Murder of Officer Jacob Neibert Unfnished

Around 2:30 am on June 13, 1896, 53-year-old officer Jacob Neibert was on duty in Muscatine, Iowa. On Burlington Rd Officer Neibert would come across two tramps. Around 6 shots would ring out in the night. Three shots would happen and then in a few minutes three more. gunshots were not uncommon enough to go check it out until H.J. Smith and his wife heard moans of help. 

H.J. would go out and ask "What's the trouble"? Officer Neibert would scream out "Jim! Oh, Jim! Come Help Me!" This was when they would find the police officer suffering from gunshot wounds. H.J. would run across the street to him.

He told of how two trams he tried to arrest had done it. He would give a description, but it was hard for him to speak as he continued to get weaker and weaker. H.J. would stand Officer Neibert up and try to walk him to his house. However, before they would make it there he would collapse to the ground. They would bring pillows and blankets to make him comfortable while waiting for help. The 15-year-old Smith's son would go and fetch a doctor. 

It was too late to save him. Other neighbors would come out to see the commotion. Soon after the Dr. got there Officer Neibert would take his last breath.

The nearby box car was investigated. This was where he was shot. there were five bullet holes in the boxcar. It seemed as if they were caused by two different caliber weapons. There was a lot of blood and evidence of a struggle inside. Officer Neigbert's club and gun both showed that it was used. 

It was apparent that one of the tramps had been injured. There was a significant amount of blood that led away from the scene that wasn't from Officer Neibert. The blood was traced all the way to the sash and door factory. A black soft felt hat was found at the scene likely belonging to one of the tramps. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Muscatine

Officer Down Memorial Page

Iowa Cops

The Muscatine Journal June 16, 1896

MISSING: Columbus G. McLeod

 In 1908, 62/63-year-old Columbus G. McLeod was a DeSoto County sheriff. On November 30th he carried out game law enforcement duties in Lee County, Florida. He was searching for egret hunters at Cayo Pelau Island. He was never seen again and it's presumed he was killed. 

His boat was found sunken with sand sacks tied to it. His hat was located nearby with two axe chips, blood, and hair. His body was however never recovered. 

SOURCES:
Officer Down Memorial Page

Find a Grave
International Missing Persons

Murder of Marshal William E. Gibbson

In 1882 Irish-born man 51/52 year-old Willam E. Gibson was a town Marshal for Horicon, Wisconsin. On October 19, 1882, he arrested a stranger for disorderly conduct. The man since he arrived spent most of his time drinking at the saloon and was drunk when arrested. The man was only in town for a couple of days and was believed to be a tramp.  William being a little careless and thinking the man only had one weapon did not check the other pocket.  

The man did not resist or fight to go to jail. When William let go of the man to unlock the door to the cell the man would pull a bulldog a 40-caliber revolver from his left pocket and shoot the him. He would flee from his crime.

It had taken around an hour before anyone knew that William had been shot. At the same time, there was a major fire at the Brunt & Davis Co. factory. The village's attention was focused on the fire which allowed the unknown man to flee the area.

The man had been in town for a day or two there were no clear descriptions of him. Even though there was a wide search for him he wasn't found. He had likely stolen a horse from the stables of Fred Puls about two miles east outside of Horicon and fled. If he was he would have been a victim of a lynching. It was believed that he may have been wanted for a bigger crime than public drunkness and that was why he shot Marshal Gibson.

The killer was never caught for this murder. 

SOURCES:
Find a Grave

Officer Down Memorial Page

Green Bay Press-Gazette October 21, 1882

The Eau Claire News October 29, 1882

End of Watch: Deputy Warden Joseph Clark

In 1864 a man called George Chase was in jail on Collins St in Joliet, Illinois for being a horse thief. It was believed that his name was George Chase, but it was not positive. He refused to talk about his loved ones or where he was from. George was about 30 and described as a stout and healthy man with blue eyes and sandy hair. 

On April 4th George would attempt to escape but failed. However, during his attempted escape, he would hit Deputy Warden Joseph Clark with a rock or club. This injury would cause the Deputy Warden to die weeks later. 

