was hit in the neck and the chest, and Stubblefied had also been hit by gunfire.  In a short span, Elza Carr had shot four people, two of them police officers.  Hale, still taking cover, soon heard sirens headed his way, and knew that Krzemien had put a “Help an Officer” call out over the radio.  It is important to note that Omaha police officers did not carry portable radios with them.  They only had radios in their cruisers.

A minute after Krzemien put out the Help call, Patrolman James Slattery arrived in the area.  Slattery drove his cruiser up 25th Street.  As he drove by the rooming house, Slattery was shot in the arm while holding his radio microphone.  Hale ran over to Slattery’s cruiser to assist.  After Slattery told him he was okay, Hale grabbed the microphone and put a broadcast over the radio that there was a sniper on the west side of 25th Street, between Decatur and Parker.  However, what Hale didn’t realize, was that the shotgun blast that wounded Slattery had also broken the microphone.  Hale’s broadcast did not go out over the radio.  Slattery left the area in his cruiser, wounded. Hale decided to flank the sniper’s position, to prevent him from escaping out the back of the residence.  As Hale ran to do this, he was shot again, this time in the leg.  But, since the shotgun blast came from a farther away distance, the pellets did not penetrate his skin, they just left a large bruise.  Hale continued to run, and reached cover.   A minute or so later, Sgt. Guy Goodrich drove his police cruiser down 25th Street.  Hale yelled a warning out to him as he exited the cruiser, but Goodrich was shot by a shotgun blast in the face, neck and chest, and fell to the street in front of the rooming house at 1818 N. 25th Street.  Seeing Goodrich go down, Patrolman David Schlotman, who responded to the Help an Officer call and was blocking a street on the perimeter, immediately got into his cruiser and drove to Goodrich’s aid.  Schlotman positioned his cruiser in-between Goodrich and the house.  As Schlotman was helping Goodrich into the cruiser, he was shot.  Schlotman was struck in the face and shoulder with several pellets from a shotgun blast that shattered his cruiser’s window.  The time was approximately 10:00 pm.

Hale held his position for another ten minutes, and then worked his way over to 26th Street to Decatur, and eventually to a command post near the intersection of 25th and Parker.  There, Hale was advised by Richard Roth, the recently appointed Public Safety Director, that he was bleeding from his neck, and needed to go to the hospital.  Hale, not wanting to take an ambulance, worked his way through the large gathering crowds estimated at 300, to his cruiser.  Arriving there, Hale discovered that all four of his tires were flat on his cruiser, as well as all four tires on Krzemien’s cruiser.  Hale worked his way back through the crowd, and was transported to Lutheran Hospital, 26th &amp; Dewey Ave., by ambulance.

As word spread of the sniper, officers from all over the city responded.  One of those responding was Sgt. Bernard Venditte, a 15 year veteran who worked in the Vice Unit.  At about 10:25 pm, Venditte was attempting to clear the surrounding houses of innocent civilians, to ensure their safety.  Unbeknownst to Venditte, one of the houses he began knocking on was 1818 N. 25th Street, the rooming house where Carr was shooting from.  Carr aimed from above and shot Venditte, hitting him in the face, chest, and arm.  Venditte worked his way from the scene, and was transported by private vehicle to St. Joseph Hospital, 30th &amp; Burt.

By this point, the location of the sniper had been determined.  Officers surrounded the house, and exchanged shots with Carr.  More officers continued to arrive on scene, including Larry Hogya, who worked midnights but saw the news coverage on television, and came in early.  After working his way to the scene from the precinct at 40th and Nicholas, Hogya made his way close to the rooming house.  Also joining Hogya were Sgt. Charlie Parker and Officer Paul Nields, of the Vice Unit.

In addition to live rounds being fired, tear gas rounds were also fired into the rooming house where Carr was holed up.  A stand-off had ensued.  A large crowd was surrounding the perimeter, and appeared to cheer every time Carr fired his shotgun.  In a bizarre twist, an ice cream truck arrived on the scene near 25th and Parker, rang its bell, and began to sell ice cream to the crowd.  Later, the ice cream vendor would claim that he was trapped inside the barricaded area, and forced to sell ice cream to the demanding crowd.  He then said he was robbed at gunpoint at approximately 11:00 pm, while a police officer (who was obviously preoccupied with the shootout) stood ten feet away. At approximately 12:45 am, while firing tear gas into the residence, a decision was made to approach the house and secure the door to the front porch open.  This would help in any future assault on the inside of the house.  Sgt. Parker, dressed in one of the department’s two flak jackets and firing tear gas into the house, moved to the front of the house with Officer Tom Martin, Bob McManigal, Larry Hogya, and Paul Nields (who was also firing tear gas into the house).  Most were wearing gas masks.  After the front door to the porch was secured, Parker, Martin, and Nields entered the enclosed porch and flanked the front door to the residence.  Hogya and McManigal stayed just outside the door to the front porch.  At this point, without warning, Nields went around the flak jacket wearing Parker and stepped into the doorway of the residence.  He was immediately shot in the head by Carr’s shotgun, and fell to the floor.  Nields was carried out of the house by the other officers.  As the group retreated with Nields, the officers on the outside of the house laid down a hail of covering fire into the residence.  Nields was carried behind a pickup (which ended up being Carr’s), where his mask was removed and his head wound was found to be extremely grave.  He was transported to Lutheran Hospital, and arrived there just before 1:00 am.  At 1:05 am, Nields received the Last Rites from Reverend Kenneth Potts of St. Peter’s Church.  He was officially pronounced dead at 1:15 am.  Paul Albert Nields was 29 years old.

in the large crowd began to get hostile with the officers.  After Carr was removed from the scene, certain people in the crowd began to instigate others.  One of the instigators was ordered arrested.  Officers went into the crowd and arrested the boisterous crowd instigator.  This man was placed in handcuffs and taken to a police cruiser.  As the man was being placed into the cruiser by Officer Hogya and Officer Thomas Mainelli, a gunshot rang out nearby.  Hogya looked around, but saw nobody trying to attack them.  He continued to place the man into the cruiser, and went off to jail.  Soon after, it was learned that the man in the back of the cruiser was not a man, but was a woman named Annie Worlds.  Worlds told the officers that she had been shot.  She was taken to Lutheran hospital with a gunshot wound to the left side of her back.  It was later determined that Mainelli accidentally shot Worlds while placing her in the cruiser.  Mainelli did not immediately report this accidental shooting, and was subsequently fired by Mayor Ed Zorinsky.  He was later reinstated to the force.

The funeral for Officer Paul Nields was held on Saturday, June 8th, 1974 at 9:30 am.  Over 700 people, most of them uniformed officers and deputies from around the region, packed into St. Philip Neri Church at 8200 N. 30th Street.  Mayor Ed Zorinsky, Chief Richard Andersen, and Sheriff Ted Janing were in attendance.  The Reverend Charles Swanson gave the eulogy.  Swanson, a friend of Nields, read from the Book of John, saying “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  The hearse carrying Nields was escorted to the church from the funeral home at 72nd and Western Avenue by 10 motorcycle policemen.  Two platoons of policemen flanked the entrance to the church and saluted Nields’ casket as it passed by.  After the mass, there was a funeral procession of cars and motorcycles more than a half-mile long to Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery at 5701 Center Street.  An honor guard gave a 21-gun salute, and Nields widow was presented with the flag that draped his casket, as well as his badge that was placed in a picture frame with blue velvet cloth.  His badge number was 290.

Paul Nields was survived by his wife, Kathleen, and their two children, Paul, Jr., 6, and Patrick, 2.  They lived at 3417 Craig Street.  Nields was born in Omaha, then moved to Chicago, before returning to Omaha to complete high school at Archbishop Ryan.  He joined the Army in 1965.  He joined the Omaha Police Department in February, 1969.  His badge number was 290.  Nields’ wife received one year’s salary from the department, $11,600.  She also received life insurance holdings her husband had through the police organizations he belonged to, as well as $1,000 from The Hundred Club of Omaha, an organization formed by businessmen after the death of Larry Minard to assist families of police and firemen killed in the line of duty.  At the bottom of his grave marker, next to an Omaha Police badge, it reads “Blessed are the Peacemakers.”

The events of June 5th-6th, 1974 were directly responsible for the formation of the Omaha Police Department’s Emergency React Team, the precursor to the ERU/SWAT Team.  Also, 30 days after the standoff, $50,000 was spent to provide officers with portable radios and bullet resistant vests.

The late 1960’s and early 1970’s were a turbulent time for America.  Public unrest marred many cities in America during this time.  Omaha was not exempt from this violence, especially in the northeastern part of the city.  Race related riots and radical groups advocating the killing of police officers made being a cop in Omaha a dangerous profession.  The city would tragically see how dangerous in the summer of 1970.

On Monday, August 17, 1970 at 2:07 am, a call was placed to 9-1-1 saying there was a woman screaming at 2867 Ohio Street.  The caller did not identify himself.  Omaha Patrolmen James Sledge and Michael Lamson, riding in one car, were dispatched to investigate.  Another two-man car was dispatched as backup.  Officer Dennis Moran and his partner, Larry Minard, who were patrolling in a nearby district, also drove to the scene.  So did another police cruiser with two more officers in it.  They were not too far away when the call came out.  A total of eight Omaha police officers arrived on the scene.  They included Sledge, Lamson, Moran, Minard, John C. Tess, John K. Toay, Ken Tworek, and Paul M. Rust.

Why would eight officers respond to a call of a woman screaming?  Just a couple of weeks before, Officers Tess and Toay had found a naked woman walking the streets in this area.  She had been abducted, taken to a vacant house, and brutally raped.  The attackers were never found.  Because of this, officers responded aggressively when told of the call of a woman screaming.

Upon arriving, Minard and Tworek checked behind the house at 2865 Ohio Street.  They then entered the house at 2867 Ohio Street, where the caller said screaming was coming from, along with Officers Sledge, Tess, and Lamson.  The officers found a vacant, empty house.  Empty, except for a lone suitcase that was lying on its side, just inside the front door.  The officers stepped past the suitcase, and searched the house.  Officer Tess later recalled thinking the suitcase might have indicated a woman had been abducted from the airport and brought there.

Finding nobody in the vacant house, Minard headed for the front door, followed by Tess.  Sledge, Lamson, and Tworek were also still in the house, but in the nearby kitchen.  Tess, a 22 year-old good-looking cop, was about 10 feet behind Minard as they walked towards the front door.  Tess watched Minard bend over to pick up the suitcase.  The suitcase exploded while Minard stood over it.  Officer Larry D. Minard was killed instantly.  The suitcase was filled with dynamite and rigged to explode when moved.  Someone had set a deadly trap for police officers responding to a phony call.  The explosion demolished the house, and damaged nearby houses and utility lines.

The force of the blast threw Tess flying backwards, landing across the room and getting covered waist deep in debris.  Tess received numerous wounds to his legs, and suffered from hearing loss from the explosion.  It would later be learned that Tess had received nerve damage in his ears, causing tinnitus, a constant ringing in his ears.  Tess was hospitalized for two weeks, during which time doctors dug plaster from 40 holes in his body.  For years after the explosion, Tess would have tiny pieces of grit work their way out to the surface of his skin.  Acting Coroner George Sullivan would say that Minard died as a result of the “destruction of his head by explosion.”  Minard also suffered numerous severe injuries to his body.  The fact that Minard stood between Tess and the bomb, is why Tess was able to survive the explosion.  “Larry saved my life by absorbing the majority of shrapnel from the blast…Every day I thank God I’m still alive,” Tess would tell the Omaha World Herald many years later.

The other six officers who were at the house during the explosion received minor injuries, including punctured ear drums, and were treated and released from the hospital.  One person who was not injured in the blast was Officer Sam John, who was Larry Minard’s regular partner.  John had left for a fishing trip to Minnesota the day before.  Upon receiving word of Minard’s death, he rushed back to Omaha.  Unable to accept that Minard was dead, John demanded that the mortician let him view Minard’s body, despite the fact that Minard had been dismembered in the blast.  “I couldn’t make myself believe this had happened unless I saw him,” John would say some 23 years later.

The funeral for Larry D. Minard, Sr. was held on Friday, August 20th, 1970, the day Minard would have celebrated his 30th birthday.  The 2:00 pm service was held at the John A. Gentleman Mortuary at 3411 Farnam.  More than 300 policemen tried to crowd into the mortuary.  Most could not get in, and had to listen to the service on a loudspeaker outside.  Joining the Omaha Police Honor Guard were 60 firemen, 40 deputy sheriffs, and members of the Nebraska Highway Patrol.  Nebraska Governor Norbert Tiemann was also in attendance, as was Omaha Mayor Leahy.  Dr. Marvin Hall of the First Baptist Church addressed the crowd.  “In honoring Larry Minard, we are honoring the peace-keeping profession.  Most of us can sleep safely and securely tonight because our peace officers will be awake,” he told the crowd.  After the ceremony, there was a two-mile long funeral procession to Forest Lawn Cemetery, where Minard was buried with full military honors.

Larry D. Minard was born on August 20, 1940.  As a kid, he lived at 1428 Jaynes Street, and went to Sherman Grade School.  In 1954, he went to Technical High School.  While there, he met Linda, whom he would soon make his wife.  In 1958, he joined the Navy, serving four years, mostly in the Pacific on the USS Frontier.  After his enlistment, Minard returned to Omaha.  On February 1st, 1963, Larry Minard joined the Omaha Police Department.  Two months before his death, he and his family moved to 6775 Seward Street.  Minard worked the Midnight-to-8 am Shift.  He had a wife and five children, who ranged between the ages of 4 and 11.  Minard’s wife did not allow their children to attend the funeral, fearing it would be too hard on them.  They, instead, watched it on TV.  Minard was buried on what would have been his 30th birthday.  His badge number was 248.

Larry D. Minard, Sr. was murdered for the simple fact that he was a police officer.  A dedicated servant to the city, he made the ultimate sacrifice trying to ensure that this city would not fall into the perils that other cities were going through at the time.  Larry Minard is a true hero, and his ultimate sacrifice should never be forgotten.

On May 22, 1961, Omaha Police Officer John E. Costello was riding his police motorcycle east on Center Street, approaching 48th Street.  A vehicle driven by Mrs. Phyliss Jordan was heading west on Center Street at the time.  Jordan attempted to make a left turn onto 48th Street.  She did so in front of Costello, as he approached.  Jordan claimed she didn’t see the motorcycle until one second before impact.  Jordan was arrested on an open charge, and was released under a $1,000 signature bond.

Costello and his motorcycle were thrown fifty feet from the scene of the impact.  He suffered head, arm, and leg injuries.  He was listed in critical condition at County Hospital.  Costello lay in the hospital for eight days.  On Tuesday, May 30, 1961 at 6:20 am, John Eugene Costello died.  The cause of death was listed as multiple brain injuries with a fractured skull.

Funeral services were held on Friday, June 2, 1961 at Larkin Funeral Home, 24th and J Street, with the mass at St. Pius the Tenth Church, 69th and Blondo.  Costello was buried at Calvary Cemetery.

Costello, 33, was born on November 3, 1927 in Omaha.  He is listed as a veteran of World War II, which means he served in the Army at the age of seventeen.  He was survived by his wife Rita, and his five children, Ellen Jean, Maureen, Colleen, Michelle, and Timothy.  The family lived at 6930 Charles Street.

Omaha Police Chief C. Harold Ostler reported that contributions received at Central Station for Costello’s family reached almost $1,000 in the days after Costello’s death.

On Friday, July 17th, 1936, two Omaha Police officers, Detective Sergeant Charles Swanson and Detective Sergeant Joseph Treglia headed out from the Police Headquarters to do some follow up work on a rash of burglaries that had recently occurred in the western part of the city.  Treglia was considered the burglary “ace” of the department, having solved numerous burglaries throughout his career.  Just after 10:00 am, while driving west on Leavenworth, Treglia spotted a man walking out of the Selma Terrace apartments, 630 Park Avenue.  Treglia recognized this man as somebody he arrested a few years back for burglary.  The officers stopped and checked this man.  The man was John Spencer, who also went by the alias J.G. Bunke.  Treglia patted down Spencer, and found a case knife (a favorite tool of burglars) and a screw driver.  The detectives decided to take him back downtown for questioning. Treglia sat in the back seat of the car with Spencer, while Swanson drove towards the police station.  Spencer then told the detectives that if they drove him to his room near 38th and Farnam, he would show them a stash of loot he had obtained in recent burglaries.  Swanson began to drive towards that area, heading west on Harney.  A little before 10:30 am, in front of 3311 Harney Street, things went terribly wrong.

A gunshot rang out in the police vehicle, and Treglia slumped over in the back seat.  A series of gunshots soon followed, and Swanson and Spencer also lay wounded.  Detective Swanson, interviewed later in the day about the incident, said “We were driving past 3311 Harney Street, going west, when I heard a shot.  I turned around and saw the prisoner pointing his gun at me.  I swung my body around as he fired, and the bullet hit me in the leg.  By that time I had drawn my gun, and I emptied it on him.”

John Spencer had been able to keep a concealed handgun from being detected by Treglia during his pat-down.  Spencer, who was not handcuffed (he was not under arrest, he was just being taken for questioning), had reached into his shirt and shot through his shirt into Treglia, striking him in the chest.  Spencer then turned towards Swanson, who by that time had turned around in his seat, with his gun drawn.  “When I looked around, the man was grinning at me, and had the gun leveled at my head,” Swanson later said.  “I let him have it in the abdomen.  That’s the reason the shot struck me low.  After he shot, I kept on firing until he fell over.”  Swanson was shot in the leg, but was able to empty his revolver into the chest and face of Spencer.

The bullet in Swanson’s leg struck the edge of his bone in his thigh, but its impact was lessened by a bottle opener and spare cartridge that he carried in his pocket.  Treglia, however, was not as fortunate.  The bullet entered the right side of his chest, and penetrated to his left chest, after striking his spine.  Treglia was instantly paralyzed from the waist down.

After being shot numerous times by Swanson, John Spencer crawled over Treglia, opened the car door, and attempted to crawl out.  Swanson exited the vehicle, and pushed Spencer back in.  Swanson then drove to Nicholas Senn Hospital at Park Avenue and Dewey Avenue.  Arriving at the hospital, Swanson was too weak to drive to the emergency entrance.  Jack Buffington, a hospital bookkeeper, got in and drove the vehicle to the other entrance.  Swanson limped into the hospital, and told attendants he had a wounded officer and a dead man outside in the car.  Police physician W.P. Jensen saw Swanson trickling blood, and insisted that he get immediate attention.  Swanson replied “Take care of the other man.  I’ve been shot before.”  (Note: I was unable to locate any information on Swanson being wounded previously in the line of duty).  When told that the dead man in the car (Spencer) was actually alive, Swanson said “Then I’ll watch him.  We don’t want him to get away.”

