THE SAD LOSS OF UNCLE JAMES

 

                          THE  SAD  LOSS OF  UNCLE  JAMES

                                         NORMAN  V.  KELLY

It was June 3, 1917 and the summer heat was already taking a hold on Peoria, Illinois.  The population of about 70,000 folks within the small city limits of Peoria had been diminished as of April 6, 1917.  That is the day when America declared War on Germany and 5,500 of Peoria’s young men marched off to ‘Fight the Hun.’ James E. Mathews had not been one of those lucky young men and he had regretted that fact immensely.   He finally was accepted by the United States Marines in May of 1917 and except for the fact he had to have a bad tooth repaired he was all ready to go and he was a bit anxious.  “I hope the war doesn’t end before I get over there,” he was often heard to say.  James was a bricklayer and a good one at that, but at age 24 he wanted some adventure and excitement in his life. He was certain he would find it as a member of the Marines; and in the war ‘Over There’ is where he wanted to be.

He lived in his father’s house, Andrew J. Mathews,  at 1311 Third Avenue, had a girlfriend, and a job as a bricklayer; but he was still restless.  He felt he was lucky that the Marines had accepted him because of the trouble he had gotten into that landed him temporarily in jail.  He had been charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend’s mother in a dispute about her daughter.  The police later would tell the press that James Mathews was a ‘Tough man.’  But all that was behind him and he was certain his experience with the Marines would do him a world of good.

June 3, 1917 dawned bright and early for him as he made his way downtown for his doctor’s exam and signing of his final enlistment papers.  He completed his task, had a few beers with a couple friends and ended up around 8:15 PM, standing in front of the Recruiting station on Hamilton Boulevard just watching people walk by.  He could have used a couple more beers but he did not have one thin dime to his name.  He broke into a smile when he saw two pretty young girls coming; in fact he broke into a wide grin when he recognized them.

                                             A  MAN  IN  BLUE

Just down the street from where James was standing, Traffic Officer Jack Robertson was putting the kick stand down on his motorcycle he had parked in front of the Mayer Hotel.  He was meeting a fellow officer in the hotel restaurant for an early supper.  As he said good bye to his friend to go back on duty a man walked up to him. “Say, officer, you better wait around a bit, I think there is some trouble brewing outside.”  Jack nodded and went outside.  People made a big deal out of the fact that Officer Jack Robertson was a small man, in fact the smallest on the police force.  They would often remark about how on earth he managed to handle that big motorcycle.  Jack looked up and down Hamilton and saw two or three people just up the street standing near each other. He rode up there and just as he got off the cycle he heard a woman scream.  The officer raced over to a man and a woman that were having an argument.  He saw the man slap the woman and he ran up to them yelling at the man.  “Hey…stop that. You are under arrest!”  The officer then put out his hands to separate the couple when suddenly the man whirled around and hit the officer with his fist on the side of his head. Down Jack went… flat on his back!

The traffic office lay a moment on the ground…he shook his head as he quickly got up. On the way into a standing position he had pulled his service revolver out of his holster and saw the man that had struck him running south towards the Mayer hotel.  He aimed his pistol to the ground and fired a round to frighten the man as he yelled at him to stop. In stunned silence Officer Robertson saw the man fall to the ground.   A crowd began to gather and some witnesses told the press that they heard the girl screaming.  He raced to the fallen man, gun still in his hand. Quickly he could see that the man on the ground was gravely wounded.  Moments later the entire area was flooded with police, an ambulance and a lot of curious people.  Soon to be Marine James E. Mathews was on his way to Saint Francis Hospital.  For him, the war ‘Over There’ was over.

                                   THE  CORONER’S  INQUEST

There was some sensational coverage in the local newspapers as the investigation into the death of James Mathews began.  The night police Captain Breymeir immediately relieved Robertson from duty, took his service revolver and ordered an officer to take him home.  Police officers rounded up all of the witnesses and aided the coroner in his investigation.  Two days later an inquest was set in the City Hall, and after the jury of 6 men was seated the coroner began to call the witnesses which included Officer Jack Robertson.

A huge crowd gathered and many of the folks had to stand around outside the hearing room.  The star witness would of course be the officer but most of the spectators wanted to hear what Mathew’s girlfriend; Grace Snyder of 229 Lydia Street had to say.   After some extensive questioning she looked at the jury and said, “I think he did an officer’s duty”   After all, the policeman had come to her aid and was struck, knocked down but still managed to pursue his man.

Officer Jack Robinson easily convinced the jury that he did not aim directly at Mr. Mathews and had no intention of actually shooting at him to kill him.  The jury told the Coroner that they wanted to adjourn until they could hear the medical examiner’s report on the autopsy.  The next morning they heard Dr. E.E. Barbour talk about how the bullet fired by Robertson had hit the street and ricocheted upward, hitting James in the spine and then came to rest in the front of the abdomen.  Mr. Mathew then died at Saint Francis Hospital at 4:30 in the morning the next day.  Wilhelmina Helmeshoff, Miss Snyder’s friend and three other witnesses corroborated the officer’s version of the shooting. Mayor Woodruff said, “The outcome was unfortunate rather than criminal.”

The Coroner’s Jury exonerated officer Jack Robertson of all blame and liability.  James E Mathews was buried in the family plot at Saint Mary’s Cemetery.

Editor’s Note: Norm is a True Crime Writer, Author, Peoria Historian and a monthly contributor to ADVENTURE  SPORTS OUTDOORS.

norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net