Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-13
COMES HOME TO AUGUSTA.
Dennis Donovan Returns After .
Years as Boston Policemans

Inc Boston Globe, Wednesday, con-
tanned the following notice of the re-
tirement of Patrolman Dennis Dono-
van. from the force. Mr.. Donovan is
an Augusta boy, well known, and his
| hosts of friends will he glad to well
| come him back to his old home, where
he passed his boyhood days:
After 90 years in the police depart
| ment' as patrOlman and attached all
| those years to station 4, Lagrange st.
Dennis Donovan is to be retired. In Il
! general order issued last light by the
board Of police. Donovan received a
pension and honorable discharge. hav-
| ing been pronounced physically inca
pacitated for further duty.
! Few policemen have served as long
in one house as has Donovan. In fact
there are only two cases where a man
| served more than twenty years in one
| Boston Station.
The news of Donovan's retirement
| caused considerable surprise, as it was
| thought that he would remain in the
| ranks many more years his health be-
ing first class. so it was thought, by
his brother patrolmen. But Donovan
has been looking for a pension and
| retirement lOr a long time.
HencefOrth Donovan will lead
| farmers life. He will remain IN this
| city only two weeks more, and then
will go to Augusta, Me-, where he has
| a big farm. house and stable. and
| where he and his wife will pass the re-
mainder Of their lives.
| Patrolman Donovan, speaking to a
| Globe man who found him at his home
| III Uphams Corner, Dorchester yester-
day, said: Yes. I'm going to farming
| and within the next two weeks we. my
wife and |. will be settled three miles
outside of Augusta. l have large
| farm there. where l raise hens. chick
ems. pigs, and about everything in the
| fruit and vegetable line, and we feel
delighted to be able to go there.
"The newspapers of Augusta have
| had item after item about my farm.
and for a number of years have re-
ported how l am coming to live there
after l get through with the police
force. Only last Monday I read in the
papers from there how my pension was
| going to be granted by Judge EmmOns
they know the judge-and that
I'm going to run down there immedi-
ately after the pension is granted.
Just how they found this all out is
| mystery to me. but certain it is
| they found it out
Policeman Donovan, every year since
he became connected with the police
force has spent his two weeks vaca-
| ton on his farm. He is particularly
| well known in Hallowell. Me.
Mr.. Donovan was born in Haverhill,
MDSC in 1Sl1 Whom .
moved to Augusta. His school days
over he went to Portland, where he
| worked a short time at both the Preble
and Falmouth houses. Soon after COM
ing to this city. he was appointed
supervisor at the house of correction in
| South Boston. and later held higher
positions at that institution.
Getting through there he took the
examination for the police force, re-
ceiving the highest percentage out of
class of IA men. and was appointed to
the force in 1881. He was at once sent
to division and there he has remained
until today.
During his long term in one house po-
| liceman Donovan served under nine
captains, White. Hemmenway, Coulter,
now deputy superintendent; Irish,
Dawson, Gaskin, Warren, Wyman and
Cam.
Capt Cain said yesterday: II con-
sidered patrolman Donovan one of the
| most efficient and painstaking officers
I ever had under me. He leaves the
force Thursday. and we ali feel deeply
grieved to lose such Jolly good fellow
and efficient officer. lie is immensely
popular and we all WISH him the best
Of luck and happiness in his life as
farmer"
Policeman Donovan drove the first
patrol wagon assigned to the La
grange ST. station. and will for the
next two days be the driver, having
been assigned to the wagon house for
| the last four years on the night watch.
Patroman Donovan has had nearly
all the busy routes of division 4, and
has a long and highly commendable
court record for convictions.
| Within late years he HIS twice been
commended in general orders for meri-
| torious conduct. A few years ago he
distinguished himself at tenement
house fire on fremont street. If it had
not been for the plucky policeman
woman and baby would have been
burned to death in bed.
| A few years ago, when automobiles
were a new thing, there occurred a run
Iaway in the vicinity of Pleasant and
fremont SITS. There were many per-
sons in the street and policeman Dono-
van saw the danger. Quick as a flash
he jumped into the street and, grab
bling the horse by the br;Gle, succeeded
in stopping the animal just as he was
TO bring up against an electric car.