Shortly after arriving at the hospital, John Spencer, the man who shot Swanson and Treglia, died.  Treglia lay in a state of peril.  Before noon, the last rites of the Catholic Church were administered to Treglia by Reverend Adrian Van Veen of St. Peter’s church.  Treglia’s wife and his two children rushed to the hospital to be by his side.  Treglia was conscious, and said he didn’t want to die, and that he was going to fight hard to overcome this.  Later that day, at 4:45 pm, Detective Sergeant Joseph J. Treglia died of his wounds.

It was later determined that Spencer telling the detectives to take him to his room at 38th and Farnam was just a ruse.  No room was found belonging to Spencer in that area.  Police suspected Spencer told the detectives to go to that area, so he could get an opportunity to ambush them.  Police did find where Spencer was living.  It was at 320 South 26th Street, where he lived under the name of “Bill Thomas.”  In the apartment, Police found numerous items from many recent burglaries.  With the property recovered, the Police estimated that they would be able to clear more than 100 unsolved recent burglaries.  Even in death, Omaha’s “burglary ace” detective was able to solve a crime wave.

The gun used by Spencer to shoot Treglia and Swanson was a pearl-handled, nickel-plated .38 Colt automatic.  It had been recently reported stolen from the apartment of L.M. Campbell of 602 North 32nd Street.John Spencer had indeed been arrested previously by Treglia.  In 1933, he arrested him for five burglaries.  In July of 1933, Spencer was sentenced to 4-6 years in the Nebraska penitentiary, being released early for good behavior.  Spencer had a previous record, too.  In 1924, he was convicted of assault in Alaska, and sentenced to 6 months.  In 1931, he was arrested in San Francisco for grand larceny.  In 1932, he was convicted of burglary in Denver, and sentenced to 1-3 years in prison.

The funeral for Joseph Treglia took place on Tuesday, July 21st, 1936.  At the John A. Gentleman chapel at 34th and Farnam, a police honor guard stood watch over Treglia’s casket, changing every 15 minutes.  Shortly before the prayer service began, Treglia’s widow removed Treglia’s badge, rather than have it buried with him, after getting Police Chief Robert Samardick’s permission to keep it.  After the prayer service, a funeral procession formed at 9:00 am.  Led by eleven motorcycle officers, and more than 300 uniformed police and firefighters, the procession marched to St. Mary Magdalene’s at 19th and Dodge Street.  The church was overflowing, meaning the uniformed men had to stand outside.  Omaha mayor Dan Butler and all of the City Commissioners were in attendance.  Mass was overseen by Monsignor Sinne, and the sermon given by Reverend Thomas Bowdern, the dean of Creighton University’s graduate school.  Pallbearers were Detective Sergeant Harry Fielding, Detective Sergeant Ernest Brown, Detective Sergeant Ed Sledge, Patrolman John Rose, Patrolman Joe Beister, and retired detective William Cummings, a former partner of Treglia.  After the ceremony, the funeral procession marched to 24th and Douglas, where it dispersed.  Treglia was taken to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, 49th and Leavenworth, where he was given a full military funeral.

Joseph Treglia was born in Omaha to Italian parents.  He attended St. Wenceslaus School in town.  Treglia served in World War I with the 89th Division, 341st Machinegun Battalion.  He was appointed to the Omaha Police force on October 22, 1919.  He served with the department for 16 years.  He acquired numerous achievements, including solving high profile murder and burglary cases.  Treglia was the first man to lead the newly formed Homicide Division of the Omaha Police Department.  “He was one of the best and most industrious men that have worked in the bureau during my time,” said Chief of Detectives Fritz Franks.  “Trying to run the detective bureau without him will be like trying to run it without my right arm.  It will be a long time before his place is filled.”  In fact, Chief Samardick was about to promote Treglia to Lieutenant, and place him in charge of the burglary squad.

Treglia was survived by his wife and his two children, 14 year-old Jean, and 11 year-old Joe, Jr.  They lived at 3166 S. 15th Street, in a house that Treglia used his war bonus money to put a down payment on.  Treglia owed $2,300 on the house when he died.  Local business and citizens raised almost $3,400 in four days for the Treglia family.A post-mortem examination of John Spencer revealed a depression in his upper chest, below his arm pit, apparently caused by the removal of several ribs.  Scar tissue indicated an operation had been performed in that area.  The depression formed a “pocket” that was large enough to hide the gun that Spencer used to shoot Treglia and Swanson.  It was believed that the gun fit so closely in the cavity beneath Spencer’s arm pit, that Treglia mistook it for Spencer’s normal body contour when he patted him down.

The loss of Joseph Treglia was devastating for his family and the Police Department.  Treglia died protecting this city from yet another fiend who preyed on its citizens.  We remember and honor Joe Treglia for the hero that he is.

On Sunday, July 28, 1935, Omaha motorcycle policemen Fred R. Delfs and Leslie G. Chamberlin were parked on 41st Street, near Dodge Street.  Just before 11 pm, they observed a vehicle speeding west on Dodge Street.  Delfs was the first officer to respond, and gave chase on his motorcycle.  Chamberlin followed closely behind him, but was still two blocks behind.

Between 50th and 51st Streets, Delfs noticed the pursuit had been too long for an accurate clocking of speed.  So, he abandoned the chase and turned back towards 50th Street.  As he was about to telephone headquarters, Delfs heard a crash a block to his east.  Delfs sped to the scene at 49th and Dodge Street, and found his partner, Chamberlin, lying unconscious in the street.  Chamberlin had been thrown from his motorcycle after hitting a vehicle, and his head had struck the curb, causing a skull fracture.

Chamberlin’s motorcycle had struck the right rear fender and bumper of a vehicle driven by Hendy Kaufman, who lived at 4811 Douglas Street.  Kaufman was a baker for the Louis Sommer grocery store at 4820 Dodge Street.  Kaufman told police he was driving east on Dodge Street, and was attempting a left turn into the driveway at the Sommer grocery store, when the collision happened.  He said he did not see Chamberlin approaching.  Kaufman was subsequently booked for reckless driving, and released on a $1,500 property bond.

Chamberlin was taken to Lord Lister Hospital, 14th and Capitol Avenue in grave condition.  On Monday, July 29, 1935 at 8:10 pm, Omaha Police Officer Leslie G. Chamberlin died of his injury.  At his side was his wife, Mildred, whom he had just married three months earlier.  In fact, Chamberlin had met his wife while being hospitalized for a previous motorcycle accident.  Mildred was his nurse.

Funeral services were held on Friday, August 1st at the John A. Gentleman mortuary.  A police escort of motorcycle officers and numerous off duty officers led the procession to Forest Lawn Cemetery.  Pallbearers were fellow officers Walter G. Chamberlin, Meinrod J. Timmins, Willard W. Wead, Edward Rauber, Frank P. Elliott, and his partner, Fred R. Delfs.

Chamberlin had been a police officer only one year, being appointed to the force in July, 1934.  He lived with his new bride at 6126 Florence Blvd.

Omaha Police Officers Reynold “Ray” Wolfe and Clarence Drehsen were partners.  But more than that, they were friends.  The two young officers looked forward to a long career with the Police Department.  But that partnership and friendship would end in a hail of gunfire on a cold winter evening on a downtown street.

On Saturday, February 23, 1935, at about 8:30 p.m., Wolfe and Drehsen were in their police car looking for armed robbers on the run.  The radio call had just come out that said the Stahmer Brothers Grocery at 2702 S. 20th Street had just been robbed by two pistol wielding bandits who fled in a vehicle north from Bancroft Street.  Near 22nd and Poppleton Avenue, Wolfe and Drehsen saw a vehicle matching the description of the bandits’ getaway car.  As they turned around on the suspicious vehicle, it took off, heading North to Leavenworth and then East at a high rate of speed.  Wolfe and Drehsen followed.  While heading East on Leavenworth, with Wolfe driving, Drehsen leaned out of the window and fired twice with his sawed-off shotgun at the fleeing vehicle.  It had no effect as the vehicle continued to flee.  Traffic became dense as the pursuit continued East, so Drehsen was unable to continue firing.

Meanwhile, Detectives Harry Green and George Lynch were in their own police car, patrolling downtown, looking for the bandits.  They were heading South on 16th Street, when they saw the bandit car pass in front of them down Leavenworth at a high rate of speed.  Knowing that something was wrong, Green and Lynch sped up and turned East on Leavenworth just as Wolfe and Drehsen drove by in pursuit of the bandits.  Green and Lynch soon overtook Wolfe and Drehsen’s car, and then realized that they were now engaged in a pursuit of the robbery suspects (police cars at the time were only equipped with one-way radios…two-way radios would not start to appear in Omaha police cars until the next year).  The pursuit continued East on Leavenworth, past 13th Street.  Green and Lynch knew that Leavenworth ended at 12th Street, and turned their car North onto 13th Street and then East on Jones Street, trying to cut off the bandits’ escape route.  When they arrived at 12th and Jones, Green and Lynch found that the gun battle had just begun.

The fleeing suspects were Roland Gilbert Welch, 26, and Roy James Smith, 21.  Seeing that Leavenworth ended at 12th Street, they turned North on 12th Street and headed towards Jones Street.  At 12th and Jones, they attempted to make another turn and lost control.  They crashed into a pole on the Northeast corner of the intersection, next to the Petersen Baking Company building.  Wolfe and Drehsen, who continued to follow the bandit car down Leavenworth, stopped near the Southeast corner of the intersection.  Green and Lynch would stop their car at the Northwest corner, just as Drehsen opened fire on the suspects.

Drehsen was quoted in the Omaha World Herald giving his account of what happened at the intersection of 12th and Jones in full detail.  “I aimed my riot gun at the driver, who was still in his seat, and pulled the trigger.  Nothing happened.  I ejected a shell and pulled the trigger again, and the gun discharged.  By this time there seemed to be shooting from all points of the intersection.  I stood beside our car and aimed alternately at the driver and his companion, emptying my gun.  By that time, Wolfe was out and shooting, too.  While we exchanged shots, both bandits got out of their car, and I felt myself wounded in the leg.  With my gun empty, I ducked for the corner of the building and drew my pistol, but by that time the robbers had disappeared.  I went over to Wolfe, who still was beside the car, and he told me he was wounded in the chest.  I hailed a passing motorist, who took us to Sixteenth and Leavenworth streets and from there called a police ambulance.”

When Green and Lynch arrived at the scene, they had only their service pistols.  They engaged the bandits in the gunfight while still seated in their police car.  The bandits, Welch and Smith, were caught in a crossfire.  Firing through their own windshield, they fired on both police cars.  Green’s account printed in the World Herald read as follows:  “After firing several shots, both Lynch and I got out and ran for the bandits, who also had left their car and started to run.  As we fired, one doubled up, then seemed to recover.  Close to the Petersen garage he ran and suddenly plunged through a window into the building.”

It was Welch who had run from the bandits’ car and jumped through the window.  He landed on a concrete floor six feet below, got up and ran the length of the rather long room, and then fell to the ground dead from a bullet to the heart.  Welch had been hit three times, twice in the chest and once in the abdomen.  Not knowing Welch lay dead, Green and Lynch guarded the front and back of the building, waiting for reinforcements to arrive.  This, along with the evacuation of Wolfe and Drehsen from the scene, allowed Smith (the second bandit) to flee the area on foot.

After police reinforcements arrived on the scene and discovered Welch dead, they began to comb the surrounding area for the second bandit.  Newspaper accounts of this noted prominent police officers who arrived on the scene to assist, including Detective Captain Fritz Franks, Lt. Val Buglewicz, and Detective Sgt. John Haegen.  But it was an alert fireman who was responsible for the capture of Roy Smith.  Fireman John Cavanaugh told police he was looking out a window of the fire barn at 11th and Jackson when he saw a man running North across the city market.  When he noticed police combing the area ten minutes later, eh called them and told them what he saw.  Captain Franks decided to search the nearby hotels and rooming houses.  The first place he went was the Howard Hotel at 10th and Howard St.  Here, Franks found Smith, slumped down in a chair, trying not to be noticed.  Franks was told that Smith had arrived at the hotel lobby ten minutes earlier, and had called for a taxi cab.  As Franks left the hotel with his arrest, he saw a cab pull up to the hotel.  Had the cab that Smith called for arrived one minute earlier, he would have avoided capture.

Wolfe and Drehsen were driven from the scene of the gun battle to 16th and Leavenworth by Joe Bulin, a motorist who was nearly struck by the fleeing bandits’ vehicle on Leavenworth.  Bulin followed the pursuit slowly, and arrived immediately after the fight was over.  Bulin fashioned a rough bandage for Drehsen’s leg wound, and then put him and Wolfe in his vehicle and started towards the hospital.  Drehsen had Bulin pull over at 16th and Leavenworth and gave him the key to the police box on the corner and call for a police ambulance, which took Wolfe and Drehsen to Lord Lister Hospital at 14th and Capitol Avenue.

Drehsen was wounded in the left leg by a .45 caliber bullet from an automatic pistol.  The slug would remain in his leg the rest of his life.  Wolfe would die approximately one hour after arriving at the hospital.  It was later determined that a buckshot pellet fired from a shotgun killed Wolfe.  Smith would later confess to firing a shotgun at the officers.  Before dying, Wolfe was able to see his wife.  Mrs. Wolfe happened to be listening to police radio calls that evening, and heard the announcement that her husband was wounded.  She collapsed, and was taken from the Wolfe home at 2614 Dewey Avenue to Lord Lister Hospital and, eventually, to her husband’s bedside.

After an hour of questioning at Central, Smith admitted to his role in the shootout, but steadfastly denied being involved in the robbery at Stahmer Brothers Grocery.  In fact, Smith admitted that he and Welch had been responsible for at least four area robberies, and were out that night to try and commit another one.  However, Smith would not admit guilt for the Stahmer Brothers Grocery robbery.  Back at the scene, detectives learned that the bandits carried an impressive arsenal with them.  Recovered were an automatic rifle, two sawed-off shotguns, a .45 caliber automatic pistol, and a .38 caliber revolver.

Follow up investigation learned that Wolfe and the bandits were practically neighbors.  Wolfe lived at 2614 Dewey Avenue and the bandits stayed around the corner at 544 S. 26th Avenue.  It was also learned that Welch and Smith had nothing to with the robbery at Stahmer Brothers Grocery.  Although they were on their way to commit a separate robbery, they just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when Wolfe and Drehsen came across them.

Funeral services for Wolfe were held on Monday, February 25th, 1935 at the Heafey &amp; Heafey mortuary chapel.  Reverend F.A. Hosmer of the First Presbyterian Church officiated the ceremony.  Omaha Mayor Roy Towl, all of the city commissioners, Sheriff John Hopkins and former Chief of Police George Allen were present.  Also at the service were more than two hundred policemen and firemen.  The police officers were led by Police Commissioner Frank Myers and Chief of Police Robert Samardick, along with most of the captains and lieutenants from the second and third details.  The firemen were led by Chief A.W. Olsen, and Battalion Chiefs Daniel O’Connor, Jonas Frances and George Craig.  Officer Wolfe’s father, W.B. Wolfe of O’Neill, Nebraska, drove through a snowstorm on Sunday to make it to the service.

Dr. Hosmer told the gathering “This officer, killed in performing his duty, was a patriot, even as Washington, Lincoln or our soldiers who died in action.”  After the service, the police officers and firemen marched four abreast from the chapel, with a motorcycle escort, to 30th and Farnam where they opened ranks and stood at attention as Wolfe’s body passed through on its way to the train depot.  Wolfe’s body was taken to O’Neill, Nebraska, his boyhood home, by train where he was buried on Wednesday the 27th.  Wolfe’s body was accompanied by an honor guard consisting of Lieutenants Earl Sherwood and Martin Jensen, who stayed until after the burial service.

A first degree murder charge was filed against Roy Smith by Deputy County Attorney J.J. Fitzgerald, who also said the state would seek the electric chair for Smith.

Officer Drehsen would die twenty years later, in 1955 from leukemia.  Drehsen’s son, Charles K. Drehsen, M.D., has been quoted as saying that, in his professional opinion, the bullet that remained lodged in his father’s left tibia poisoned his bone marrow.  He states his father’s early death was a result of the same gun battle that killed Wolfe.

While the accounts of the gun battle sound like they came out of a gangster movie of the time, they are true.  Officer Reynold Wolfe gave his life, protecting this city from violent criminals who preyed on its citizens.  The intersection of 12th and Jones, tucked away in the bustling Old Market looks much the same today as it did in 1935.  In fact, this intersection looks much like any other intersection in the Old Market and downtown.  The difference in this intersection, is that one of Omaha’s finest gave his life there, doing what we are all expected to do.  Remember Ray Wolfe, as he is one of Omaha’s bravest heroes.

Omaha had been experiencing a rash of robberies at service stations throughout the city in 1931.  Chief Pszanowski, Omaha’s Police Chief, developed a plan to position police officers in hiding at service stations, hoping to catch the robbers in the act.  On Saturday, April 4th, 1931, Patrolman James J. Sullivan was stationed at the Coryell filling station, located on the southeast corner of 30th and Parker.  Sullivan, armed with a shotgun, took his position concealed in the small restroom inside of the station, and waited.  Later in the evening, two men entered the station and attempted to rob it.  Shots were exchanged, and Officer Sullivan lay dead as the two robbers ran off.

