St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-04
A Policeman Murdered on st. Anthony
Fill.
NO CLUE TO THE MYSTERY.
Theories Advanced as to the Crime
Mayor Smith Offers Reward for
the Perpetrators.


murdered. D.
The tragedy occurred at 1:3O o'clock!
That, with the fact that the bullet after
wards removed from his brain was fired
from 3S- caliber revolver, is all that is
definitely known about the affair.
AT the hour mentioned revolver shot
was heard. The wind blowing from the
west carried the sound down to the
central station, where the officers heard
it. People living near the place where
the shooting occurred were aroused.
Some of them went to their windows.
They neither saw nor heard anything
more and again retired to rest. Among
those whose ears the report of the re-
volver reached was Sergt. Getchel. AS
is the custom when pistol
shot is fired, he proceeded to
and the result of it. He walked
around the various beats, called the
several officers, and found everything
all right until he came to where Officer
Hansen was located. The officer did
not respond to the call. but nothing was
thought of that, as it was after the hour
when Officer Hansen was due to relieve
the officer on
THE RICE STREET BEAT.
Some time later when he was visited it
was discovered that Hansen had not
shown up. Then it was discovered that
something was wrong, and Sergeant
Getchell, with detail of men, went
out TO solve the mystery. After search
ing around for some time Officer Hester
caught sight of Hansen, aud then it was
discovered that foul play had been prac-
ticed at the cost of life.
Rpfora tho hO6y yyaS rnmpyad Cbiaf
Clark and John O'Connor. chief of de-
tectiveS, were notified; also Coroner
Quinn. They visited the place at once
ana took in the surroundings. AS
stated above, the murdered officer was
found short distance from Summit on
Virginia avenue. At that point, which
is Immediately opposite Kirby Bar
NUNS residence, there is a sidewalk
eight feet wide, a parking or grass plot
the same width and the curb. The Off
Ger was found on his back. His left
hand rested on his chest, while his right
was stretched out by the side of his
his body. His revolver was drawn
and Chief Clark says he held it
in his right hand. That is probably
correct, although some persons say it
was found between his arm and his
body. The revolver, a 32-caliber Smith
u Wesson, with all the chambers full,
was found half-cocked. The officer had
on, in addition to his regulation suit,
rubber OvercOat. When the coroner az
rived the murdered man was placed in
the patrol wagon, and taken to Guthunz
u Rockstroh's undertaking rooms. -
When they had taken i'll the situations
Chief Clark and John O'G0nn0r at once
proceeded to take steps looking to thel
solution of the mystery and the {
APPREHENSION OF TIE MURDERERS.i
Until they arrived Oh the scene not a
word was sent to the central or any of
the Sub-stationS about it. Then, howe
ever, every man on duty was put on
guard, the detectives came around and3
a search for something 10 locate the
guilt where it belongs was instituted
The Minneapolis authorities were nOti-
fed, the conductors of all trains leaving
st. Paul put on the qui vive, and later
in the day written advieeS of the affair
were sent to every chief of police in
Minnesota. Mayor Smith, too. on be-
half Of the city, lent his aid to the mat
ter by issuing the following:
Five hundred dollars will be paid for in
formation that will lead to the arrest and
conviction of the person or persons who shot
and killed Police officer Hams Hansen, in ST.
Paul, about l 80 a. m. Aug. ), 1888.
ROBERT 4. Smith, Mayor.
The search Of the day, however. pro-
duced little result, so far as could be
learned, and at midnight the murder re-
manned as much of a mystery as when
the body of the unfortunate officer .
WAS FIRST DISCOVERED.
At II O'Clock Drs. Ancker, Abbott,
Quinn and Gaerney held an autopsy on
the remains of the deceased. 1t was
then found that the missile of death
had passed along the base and lodged
at the rear of the skull. 1t was bull
let used in a 3S-calliber revolver, but
the doctors did not presume to deter
mine Just what pattern.
There are various theories as to how
and why the murder was committed,
but the most plausible one yet advanced,
and one in which some experts in fer
reting out crime concur, is that Officer
Hansen had captured a prisoner. 1t
may have been burglar and it may
not. Like inexperienced officers gen
orally do. he held the man in his right
hand and his revolver in his left. proba-
bly, first getting the drop on his man.
The latter watched his chance. whipped
out his own gun and fired
the fatal shot. One thing is
against the theory, and that is tho
location where the body was found. 1t
was diagonally up and across from the
corner on which the street lamp stands.
Why he should cut across the street
into dark spot with Il man whom he
found necessary to hold down at the
point OF Il gun is not quite clear. 1t
would seem rather to Indicate that he
saw some man or men and crossed the
street after them. One thingis certain:
whoever shot Officer Hansen was not
far from the officer when the revolver
was exploded. Expert testimony is on
record showing that man falls
forward when shot. Men suddenly
stricken with disease, or men
i'll prize ring always fail forward. no
matter how struck. This is especially
the case with man who is shot. Officer
Hansen was either about to step on the
side walk or was shot from a point so
close to him that the bullet threw him
Oh his back. The latter is probably the
ccSrect version, although it is doubtful
if it will ever be known just
HOW IT HAPPENED.
The general Impression is, however,
that he had his man, or men, and that
While they Wilted when he had the drop
on them. one of them afterwards
picked up courage and fired the shot.
The deceased has worn a star since
last August. He was twenty-eight
years cid, five feet eight inches tall.
blonde complexion. and bad clear rec
ord as an officer. He was married Aug.
q, 1887, and has been recently living at
404 Aurora avenue. He ha no chill
dren. although his widow is rapidly APP
preaching maternity. Her father, John
Rice, living at Bird Island, Mimi, was
wired about the murder, and will az
rive in st. Paul to-day. Mrs. Hansen,
who is naturally nervous woman. was
greatly overcome when advised of the
circumstance at Z o'clock, and it is
feared serious consequences will follow.
Last night the residents of st. An
thony hill opened subscription paper
for the widow of the deceased officer.
The paper is at RietZke's drug store,