The following January he would be sentenced to death. He was to be the first man executed in Joilet. Because he refused to talk about family friends or even where he was from his only visitors were 3 ministers. On July 27, 1866, George was taken from his jail cell at about 2:30. The three ministers would follow him with their Bibles reading from them. 

He would be walked to a large hallway in the county jail. There was a gallows made specifically for George. There were two posts on each side of the hallway with a beam overhead. a noose would hang from the beam and the other went into a hole in the basement. It was tied with three heavy sandbags that were to bring him up. 

Several official witnesses and newspaper reporters watched the execution. George was tied with ropes and looked to have a dead expression as he was seated in a chair. The chair was under the noose. He would be asked if he had any final words and he did. 

“I don’t think I’m guilty,” he said. “I don’t see any proof that I murdered that man. I think I’ve got as good an explanation of that as you have.” Before he was done talking the Sheriff placed a white hood over his head. “I’m not ready for that yet,” he continued. “I’m as innocent a man as any of you. I am as innocent a man as any in the United States. I admit that hanging is justice. But hanging for a thing a man ain’t guilty of and can’t prove I am guilty of is another thing. It ain’t justice.” He then complained about how tight his bindings were. When the hood was completely placed he muttered, “Gentlemen, I am to be slaughtered.”

The noose would be placed around his neck over the hood. The sheriff would signal the deputy in the basement to drop the bags and they were. George would be pulled from his chair and hung 5 feet in the area. There was a little struggle. They would leave him to hang for 20 minutes. 

He was not taken to a funeral home or buried right after his death. Instead, his head was removed so that doctors could look at the brain attempting to see if there were any clues about his criminal behavior. However, there were no "signs of insanity" in his brain. 

The head was given to a phrenologist and used for lectures. His headless corpse was buried at the prison cemetery known as Monkey Hill. 

SOURCES:

Legal Executions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri page 3

Will County, Illinois Genealogy 

End of Watch: Murder of Constable James Corcoran

On October 30, 1850, in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. 32-year-old Constable James Corcoran spotted a man who had a warrant for assaulting his wife. He arrested the man. They were only a few blocks from the magistrate's office and when they were on Vine St and 13th St the man kicked the constable in the abdomen twice. He would flee.

A citizen saw what had happened. The citizen walked the Constable back to the magistrate's office. The citizen reported what had happened and was deputized to arrest the man. The citizen and Constable Corcoran went to serve the warrant. The subject was spotted walking past the magistrate's office and he was quickly arrested. 

Constable Corcoran would return home and a doctor would be summoned the following morning. He was still having pain in his abdomen, and surgery was performed. His health would decline and he would die on November 1st. 

The man was charged with murder and was found guilty of manslaughter on March 21, 1851. A motion for a new trial was denied by a local judge the following month. 

SOURCES:

Criminal Justice Research Center

Criminal Justice Research Center PDF pg 32

Officer Down Memorial Page

END OF WATCH : Patrolman Pitt McClellan Doxsie

On October 26, 1897, 34-year-old Patrolman Pitt McClellan Doxsie was patrolling on horseback in the downtown area of Independence, Iowa. He would stumble upon a burglary in progress. He would get into a gunfight with the two thieves. He would be shot and killed, his body would be discovered in an alley.

His case will remain unsolved. 

SOURCES:

Iowa Cold Cases

Officer Down Memorial Page

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

End Of Watch: Robert Wehagen

On July 8, 1938, 48-year-old Matthew Bubich escaped a state ward in a private sanitarium in Cleavland, Ohio. At 3 a.m. he removed a screen from the second floor and climbed down the fire escape in his pajamas. He would then show up at his former butcher shop. It's unknown how he had gotten there as the sanitarium was far away.

He would beat on the door with a limb that was 4ft long and 3 inches thick. His wife Anna and 15-year-old daughter Anna who lived in the rear woke up to the sound. Mary brought him a change of clothes, but he would become angry after she was not able to find his belt.

He would angrily go to the butcher shop and grab a butcher knife and locked the door. He told the girls to keep still or he would kill them. He eventually changed his mind and Anna and Mary and her son were told to leave and they did. They went to neighbors and called the police.