Advised of the shooting over the radio, officers swarmed into the filling station and stayed there, questioning the filling station attendant, an excited John Pool, before beginning the manhunt.  The officers who were driving automobiles under the direction of the police radio system would be reprimanded for this.  Police command would criticize these officers for not leaving the questioning of Pool to one or two officers, while the others surrounded the district and stopped suspicious cars.  Detectives determined the assailants fired 17 shots through the restroom door Sullivan was hiding behind.  Eight of the shots hit Sullivan, killing him.  Sullivan was able to fire three shotgun blasts in return.By Monday evening, more than 100 people had been questioned by detectives.  Chief Pszanowski would face criticism for having Sullivan hiding inside of the tiny restroom inside of the service station, saying he was trapped.  Pszanowski responded to this criticism:  “The most effective way of fighting banditry of this kind is to set traps where robbers are expected.  We have been successful by this method in a number of ways” Pszanowski said.  Regarding the accusation that Sullivan was trapped, Pszanowski said “Sullivan was not trapped.  The door of the lavatory opened outward.  He had plenty of warning.  Pool told him of the approach of the two men, and when they entered the station and ordered Pool to put out the lights, he (Sullivan) knew their mission.”  Officer Sullivan’s father, Michael Sullivan, a former detective with the Omaha Police Department, did not agree.  He was upset that his son was positioned in the restroom.  “He didn’t have a chance.  If he had been on the outside of the place, I am sure it would have been a different story.  Being in the lavatory, he might as well have had no gun” Sullivan’s father told the media.  Indeed, one today can argue the rationality of placing a single officer into a tiny restroom armed with a long shotgun.  However, back in the 1930’s, it appears to have been common practice.  Pszanowski was quoted in the World-Herald as saying he had placed up to 40 officers in similar concealed positions throughout the city at one time.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, April 8th, at 9:30 a.m. at the Sullivan’s residence at 2744 Newport Ave.  Common practice of the day called for a small ceremony at the residence, followed by a mass at the parish church.  Hundreds of people overflowed the house and lawn.  After John A. Gentleman (from the mortuary) had said a brief prayer at the home, and fellow officers had filed past the casket, the funeral procession was formed.  It was led by Mayor Metcalfe and the city commissioners (precursors to City Councilmen) as honorary pallbearers.  Behind the casket were 160 members of the Omaha Fire Department and 140 Omaha police officers in full uniform.  Eight police officers from Sioux City, Iowa joined them.  The procession went from the Sullivan’s house to Holy Angels church (which I am told was somewhere in the area north of Ames Avenue, and west of 30th Street).  The parish priest, Reverend P.A. Flanagan led the mass.  He was assisted by Reverend Edward J. Flanagan, the famous Father Flanagan of Boys Town fame.

Father P.A. Flanagan spoke of his grief as almost unbearable, because he had officiated over funeral services of Sullivan’s two sisters within the past two weeks.  Father P.A. Flanagan also responded to the critics of the police department, whom he said were “always disposed to find fault and condemn.”  Flanagan went on to say “It is always the same people who have no conception of the duties of the police.  They do not understand the courage it takes to face unknown dangers.  The name of Officer Sullivan is added to the list of other brave policemen who dies as martyrs to their duty to Omaha.  The police department and the city should feel proud of these men.”  The Police Glee Club (why don’t we still have one of those?) sang two hymns.  Officers Joe Lang and Alfred Thompson sang the “Salutaris.”  After church services, the body was taken to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, 4912 Leavenworth, for burial.  Officer Sullivan’s widow was paid $2,000 from the Police and Fireman’s Insurance Association, $1,000 from a police group insurance policy, $500 from the Police Relief Fund, $75 for funeral expenses from the Police Fund board, and $100 from L. L. Coryell, the owner of the service station in which Sullivan was killed.  On Thursday, April 9th, it was announced that two people had been arrested for the murder of Officer Sullivan, and had already confessed their guilt.  A third person was still being sought, and was believed to have fled to California.  Eddie Jedlicka, 20, of 1451 Pinkney Street, admitted to firing 16 of the 17 shots fired at Sullivan.  His brother, Anton Jedlicka, 19, drove the getaway car for the holdup.  William Griffith, 17, of 1911 Binney fled Omaha two days after the murder to his grandparent’s house in Stockton, California.  Griffith fired the 17th shot at Sullivan.  He was captured by Stockton police on Saturday, April 10th, one week after the murder.

The Jedlicka brothers confessed after their friend, Paul Leahy 21, of 1462 Spencer, following several hours of grilling, told police that the Jedlicka brothers and Griffith had told him of the murder the day after it occurred.  Leahy helped them dispose of the clothing they wore during the holdup.  Police received a “straight tip” that Leahy knew who had killed Sullivan, so they arrested him on Wednesday.  Leahy denied for several hours that he knew anything of the crime, then, about midnight, he told all he knew.  Anton Jedlicka had been arrested in the meantime.  The “straight tip” came from Paul Leahy’s mother, via a family friend, who feared that her son might be “taken for a ride” according to gangster tradition for knowing too much about the killing of Sullivan.  Leahy’s mother recognized the clothing that was hidden at her house from the description given in the Sunday paper.  She questioned Leahy, who eventually told her everything, but added “They’ll kill me.  They said if I told they would put me on the spot.”  Almost frantic with fear for her son, Mrs. Leahy consulted a friend and told him all.  Chief Pszanowski received a phone call on Wednesday, April 8th, and soon after, a man came to see him.  Under strict pledges not to reveal the source of information, the story of the killing was told.  The arrest of the Jedlickas soon followed.

About 1:00 a.m., officers were sent to the Jedlicka home to get Eddie, who was sleeping.  “Put on your clothes and come along” Detective Strong told him.  Jedlicka responded “All right,” and dressed quietly, not asking what he was wanted for.  At the police station, Jedlicka was confronted with the signed confessions of his brother, Anton, and Leahy.  Jedlicka responded “You’re trying to gyp me.  I don’t think they ever said anything like this.”  When presented with an early edition of the World-Herald telling of the capture of the youths, Jedlicka confessed.  Eddie Jedlicka’s confession reads as follows:  “I went inside the station and told the attendant to put the lights out.  Bill Griffith, he took care of the attendant.  He prodded him into a corner.  It seemed to me there were always two attendants at the station.  I naturally wondered where the other one was.  I did not know a policeman was locked in the lavatory.  I opened the door a little ways and looked in.  God, the man in there poked out his shotgun at me.  I didn’t know what in hell it was all about.  I slammed the door shut and caught his gun in between the door.  He naturally pulled it in toward him and he shot right through the center of the door.  I might just a well be a dead guy.  I’d be better off if he had hit me.  One of the splinters off the door hit me.  Well, when he fired at me I naturally started firing that gun.  Just kept shooting.  I didn’t know when to stop.  I emptied both guns (Jedlicka was armed with two handguns) and crawled through the window.  Bill tried to get out of the door all the time but he was afraid Sullivan would shoot him.  Bill had a gun of his own.  He had a .38 pistol.  I don’t know if Sullivan shot a Bill or not, but Bill claims he did.  Finally, Bill made this filling station attendant walk alongside him.  The poor fillings station attendant was scared to death.  He didn’t know what it was all about.  I didn’t realize I had emptied my guns.  As soon as I got to Bill’s house I went to empty the damn things and there was not shells in either of them.”  Jedlicka said Griffith fired one shot at Sullivan from a .38 revolver, just as he was leaving the station.  Jedlicka said that after he and Griffith left the filling station they ran desperately, down alleys, across lots, and chased by dogs, until they came to a car barn at 25th and Lake Street, where an out of shape Griffith gave out.  They eventually made it to Griffith’s home at 1911 Binney Street.  “I didn’t think I killed Sullivan, I just thought I scared him” Jedlicka said.  Jedlicka returned to his home and hid the guns at his brother-in-law’s house.  Leahy took the clothing later – a sweater and a leather jacket – and hid them.

Anton Jedlicka (the getaway driver), in his confession, said he heard the shooting from where he sat in the car, and fled without waiting for the others.  The morning after the killing, Anton awoke first and read the Sunday paper.  There was the story of the murder.  Eddie awoke later, and learned the effects of his bullets.  Leahy also read the Sunday paper.  Leahy called Griffith.  Leahy knew that Griffith had been sticking up filling stations, and thought he might have killed Sullivan while doing so.  Griffith told Leahy the story.  Leahy then talked to the Jedlicka brothers, who told him the same thing.  A worried Griffith gathered up $100 and left town, heading for his grandparent’s house in California.  Leahy, apparently no better than the Jedlickas or Griffith, borrowed a gun from Jedlicka and held up two taxi drivers on Monday evening.

When Griffith was arrested in Stockton, California, he admitted to being one of the bandits, but denied firing at Sullivan.  “Eddie is the one who did the shooting.  I just stood there, too much surprised to do anything.  I guess he must have emptied two pistols into that door, with the policeman behind it.  The policeman fired back a few times, but when he stopped firing I turned and ran out the door.”  Police investigators at the Coryell filling station found a .38 caliber bullet they believed was fired by Griffith.  It was embedded in the door sill, and had not struck Sullivan.

The Jedlickas entered pleas of not guilty in police court and were ordered held to the district court without bonds.  County Attorney Beal said that if they cared to plead guilty to second degree murder, he would accept the plea, which would result in a penalty of life imprisonment.  If they fought the case, he said, he would demand the death sentence.  The Jedlickas’ attorney, Eugene O’Sullivan indicated that the plea deal would be made.  Raymond Johnson, an employee of the Russell Sporting goods store, admitted that he stole from the store’s stock of four pistols used in the filling station hold up, and sold them to the Jedlickas.  He was arraigned on charges of grand larceny.  Johnson’s father, J. R. Johnson said that the five youths (the Jedlickas, Griffith, Leahy, and Johnson) have been in the “Pinkney Street Gang” for more than ten years.

Detectives Connolly and Borowiak were sent to Stockton, California to retrieve Griffith and bring him back to Omaha.  While in Reno, Nevada, they wired back saying they had run out of the $400 given to them, and needed more (hmmm…).On April 29th, 1931, twenty-five days after killing Sullivan, Eddie Jedlicka and William Griffith were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.  Anton Jedlicka, the get away driver, was sentenced to ten years in prison.

James Sullivan lies in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery at 4912 Leavenworth on a family plot, with a modest headstone.  The site of the old Coryell filling station at 30th and Parker is now an empty lot, sitting across the street from one of the city’s most violent and deadly areas, holding onto a secret of its own terrible past.  Let us not forget Officer James J. Sullivan, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for this city

Every good cop has done it numerous times.  While on patrol, you see somebody standing on the corner that appears to be “suspicious.”  Your instincts tell you to check them out.  It happens every day in this city.  But it’s one of the most dangerous parts of our job.  Good officers die doing it.  It was no different on November 17th, 1930 at 16th and Wirt St.

Omaha Police Detective Sergeant Fred “Fritz” Kruger and Detective Sergeant Ray Strong were given a case.  Two suspects from a bank robbery of the Morrill and James Bank in Hiawatha, Kansas on October 9th, 1930 were in town, and the detectives were to bring them in.   Police had received a tip about the two from the estranged husband of a woman who was the companion of one of the suspects.  Kruger and Strong were looking for Fletcher Moore, 29, and Chester “Shorty” Gore, 19.  Police had received the tip from Bert Buckles.  His wife, Pearl Buckles had separated from him and was now involved with Moore.  Buckles told police that Moore and Gore might be staying with Moore’s brother, Harvey, at 5026 N. 30th Street.  Harvey was a soldier stationed at Fort Omaha.

On Monday afternoon, November 17th, 1930, Kruger and Strong headed out from Central Police Headquarters to investigate the tip.  They drove north on 16th Street, on their way to Fort Omaha.  At 16th and Wirt Street, they saw two men and a woman walking out of a rooming house.  Being good cops, they decided to stop and check the three, hoping to discover something good.  What they did end up finding would prove fatal to Kruger.  “They look like bad ones,” Kruger said to Strong.  “Let’s stop and look them over.”  The detectives turned west onto Wirt Street, parked their car, and walked back around the corner to where the three people were standing, in front of 3106 N. 16th Street.  Upon approach, Kruger and Strong discovered that the two men were Fletcher Moore and Chester Gore, the two bank robbery suspects they were on their way to look for.  Gore and the woman, who was Pearl Buckles, had just entered a car that was parked along the curb.  Moore was about to enter the passenger side of the vehicle, when Kruger caught up to him.  Strong went to the other side of the vehicle and got Gore out.  “What are you holding?” Kruger asked Moore, as he held onto his coat sleeve.  More jerked away from Kruger, and a struggle ensued.  A shot rang out, and then Moore produced a .45 caliber pistol and emptied it into Kruger’s back at close range.  At the sound of the first shot, Strong drew his pistol and struck Gore over the head with it, sending a stunned Gore down onto the street.  Moore, after emptying his own pistol, grabbed Kruger’s pistol and fired at Strong three times from fifteen feet away.  The shots missed, and Moore began to run from the scene.  Strong began to give chase and returned fire.  Unfortunately for Moore, Strong was known as one of the best shots on the Police Department.  Strong fired five times at Moore, striking him with four of the shots.  Moore fell in the street from his wounds in front of 1617 Wirt, the residence of Bertha Mengedoht, just around the corner from where Kruger fell.  Strong would guard him until reinforcements arrived.  Kruger was picked up by two firemen, Al Siskind and Ed Schmidt, who happened to be passing by, and was taken to Covenant Hospital.  However, before arriving at the hospital, Kruger would die in Schmidt’s arms.  Kruger was shot a total of seven times, mostly in the back.  Six of his wounds were from steel-nosed bullets from Moore’s gun.  Each of these wounds had powder burns around them, indicating a firing from point blank range.  The seventh wound in Kruger was caused by a soft-nosed .38 caliber bullet…from Kruger’s own gun.  It is believed that the first shot Strong heard was from Kruger’s revolver, which discharged during the initial struggle between Kruger and Moore.  Kruger’s revolver was found with four rounds spent (one during the struggle, and three fired by Moore at Strong).  A police ambulance arrived on scene and took Moore to Covenant Hospital.  Moore had two wounds in his left arm, one in his left side (which went through his stomach and intestines) and one in his lower pelvis (which shattered his hip).  Moore would linger in the hospital with his fatal wounds for three days.

As strong chased down Moore, “Shorty” Gore jumped back into the parked care he had been yanked out of , and sped off with Pearl Buckles.  Gore drove to the home of Harvey Moore (the killer’s brother) at 5026 N. 30th Street.  This was also the address that Kruger and Strong were in route to when they stopped at 16th and Wirt.  Police found the car their a few minutes later, and arrested Buckles.  But Gore had fled.  Soldiers at Fort Omaha who knew Gore had seen him enter the fort grounds.  Every soldier at Fort Omaha was summoned to duty to help the police in the search for Gore.  Police Detectives Franel, Walker, Buglewicz, and Anton Pzanowski (the Chief’s brother) assisted in the search.  Gore moved from one building to another, until he ended up cornered in some tall weeds in the northwest corner of the fort grounds, where his escape was prevented by a tall fence.  Gore surrendered without a fight, carrying a loaded pistol.  Strong identified him as the man who was with Moore.

Gore initially denied any involvement or knowledge of the shooting.  The World-Herald reported, however, that after being “severely grilled” by police, Gore admitted he was present when Kruger was shot.  The World-Herald printed Gore’s statement: “I’m not a bandit, I’m only a bootlegger trying to get along.  I didn’t know what was happening until it was all over.”  Gore told police that he had two gallons of whiskey in his car, and was about to deliver it to a customer, when Kruger and Strong walked up on them (remember, this was during the time of Prohibition).  “I thought they were some of these hi-jackers that have been operating in this town.  As I was talking to one of the men I heard a shot on the other side of the car.  Then something hit me over the head and I went down.  When I recovered my senses everybody was gone except me and Mrs. Buckles.  We jumped into the car and drove to the home of Harvey Moore, where I left the woman.  I knew I was in for it.  That’s why I hid.  I was afraid those officers would kill me without taking me to the police station.”  Gore denied firing a shot at the scene.  In fact, no empty shells were found in his revolver, and the gun did not show any signs of being recently fired.

Kruger’s wife was not at the family home at 5114 N. 13th Street, but was downtown shopping, when she learned of the shooting from newsboys who were calling out the breaking news.  She rushed to the hospital, where she was met by Chief of Police Pszanowski.  “Where’s Fritz?  He’s not dead, is he?” she asked the Chief.  Pszanowski led her to a private room and broke the news to her.  She collapsed, and was admitted to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Moore lay at the same hospital dying from his wounds.  He was not cooperating with police, refusing even to give information about his family so they could be notified.  When Dr. Frank Lovely, the police surgeon, told him he was going to die, and he might as well tell the police his next of kin information so they could be notified, Moore said “Somebody will notify them, all right.  The police don’t need to take care of that.  I’m going to keep them out of this.”  While being taken to the hospital in the ambulance, Moore said he thought Kruger and Moore were “a couple of rival hijackers” and “game guys.”  Moore’s father heard of the shooting Monday afternoon over the radio in Hiawatha, Kansas.  The report said that his son had killed a police officer and that he was critically injured himself.  Moore’s father thought someone was playing a joke on him, and called the radio station.  The station, in turn, called Omaha for verification.  Moore would refuse to cooperate with police, until Thursday at 5:30 p.m. where he confessed to killing Kruger.  He then promptly died after his confession.

Kruger’s widow received $3,500 from her husband’s insurance policies - $500 from the Police Relief Fund; $1,000 from a group insurance policy; and $2,000 from a policemen and firemen company.  The Omaha World-Herald sponsored a memorial fund, and encouraged the public to donate.  Within two days, the fund had reached $614 (a fair amount, considering it was during the Great Depression in America).  Ten dollars of that total would come from an unlikely source…Fletcher Moore himself.  While dying in the hospital, Moore told reporters “Tell the widow I’m very sorry.  Tell the folds I wish they would get up a pot for her.”  When told such a fund had been started, Moore said “Put me down for ten dollars.  I don’t have much money and it will take a lot to pay for my own funeral.  But I want to give that much.”  An order was written down on a piece of paper, and Moore signed it.  It authorized police to take $10 of the $40 found in Moore’s clothing and give it to the Kruger fund.

Funeral services were held on Friday, November 21st, 1930 at 2:00 p.m. at the John Gentlemen funeral home.  Two platoons of uniformed police, under the command of Inspector Bert Thorpe and Lt. Martin Jensen formed an escort to the chapel.  An escort of motorcycle officers, commanded by Capt. Charles Payne accompanied the body to the cemetery.  Reverend Lawrence Acker of the First Lutheran church officiated the ceremony.  Sgt. Kruger was and avid bowler, and was known as one of Omaha’s best bowlers.  Four of the pallbearers at the funeral were police officers.  The other two were bowling league representatives.  Chester “Shorty” Gore was not charged in the murder of Sergeant Kruger.  He was extradited back to Kansas, and was sentenced to 10 to 40 years in prison for bank robbery.

Detective Sergeant Fred “Fritz” Kruger is buried in West Lawn Cemetery, 5701 Center Street, with a modest headstone that is not befitting of a hero.  North 16th Street has a long and rich Omaha history, but will now hold a special meaning as I pass its intersection with Wirt Street while I am on patrol.  One of Kruger’s fellow officers put it best.  In his morning radio broadcast on WOW the day after Kruger’s murder, Capt. Frank J. Rose, the department’s police broadcaster, paid tribute to Kruger by saying “He gave up his life, like the soldier brave, while fighting for the safety and security of Omaha’s citizens.”And for that, Fritz Kruger is one of Omaha’s greatest heroes

Not all of our fallen heroes died at the hands of criminals they were trying to capture.

