The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-09-29
Michael Harkin, Formerly Chief
Of Police, Died suddenly
Saturday Morning.
LONG IN OFFICE In KEN0SHA.
Served for Three Terms as Chief of Po-
lice and Several Terms as Deputy
Sheriff.-Was Also Detective.

| Michael Harkin, formerly chief of
the police department of this city and
"a we'll known real estate dealer, died
at his rooms in the Burr block on
Park street about six O'Clock Satur-
day morning. Death was due to con-
cussion Of the brain caused by a fall
an hour and half before his death.
| Just before O'Clock Officer Joseph
Biennen1an found Harkins lying in
front of the entrance to the building
in which he made his home. He was
unconscious at the time and the Off
Ger secured aid and carried him to
his apartments on the second floor of
the building. DR.. William Pugh was
hurriedly called to attend the dying
man, and his relatives we're also sum
moned to the bedside. Harkin never
regained consciousness. For several
days che former official had been in a
weakened condition due to the Excess
sive use of liquor and it is supposed
that he left his room at an early hour
in the morning to go to restaurant
to get something to eat. He had fallen
near the entrance of the building, his
head striking on the left side on the
stone walk.
AS DIR. Pugh was with him at the
time of his death it was deemed I'M
necessary to hold coroner's inc uest.
The death of Michael Harkin re-
moves from Kenosha one of it's most
unique characters. Harkin was a son
of the late James Harkin, formerly
we'll known in the town of Pleasant
Prairie. He was born in Pleasant
Prairie forty years ago, but most
of his life had been spent IA Kenosha.
The deceased was particularly fitted
for the work of a detective, and early
in life he went to Chicago and was
connected with the Pinkerton Detec-
tive agency. He remained in close
touch with the Pinkertons to the time
of his death, and it is said that William
Pinkerton, the head of the agency re-
garded the Kenosha man as one of the
shrewdest detectives ever connected
with the agency.
After few years in Chicago Har-
kin returned to Kenosha and served as
a merchant police. He was rot long
in this position, for when z. G. Sim
mons was elected mayor Harkin was
appointed chief of the police depart
ment. He was one of the most effici-
ent officials ever serving the city and
| it is said Harkin was the only man
4 y1aN 4.
city to obey the state and city laws to
| the letter. He served as chief of
police for three terms and after that
he was the agent of the Citizens
League during the time that C. F.
Stemm was mayor of the city. He
also served in the capacity of a dep
uty sheriff under Sheriff Walter Dex-
ter and was under-sheriff under
Sheriff S. B. Crop1ey.
Harkin had been connected with
many famous cases in his career as a
detective but he was best known in
Chicago on account of the work
which he did in the Leutgert case and
it was admitted that it was largely
through the work of Harkin that the
district attorney of Cook county was
enabled to convict Leutgert.
During recent years Mr.. Harkin
had not been following his profession
of detective but had been employed
as real estate agent. He had made
success of this work.
The deceased had two sisters resid-
l $%1or Rn@1AC11a
gle and Mrs. Terrence McKenna.
| The funeral was held from ST.
James church at 10 o'clock Mon
day morning.