Two Ruffians Beat Officer

old-stl-police-badge

On Thursday, September 9, 1875, George “Mitchell” Gassert and William Salisbury went to Fred Fisher’s Saloon at the corner of N. Jefferson and Morgan (Delmar today). After ordering drinks, the two young men of unsavory reputation refused to pay for their drinks. After trying to illicit payment, Fisher summoned St. Louis Police Officer John Cummings. Officer Cummings, assigned to the

Share
» Read more

Strange Case of “Toddy” Dillon

old-stl-police-badge

In May 1925, the lifeless body of Dr. William Dillon was found on a walking path. The divorcee was a prominent St. Louis physician, who lived hard and was a known lady’s man. St. Louis Police initially suspected a rival of Dillon’s shot the physically and socially powerful Dillon rather than fight him. However, suspicion eventually settled on Dillon’s 19-year-old

Share
» Read more

Chief Desmond Solves Cooper Killing

desmond-questions-strother

On Thursday, January 23, 1902, St. Louis awakened to the news millionaire A. Deane Cooper was found murdered in the Vista Bathhouse at Franklin Avenue and North Grand Boulevard.  Cooper, one of St. Louis’ wealthiest men, owned residential real estate and other assets valued at 2 million dollars.  Cooper aspired to be the biggest property owner in St. Louis.  He

Share
» Read more

110 Couples Wed on Thanksgiving 1902

1902-thanksgiving-weddings

On Wednesday, November 26, 1902, 110 couples arrived at the St. Louis Marriage License Bureau to be officially married on Thanksgiving.  The 110 couples broke the previous record set in 1901.  This record would also only stand for one year until 1903. Beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until 5 p.m., Recorder Hahn issued license after license as three ministers

Share
» Read more

Theodore Roosevelt Wins 6 States in 1912

theodore-roosevelt-smiling

After Theodore Roosevelt won reelection in his own right during November 1904, TR impetuously announced he would not run for another term.  His inner circle, particularly his wife Edith, would think the decision a mistake.  However, once Theodore Roosevelt made a pronouncement, he intended to keep his word. Roosevelt picked his Secretary of War and former Governor of the Phillipines

Share
» Read more

Boss Butler and the St. Louis Machine

col-edward-boss-butler

When it comes to machine politics and organized crime, Kansas City has always outshone St. Louis.  Kansas City’s Pendergast political machine helped land Harry S. Truman in the White House.  Kansas City was also home to several high-profile gangland shootings.  St. Louis’ last organized crime leader was arrested for playing cards. We did have a Democratic party political machine around

Share
» Read more

Morris Packing Co. Robbers Caught

merrell-and-pinckley

21-year old Charles Merrell had already served a term in the Missouri Penitentiary for stealing a car in Scotland County, when he got the idea to hold up the Morris Packing Company on Saturday, April 22, 1922.  Merrell could not pull the job by himself, so he recruited another ex-convict, 33-year-old Hugh Pinkley. Merrell was employed as a mechanic at

Share
» Read more

Detective Desmond Catches Eddie Guerin

eddie-guerin

Before he was the “Sherlock Holmes of St. Louis”, St. Louis Chief of Detectives William Desmond was Detective “Billy” Desmond.  One of the most talented detectives in St. Louis Police history, Desmond met one of the most famous international criminals in history, Eddie Guerin, in the mid-1880s. Guerin robbed the American Express Office in Paris in the early 1900s.  French

Share
» Read more
1 2 3 4 5 6 10