On Friday, February 25, 1927, Omaha Police were investigating a prowling that had happened earlier that morning at 1312 Douglas Street.  Two men, Louis Earl of 1111 Douglas and Lloyd Dooley of 6905 N. 40th Street were arrested for investigation in connection with the prowling.  Four detectives were sent in route to Dooley’s residence to look for items taken from the various places entered by the prowlers.  The four detectives were Tom Farmer, Arthur English, Tom Ryan, and Detective Sergeant William M. Davis.

The detectives were known as “The Four Horsemen” among members of the police force, because they were always “sent galloping” on special assignments from Inspector of Detectives Ben Danbaum or Chief of Police Charles Van Deusen.  These detectives had special reason to be excited about their trip to the suspect’s house.  They were driving a brand new Ford patrol car that had just been placed into service that morning.  Detective Ryan was driving the new car, and William “Smiling Billy” Davis was one of the three passengers.

At approximately twelve noon, the new Ford patrol car carrying the four detectives approached the intersection of 31st and Curtis Avenue.  They were heading south on 31st Street, approaching the intersection.  At the same time, a heavy paving truck was heading east on Curtis Avenue, approaching the intersection.  As the detectives went through the intersection, the paving truck also entered the intersection and hit the rear end of the patrol car.  The truck driver turned right, with the police car, and pushed the car into a nearby yard.  The paving truck weighed 3 ½ tons, and was the largest vehicle on the road in Omaha at that time.  The truck struck the patrol car with such power and force, that it caused the new Ford to turn upside down.  It was this toppling that caused the injuries to the detectives.    Detective Sergeant Tom Farmer suffered a back injury, a broken right arm and a broken nose that was so severely injured, that it was described in local newspapers as “nearly cut in half.”  His injuries were so severe, doctors feared he may die.  Detective Tom Ryan, the driver, suffered head injuries that were not deemed to be serious.  Detective English received internal injuries.  “Smiling Billy” Davis suffered a back injury and a crushed chest.  He remained conscious.  The four detectives were placed in a car that stopped to assist, and were driven from the scene.  Detective English advised that he wanted to go home, so he was dropped off at his house on the way to the hospital.  He would later be taken to the hospital, and admitted.  The remaining three detectives were taken to Nicholas Senn Hospital at Park Avenue and Dewey Street.  Davis remained conscious the entire time.  Doctors A.P. Condon, C.H. Newell, and C.B. Foltz worked to save Davis’ life.  Then, at 2:30 pm, on Friday, February 25, 1927, two and a half hours after the vehicle accident, Detective Sergeant William M. Davis died of his injuries.

At Davis’ bedside when he died were Inspector of Detectives Ben Danbaum, Davis’ former partner and good friend; Mrs. Charles Van Deusen, the wife of the Chief of Police; and Miss Esther Dooling, who was Davis’ fiancé.  Davis and Dooling were to have been married in less than two months.  Also present were four of Davis’ five sisters.  Detective Sergeant Tom Farmer, still nursing his own injuries, was not immediately told of Davis’ death.  Farmer and Davis had been work partners and were considered inseparable both on and off of work.  “How’s Bill?” he kept asking Friday evening, hours after Davis’ death.  “What room is he in?  How soon can we get together?”  Davis’ body was taken to John A. Gentleman mortuary at 34th and Farnam. The funeral for William Davis was held on Monday, February 28, 1927.  Three hundred uniformed police and firemen marched in a funeral procession from the mortuary to St. Mary Magdalene Church at 19th and Dodge Street.  There, a double file of uniformed men made a lane more than two blocks long through which Davis’ body was taken into the church.  In a sign of the times, “underworld friends” and others sent flowers that banked the casket almost to the ceiling.  Local newspapers noted that the mourners included “dips,” con-men, boot-leggers, “cadets,” and other underworld inhabitants rubbing elbows with city officials, lawyers, and bankers.

Father Bernard Sinne, pastor at St. Mary Magdalene’s was the celebrant.  He was so distraught over the death of Davis, due to his close relationship with the fallen detective, that he could not deliver the eulogy.  He asked Father Michael Stagno to speak for him.  Stagno told the overflowing crowd at the church “William Davis was a square shooter.  He played the game fair, was upright, tried to perform his duty and died in the harness.”  The funeral procession then went to St. Mary’s Cemetery, 3353 Q Street, where Davis was laid to rest.  The pallbearers were Detective Fred Palmtag, Detective Paul Haze, Detective William Cummings, Detective Lloyd Bolar, Detective Robert Craren, Detective Robert Munch, former Detective Paul Sutton, and Patrick Boyle.

The driver of the heavy paving truck that struck the patrol car, Fred Reis of 1018 N. 29th Street, was initially arrested on a technical charge of reckless driving.  He was released from custody on a $10,000 surety bond that was signed by his employer, F.L. Busche, a contractor.  Charges were later dropped after the County Attorney’s Office announced that an investigation had shown the accident was “unavoidable.”  County Coroner Paul Steinwender was appointed the administrator of Davis’ estate.  Inspector of Detectives Ben Danbaum, a close friend of Davis, was assigned to assist.  Davis had a sizeable estate, which included several thousand dollars in insurance as well as a considerable amount of money in savings.

William M. Davis was born on January 6, 1898 in Indiana to an American father and an Irish-immigrant mother.  After working in the Union Pacific shops in Omaha, Davis joined the police force in 1921.  He was immediately assigned to the detective bureau.  In 1924, he made the rank of Detective Sergeant.  Davis was a diabetic, and would take his meals every day at Nicholas Senn Hospital, the same hospital in which he would die of his injuries.  Sam Morris, a former police sergeant who was the poet-laureate of the Omaha Police Department, wrote a poem that was read at Davis’ funeral.  It included the following:“But who can tell what Fate has planned, Or how the day will end. For those who are fearless and brave. An accident may happen and, although all aid we lend, It breaks our hearts to lay them in the grave.” His poem ends with one line that still can be poignant today: “We answer ‘Roll Call’ then at God’s command.

It was Thursday, January 31, 1924, just after 3:30 p.m.  The Crosstown Pharmacy, 1223 South 24th Street (24th and Poppleton), had just been robbed.  The owner of the pharmacy, M.G. Kreymborg, reported being robbed at gunpoint of $12 by a gunman whom he described as wearing a brown coat and a light colored cap.  This description sounded familiar to police, as somebody with the same description had been robbing pharmacies in the area recently.  “He commanded me to open the safe” Kreymborg later told the World-Herald.  “When I refused he said he would kill me.  I told him if he killed me he wouldn’t get the money anyway” he said.  “I guess that’s right,” the bandit replied, who then took the $12 from the register and fled.  Omaha Police began to immediately search the area for the bandit.  This included a police car driven by a chauffer named Lester Warner that held four detectives: Frank Killian, William Davis, Frank Murphy (obviously not the same Frank Murphy who was killed in the line of duty in 1919), and Frank S. Aughe.

About 30 minutes after the Crosstown Pharmacy was robbed, Joseph Dunn, 27, entered the S.A. Beranek Drug Store at 1402 South 16th Street (16th and William St.), and asked for a powder for the treatment of nasal and throat inflammation.  Joe Salhasek, a 17 year old employee of the drugstore accidentally gave Dunn a liquid potion instead.  Realizing his mistake after Dunn had left the pharmacy, he ran to the door and called Dunn back.  Dunn, who was in the middle of 16th Street, turned around and began to return to the drugstore.  The police car containing the four detectives was on its way back to the police station, after searching the area for the Crosstown Pharmacy bandit.  The car approached the intersection of 16th and William just as Dunn was re-entering the pharmacy.  “There goes a fellow with a light cap and brown coat,” said Detective Davis as he pointed to Dunn.  Warner drove the police car to the side of the business, and Detectives Davis, Killian, and Murphy jumped out and rushed into the pharmacy.  Detective Aughe was the last to leave the police care, far behind his fellow detectives.  This would prove fatal.

Realizing that the men entering the store were police officers, Dunn found himself cornered in the rear of the drug store.  Also in the store, were two men, three women, and two children.  “Stand back everyone” Dunn yelled as he drew a revolver.  The panicked civilians began to scatter in the store, running in-between Dunn and the detectives.  “Stand back, I mean it, or I’ll kill every last one of you!” Dunn yelled.  Detectives Killian and Murphy walked from the front door to the south side of the store, to get into position to shoot Dunn.  Detective Davis tried to motion the women and children aside, and out of harm’s way.  Suddenly, Dunn raced to the front of the store.  Detective Killian nodded to Detective Davis to shoot Dunn as he reached the door.  However, as Dunn reached the front door, he was met by Detective Aughe who had just entered the store, not knowing of the drama unfolding.  “Damn you, I’ll kill you” Dunn yelled at Aughe.  Aughe grabbed Dunn and attempted to force him to the floor.  Dunn spun Aughe around, placing Aughe between himself and the detectives in the store, shielding himself from the detectives in the store.  Dunn then placed his revolver to Aughe’s body and fired six rapid shots.  Detective Davis rushed up and pushed both men through the doorway, causing them to fall onto the sidewalk just outside the store, with Aughe landing on top of Dunn.  Detective Killian then disarmed Dunn, and Davis pulled the bandit out from underneath Aughe, and cuffed him.  Davis then rolled Aughe over.  “I’m done, Billy,” Aughe whispered to Davis, “but I’m glad we got him.”  Aughe was carried back into the drugstore to await medical help.  A large crowd of civilians began to gather around the police car that held the captured Dunn.  According to the World-Herald, many of those threatened to take the prisoner away “clamoring that he be lynched.

”Police Surgeon Rance arrived at the drugstore shortly thereafter, and ordered that Aughe be taken to St. Joseph Hospital at 10th and Martha.  As Aughe arrived at the hospital, he died as he was being taken through the main door.  Public records at the time are unclear as to how many times Aughe was actually shot.  The World-Herald reported that Dunn’s revolver “had been emptied, six shots being fired, and all of the bullets passing through Aughe’s coat.  One bullet passed into his body below the heart, causing his death, according to Dr. Rance.”  Joe Salhasek, the 17 year old drugstore employee, was also hit by gunfire, being grazed in the right leg.

Notification of Aughe’s death to his wife was made by Detective Ben Danbaum and Detective Fred “Fritz” Franks, at Aughe’s home.  Franks, who was Aughe’s working partner (but not with him when he was shot), was in tears during the notification.

Dunn was taken to the police station, where he was positively identified by M.G. Kreymborg as the man who held up the Crosstown Pharmacy 30 minutes before Aughe was shot.  Deputy County Attorney Dan Gross took Dunn’s statement.  Dunn refused to admit that he intended to shoot Aughe.  He said all he remembered was that there was a struggle, and that several shots were fired.  But he couldn’t say if he fired the shots.  “The man in dead and you will be charged with first degree murder.  Do you want to plead guilty to murder?” Gross asked Dunn.  “Take me out and do anything you want” was his reply.  “Take me out and shoot me.  I’m sick of living, anyway.”  Dunn then revealed to Gross that his real name was Joseph Savage, and that he came from Poland 13 years earlier, where he was known as Joseph Guswesezc.  Dunn was a career criminal.  Of his thirteen years in America, nine were spent in prison, including a stint in Sing Sing.  In addition to several recent drug store robberies, Dunn was one of three men who held up sixty railroad workers of just over $1,000 outside of Fremont, Nebraska, just after the workers had been paid.  Dunn also later escaped capture by police in Omaha for some box car robberies in the nearby rail yards, by slipping out of his coat as he was grabbed by Officer Sam Blair just a month earlier.  Dunn lived at a rooming house at 719 South 25th Avenue but had packed his belongings the morning of Aughe’s murder, telling his landlord that he was leaving town that night for St. Louis.  In his interview with Gross, Dunn claimed he had been drinking the day of Aughe’s murder, and he did not know what he was doing.  However, three police surgeons, after examining the contents of Dunn’s stomach, determined he had not been drinking (it’s not clear how the surgeons were able to examine Dunn’s stomach contents, since he was alive).  Dunn expressed his fear of the electric chair, and said he was willing to take life in prison.

Frank Aughe lived in a “modest cottage” at 4413 North 31st Street (the present day site of a McDonald’s restaurant parking lot, next to the Northeast Precinct), which had a $3,000 mortgage.  Aughe had also recently borrowed $500 to care for his elderly father-in-law, who needed a surgery.  Aughe also financially supported his 86 year old mother, who lived in Ashland, Nebraska.  “He spoke of numerous bills, and I know they preyed on his mind” his work partner Detective Franks told the World-Herald.  Aughe carried two life insurance policies, totaling $2,500.  His widow was also given $500 from the Police Relief Fund.  The Omaha World Herald sponsored a memorial fund, where $1,574 was raised in four days.  Other donations came in separate from the memorial fund, including $100 from an anonymous businessman, and $100 from a fellow police officer.

Funeral services for Detective Frank S. Aughe were held on Saturday, February 2, 1924 at 3:00 p.m. at the Aughe home at 4413 N. 31st St.  More than 1,000 people attended.  In attendance were city commissioners, county officers, businessmen, and police officers and their wives.  Also in attendance was Detective Paul Haze, bandages still covering his bullet wounds he received in a recent gun battle.  The World-Herald also pointed out that also in attendance was “a sprinkling from the underworld where courage and sacrifice is quick to be recognized.”  Police Chief Dillon and three platoons of police officers led the funeral procession to Forest Lawn Cemetery, followed by two platoons of firemen.  The pallbearers were Detectives William Davis, Frank Killian, Frank Murphy (the three officers with Aughe when he was shot), Fritz Franks (his partner), Detective Chief Charles Van Deusen, and Police Inspector John Pszanowski.  William Davis would die in the line of duty three years later, in an automobile accident.

The Reverend F.H. King, pastor of the United Brethren Church, preached the sermon.  Among the many floral displays at the funeral, was a large floral wheel with a note saying “Deepest Sympathies from friends in the vicinity of Thirteenth and Davenport Streets.”  The display was from citizens who came to know and respect Aughe when he walked the beat in that area earlier in his career.  The day following Aughe’s murder, Omaha police officers were give orders by Police Inspector Pszanowski to “shoot to kill” when dealing with suspected bandits at the slightest indication that they were about to draw a weapon.  Pszanowski also announced that officers responding to emergency calls would be provided with bullet-proof vests for their protection.  Some vests in need of repair would be fixed, and others would be ordered.  Fourteen vests would be kept in police emergency vehicles, ready to be used when needed.

Detective Aughe, 47 years old, was an 18 year veteran of the Omaha Police Department.  He was cited for meritorious service three times in the two years before his death, for arresting several bandits.  He was survived by his wife, and his 17 year old daughter, Helen, a student at Central High School, whom he loved very much.  “I knew him perhaps as well as any one” Fritz Franks said.  His only concern was for his family.  He often spoke of the joy it gave him to send his daughter through school and give her the musical education she craved.

”Frank Aughe died a hero, on the streets of a city he swore to protect.  His last, dying act was to help rid this city of a criminal who terrorized its citizens.

On a cold winter night in the southern part of the city on Thursday, February 9, 1922, just after 10:30 pm, Police Officer James E. Scott was on a routine foot patrol, when he stopped into the Belitz soft drink parlor at 31st and A Street.  Scott had stopped to get a drink of water and to warm himself by the stove.  Just before Scott’s arrival, the proprietor of the parlor, Walter Groves, had ejected three men from the store.  It is uncertain if Scott ran into these three men as he himself walked to the parlor.  After warming himself, Scott left the parlor to go back on his patrol.  Just after Scott left the parlor, witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots.  George Sheehan, an Omaha motorcycle officer who lived two blocks away, heard the shots and came running to investigate.  Sheehan found Scott lying on the ground, dead from multiple gunshot wounds.  He had been shot twice in the left arm, and once through the heart.  It was later determined that different caliber rounds had caused Scott’s injuries.  A .38 caliber round had penetrated his heart, killing him.  His own .45 Colt revolver lay by his side, its five chambers empty, showing Scott had put up a fight.  He had only been an Omaha police officer two months.

A mystery surrounded the murder of Scott for police who came to investigate.  Pauline and Lucile Britton, two teenage sisters who lived at 3215 A Street, told police they saw the shootout take place.  The sisters said they were walking to a neighbor’s house when they passed three men, whom they described as black or possibly Hispanic, who were lurking in the shadows outside of the parlor.  The sisters said two of the men had silver handguns, as they could see them reflected in the moonlight.  As they walked past, the sisters said they heard one of the men say “He’ll soon be out, and we’ll…”  The conversation stopped as the men saw the girls.  Soon after hearing that, as the girls walked away, they said they heard gunfire, and saw the three men firing their guns, and then running off.

Over the next two days, police had come up with at least two different theories as to the murder of Scott.  The first theory was that Scott had come across a group of “hoboes” in the area of the Union Pacific railroad tracks, and had routed them from the area.  The area had been known as a haven for hoboes waiting to catch freight trains out of town.  Next door to the soft drink parlor was an old train depot built by Union Pacific in the early days of Omaha as a “suburban” station.  Omaha grew around the depot, making it no longer used.  As freight trains still slowed down near the depot, it became an ideal spot for hoboes to jump onto a train.  Police believed that a group of these men waited for Scott to exit the parlor, and then ambushed him.  Police sent a car full of officers to Valley, Nebraska, to check the recent train that had left the area.  Another theory was that Scott was killed assassins, either for personal revenge or hired to do the killing.  Ever since Scott had been on the force, the Morals Squad of the Omaha Police Department had performed many successful raids on bootlegging operations throughout the southern part of the city (including a recent successful raid of the Belitz soft drink parlor at 31st and A Street) during this time of Prohibition.  Scott, himself, had been very active on going after bootleggers.  Rumor on the streets was that Scott was tipping off the Morals Squad on numerous bootlegging operations.  Sgt. Frank Williams of the Morals Squad disputed this to the local newspapers, saying Scott did not provide tips.

Police also looked into the possibility that Scott came across bandits who were about to rob the soft drink parlor (also know for bootlegging and illegal gambling) as he was leaving the establishment.  Scott was also very active in enforcing picket rules when he was assigned to strike duty in December on the city’s south side, being stationed at 30th and O Street.  So, the police had several theories as to why Officer James Scott was shot and killed that cold February night.  What they didn’t have was a good lead, or even suspects.

