IN THE LINE OF DUTY

                                                             IN  THE  LINE  OF  DUTY

                                                                     NORMAN V. KELLY

I wrote OFFICER DOWN a long time ago and spent thirty-one years researching local crime and I can tell you positively that the murder of a police officer is a frightening event for decent folks.  Of course many officers die by accident but the shooting death seems to upset us the most, at least here in Peoria, Illinois.

On November 3, 1894, Patrolman Theophill Seyller was shot four times while serving a warrant on a suspected bicycle thief. Seyller was the father of six children.  The admitted killer was found not guilty of the murder of Officer Seyller.

Detective William F. Murphy was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a coal thief way back on June 23, 1908. His killer was found guilty of murder and was executed by hanging inside the old Peoria County Jail.

Patrolman Edward P. Barnett was on duty the early hours of October 12, 1907 when he heard a piecing scream shatter the stillness.  He raced toward the sound and four shots rang out.  Patrolman Barrett was found by his comrades a few moments later dead from a gunshot to the head. A jury found Frank Meyers not guilty of Barnett’s murder.

On July 13, 1912, Sergeant James Skinner and Officer Henry Soper rushed toward the sound of a woman screaming her lungs out. Guns drawn they confronted the woman’s husband and a shootout ensued.  They captured the man and on the way to the police headquarters a scuffle broke out.  Sergeant Skinner was killed by the accidental discharge of Sofer’s weapon.

Officer Joseph H. Enos, our oldest officer, was on duty on a bitterly cold January 13, 1916. He was exiting a police ambulance when his service weapon fell from his pocket.  The weapon discharged killing him instantly.

On January 24, 1916, Officer Norman Gray confronted two men suspected of robbery. One broke away and moments later came back to fire a fatal round into the brave officer’s right eye. The killer, Harry King was convicted and sentenced to die.  His sentence was reduced to life.

On November 28, 1917, Patrolman Sam Moffatt scuffled with Otto Kurrie, a wanted suspect.  Moffatt was fatally shot during the battle, as his partner ran up and put a bullet in the culprit’s head.

Patrolman Franklin P. Carr and fellow officers boarded a streetcar on October 5, 1918 to confront a suspected killer. In the utter chaos that followed Carr was fatally shot. The murder suspect was also killed by a heroic citizen that was a passenger on the streetcar.

Detective Moran and his partners entered a barbershop on November 13, 1933 to arrest a fugitive. A horrific shootout followed, killing Moran, the suspect and wounding a customer inside the shop.

On August 24, 1947 Patrolman John D. Cusson and his partner engaged in a gun battle with a robbery suspect.  Cusson was killed and his killer, Edward Henden was sentenced to life in prison.

Peoria County Deputy Raymond F. Espinosa was shot and killed when he responded to a robbery call at the Bellevue Drive-in Theater on May 25, 1970.  Killer Cleve Heidelburg Jr. was sentence to life.

On October 1, 1987 Deputy John ‘Kip’ Sack was killed while serving a warrant on a homeowner.  The killer was shot and killed during the siege of the house by police.

Officer Donan James Faulkner Jr. was shot and killed while on patrol on September 20, 2001. His killer was sentenced to Life in prison.

Constable Arthur T. Smith was shot and killed while investigating a car theft on June 12, 1922.

EDITOR’S NOTE:    Norm has written extensively about all of these murders. If you want to learn more write him.   norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net