Five patrolmen would arrive one of which was 42-year-old Robert Wehagen. Mrs. Bubich gave Patrolman Wehagen the key and he opened the door. When he stepped in he was cautious, but Mathew was hiding behind the door. This was when he slashed down with the butcher knife. As he fell from his injuries he discharged a tear-gas shell. Seeing the man attacking Patrolman Wehagen discharged their weapons and also discharged tear gas. 

Mathew was still alive but died a few minutes after arriving at the hospital. Robert was still alive and was also taken to the hospital. While in surgery he died. It had turned out when he was stabbed his intestines were severed in five different places.

SOURCES:
Vidette-Messenger of Porter County July 8, 1938

The Times July 8, 1938

The Evening Review July 8, 1938
News-Record July 8, 1938

End of Watch: Murder of Sheriff Thomas Griffin Thornton

 On June 12, 1830, Sheriff Thomas Thornton went to serve a man a writ in Caroline County, Virginia. In the process, he was shot and killed. The man would be arrested and charged. He would be found guilty and executed on November 26, 1830.

I got this information from the Officer Down Memorial Page and they do not disclose the names of others on the memorial pages. So I do not know the name of the man who killed the Sheriff. 

SOURCES:

Officer Down Memorial Page

End of Watch: Michael F. Doran

 On May 31, 1884, 40-year-old Keeper Michael Doran was working at the Eastern Penitentiary in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. For the last two weeks, he was in charge of the weaving department and was put in charge of a new group of men. One of the tasks was to allow the men a few minutes of exercise in the yard connected to their cells.

Among the men was Joseph Taylor. At the time he was in the penitentiary for murderous assault. He had attempted to kill a man by beating him and trying to throw him out of a second-floor window. He had a history of violence against people and animals. 

On this morning Keeper Doran let Joseph Taylor out of his cell. Another prisoner Benjamin Sayers claimed he saw Joseph while he was doing his duties as a cook. Joseph had walked out of his cell and to the railroad track running from the kitchen, stop beside the bread car looked up and down the track, and returned to his cell yard. What happened next was not witnessed.

It's believed that Joseph hid in his cell and waited for Keeper Doran to return to lock him in. He would then attack and hit him about the head with a weavers spool. He would then continue to beat him about the head with an iron bar that keeper Doran had that was used to close the cells. He would then go back into his cell and sit and wait. 

Another keeper noticed Keeper Doran's absence and went to look for him. When he was found he was said to be an unrecognizable mess and moaning. His face was so badly beaten, and parts of his brain were exposed from the beating. He would be brought to a bed and Dr. Robinson would see to him. Unfortunately, his wounds were too severe. He was still alive for a short time but did not become conscious. He would die by noon. 

The murderer kept his mouth closed at first for the murder, but he would admit the reason. He was upset and believed that the physician and keeper Doran were conspiring against him. He had been administered drugs that caused nausea that was prescribed by the prison physician. Other articles stated that he believed that he was secretly being given medicine in his food and that he also asked to be given medicine when he was killing Keeper Doran. He stated he would have rather killed the physician than the keeper. 

Joseph Taylor then would go to trial for the murder. There was an insanity plea, but he would be convicted and set to be executed for the murder. He would be hanged on July 16, 1885. 

SOURCES:

Other Absence Ledger PDF pg 1

Officer Down Memorial Page

The Times June 1, 1884

The Philidelphia Inquirer June 2, 1884

The Times October 29, 1884

End Of Watch: Murder of Officer Denson Hudson

48-year-old Police Officer Denson Hudson and his partner Fred Risener were working in the early morning of March 18, 1941, in Apopka, Florida. Shortly after 1 a.m. the two officers spotted an open window at the Standard Oil Plant (it's now the Catfish Place) and approached the building.

There were two burglars inside the building and were breaking into the company safe when the officers stumbled upon them. The two unknown men would shoot at the officers with rifles hitting Officer Hudson. He was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries that night.

SOURCES:

Project Cold Case

Officer Down Memorial Page

The Apopka Voice 

End of Watch: Murder of William Cole

On November 22, 1879, a warrant was out for Tom Leach an African American man who's brother Peter Leach was convicted of murder. Deputy Sherrif William Cole had gotten the warrant and spotted Tom with another one of his brothers Ben while walking down the street in Robeson County, North Carolina.