On the belief that the assailants were black, the police department went through every part of the city that black men gathered, and detained several people for investigation.  None of these produced any valuable leads or led to any suspects in Scott’s death.  On Monday, February 13th, three Mexican males were detained after a raid on a building at 210 South 10th Street.  These men were identified by H.L. McIntyre of 3030 Ames Avenue, a Union Pacific employee, as the three men he saw near the scene of Scott’s murder.  The three men were identified as George Garmelo, Celso Ferizo and Petro Lopez.  When detained, Garmelo had .38 caliber bullets in his pocket – the same caliber that killed Scott.  Garmelo also had a wound on his right hand that, according to Police Surgeon Kenyoun, could have been caused by a bullet.  Garmelo insisted he knew nothing about the murder, and that the wound on his hand was from a nail, and not a bullet.  Another man, Joe Romanek of 2924 Spring Street, identified the three men as those he saw on the Dahlman viaduct near the shooting scene just before Scott’s murder.  Romanek said the men approached him and asked if there were any police in the area.  They then asked about the next freight train going to Grand Island.  When Romanek told them where to hop a train, one of the men responded “Never mind, that’s none of your business.”  When Garmelo was brought to the police station, he stopped before going up some stairs.  When ordered to move, Garmelo responded “It’s all right.  Never mind, never mind” the same phrase used by the men near the murder scene, tying him to it.  Despite the evidence against Garmelo, Ferizo, and Lopez (the bullets, the wound on the hand, witness identification, and the use of the same phrase), none of them were ever charged with the murder of Scott.  All three men were eventually released and deported from the country.

The funeral for James E. Scott was held on Monday, February 13th, 1922 at Larkin undertaking chapel at 4813 S. 24th Street.  At 2 pm, a funeral procession, led by three platoons of police officers, went from the chapel to St. Agnes Church at 23rd and Q Street.  Burial took place at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 3353 Q Street.

Scott was appointed to the Omaha Police Department on December 6, 1921, just two months before his death.  He was single, and was survived by his mother, who lost her only child.  He had not been confirmed by the City Council yet, as his probation term had not been finished.  Because of this, his ailing mother was not eligible for a pension from the Policemen’s Relief Fund.  Officers from the South Side station collected $75 among themselves for Scott’s burial expenses.  Additional money was collected among the local community, but this only totaled around one or two hundred dollars.  Under a state compensation law, the city was ordered to pay Scott’s mother 66% of his wages for 350 weeks.  This amounted to $15 a week.

No one had ever been arrested for the murder of Omaha Police Officer James E. Scott.  It officially remains an unsolved homicide.  In August of 1922, James Weaver of 2724 R Street was arrested for cutting his friend, George Fielding.  Fielding subsequently told police that the day after Scott’s murder, Weaver came to him with the newspaper articles and said “I killed him.”  Weaver was never charged.

No known picture of James Scott exists.  At least, not one that was taken by the police department or one that was provided to the local newspapers.  This is why his picture does not appear along with the other fallen police officers of Omaha.  The mystery behind the death of Officer Scott does not shroud the fact that he died serving and protecting the citizens of Omaha.  Although an injustice had occurred in the fact that those responsible were never brought to trial, we can honor and remember Officer James E. Scott for his act of heroism, and carry on our duties in his memory.

It was Wednesday, July 16^th, 1919 at 2:20 am.  Omaha Police Detective Frank Murphy was looking for a robber – a “highway-man,” as they were called back then.  Along with Murphy in the police automobile were Detectives Lundeen and Farrand.  During the prior two weeks, a lone gunman had been terrorizing pedestrians and robbing them with regularity.  This forced the Police Department to take extraordinary measures, such as having detectives patrolling at 2:20 in the morning, looking for robbers.  Just the night before, at 2:20 am, William Gorum was robbed of $4 at 25^th & Douglas Street.  A few minutes later, H.J. Tanner was robbed of $8.  The description of the lone robber given by both men was exactly the same – a dark blue suit, a white shirt with no collar, and a cap.  Murphy, Lundeen and Farrand were now looking for this suspect in the area and at the time he last struck.

At 2:20 in the morning at 19^th and Dodge Street, Murphy saw somebody that sparked his interest.  As the police automobile slowed down, Murphy stoop up and yelled out to the man, who was wearing a dark blue suit.  The man quickly drew a handgun and fired once at the police car.  Murphy fell back down into the car.  Detective Lundeen quickly produced his revolver and fired back.  The gunman fell to the sidewalk.  Murphy had been shot in the abdomen, a devastating injury even by today’s standards, but even more so in 1919.  Lundeen’s bullet had pierced the heart of the gunman who shot Murphy.  The gunman would die in a matter of minutes from this wound, but not before he and Murphy revealed information that would make this tragic event turn bizarre.

Upon taking the gunman into custody, Lundeen and Farrand heard him speak his last words before dying.  They must have sounded strange.  Looking over to Murphy slumped over in the police car, the gunman said “it was Frank.  I’m sorry.”  The gunman then died shortly afterwards.  Going back to the car to take care of their wounded fellow officer, the two detectives heard Murphy say “I know the man who shot me.”  That is all Murphy would say.  Perhaps this didn’t sound too strange at the time, considering police officers (then and now) are known by name by the criminals they arrest.  Officers get to know the criminals they arrest by face and name, but this was different.

The gunman was identified as Judd W. Tobias.  Tobias and Frank Murphy grew up together as best friends.  They attended the Vinton Street grammar school together.  Tobias was a regular fixture at the Murphy home at 1710 Oak Street in those days, living just around the corner on 17^th Street.

Murphy was rushed to Lord Lister Hospital, which was located at 14^th and Capitol Avenue.  Murphy thought he was going to die right away, so he asked that a priest be summoned.  A priest from Sacred Heart church at 22^nd and Wirt Street was taken to the hospital in a police car.  Police Captain Vanous went to Murphy’s house at 3604 Grand Avenue to notify Murphy’s wife.  She was rushed to the hospital.  Murphy’s parents were also notified and taken to the hospital.  Murphy’s father, Frank Murphy, Sr., was a former Chief of Detectives with the Omaha Police Department.

The bullet that entered Murphy’s abdomen was slowed by his police badge, which he wore on his belt on the left side of his pants.  Media reports form the day said the badge was “dented deeply by the impact.”  This, along with the good physical condition of Murphy before the shooting, gave doctors hope that Murphy would survive.  The Omaha World Herald even stated “The fine physical condition of the detective will probably enable Murphy to live.”  However, this would not be the case.

On Wednesday, July 23^rd, 1919 at 4:30 pm, one week after being shot, Detective Frank Murphy died at Lord Lister Hospital.  Murphy had suffered a relapse the day before, and quickly took a turn for the worse.  Gangrene had entered the wound, and ended Murphy’s life.  At his bedside when he died were his wife, two sisters and his father.  “He met his end like a man, and I am proud of him for that,” Murphy’s father told the World-Herald.

Despite growing up together, the lives of Tobias and Murphy could not have been any more different.  Murphy grew up the only son of a police officer.  On September 1^st, 1917, Murphy himself became one of Omaha’s finest.  He served until March 12^th, 1918, when he was given leave to enter the Army (a little thing called World War I was raging on in Europe at the time).  He returned to the police force on January 12^th, 1919, and was assigned to the detective squad.  Six months later, he was dead.  “He was one of the best men I had,” Detective Captain Dunn told the World-Herald.  “He was one of the youngest, but one of the best.

”Tobias was a felon, and described as a “drug fiend” by the paper, which stated that Tobias’ arm bared many tiny holes, which provided “eloquent corroboration” that he was a “drug-crazed outlaw.”  Eight years prior to this incident, Tobias was convicted of complicity in the murder of a druggist named Elton at 24^th and Bristol Street.  A year before shooting Murphy, Tobias had shot Omaha Police Officer William Holden during an altercation at 715 North 17^th Street (I looked, but could find no information on this incident).  Yet, Tobias continued to walk the streets of Omaha.  In fact, Murphy and Tobias had crossed paths just two months earlier.  Murphy and Detective Palmtag, also a boyhood friend of Murphy and Tobias, approached and arrested Tobias.  “You fellows shouldn’t arrest me,” Tobias told them on that day.  “I’m sorry Judd, but it’s got to be done,” Murphy replied.  Tobias got 30 days for vagrancy.  The next time Murphy and Tobias met, both boyhood pals would lose their lives.

Funeral services for Officer Murphy were held on Friday morning, July 25^th, 1919 at Sacred Heart church.  Father Judd, who administered the last rites to Murphy at the hospital, led the ceremony.  Officer Murphy was the ninth Omaha police officer killed in the line of duty, and the fourth in five years.

Today, the intersection of 19^th and Dodge Street looks nothing like it did on that early morning in July of 1919.  But changing the landscape doesn’t change the fact that Officer Frank J. Murphy, Jr. died there as a hero, doing the same job that you and I have sworn to do.  The next time you drive through that busy intersection, remember Murphy.  Stay safe.

On Wednesday, January 30th, 1918 at 3:45 p.m., five unmasked bandits walked into the Harry Malashock Jewelry Store, 1514 Dodge Street.  Moments later, they walked out of the store and into a waiting vehicle with $15,000 in jewelry, and headed north on 14th Street.  This daring daylight robbery took place while two uniformed police officers stood within 100 feet of the store.  The bandits disappeared.  The Malashock Jewelry store had just been robbed by a notorious criminal gang who had been responsible for a spree of robberies in Minneapolis, Minnesota, including three jewelry stores, two banks, and a gambling establishment.  This spree netted the gang over $50,000.  The gang had also been responsible for numerous “stick-ups” in Kansas City, Missouri.  Omaha Police began to search the city for the bandits.  Their first big break came from a newspaper boy, Jim Carey, who was walking home from school, when he found a small box in the street near 16th and Ohio Street.  Inside the box were some cuff links that had been taken in the robbery.  Responding officers soon found the bandits’ escape vehicle abandoned near 22nd and Miami Street.  The vehicle had been reported stolen two days earlier.

At 8:00 p.m., C.A. Overton of 3209 N. 14th Avenue telephoned the police about “suspicious actions” of several people in the house next to him, at 3207 N. 14th Ave.  Overton reported that 5 men hurriedly entered the house in the late afternoon, a short time after the jewelry store robbery.  A group of officers organized and headed to the area to investigate.  What they would encounter remains one of the largest gunfights that Omaha Police have ever been involved in.

Eight Omaha police officers responded to the suspicious persons call at 3207 N. 14th Ave.  They were: Sgt. Madsen, Detective Danbaum, Detective Sgt. Charles Van Deusen (who, two years earlier, hunted down the killer of his then partner, Thomas Ring), Detective Dolan, Detective Jim Murphy, Detective Brinkman, and Detective Frank Rooney.  Upon arrival at the house, Barta, Brinkman, and Murphy were sent to the back and sides of the house.  Danbaum, Dolan, Madsen, Rooney, and Van Deusen went to the front door.  Van Deusen rang the doorbell, and a female answered.  The female was evasive in answering questions, and told the officers that there were no men in the house.  The officers entered the house, telling the female that they would check it out for themselves.  Danbaum, Madsen, and Van Deusen started the search of the downstairs.  Dolan, who thought he heard voices upstairs, quietly went up the staircase.  He was followed by Frank Rooney.  At the top of the stairs, Dolan reached a bedroom door and looked in.  He saw two men in the corner of the room, and pointed his gun at them and ordered them to raise their hands.  The men responded by opening fire on Dolan.  Rooney stepped next to Dolan in the doorway, and began to fire back.  One of the bandits shot out the light in the room, causing the entire room to do dark.  The officers had to fire into the dark at the gun flashes they saw.  However, a light in the hallway remained on, lighting the location of Dolan and Rooney.  Hearing the shouting and gunfire, Van Deusen rushed to the front of the house, and opened fire on the bedroom window from the outside, when he saw the bandits trying to escape through the window.  Van Deusen was quickly joined by Detectives Murphy Brinkman and Barta, who also opened fire on the windows.

“Almost as he stepped to my side,” Dolan later said, “Frank (Rooney) groaned and I knew he was hit.  But he kept up the scrap.”  Detective Danbaum ran up the stairs at the sound of the gunfire, and joined the fight.  “As I stepped into the battle, Rooney was hit” Danbaum later told the Omaha World Herald.  “He continued to do his bit and Dolan and I did the best we could ‘til our guns were empty.  They we backed downstairs with Rooney.”  Rooney had been shot in the abdomen, but remained conscious.  Dolan and Danbaum retreated down the stairs, with the wounded Rooney, as they had run out of ammunition.  Seeing that their escape route through the windows was blocked, the bandits rushed the stairway, firing as they charged down.  Dolan and Danbaum, having quickly reloaded, returned fire and drove the bandits back upstairs.  Rooney sat in a nearby chair, guarded by Madsen.  The detectives found themselves in desperate need of ammunition.  Danbaum assisted Rooney across the street to the residence of A.J. Anderson, where Mrs. Anderson gave Danbaum a handful of bullets and said she would look over the wounded Rooney.  Rooney, despite his serious wound, begged to be allowed back into the fight.  He could not stand, but asked to be placed in a chair on the porch, so he could shoot across the street.  “I know they will get (the bandits) and I am not there to help” he told Mrs. Anderson.  He was finally forced to lie on the floor, where he was cared for until an ambulance arrived.

Danbaum hurried back across the street with the bullets he had been given by Mrs. Anderson.  The bullets would not fit his gun, but he knew they would fit the guns of the other detectives.  Knowing that more ammunition would be needed, Danbaum did something unique and unusual.  He ran from the scene of the gun battle to the home of Detective Sgt. Van Deusen, which was just one block away, to get more ammunition.  When he arrived at the Van Deusen house, he encountered Mrs. Van Deusen, who had been in her back yard listening to the gun battle that she knew her husband (who she called “Van”) was taking part in.  Upon seeing Danbaum, Mrs. Van Deusen worried.  “Oh, I know Van is hurt” she said to Danbaum.  “No, he is all right, but he is mighty near out of shells and I am all out.  Frank Rooney is hurt” he replied.  Mrs. Van Deusen quickly went into the house and returned with a box of ammunition for Danbaum, who then rushed back to the battle.  Mrs. Van Deusen took up her vigil in her backyard.

Danbaum returned to the bandit house with the ammunition, and joined Dolan and Van Deusen on the inside, as others guarded the outside.  The bandits then decided on a last ditch run down the stairs, releasing a hail of gunfire.  The officers returned fire, and one of the bandits had his ear shot off.  The bandits again retreated up the stairs.  After a brief pause, one of the bandits exclaimed “What the hell’s the use.  All the bulls in the world are around the place now.”  Three of the bandits, Beryl Kirk, “Big Wally” Martin, and Sam Stone dropped their guns and surrendered.  Tom McKay, who was badly wounded, stayed in the room upstairs until officers came and apprehended him.  A fifth bandit, Harry Williams, escaped to the roof and defied orders to surrender for an hour.  In an attempt to escape, he jumped from the roof, seriously injuring himself, and was captured.  Over 150 rounds were fired in the gun battle at 3207 N. 14th Avenue.  Three people out of the at least fourteen that were in and around the house were hit by gunfire (Rooney, Stone, and McKay).Police recovered $5,000 of the stolen jewelry from the house.  The remaining portion of the missing jewelry was believed to be with a sixth member of the gang (the group’s leader) who was not at the house at the time.  This man was captured several weeks later.

Frank Rooney was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital at 10th and Martha Street.  His would was serious, and Rooney knew he would not survive.  “Sister, I know I am going to die, and I am ready to go” Rooney told Sister Mary Joseph at the hospital.  Rooney died on Thursday, January 31st, 1918 at 2:00 p.m., the day after he was shot.  His wife was by his side.

Frank Rooney’s funeral was held on Saturday, February 2nd, 1918 at his brother’s house at 2919 Fowler Avenue.  Two platoons of uniformed police officers gathered at the house, and led the funeral procession to Holy Angels Church at 27th and Fowler Ave.  The pall bearers, all fellow police officers, were: John Barta, B.F. Danbaum, Felix Dolan, John Dunn, John Holden, Peter Jolly, Frank Murphy (who would be killed in the line of duty, himself a year later), and John Pzanowski.  The Reverend Patrick J. Flanagan paid tribute to Rooney’s bravery.  “Frank Rooney was a patriot and a hero.  He died in the performance of his duty in order to establish civic peace so that you and I could walk the streets in security and safety.  His heroic act was not an isolated one that comes to a man but once or twice in a lifetime.  His life was in danger every hour he was on duty and there wasn’t a yellow cowardly streak in his character.”  After the ceremony at the church, the uniformed procession marched to 24th and Ames Avenue, where it disbanded.  Rooney was taken to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, 4912 Leavenworth, and laid to rest.

Rooney left behind a wife and an eight year old daughter, Elizabeth.  He lived at 4702 Davenport.  Local contributions were collected through the Omaha World Herald to pay the $900 that Rooney still owed on his house.  Rooney’s widow received $500 from the Police Relief Fund, and a monthly pension of $50.  Rooney was appointed to the police department as a patrolman on February 17th, 1908.  He was promoted to the detective bureau on March 1st, 1915, where he took the detective spot held by Detective Tom Ring, who was killed in the line of duty.  Rooney was the third Omaha police officer to be killed in the line of duty in three years (Ring in 1915, and Officer William Good in 1916).  He would be the third of seven officer killed in a nine year span, from 1915 to 1924.  All were killed by gunfire.

Two of the five bandits in the house were convicted of second degree murder, and sentenced to 20 years in prison.  Apparently, one of the men was pardoned by the Governor a year later.  The rest did jail time for their other various felonious crimes.

The heroics of Omaha’s early police officers did not go unappreciated by its citizens.  Robert Cowell, president of the Thomas Kilpatrick Company summed up the feelings of Omaha citizens, who were living during the time of The Great War, by saying “In war we decorate, promote and pension our heroes.  This man was as true a hero as any who in trench or on the battlefield faced the enemy.  He was facing your enemy, my enemy and the enemy of society.”  Cowell went on to say something that still is relevant today: “The true policeman is always a target for lawless humanity.  The slurker runs little risk, but the brave officer takes his life in his hands daily.  Society should be ever ready and glad to show appreciation of faithful service and should not allow the family of any man to suffer who gives up his life for its protection.”  Frank Rooney, one of Omaha’s bravest police officers ever, gave his life for this city.  He is more than just a name and a date on a memorial.  He is a true hero.  Let us remember him as so.

