Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about police history with special emphasis on St. Louis police history.
Eight St. Louis Police Officers were killed in the line of duty during 1920. I was shocked to find a newspaper article about a Ninth officer being killed. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is good about recording all their line of duty deaths. When I found his Missouri Death Certificate, it cleared up the mystery. I came across the article in
On Saturday, March 12, 1904, St. Louis Detective James J. Moran led a team of detectives to a room in a row house at 634 South Broadway on St. Louis’ Near South Side. Frank Ward, a suspected safe cracker, rented a room in the row house. Besides Ward, the detectives arrested Edward Seely and John Shumway. Moran and the detectives
I have always said the St. Louis Streetcar Strike of 1900 was not the story of the evil streetcar companies exploiting the innocent workers. “The innocent workers” committed many deplorable acts during the streetcar strike. One of their most frequent tactics involved stripping woman in public who rode the streetcars during the strike. Amazingly, their victims were young and attractive
St. Louis Chief of Detectives William Desmond would be primarily responsible for the security of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Prior to the fair opening in April 1904, Desmond played a critical role in St. Louis’ boodling investigation. During his boodling investigation, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Joseph “Holy Joe” Folk indicted City Councilman Charles Kratz for taking bribes or
In 1904, St. Louis hosted the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition better known as the 1904 St. Louis’ Worlds Fair. While the Fair brought lots of tourists to town, criminals also made their way to the Gateway City. The man tasked with taking care of the security at the Fair and dealing with the increased criminal element in town was St. Louis’
On September 21, 1897, Joseph Bloomfield Jackson attempted to sneak into the White House armed with a loaded revolver. Jackson had boasted of plans to attack a high government official for days. Jackson was arrested before he could carry out his plans to attack President McKinley. Police quickly realized Jackson was mentally disturbed. They sent him to a Washington asylum
On September 9, 1893, Frisco line brakeman James Pennock boarded the Frisco Line at Tower Grove in St. Louis. At the Cheltenham stop, Frisco brakeman Sam Robertson and former brakeman Muncie Ray also boarded. The men boarded the train with the intent of robbing the train at Sandy Cut, two miles east of Pacific, MO. When the train got close
William Desmond nabbed many thieves during his 17 year career as St. Louis Chief of Detectives. He developed a nationwide reputation as “The Thief Taker”. On Monday, October 15, 1900, Chief Desmond nabbed the pants of a thief but not the thief himself. Jonas Washington entered the yard of Shickle, Harrison and Howard Iron Foundry at 12th and Gratiot Streets
On August 31, 1901, Night Watchman William Doherty discovered Willis Garner burglarizing the office of Schickle, Harrison and Howard Iron Company at 912 S. Twelfth Street in St. Louis, Missouri. The iron company employed Garner, who threw a hammer at Doherty’s head. The hammer missed its target but the confusion allowed Garner to jump out the window and make his
On October 6, 1890, local barbers Luther Duncan and Bob Henderson stepped out on to N. 11th Street to settle a quarrel. This area of St. Louis was known as “Deep Morgan”. “Deep Morgan” was home to bordello, flop houses and the toughest African-Americans saloon in the city, Starkes’ Saloon. Both Duncan and Henderson were black barbers, who worked in