The young Sherrif Deputy Cole then came out with his Henry rifle and the warrant in hand. He went to talk to Tom with intent to arrest. When he confronted the two Tom asked William to read out his warrant. Tom then pulled a gun out of his sleeve and shot William in the forehead.

William fell onto the ground and Tom pointed the gun at Williams' chest saying "Damn you, take that." Then he shot him again in the chest before taking the victims Henry Rifle and fleeing to South Carolina.

I could not find any articles that stated whether or not they found and prosecuted Tom Leach for the crime.

SOURCES:
Officer Down Memorial Page
The Raleigh News
The Chapel Hill Ledger

Serial Killers: Martin Lecián

On October 31, 1900, in Ostrožské Předměstí in Austria-Hungary. He was raised in a youth detention center. He was a career criminal after he left the detention center. He was twice punished by the Regional Court of Uherské Hradiště. During his military service, he fled and went AWOL five times. After his last time fleeing he met Maria Krenovska and they began stealing around Moravia. They would open the door by covering the locking mechanism and then they would rob the cash registers. 

In Prostějov both Lecián and Krenvska were detained. After they transferred to a hospital in Olomouc Lecián escaped with a dangerous criminal named Szekely on December 10, 1926. In their escape, they injured two guards. 

They then went and committed a series of thefts before they split up in Bučovice on the 21st. Lecián stayed in Morania and Szekely went to Slovakia. They were both wanted criminals at this point. 

On Jan. 19, 1927 Lecián shot and killed a municipal officer Rudolf Hanák four times as the officer tried to stop a burglary in Slavkov u Brna Lecián was committing. The next day he was attempted to kill a shop owner and police officer in Poledňák. A month later a murdered a guard  František Marčík at the Grafony in Jihlava. 

Lecián was then recognized by a gendarme on a train where Lecián shot the gendarme several times. Lecián then jumped from the moving train and went on the run again. He was still a wanted criminal, but now he had 10,000 korunas for his capture. This did not stop his crime spree. 

Lecián began to wear a mas and continued his criminal activities. People believed him to be much like Robin Hood a brave and gallant who robbed the rich. Songs were being written by him. 

On March 8, 1927, he shot twice in Veselí nad Moravou at Chancellor Antonín Stuchlı. He was expecting a child shortly after his wedding. This made his popularity hit rock bottom and people stopped seeing him as a Robin Hood figure. Lecián then shot down Military Chief Chvalovsky. Lecián engaged in several shoot outs and at one near Polešovice, he was injured, but still able to escape. 

On April 23rd he was caught and detained by a civil police officer in Nový Bohumín. He was put through a four-month investigation and a six-day trial. He was found guilty of his crimes and set to be executed for his crimes. 

He tried to plead to not get executed. He had acute tuberculosis was going to kill him in just a few years anyway. It was 

On September 25th he and a deserter named Kašparik tried to escape. They killed the guard Ferenc Kisse and took his weapon. After a brief shoot out, they were recaptured. The pardon he may have gotten from him dying of tuberculosis wasn't given. 

On October 6, 1927, he was executed. He tried to plead that his tuberculosis would soon kill him anyway.  He was quoted saying. "In an hour the devil will be cleaning the chimney with my body. I'll make a good broom for him."

It's stated he has up to 10 victims of murder and attempted murder. 

SOURCES:

Murderpedia 

Wikipedia

Crime Museum

Dvojka

End of Watch: Murder of Officer August Baker and the Lynching of William Burns

On October 3, 1907, 22-year-old William Burns and Gus Little who were both African Americans were drinking at a Hussey's Saloon near canal wharf in Cumberland, Maryland. They were making threats to other patrons and being disorderly. They were ordered to leave and the duo did not do so. Officer August Baker came to arrest the two for disorderly conduct.

William was not having any of it and was supposedly resisting arrest. Officer Baker tried to subdue him with pepper spray, but during the scuffle, William shot Officer Baker.  He was able to handcuff William, but Gus Little escaped during the fight. The shot was proven fatal and Officer August Baker died due to his injuries on October 6.

 William had admitted he was drunk but did not remember that night. He sat in jail for several days and was fearful that the townspeople were going to go after him.