On Friday, March 31, 1916, just before 1:00 p.m., Mrs. Oliver P. Morrell of 2924 North 24th Street went to her neighbor’s house and spoke with its occupant, Mrs. R.E. McClurg.  She told McClurg that her husband had come home drunk and had beaten her.  This was nothing new, as neighbors had reported seeing Oliver Morrell frequently striking his wife.  This time, Mrs. Morrell decided to call the police.  After initially being told to get a warrant for her husband, the police told her that they would send the officer that was working the beat.  The two women returned to the Morrell residence to wait for the officer.

A few minutes later, the women saw a police officer walking up the street in their direction.  The officer was William A. Good, a 14 year veteran of the Omaha Police Department.  Unfortunately, Oliver Morrell also saw Good approaching.  He looked at the two women, and made a motion towards his hip pocket and said the officer had no right to come after him.  McClurg later told reporters “We were frightened, for we knew that he was armed.

”Good arrived, and went into the house and asked Mrs. Morrell if she wanted her husband arrested.  She indicated that she did.  Morrell objected, saying he did nothing wrong, and that Good had no right to arrest him.  Good declared there was enough evidence to arrest Morrell and told him to come with him.  Before the left, Good felt Morrell’s clothing to see if he had a gun.  During the pat down, Good felt no weapon.  However, Morrell was, in fact, armed with a revolver.  When he initially saw Good approaching, Morrell slipped the revolver up his shirt sleeve, and it was missed by Good during the search.

Good walked Morrell, who was not handcuffed, down the street to the Hayden Pharmacy (also known as the Kountze Place pharmacy) on the corner of 24th and Binney Street.  From there, Good called for a patrol wagon to come and transport his arrest.  Immediately after the call was made, Morrell apparently tried to escape by running away.  Good was quick to grab Morrell, and prevent him from leaving the drug store.  During the struggle, Morrell produced his revolver and fired one shot at Good at close range.  The shot went through Good’s heart.  William Hayden, the owner of the drug store, was in a back room when he heard the shot.  He rushed to the front of the store, and saw Good and Morrell struggling with one another.  Suddenly, Good fell headlong to the floor, dead from the wound to his heart.  Morrell then ran out of the drug store.  However, the tragedy would not end there.

Morrell headed back to his residence, where his wife and neighbor sat talking.  Mrs. McClurg, the neighbor, later said: “Mrs. Morrell and I sat quietly talking for a few minutes, when suddenly we saw Morrell coming back, and instinctively we knew what had happened.  We tried to get away, but it was too late.”  As Morrell entered the house, his wife ran towards the back, trying to escape out the back door.  Morrell caught up to her, and shot her three times.  Mrs. Morrell was shot once through the abdomen, while another shot went through her right arm and chest.  The third shot went into her head, lodging at the base of the skull by her left ear, but not penetrating the skull.  She was gravely wounded and left for dead.  Morrell then went upstairs and shot and killed himself.

Officer William A. Good was born in Ireland on April 3, 1871.  He was appointed to the Omaha Police force on June 23, 1902, and was regarded as one of the most reliable officers on the force.  He was survived by his wife and two children, 17 year-old Helen, and 12 year-old William, Jr.  The family lived at 3316 Spaulding.

Oliver Morrell, 50, was a retired captain with the Omaha Fire Department.  He was the captain of the fire station at 21st and Lake Street.  He served 21 years on the department, before being forced to take a retirement pension in 1912 (four years before his deadly encounter with Good) due to mental instability.  He and his wife had three children; all under the age of seven, two of whom witnessed their father shoot their mother.  Mrs. Morrell, from what I could find, survived her wounds.

In a “tragedy-could-have-been-avoided” twist, City Commissioner Whitnell later advised the police that on the morning of Good’s death, he had purchased gasoline at a filling station at 18th and Cass Street from Morrell, who managed the filling station.  Whitnell said “Morrell laid a revolver out on the table while we were talking and remarked that somebody was going to be killed that day.”  Whitnell, as City Commissioner, was the one that forced Morrell to retire from the fire department four years earlier, because he showed signs of insanity.  Whitnell decided to report the statement to Police Chief Dunn, in the hopes that the police would go and disarm Morrell.  “I thought he meant he would kill himself, but then I got to the officer, several people were waiting to see me and I forgot about (the incident)” Whitnell said.  He didn’t report his encounter with Morrell to the police.

Funeral services for Police Officer William A. Good were held on Monday morning, April 3, 1916 – Good’s birthday.  The funeral procession went from Good’s home at 3316 Spaulding to Sacred Heart Church near 22nd and Wirt Street.  Two platoons of police officers led the funeral procession from the church on the way to the cemetery.  Good was buried at Hold Sepulcher Cemetery at 49th and Leavenworth.

Due to the nature of their work, and their years on the job, Good and Morrell knew each other and were considered friends.  In fact, Morrell was well known and liked by many members of the Omaha Police Department.  It was believed that Morrell’s heavy drinking, combined with his progressing insanity were responsible for his actions in his encounter with Good.  An arrest for domestic violence that was made in 1916 is still made today.  Most arrests end peacefully.  Some do not.  Be vigilant in searching your arrests for weapons.  Always handcuff your arrests, even if you know them, for officer safety.  Your own personal safety is the most important thing in these encounters.  Stay safe!

Detective Tom Ring was given an assignment.  It was Wednesday, February 10, 1915.  Special Agent Frank Cashman of the Union Pacific Railroad had telephoned the Omaha Police Department and asked for help in arresting some men whom he had suspected of robbing box cars from the nearby rail yard.  Ring, Cashman, and Special Officer Phillips of the Burlington Railroad went to the area of 15th and Chicago Street to look for their suspects.  Once there, the officers saw three Mexican males coming out of a rooming house at 401 N. 15th Street.  Two of the men were wearing brand new shoes.  Cashman noted that a supply of shoes had recently been stolen from the freight cars in the rail yard.  The officers followed the three to a nearby saloon.  There, they confronted the men and asked them where they got the new shoes from.  The men told the officers that they had purchased the shoes from some other Mexican men on the second floor of the rooming house they had just walked out of.  Detective Ring and Officer Cashman took one of the men back to the rooming house to point out the specific room, while Officer Phillips stayed and watched the other two.  Ring and Cashman got the landlord of the rooming house, A.M. Madrid.  The men then went up to the second floor, and Madrid knocked on the door.  Ring and Cashman identify themselves as officers through the closed door.  “Then keep away from that door!” was the response yelled back at the officers.

Right next to the door, in the hallway, was a washstand.  Ring stepped up onto the washstand, with the intention of looking through the transom (the window above the door) into the room.  At the very moment that Ring peered into the room through the transom window, a shot rang out and Ring fell to the floor.  Ring had been shot just above the eye by a .44 caliber round.  Just as soon as Ring hit the floor, the door flew open and two men exited.  One of the men immediately raised a .44 caliber revolver, and shot Ring through the heart as he lay on the floor.  As others scattered in the hallway, the two men ran down the hallway to the room of Arthur Chrisman, who had just witnessed the shooting.  Threatening Chrisman, the two men forced their way past him into his room.  They went to the back of the room, and jumped out of the back window.  Unfortunately for the two criminals, they were still on the second floor, and their jump was from upwards of 35 feet.  One of the men landed in a snowdrift, but the other crashed through the roof of a shed below.  Both men headed down an alley towards Cass Street, but the second man did so with a severe limp.  The two disappeared in the maze of freight cars in the nearby rail yard.  In response to Ring’s murder, Omaha Chief of Police Dunn gave his men orders to shoot first.  “Bring them in dead or alive” he told them.

Cashman’s actions at the time of Ring’s murder were suspect.  He ran out of the rooming house when the shooting started, going back to the saloon to telephone police.  This action would draw much criticism.  Chief of Detectives Steve Maloney told him “If you had stood there with your gun ready instead of going over to the saloon to call the police, you could have stopped those Mexicans” Maloney told Cashman.  “I did the best I could” Cashman replied.  “I did what I thought was right.”  Unfortunately, this was not a good time to be a Mexican national in and around Omaha.  Police found photographs in the room of the men they believed killed Ring, and had them put in the World-Herald.  Chief Dunn ordered a “wholesale arrest” of Mexican residents of the city.  Within two hours of Ring’s murder, two dozen Mexicans had been booked at the police station as “suspicious characters,” which allowed them to be held so they could be questioned about the identity of the murderers.  By the next day, nearly one hundred Mexican residents had been detained.  Twenty five of those who most matched the suspect descriptions were held even longer.

Even though it was believed the men were still hiding in Omaha, police were sent throughout the region.  Officers were sent out to Mexican camps in all railroad centers.  Officer LeRoy Wade and Ollie Farrand were sent to Plattsmouth.  Detectives Charles Van  Deusen, Mike Sullivan, and Dan Lahey went to Pacific Junction, Iowa with A.M Madrid (the landlord of the rooming house) to search among the hundreds of Mexicans in the colony for the suspects.  A citizen’s posse in Crescent City, Iowa arrested two suspects, and sent them under guard to Council Bluffs.  Suspects were also arrested in Wahoo and Lincoln.  None of these early arrests turned up the suspects.

Ring’s funeral service started at 8:30 in the morning on Saturday, February 13th at his residence at 905 William Street (a one hundred and seven year old house that still stands today), where his body had been moved to the night before.  Four platoons of police officers reported to the residence – two from Omaha, one from Council Bluffs and one from South Omaha (at the time, an independent town).  The body was then moved to St. Philomena’s Church (now called St. Francis-Cabrini) which was directly across the street.  The pall bearers were Police Captain M.F. Dempsey, Detective Charles Van Deusen (Ring’s work partner), Sergeant P.F. Havey, Detective W.T. Devereese, Officer E.J. Delehanty, Officer Dan Connelly, Officer Edward Cassidy, and Officer Henry Rassmussen.  Burial was at St. Mary Magdalene Cemetery at 46th and Q Street.  The Union Pacific Railroad presented the widow of Ring a check for $1,000.  The Police Relief Association provided an additional $500.Meanwhile, the massive manhunt for the murderers continued.  Despite the massive detention of dozens of Mexican men in Omaha over the days proceeding Ring’s murder, the suspects had escaped.  The search then turned into a regional search, spanning over all of Nebraska and most of western Iowa.  The search turned up nothing, until Monday, February 15th, five days after Ring’s murder.  Just outside of Norfolk, Nebraska, Northwestern Railroad Special Agent Ely was inspecting a train in the rail yards, and came across two Mexican males hiding in one of the cars.  The two men were Ignacio “Juan” Gonzales, and Joe Cantono (who also went by Juan Paral).   They were, indeed, the two men responsible for the murder of Detective Ring.   Ely quickly grabbed Cantono and disarmed him.  Gonzales ran from the car after pointing a gun at Ely, and fled into Norfolk, shooting indiscriminately at everyone he saw on the way.  A hastily formed posse of citizens began to chase Gonzales.  Gonzales fled to a small, abandoned building nearby.  The posse set up around the shanty.  At daybreak, a group of volunteers from the posse rushed the building.  However, the building was empty.  Gonzales had somehow escaped during the night.  A group of Omaha Police officers arrived at Norfolk, and a region-wide search was begun, with squads of officers starting out from the towns of Norfolk, Pender, Fremont, and Beemer.  A reported sighting of Gonzales near Beemer sent officers to that area, but the elusive Gonzales could not be found.  Heavy rains and melting snow made the countryside a sea of mud and water, complicating the search.  On Thursday, February 18th, Gonzales approached a laborer’s shack near South Norfolk, and begged for food.  The laborer ran a half-mile in bare feet to notify the police, but Gonzales escaped again.  A train that was leaving the area was stopped near Scribner, Nebraska.  While officers searched the train, Gonzales leaped from a railcar, fired at the officers, and ran into the countryside, escaping yet again.  The alarm was sent out and posses from Fremont, Scribner, and Hooper, along with numerous officers from the surrounding counties, converged on the area.  The force looking for Gonzales totaled 300 men.

At 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 19th, a group of boys told the police they saw Gonzales emerge from a haystack east of Scribner, and run towards Pebble Creek.  Police knew now that Gonzales was trapped in between the creek and the Elkhorn River, both of which were flowing high.  All bridges were guarded to prevent escape.  A posse that included Omaha detective Charles Van Deusen found Gonzales’ tracks along the creek and followed them.  When they reached a sharp bend in the creek, Gonzales emerged over a creek bank, and began firing at the officers.  Every member of the posse returned fire, approximately 75 shots in all.  Gonzales fired 8 times and then jumped up on the bank, threw his hands up and yelled to Van Deusen “Charley, I quit.”  Before Van Deusen could reach him, Gonzales fell over and died.  I found conflicting information on Gonzales death.  The World Herald and the Dodge County Coroner stated that he was killed by officers in the battle.  However, I found two references that stated Gonzales committed suicide on the creek bank, rather than be captured.  Regardless, the murderer of Detective Ring died on that creek bank.

Joe Cantono (the second suspect) was brought back to Omaha by Van Deuen.  Cantono denied that he did any shooting.  However, he did admit that the gun that he had in his possession when he was captured had fired the shot into Ring’s chest.  Cantono claimed that Gonzales used the weapon on Ring, and then gave it to him later when Gonzales acquired another gun.  Cantono would be sentenced to life in prison for his role in Ring’s murder.

The hunt for Gonzales was the largest manhunt for a fugitive Nebraska had ever seen, up to that point.  The Omaha Police Department declared Gonzales the “wickedest, gamest bad man” the department had ever dealt with, due to his elusiveness and his ability to hold off a posse of dozens of med for several minutes.  Officer Ollie Farrand, who helped in the nine day search for Gonzales, nearly died from a severe rheumatic attack brought on by the exhaustive search.

Detective Thomas Ring was 54 at the time of his death.  He was a Canadian by birth, born in 1860.  He was appointed an Omaha Police Officer on March 3, 1902.  On February 1, 1903, he was made a detective.  Ring was viewed as one of the smartest detectives on the force, who usually got his man when he went after him.  He was credited with solving the murder of Henry Nickell, which was a high-profile case in Omaha.  He was survived by his wife and three children.  He was, like you and I, trying to do his part to help make this city a safer and better place to live.  He made the ultimate sacrifice serving this city, and should be remembered as one of this city’s greatest heroes

On Friday, February 19th, 1909, one month after the murder of Omaha Police Officer Lafayette Smith at 9th and Douglas Street, Edward Lowry, a police officer in the city of South Omaha was given an assignment.  He was to answer a complaint at a tenant house at 24th and N Street regarding a man’s questionable relationship with a 17 year old girl.  At the tenant house, just before 11 p.m., Lowry arrested 39 year old John Masourides, a Greek immigrant, and Lillian Breese, a 17 year old who was tutoring Masourides in English.  Lowry then began to march his prisoners towards the South Omaha Police Station for questioning.  Just south of N Street, as they approached a dark section of 24th Street, Masourides suddenly produced a revolver, turned on Lowry and fired, striking him in the abdomen.  Lowry, despite his serious wound, bravely returned fire and struck Masourides in the chest and leg.  It would be the last thing Ed Lowry would ever do.  Despite being carried to the nearby Schaefer Drugstore by a group of citizens, Ed Lowry died on the street, shortly after firing at Masourides.  Breese ran back to her tenant room, followed closely by a wounded Masourides.  A short time later, Masourides was found in the room and, after a hard fight, was arrested by South Omaha Police Chief Briggs and Officer Harder.  At the police station, Breese talked freely about the altercation she had just witnessed between Masourides and Lowry.  “As we reached the little machine shop just north of Dr. McCrann’s office,” Breese told police, “I heard the officer say ‘None of that now,’ and turned around in time to see John fire and the officer staggered to his knees.  John ducked around the corner of the little shop as Mr. Lowry shot.  I did not think John was hurt for he kept right on going.  From his knees the officer fell upon his face and that was the last I saw.  I ran to my room and in a few minutes John came up.  He said he was shot, but he guessed it did not amount to much.  I asked him if he had killed the policeman and he said he didn’t know but that he hoped so.”Meanwhile, a large crowd of people began to gather outside the South Omaha Police Station, where Masourides was being held.  Fearing a mob lynching, South Omaha officials made the decision to transfer Masourides to the Douglas County Jail in Omaha.  It would not be easy.  Early in the morning of Saturday, February 20th, 1909, Masourides was loaded into an ambulance (which was a horse drawn white wagon) and was taken by Captain Trouten and Detective Eldsfelder towards the county jail.  Dozens of angry citizens followed the ambulance, yelling threats.  When the ambulance neared the city limits of South Omaha, the mob rushed and tried to stop the horses.  Trouten and Eldsfelder whipped the horses into a full run and broke through the mob.  As the ambulance raced away, numerous shots were fired by the mob, but it was unsure if they were directed at the ambulance.  Trouten and Eldsfelder, fearing they would be followed, took Masourides to the Omaha Police Station, and placed him into a patrol wagon for the trip to the county jail.  It was feared that the white ambulance would be easily spotted by a mob lying in wait.

At the county jail, Masourides’ wounds were inspected by Dr. Louis Swoboda.  Masourides’ chest wound was determined to be a flesh wound, in which the bullet was either removed or fell out soon after the shooting.  The wound in Masourides’ left thigh was deemed more serious, where it appeared an infection was setting in.  Masourides’ stay at the county jail was a short one.  Fearing mob violence at his own jail, Douglas County Sheriff E.F. Brailey had him transferred by train to the penitentiary in Lincoln at 9:15 a.m. on Monday, February 22nd.  Brailey would have a good reason to fear mob violence, after witnessing what would happen in South Omaha.

Lowry’s death was reported in all of the local newspapers, which were more opinionated than they are today.  Fueled by inflammatory headlines and anti-Greek articles in the papers, and by a mass meeting of civic leaders and citizens to discuss the “vile bunch of filthy Greeks” (a quote from the local papers), who resided in South Omaha, an unjust tragedy would occur. On Sunday, February 21, 1909, hundreds of rioters, with thousands of onlookers following them, left the mass meeting and swarmed into “Greek Town,” an area on Q Street from 24th Street to 28th Street, known for having numerous Greek owned businesses.  Over the next six hours, the mob would destroy all known and suspected Greek businesses, and would assault and Greek immigrant they could find.  When the Greeks refused to submit to the beatings and hid in their buildings, they were burned out of them.  The South Omaha police force had only 18 officers, and was unable to control the rioters.  It was not until Sheriff Brailey arrived with over 50 deputized men, did the riot subside and order was restored.  The result of the riot would be dozens of businesses destroyed, and nearly 2,000 Greek immigrants fleeing South Omaha, many of whom would not return.  The South Omaha Greek Riot would receive national attention, with newspapers from New York to San Francisco reporting it on their front pages.  Several years later, the United States Congress would pay the country of Greece $40,000 to settle damage claims from the riot.

