The age-herald., 1900-03-30
BRAVE OFFICER
 KIUKLEY IS DEAD
Passed Away at HiIIman Hospital at 7;15 O'clock Last Night.
DIED IN DISCHARGE OF DUTY
Police Department Wrapped in Gloom Was One of the Best Members of the Force-He Leaves
 Large Family.
Poor Kirkley is dead.

1OOF hTkley IS uedu
 The brave officer who in the discharge
 of his duty was shot by an unknown des-
 perado on Tuesday night, suceumbed to his
 wound shortly after o'clock last night at
 the Himan hospital, where he had been
 taken for treatment.
 Death came to K.rkley as the shadows of the night were gathering. and he died as he had lved-a brave and true and honest
 man.
 He fell as a soldier falls, at the place of | duty, and today a red-handed assassin | walks the earth unwhipped of justice, gull | ty of that crime which we are divinely
 taught appeals to heaven for vengeance. They are making poor Kirkley's shroud. | The question is asked: When shall the gall
 lows rope be knotted to avenge the deed of his infamous execution? When shall the
 black heart of the slayer be stiled by the laws awful decree?
 Hard to Restrain Passion It Is hard to remain calm in the presence of this dead servant of justice; hard for
 men to school themselves to patience and
 to hope; hard to repress the spirit of re-
 bellion against so monstrous crime; hard
 to wait and watch the slow turning mill of
 
 rible exactness; hard to restrain passionate resentment whilst grief fresh racks the widow and the fatherless!
 Crime has long dogged the city's way,
 but it never assumed b.acker, fouler, more
 sickening form than when 1t struck poor
 Kirkley down just before the D night
 hour.
 Some of them that toll in the night knew
 Kirkley well and fondly, and many time
 and often as they went about their duty
 and he walked his beat, they passed the time 70 night with him oheerily. He was a good man and true a right amialole
 Whoe-souled, companionabe fellow, whom
 men were always glad to tarry with and
 have goodly speech.
 The story of the shooting of Officer Kirk ley on the night of Tuesday, the 27th in- stant, is painfully fresh in the public mind He and Officer Adams were following two
 men, whom they had reason to suspect as burglars. After walking behind the sus- pected men for several squares the offi- cers finally accosted them at Nineteenth street and Third avenue. The men were | requested to accompany the officers to the | police station, half block away, and | all of the party made movement in that direction. They had walked but a few | steps when the two men suddenly drew | revolvers and shot the officers, one rufian | to each officer and then fled in opposite directions and escaped. Officer Kirxey is
 now dead. Officer Adams is recovering. Sketch of His Life Kirkley had been a member of the police force several years and was one of its most useful and trusted men. His death will | cause sorrow in every honest household in l Birmingham He was born in Georgia, May | 2S, 1854; was sheriff of Caktoosa county, | that state, for four years; a deputy mar shal three years; and was appointed a | policeman of Birmingham December 28. | 1894 His wife and five daughters survive | him. He was frugal and provident man, | and owned his home, at Eleventh avenue | and Sixteenth street, north. He belonged | to the benevolnent order of Knights of Mec- | cahees in which his life was insured for
 $2,OOO.
 The death of the brave officer has cast 1 gloom over the entire police department | among the members of which he was held | in the highest esteem. Chief Austin olu | not know of 1t until his return from An | niston at 10:10 o'clock last night. He al most gave way when told that the poor fellow had passed away, and expressed deen regret at the sad occurrence. The remains of the dead officer were re- | moved to the undertaking establishment | of Gaudin & Loy, in Twenty-first street, | pending the funeral arrangements, whlch | have not yet been completed.