Which when the townspeople heard that an officer had died anger consumed the town. Sheriff H.R. Hamilton did not place extra guards on duty at the jailhouse because he didn't believe that people would harm his prisoner. Deputy Sheriff Noah Hendley was on guard at midnight on October 6.

Several small groups of men were in the streets making their way to the jailhouse. Many of them wore their jackets inside out and handkerchiefs over their faces. By 1 a.m. a group of around 50 men approached the jail and 100 were gathered by the time they reached the jail.

There were conflicting stories of how many were there. Deputy Hendley reported over 2,000 while others said no more than 25. Spectators claimed that Deputy Hendley did, in fact, give over the keys easily even though he claimed that they tore at his clothes for them.

The men stormed the jail doors and demanded the keys from Deputy Hendley. Hendly refused which enraged the group. They tore down a telegraph pole and forced the doors open. They dragged William out of his cell with a smashed nose, a torn ear, and numerous cuts and bruises.

There were two motives of the people who attended the mob. One was that they wanted William to confess to the murder. The other was to lynch William because they were convinced he was already guilty. It was said that several prominent men in the city were a part of the mob.

A rope could not be found, so the men decided to shoot William. After he was shot and his body fell to the ground they checked to see if he was still alive and when confirmed he was, in fact, dead the mod dispersed quickly.

On October 12, 1907, Allegany County was able to raise $500 for the conviction of those who were a part of the mob. Judge Boyd directed a grand jury to investigate the lynching. No one could be identified for the prosecution of the crime. The Afro-Ledger protested the lynching in an article that summed up the situation well.

"The men who lynched Burns are greater murderers than he was, for while he shot his man while under the influence of liquor, and without premeditation, these men deliberately planned and carried their plans in execution. Without a doubt, every one of them is guilty of murder in the first degree and justice will not be done until everyone implicated in it is brought before the bar and receives the penalty of his crime."

No one was arrested or caught for the lynching though. 

SOURCES:

Maryland 

Wikipedia

End Of Watch: Sheriff Nimrod Johnson

37-year-old Sheriff Nimrod Johnson was Sheriff for Burnet County Sheriff in Texas he worked for them 4 years. On August 26, 1881, he left to arrest W.P. Brown who was a murder suspect of a murder that happened in Feb 1876. He was reported to be near Paul's Valley in Indian Territory(modern Oklahoma).

Shortly after Sheriff Miller traveled to Austin, Texas. He had been robbed but was able to recover his money. On August 30th he left Sherman, Texas and he made it to Dennison, Texas by September 1st. He was last seen alive at Caddo, Indian Territory. He was trying to purchase a horse to travel to Paul's Valley.

His nephew went to search for him, but could not find him. It wasn't until later when an Arkansas prisoner, Sam Paul, confessed he witnessed what had happened to the Sheriff. He stated that in Chickasaw county that he was ambushed and killed with arrows. After this information, they still weren't able to recover the body.

SOURCES:
Doe Network
Find a Grave

End of Watch: Death of Sheriff Oscar Dawes and His Killer James Smedley McCormick

In July of 1919 44-year-old Sherrif Fred O. Dawes was approached by a grain company owner in Nevada, Missouri. The owner was experiencing theft of sacks of feed on his property. They left feed out to bait the thieves. In the shadows waited Sherrif Dawes and the grain owner. A man appeared around 10 p.m. and was taken into custody.

It was found that the thief was James McCormick. They took the suspect to the office of the grain company. Around 11 p.m. on July 17  Sherrif Dawes was emptying out his pockets and when he turned his back to put the suspect's keys on the desk James took the chance. He pulled a .32-caliber-revolver out and shot Sherrif Dawes in the heart. He fell to the ground dead. 

A gun battle ensued with two other officers for 10 blocks. James was shot twice and died a few hours afterward. None of the other officers were injured in this gunfight.

Sherrif Dawes was working with the Vernon County Sherrif's Department for 2 and a half years. After his death, his wife Sephronia was elected the first female Sherrif in Vernon County. She only temporarily did this for a few weeks till a new sheriff could be elected.

SOURCES:
Officer Down Memorial Page
Facebook
Find A Grave 
The Butler Weekly Times and the Bates County Record