The funeral for Ed Lowry was held on Tuesday, February 23, 1909.  A funeral procession from the Lowry home at 2413 G Street to St. Bridget’s Church was reported to have been the largest ever seen in South Omaha.  It included all of South Omaha’s police and fire personnel, along with 50 members of the Omaha Police Department.  Father O’Callahan celebrated the mass and Father Moriarty delivered the sermon in which he condemned the riots following Lowry’s death by saying “Certainly there is punishment due to the man who committed this crime, but it is for the laws of the country and the state to mete out this punishment and not a self appointed band of citizens.”  The funeral procession then went from the church to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, where Lowry was laid to rest.  Lowry’s grave would be 30 feet away from that of Sam Drummy’s, killed on year earlier.

Lowry’s murderer, John Masourides, came to the U.S. in 1906 from Messinia, Greece, a section of Greece whose residents believed they were descendants of “Leonides and His Three-Hundred.”  He left behind a wife and four children to join his brother in America to find work.  He went from Wyoming to South Omaha, where he left in 1908 to go to Kansas City.  He returned to South Omaha in February, 1909, just two weeks before his fatal encounter with Lowry.

The trial of John Masourides began on May 25th, 1909.  He was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death by hanging.  The Nebraska Supreme Court reversed this decision, and ordered a new trial, which took place in May, 1910.  Masourides’ defense in both trials was that he was trying to dispose of his handgun, so he would not be charged with carrying a weapon, when Lowry began to shoot at him.  Masourides claimed he fired back at Lowry in self defense.  Masourides was found guilty of second-degree murder at his second trial, and sentenced to 14 years in the Nebraska State Penitentiary.  He served 5 ½ years, and was ordered released by Nebraska Governor John M. Morehead in December 13, 1915.  Masourides was deported out of the U.S. and was believed to have gone to Egypt.  His release was viewed as political, possibly by pressure from the Greece government upon the U.SEd Lowry was born in Ireland on November 23, 1866.  He immigrated to the U.S. in 1887, arriving in Chicago.  He met and married a woman from his hometown in Ireland, and moved to South Omaha.  In 1904, he joined the South Omaha police force.  He had two children, Kathryn and Leo.  Lowry’s family received no pension or insurance money after his death.  A fund started by a local newspaper the day after the riot collected only $505, and Lowry’s family later stated that they received none of that money.  Lowry’s widow also had to pay for her husband’s funeral.  She took in boarders, in order to provide for her family, after her husband’s death.

The city of South Omaha was annexed by Omaha in June, 1915.  Its police force was assimilated into the Omaha Police Department.

On Thursday, January 14, 1909, shortly before 1:00 a.m. Omaha Police Officer Lafayette A. Smith was walking a beat at 10th and Douglas Street, in Omaha’s “red light” district.  A block away, at 112 ½ N. 9th Street, a man walked into a “resort” and approached its keeper, Annie Wilson (a “woman of the underworld known as Red-Headed Annie”).  Without saying a word, the man grabbed a diamond necklace that was around Wilson’s neck, and ran out the front door, towards 9th and Capitol Ave.  A woman who was in the resort, Jennie Smith (no relation to Officer Smith), pursued the man to the corner of 9th and Capitol and confronted him.  The man struck the woman on the head with a revolver.  Hearing the commotion, Officer Smith ran down Douglas Street from 10th Street to the struggle.  Upon seeing the approaching officer, the man turned and fired two shots in rapid succession, hitting Officer Smith both times.  Although gravely wounded, Officer Smith fired back twice.  One of the rounds struck the bandit in the leg.  Smith collapsed, and the gunman fled towards the river.

Nearby citizens rushed to the scene, and carried Officer Smith into a resort owned by Mamie Stearling at 101 N. 9th Street.  Despite the efforts of three surgeons; Fitzgibbons, Newell, and Barbour, who were rushed to the scene, Smith died a few minutes later.  He was shot once in the navel and once just an inch to the right of the navel by a .38 caliber Colt revolver.  Both wounds were considered fatal during this time period.

A police “dragnet” was soon placed out over the city, with special emphasis on the main roads leading from the city.  Omaha Police Detectives W.T. Devereese and Heitfeld went to the Douglas Street Bridge, over the Missouri River.  After passing the toll gate at the state line, the two detectives turned around to return to the city.  While near the toll gate, they noticed a man duck behind a pillar on the bridge.  Heitfeld and Devereese went around opposite sides of the pillar, in order to confront the man.  Suddenly, the man opened fire.  Devereese was struck and fell to the ground, but bravely returned fire.  Heitfeld fired at the assailant, who fell to the ground and was captured.  The man’s gun had jammed after he shot Devereese.  The police had just captured the murder of Officer Lafayette Smith.  Police emergency wagons were summoned from the police station, and the two wounded men were rushed to the Omaha General Hospital at 14th and Capitol Ave. (later renamed Lord Lister Hospital in 1914).  Devereese was shot once in the chest, an inch below his right nipple.  His wound was considered grave, and it was uncertain if he would survive.  The captured suspect was shot three times; once in the leg (by Smith), and twice in the groin.  His wounds were considered dangerous, but not necessarily fatal.  Surgeons operated and removed four inches of his intestines.

At the hospital, the gunman gave his name as Albert Clark, and stated that he had arrived in town three days earlier from Denver.  Police suspected that the gunman was giving them an alias, and they were right.  In fact, the gunman later admitted that his real name wasn’t Clark.  However, he would not give his true identity.

The next day, Omaha Police Captain Henry Dunn announced the identity of the gunman as Jack Curtain, based on a photo obtained from the Dallas Police Department that was taken in 1904.  The gunman admitted his identity as Curtain, but then stated that this is the name by which he is best known to the police departments of many western and southern cities.  It would later be learned that “Jack Curtain”was also an alias, but it was by this name that he was known as on e of the most notorious safe crackers in the country.  He was also a suspected murder…of other police officers besides Smith.

Jack Curtain was identified as Hugh Jackson, based on an investigation by the Pinkerton Detective Agency.  When his sister, Gene Jackson, came to his bedside from New Orleans, the bandit admitted his true identity.  He began to weep and finally showed remorse for killing Smith.  He said he was sorry, and hoped he didn’t have to answer for the murder.  This remorse came just days after he had different regrets…that he hadn’t killed all three policemen the encountered.  “If my gun hadn’t gone back on me, neither of those policemen (Devereese and Heitfeld) would have taken me nor gotten away alive” he was quoted as saying in the Omaha World-Herald.  The alias of Jack Curtain was one of thirteen aliases known to have been used by Jackson.

Jackson had a long criminal history, which included robbery and murder.  He served prison terms in Wyoming for stage robbery, Nebraska for safe burglary and attempted murder, and Missouri for bank robbery, and had escaped from jails in Colorado twice and Nebraska once.  On February 1, 1902, Jackson, along with Frank Alexander and Arthur Inman, shot and killed St. Paul, Minnesota Police Officer Charles Mayer.  Mayer had come across the three attempting to break into a saloon with the intention of blowing up a safe inside.  The three were eventually captured in Kansas, but were never brought to trial.  A key witness later refused to testify, and all three suspects were released without being charged.  Jackson was also a suspect in the murder of Marshal Charles Ralston of Weeping Water, Nebraska on November 1, 1908.  Ralston was shot and killed following a group of suspected jewelry thieves.  Jackson was also a possible suspect in the murder of Detective George Wilson and the wounding of Officer W.H. Richardson of the Council Bluffs, Iowa Police Department on July 29, 1907, just 18 months earlier.  In fact, Richardson came to the hospital and identified Jackson as his assailant.  However, other witnesses to the shooting of Richardson could not identify Jackson as the shooter.

The funeral of Lafayette Smith was held at the family home at 5329 N. 29th Street on Sunday, January 17th, 1909 at 2:00 p.m.  The ceremony was officiated by Reverend G.H. Schleh, sovereign lecturer of the Woodmen of the World, which Smith was a member of.  The service was attended by members of the Omaha Police, South Omaha Police, Council Bluffs Police, Omaha Sheriff’s, Fremont Sheriff’s, Omaha Fire, and the Eagles and Woodmen lodges.  The pallbearers included members of the Omaha Police, Eagles Lodge, and Woodmen of the World.  Schleh told the overflowing audience “Before us is the body of a hero.  Officer Smith was one of the many officers of the law that do their duty and are not afraid to die at their posts.  All such men deserve to be considered heroes.

”The funeral procession went to Forest Lawn Cemetery, where Smith was buried.  Smith was 31 years old at the time of his death.  He was survived by his wife and four year old son, Raymond.  Smith had two brothers, one of which was also an Omaha Police Officer (W.E. Smith).  Smith also had an uncle, S.E. Smith, who was a Council Bluffs Police Officer.  S.E. Smith was shot and wounded a month earlier, on Christmas Eve, by a bandit he was chasing.  A fund for the family of Lafayette Smith was started by Omaha Mayor James Dahlman, which raised nearly $1,400 in five days.  Detective Devereese, a 14 year veteran of the Omaha Police Department, would survive his wound he received in the gun battle with Jackson.  Hugh Jackson, the murder of Lafayette Smith, contracted pneumonia while in the hospital, and died on Saturday, January 23rd, 1909 at 5:30 a.m.  He made no dying statement.  His body was taken back to New Orleans by his sister.  The $75 necklace that he snatched from Annie Wilson, which led to Lafayette Smith’s death, was never recovered.

Lafayette Smith died a hero of Omaha, stopping a notorious criminal that was wanted nationwide.  His patrol of the city’s streets, much like those officers who still patrol them today, ensured protection against society’s worst criminals.  One month later, another police officer would be shot and killed in Omaha, near 24th and N Street.

‍Officer Samuel Drummy EOW: 1908On Saturday, February 15, 1908, Omaha Police Detective Samuel S. Drummy was looking for a dangerous criminal.  The man was a suspect in the robbery of Cornbleth’s Pawn Shop at 1203 Douglas Street a week earlier, in which two handguns were taken.  The same man was also suspected of shooting Omaha Police Officer Lahey in the hand just the night before, when Lahey tried to arrest him.  Drummy had received word from the South Omaha Police that they had a suspect in custody, and that the Omaha Police should come take a look at him.  Drummy and Detective Mike Sullivan were sent to South Omaha (a separate town) by Captain Savage to look at the prisoner.  Upon arrival, Drummy and Sullivan decided that the prisoner was not the man they were looking for.  Then, with Detective Shields of the South Omaha Police, they decided to check some local hangouts in South Omaha for the suspect.The first place the three detectives went was William Sawyer’s pool room at 2607 “N” Street.  When they arrived, they found the pool room full with about fifty men, most of who were playing pool or talking with one another.  However, the officers’ attention was drawn to a man standing behind a stove in the back of the room.  The man glared at the detectives, with his hand inside his coat’s breast pocket.  The detectives had a brief conversation, and decided that the suspicious man deserved a closer look.  The detectives started to move through the pool room, led by Drummy.  As the detectives began to approach, the suspect quickly produced a revolver from his coat and fired.  Drummy fell to the floor.  The shot surprised Detectives Sullivan and Shields, which allowed the suspect to begin to run from the room.  Shields drew his gun, but before he could fire, the running suspect turned and fired at him.  The bullet sped past Shields’ cheek, and lodged in a wall directly behind him.  Powder smoke became thick in the pool room.  But, through the haze, Shields saw the gunman at the door.  Shields fired once, and the suspect fell to the floor.  Chaos ensued in the pool room, as dozens of men scrambled to get out of the pool room.  During the mad rush to escape, the panicked crowd tore the front doors off of the hinges.  South Omaha Police were summoned, and the scene was secured.

On the floor of the pool room, Detective Sam Drummy lay dead.  The bullet that hit him entered his body at the tip of his nose, penetrated his brain, and lodged in the back of his skull, killing him instantly.  When Drummy was shot, he had both of his hands in his coat pocket.  The attack was so sudden and so surprising, that he didn’t have a chance to go for his gun on his belt.  The suspect was shot in his upper side, and dropped to the floor.  But, he was alive.  He was transported to the South Omaha Hospital, and identified as William Jones.  The bullet that struck him down, fired by Detective Shields, had struck his spinal cord, instantly paralyzing him from the waist down.  Jones was talking…and defiant.  He showed no remorse for his murderous act.

Jones had been released from the state penitentiary in Lincoln only one week earlier, after serving an eight year sentence for robbery.  While at the hospital, he was interviewed.  He confessed to the pawn shop robbery and to the shooting of Officer Lahey the day before.  “One of the first things I did was to hold up Cornbleth’s pawnshop at 1203 Douglas Street.  I thought it was for this job the police were after me and I did not want to go back to that cursed pen again.  When the policeman came up to me in Omaha Friday night, I was sure he knew me and knew what I had done.  That is why I shot him.  As soon as I saw the officers in South Omaha last night, I knew they were after me and made up my mind they would not get me.  They did, however, and it is all over now.  I am glad I got one of them at any rate.  It will help to pay for my time I spent in the pen.”  Jones had originally denied doing the robbery that got him sent to prison eight years earlier.

Jones did go on to show some remorse…he was sorry he had not killed all three detectives.  “I would have gotten those two officers, if my legs had not caved in from under me.  After I was shot, my legs were useless, and in falling I lost my gun.  I couldn’t raise up to get after it, and some one grabbed it, or I would have fixed ‘em both.”  Jones was being guarded by a squad of police officers while being shackled to a bed in the South Omaha Hospital.  On Monday, February 17th, 1908, Jones was loaded on a train and taken to the hospital at the Lancaster penitentiary in Lincoln.  The move was made at the request of South Omaha Hospital officials.  They stated the other patients in the hospital were frightened of talks of a lynching of Jones, and feared they might be injured if such an attempt was made.  Since the Douglas County Jail had no hospital, Jones was sent to Lincoln.

After the death of Drummy, Chief of Detectives Savage told the Omaha World-Herald that he remembered the arrest and imprisonment of Jones eight years earlier.  “I well remember now the day that Jones was arrested.  It all comes back to me as in a dream.  Eight years ago last Wednesday, Detectives Dwyer and Davis arrested Jones for shoplifting in Haydens’ store.  No more had they gotten in to my office then I exclaimed, ‘He is the man who assaulted and attempted to rob Mrs. Muchneck, in the grocery store at Twelfth and Capitol Avenue.’  She came down and identified him, and he was sent to the penitentiary for ten years.  I understand now that he claims that a job was put on him – that he was guilty of the shoplifting, but not of the robbery.”A coroner’s jury was formed to formally determine that Jones had shot and killed Drummy, and should be held to the district court for trial, should he live.  It was also learned that Detective Sullivan fired his weapon at Jones at the same time as Shields.  However, Sullivan’s bullet went through the pool room’s front window, across the street, through the window of the Briggs Plumbing Store, and into the jacket of William Eck.  Eck had heard the shot across the street, and felt the sting of a bullet on his leg.  It had traveled too far to do any harm.  Eck kept the bullet as a keepsake.

The funeral for Sam Drummy was held on the morning of Tuesday, February18, 1908, despite a snowstorm that was hitting Omaha.  Four platoons of police officers, headed by Chief Donahue, escorted Drummy’s body from his residence at 4326 Harney Street to Saint Cecilia’s church at 40th and Burt Street, marching two by two in front of the hearse.  Fifty carriages carried mourners from the home to the church.  Father Harrington and Father McDaid performed the mass in the overflowing church.  After the mass, the funeral procession went from the church to Holy Sepulcher Cemetery at 49th and Leavenworth, where Drummy was laid to rest.

Sam Drummy was 51 years old at the time of his death.  He was survived by his wife and ten children, who ranged in age from 23 to 1; all but the oldest still lived at home.  He had recently sold his home at 4236 Harney and had purchased a lot near 40th and Davenport, where he had planned to build a new house.  Drummy was appointed to the Omaha Police in 1888.  He walked a beat for eight years, but was then laid off with other officers, due to a lack of funding.  He then worked for the Swift Packing Company, and then for a street railway company, before being reappointed to the force in 1898.  In 1899, he was made a detective.  He worked with Detective Tom Mitchell for seven years, and had been recently working with Steve Maloney.  Omaha Mayor James Dahlman made a proclamation asking the people of Omaha to donate to a fund to support Drummy’s family.  By February 25th, $1,264 had been raised.

The man who killed Drummy, William Jones, would not survive his own wounds.  By all accounts, Jones’ death was excruciatingly painful.  He died at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 1908.  The nature of his death was enough to earn the pity of those who were watching over him.  “Don’t care whether I live or not” Jones gasped to Dr. Giffen, the prison physician.  Douglas County Sheriff Bradley said to Jones “You’ve left a heart-broken widow and ten children in Omaha by your work the other night.”  Jones’ only reply to this was “Uh-huh.”  Bradley later told the World-Herald “Drummy was one of my closest friends, but when I see that man suffer the way he is, I can’t hate him like I suppose I ought.”  Jones, the son of a Baptist minister in Cleveland, was buried in Lincoln.

Samuel S. Drummy gave his life serving the young city of Omaha, trying to protect it from a man who preyed on its citizens.  We remember and honor Detective Drummy as one of Omaha’s greatest heroes.In the early days of Omaha, the night shift or “dog watch” as it was called by its police officers, was probably similar to what it is now.  Long bouts of boredom mixed in with brief moments of sheer terror.  This held true for one of Omaha’s first, and finest, police officers.  It is yet another example of the type of call that is still handled by Omaha officers today, and it shows how long this job has been dangerous.

On Wednesday, June 9, 1897 at 2:10 am, a telephone call came into the police station from Omaha Fire Department Lieutenant Vandervoort, who was at Engine House No. 11 at 30th and Spaulding Street.  Vandervoort reported that the lights in the saloon owned by Henry Nelson, which was on the corner directly opposite from the firehouse, were more dim than usual.  Vandervoort felt something was not right.  A few minutes later, he called back and reported that the lights at the saloon had been extinguished.  He suspected a burglary was in progress.  Police Captain King went over to Patrol Conductor Dan Tiedeman, who was “resting” at a desk, and tapped him on the head and told him to head out to 30th and Spaulding.  Tiedeman, without knowing what the nature of the call was, headed to his patrol wagon and started heading out.

When Tiedeman reached 15th and Jackson Street, he picked up Don Riley, who was the World-Herald night police reporter.  Tiedeman asked Riley what was going on at 30th and Spaulding.  Riley told him it probably was a burglary.  While in route, Tiedeman came across Omaha Patrolman Albert Glover, who was walking the beat near 24th and Decatur.  Tiedeman asked Glover to come along with him, as he expected trouble.  The three then headed towards the call.  It was raining.  This would play an important part in the upcoming investigation.

The patrol wagon reached Engine House No. 11 at 3:03 am.  Tiedeman and Glover were advised by the firemen what was going on at the saloon.  The officers then headed towards the saloon, which sat on the southeast corner of 30th and Spaulding (by the way, it is not the old red building that stands there today – that was built in 1905).    Riley, who was armed, volunteered to stand guard on the corner of the saloon and watch the door and the fence facing 30th Street.  Tiedeman went along 30th Street to watch the south side of the building.  Glover went east on Spaulding, and went around the back side of the saloon.  It was at this point that the burglary call went terribly wrong.

Tiedeman saw a man leap from a window on the east side of the building.  He was soon followed by two men.  As Tiedeman ran towards them and yelled for them to stop, one of the men turned around and fired a shotgun at him at nearly point-blank range.  Tiedeman took the shotgun blast into the lower abdomen.  Despite such a terrible wound, he was able to return fire at the bandits, shooting at them four times.  Upon hearing the gunshots, Glover began to rush over.  As he approached, one of the bandits shot him with a .41 caliber revolver.  In the face.  Glover was struck right between the eyes, and collapsed.  After he collapsed onto the ground, he was shot again by a shotgun blast into his right hip.  The three bandits then fled the scene.  Riley, upon hearing the shooting, drew his revolver and aimed it at the fence.  He saw a head bob above the fence.  But, because it was dark, he did not fire.  Riley was unable to tell if the person he saw was one of the bandits, or Tiedeman or Glover.  Tiedeman staggered back across the street to the firehouse and collapsed.  Glover was found by the firemen, and also brought back to the firehouse.  Two local doctors were summoned to assist.  A call went out to the police station, which led to another patrol wagon (this time with several officers) to be dispatched to the scene.  Both Tiedeman and Glover were loaded into the patrol wagon they arrived in, and taken to Clarkson Hospital.  Tiedeman remained conscious until reaching the hospital.  On Thursday, June 10th at 1:30 pm, Patrol Conductor Dan Tiedeman died of his wounds.

Tiedeman’s body was eventually moved to Coroner Burket’s undertaking establishment.  A post-mortem examination of Tiedeman discovered that his abdomen had been pierced by sixty-five shot, the size known as No. 5 duck shot.  Tiedeman also had a bullet wound in his thigh caused by a .41 caliber bullet.  Glover was operated on by Dr. Summers.  A .41 caliber bullet was removed from his face.  The bullet had struck Glover squarely on the bridge of his nose.  The bullet then deflected to the left side of the face, and lodged in the orbital bone near his left eye.  The shotgun blast to his hip was not deemed serious.

Police immediately came up with two theories on the shooting.  The first was that it was caused by three unknown men who are fleeing north in a wagon.  Officers were sent north to try to catch up to men in a wagon that had been seen leaving the area at a fast pace.  Along the way, officers were advised of the men in the wagon by civilians.  Officers were able to catch up to the men the next day at a camp outside of Tekamah.  The men, one of whom was known as “Three-Fingered Jack,” were able to prove their innocence of the crime, and were released.  Police found no other suspicious men in a wagon heading north just after the crime.

The second theory was that the murder of Tiedeman was committed by three of five known local trouble makers.  These men were identified as Robert Bruton, Ralph Messersmith, Joseph Kastner and his two sons, August and Louis.  In fact, while still conscious, Tiedeman said “I believe the man who shot me was Ralph Messersmith.  He wore a light suit of clothes.”  Tiedeman also said he thought he had wounded one of the men in the hand.  The color of the shooter’s clothes played an important part in the investigation.  Glover had also said that the man who shot him in the face wore a light or gray suit of clothes.  Messersmith was known to wear a gray suit.  A man matching Messersmith’s description was seen heading west from Debolt Station (about 8 miles from Omaha), with a hand wound. The same man was seen earlier by Michael Zeller of 3690 Ida Street, who asked him about his hand wound.  “It’s none of your damned business” was the reply he received.  Officers Shoup and Devereese followed the trail to the station, where they lost track.  Later theories were that this person was possibly a lookout for the bandits at the saloon.

Inside the saloon, officers found large sacks left by the bandits.  These sacks were loaded up with liquor from the saloon, but were left behind when Tiedeman and Glover interrupted the burglary.  Officers went to the Kastner farm at 3324 Emmet, and in the barn found matching sacks to those left at the saloon.  One of the sacks was wet and hanging among the dry ones, indicating it had been out in the rain (it had rained during the shooting at the saloon).  Also found in the barn were ropes that matched rope pieces that were used to ties up the sack in the saloon.  A wet hat and two wet overcoats and a sweater were found hanging in the dry barn.  Among the tools in the barn was a chisel.  Police compared marks left on the shutter of a saloon window (the entry point) to the chisel blade.  The marks matched exactly.  Police also noted that Joseph Kastner’s shotgun, the one that he had been known to keep in the house for years, was missing.  Kastner claimed to have gotten rid of the shotgun over a year ago.  Police arrested Joseph, August, and Louis Kastner for investigation into the murder of Tiedeman.

The Kastners were “of unsavory reputation” around Omaha.  Joseph, the father, was about 55 years old.  His two sons, August and Louis were both in their mid 20’s, Louis being the older of the two.  The Kastners had been arrested numerous times in the past, always for chicken stealing.  In fact, August had been wounded in a shootout six years earlier, when he was caught stealing from another man’s chicken coop.  August escaped prosecution for this crime, because he convinced the court that he was “dying.”  Louis, apparently not a very bright man, did not help the Kastner’s cause by making several incriminating statements.  Those included “I was never on that side of the building” when told by police that a fireman had seen him on a certain side of the saloon, and “I wasn’t wearing the hat that way” when police made him put on the wet hat found in the barn for a lineup.  The Kastners were taken to Clarkson Hospital to see if Glover could identify them.  Detectives had them wear the wet clothes found in the barn.  When August Kastner was brought before Glover, he was met by anger.  “That is the man who shot me,” Glover said.  “You are a coward.  You did not have the nerve to stay with the other two.”  Joseph, August, and Louis Kastner were arraigned on Friday, June 11th and charged with murder in the first degree and burglary.  They all plead not guilty.  A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 18th.A rumor that friends of Tiedeman’s would attempt to take the Kastners from the county jail and lynch them led to Police Chief Sigwart ordering the day shift men and half of the night shift men to remain ready for a riot call at the police station.  Forty police officers waited at the police station from 7 pm to 11 pm, until the threat subsided. Police Captain King received criticism for sending only one man to investigate a burglary, when half a dozen men on the “dog watch” were asleep at the station.  King responded that he intended to send Sgt. Chamberlin and Sgt. Mitchell with Tiedeman, but they did not meet up with Tiedeman in time at 15th and Capitol Avenue, and were left behind.  The funeral for Dan Tiedeman was held on Friday, June 11, 1897 at the Tiedeman home at 2523 Emmet Street at 4 pm.  The services were conducted by Rev. Knox Boude of the Bedford Place Presbyterian Church.  A funeral procession then went from the home to the Union Station train depot.  The procession was led by the Woodmen of the World band, followed by two platoons of police officers, a section of firefighters, Mayor Frank Moores and Chief Sigwart.  The pallbearers were Officers Kirk, Sebeck, Heitfeld, Byrnes, and two ex-officers, Richard Marnell and Simon S. Drummy (who would later be re-hired and would be the next Omaha Police Officer to die in the line of duty in 1908).  At the train station, Tiedeman’s body would be taken to his hometown of Mauston, Wisconsin and buried there.   Dan Tiedeman was appointed to the Omaha Police Department on May 1, 1890.  He wore number 34 on his police star badge.  He was 38 years old at the time of his death.  He was survived by his wife and young daughter, Ethel.  Tiedeman had a $2,000 insurance policy through Woodmen of the World.  His wife would also receive $500 from the Police Relief Fund.  Albert Glover, 40 years old when he was shot, had been on the department since July 1, 1891.  He retired from the force after 26 years of service, and died in August of 1924 from complications of a disease.

August Kastner would be found guilty of murder in the first degree of Tiedeman, and was sentenced to life in prison.  I was unable to find out if his brother of father were convicted of burglary or attempted murder of Glover, but I assume they were imprisoned for something.  Dan Tiedeman, all the way back in the 19th Century, displayed a dedication to his duties and a level of courage that helped shape the future of the Omaha Police Department.  One of our earliest heroes was also one of our bravest.
In the early days of Omaha, the night shift or “dog watch” as it was called by its police officers, was probably similar to what it is now.  Long bouts of boredom mixed in with brief moments of sheer terror.  This held true for one of Omaha’s first, and finest, police officers.  It is yet another example of the type of call that is still handled by Omaha officers today, and it shows how long this job has been dangerous.

In the late 1860’ and early 1870’s, Omaha was a newer city in a new state in the Union that was just beginning to boom.  As Omaha got bigger, it began to experience the pains of a big city.  On Saturday afternoon, June 25, 1870, an arrest warrant was issued by Justice Graham against Bernard Doran.  The complaint in the warrant was made by Doran’s own father.  The crime charged was adultery, and that it was with his father’s wife.  It was understood that the warrant was to be served late at night, in order to try to catch Doran and his step-mother together.  Mrs. Doran, however, became aware of the warrant.  She also learned that the police would come and visit sometime during the night.  She went to a neighbor’s house to hide, so as to not be caught with her step-son when the warrant was served.  The man ordered to execute the arrest warrant was Constable Jeremiah McCheane.

It was known that Doran, although only 20 years old, was a veteran criminal.  Constable McCheane was warned of Doran’s character, and urged not only to carry a weapon, but to get the help of a regular police officer.  McCheane strenuously objected to this, stating he was sure there would be no trouble.  Thomas Mulcahy, a well known citizen, volunteered to go with McCheane.  The two left with Patrick Rockbud, an express man (sort of a taxi of the times), later in the evening on Saturday to arrest Doran.  The three rode in Rockbud’s express wagon to a small frame tenement house on Webster Street, near 13th Street.  The house was occupied by a Mrs. Sullivan, an elderly woman, who had boarded Doran and his step-mother.  McCheane and Rockbud approached the front door, while Mulcahy guarded the rear door.  After knocking, McCheane found the door to be unlocked, and opened it and walked inside.  He found Doran sitting on a bed.  McCheane informed Doran of the reason for his visit and began to read the warrant to him.  The light in the room somehow became extinguished, and a struggle ensued between Doran and Rockbud.  During the struggle, Doran yelled for Mrs. Sullivan to bring him an axe.  However, Rockbud was the bigger and stronger of the two, and was able to grab Doran by the throat and obtain complete control, making Doran surrender and beg for mercy.  Doran said he would accompany the officers to jail without any further trouble.  McCheane secured another light, and Doran calmly dressed himself and caused no trouble, except for swearing at Rockbud for his assault.

While Doran was dressing, McCheane observed a dagger in Doran’s pants pocket, and secured it with no difficulty.  Doran advised that he was ready to go to jail.  With McCheane on one side, and Mulcahy on the other side, Doran was marched to the back door.  In McCheane’s hands were a lamp (providing the only light in the room) and the confiscated dagger.  Suddenly, Doran turned and knocked the lamp out of McCheane’s hand, and grabbed the dagger.  He broke away from the group and yelled “Now you sons of bitches, I’ll kill you all!”  Doran swung the dagger at McCheane, and the blade of the dagger entered McCheane’s left temple, penetrating three inches into the skull and to the base of the brain.  McCheane collapsed to the ground with a groan.  Doran then turned to Mulcahy and stabbed him four times, three of which the wounds entered as deep as the blade could penetrate.  Mulcahy fell to the ground.  Doran then turned to Rockbud, who had armed himself with a nearby chair.  Rockbud was able to fight of Doran, receiving only a cut on the hand, until he reached the door.  Doran fled the scene as Rockbud spread the alarm.  Doran ran to the home where his stepmother was staying, told her what happened, and had her retrieve his revolver.  Doran then disappeared into the darkness.

Immediately after Rockbud had raised the alarm, news of the event spread rapidly throughout the city.  Dr. Mercer and Dr. Deuise arrived to take care of the victims.  A group of policemen, led by Lt. Saunders, arrived and began to investigate.  Marshal Hollins, however, was not made aware of the event, and only learned about it at 8 a.m. the next morning, while on his daily rounds.

A city-wide search began immediately.  Sheriff Grebe dispersed men throughout the city, and at entry points to the city, should the fugitive attempt to leave.  At 4 a.m., a citizen found Doran in the northern part of the city, near the government corral.  The alarm was given, and within a matter of minutes, Doran found himself pursued by dozens of people.  And that number was growing every minute.  Doran fled from block to block, and the crowd followed.  Doran fired his revolver once at the crowd, but hit no one.  Somebody in the crowd sent their large dog charging at the fugitive, but Doran killed the dog with a single shot before it could attack.

Lieutenant Saunders of the police force and Justice Moore joined the chase.  At 17th and Burt Street, Doran made his final stand.  Lt. Saunders approached the cornered fugitive.  Doran leveled his revolver at Saunders and told him to stop approaching, or he would be shot.  Saunders opened his coat, pointed to the star pinned on his chest, and said “Shoot at that,” while still walking towards Doran.  As soon as Doran recognized the star on Saunders’ chest as a law badge, he dropped his revolver, surrendered without a fight and demanded protection from the mob.  Saunders rushed Doran to jail, without trouble.

McCheane died from his wound the next day, Sunday, June 26, 1870 at 9 a.m.  His funeral was held the next day, at his residence on 15th Street, near Farnam.  Rev. Betts of St. Barnabas Church led the ceremony.  The hearse was followed to the cemetery by a large group of people.

When the news of the tragedy of the night before reached the rest of the city on Sunday morning, an intense excitement was felt throughout.  As groups of men gathered about the streets to discuss the incident, they got themselves more and more agitated.  Concerns for the safety of the jail in which Doran was held presented a problem for authorities.  A meeting at a corral led to 300 men volunteering to assault the jail, capture Doran, and institute mob law.  At 3 p.m., and again later in the evening, large meetings were held at Fenian Hall, and talk of mob action was frequent.  Thanks to the efforts of reasonable men, including Mayor Ezra Millard and Judge George Lake, the angry mobs were convinced to let the law take its course.  “Bernard Doran owes it to the confidence of citizens in the firm fearless and upright character of George B. Lake as a judge and in the known efficiency and zeal of Sheriff Grebe and his accomplished Deputy, Mr. Byrne, that he was permitted to live to see the light of another day” reported the Omaha Daily Herald.  “Only the felling that justice in his case would be specially and swiftly meted out, saved the wretched man from a summary and ignominious death at the hand of a mob.

”On Sunday evening, Deputy Sheriff Byrne called in one hundred men, deputized them, and had them guard the jail against any mob assaults.  A trial was held for Doran on Wednesday, just four days after the attack on McCheane, where he was found guilty of manslaughter.  After serving a short time in the Nebraska Penitentiary, Doran escaped.  He was never recaptured.

Jeremiah McCheane is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery at 32nd and Parker Street, just east of the tombstone of Mayor Millard, and amongst many of the founding fathers of Omaha.  He was 51 years old, and was survived by his wife and seven children.

McCheane was one of the first officers to die serving Omaha.  Although it occurred over 140 years ago, McCheane’s death showed the citizens of Omaha that there were brave men willing to sacrifice their lives for the safety of the people of the community.  Brave men and women are still willing to make that sacrifice today.

On Sunday, June 24, 1866 in the town of Omaha, in the Nebraska Territory, Deputy Marshal Thomas A. Welch was escorting a man from a beer garden (site of which is unknown) for causing a disturbance.  While being escorted outside, the man (who was a soldier in the 1st Nebraska Regiment) pulled out a revolver and shot Welch once.  Welch fell mortally wounded.  The soldier was apprehended, but later escaped custody.  He was never found.  Welch’s wound was considered fatal at the time.  He was cared for until his death on Wednesday, August 8th, 1866 at about 4 pm.  

The Daily Republican, one of the newspapers of the day, reported on Welch’s death (in between a story about a runaway lumber wagon down Farnam Street and the report of new mail service between Plattsmouth and Beatrice) in its August 9th, 1866 edition.  The article stated “The long-expected decease of policeman Welsh (sp) occurred about 4 o’clock last evening.  It had been certain for some time that he had got to die from the effects of the wound he had received, and his friends sadly waited the time when his summons should come, rendering to him during his sufferings every comfort and attention which affection could suggest.  He had suffered intensely, but bore his agony unmurmuringly (sp).  His funeral took place at four o’clock this evening.

”Unfortunately, this is all the information I could find on Omaha’s first fallen hero.  Many of the newspaper articles from the Daily Republican and Daily Herald that are on microfilm are either missing, or are too faint to read.  A search at the Douglas County Historical Society found original newspapers from these two publications, but they only had newspapers on file dating back to September, 1866.  Several books on the history of Omaha mention Welch, but only about his employment as a deputy marshal, and not about his death.  Welch was appointed only three months earlier, on March 22, 1866, when the Council (the ruling body of the city) elected a police force.  William “Uncle Billy” Snowden was elected as the town marshal, or “Captain of Police.”  Underneath him were his deputy marshals, Patrick Swift, John Morrissey, John Logan, and Thomas Welch.  The Council ordered Snowden to “place his men on their beats from 8 o’clock until sunrise.”  Snowden would be responsible for order in the city during the daytime.  Based on this information, it is probable that Welch was gunned down in the evening or early morning hours.  On July 1, 1866, one week after the shooting of Deputy Marshal Welch, the 1st Nebraska Regiment was mustered out of Omaha, after five years of service against the Confederate States and the Indians of the Plains.  The 1st Nebraska Regiment had not seen any military action in months.

Welch died some six weeks later, on August 8th, 1866.  No record was found as to where Welch was buried.  The main cemetery at the time was at Prospect Hill, which sits at present-day 32nd and Parker Street.  However, the cemetery has no record of Welch being buried there.  Welch was 35 years old at the time of his death, and was survived by his wife, Ann.  

Thomas A. Welch was the first lawman to be killed in the Nebraska Territory (Nebraska would become a state in 1868).  He served Omaha then, just as police officers serve it now…faithfully.  He is one of Nebraska’s first heroes.  While not much is known about him, we honor him, and thank him for his sacrifice.