Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-11
SURVIVES FIVE
PISTOL WOUNDS
ST. LOUIS OFFICER BEARS A
CHARMED LIFE
is GUEST OF LOCAL POLICE
Assistant Chief Of Detectives John J.
Kelley Of Worlds Fair City ls
Terror Of crImInaIs-spends
Vacation Here
is GUEST OF LOCAL POLICE

John ]. Kelley, assistant chief of
detectives Of the st. Louis police de-
partment, and one Of the most famous
criminal "chasers' in the country, Is
spending a week Of his annual vaca-
tion in Los Angeles as the guest Of the
local department.
Kelley is giant in stature and has
seen service from the position Of pro-
bationary patrolman to his present
Office. During his career on the st.
Louis force he has distinguished him
self for bravery and ability in handling
the most intricate cases.
So valuable is he as an officer and so
great is his acquaintance with crooks
and other criminals OF the country,
that he is able to recognize large pro-
portion Of the faces that adorn the
rogues' gallery in his office, consisting
of several thousand photographs, at a
glance.
For several years past, he has been
the representative of the st. Louis de-
partment at national gatherings where
the police departments of the great
cities are required to protect the crowds
from the depredations by thieves and
the criminal class. He has attended
the festivities of presidential inaugu-
rations several times and is familiar
figure at national political conventions.
Shot Five Times
During his career, Keeley has passed
through experiences which have caused
him to carry an unusual sprinkling of
gray hairs. One bullet is his constant
companion, and for five years has been
imbedded in his body.
One evening in June, 1900, Chief
Kelley was riding from home to his
office in the Four Courts, when he es-
pied two of the most desperate Grimm
ais of the day, for whom the depart
ment had been searching for several
weeks. These men, "Biddy' Holden and
John Julian, were notorious thieves,
| and were under charges of numerous
robberies of saloons and one murder.
Kelley alighted from the street car
and attempted to arrest them. The
criminals ran up an alley, but were
overtaken by Kelley and scuff1e en-
sued, in which Julian tore loose and
dashed up the alley, while Keeley and
Holden fought for mastery. AS Keeley
threw Holden to the ground and was
Handwriting him, Julian turned and
fired five shots, each taking effect in
Keeley's body.
One bullet struck him in the back of
the neck and came out through the up
per lip, another shattered his left arm,
another lodged in his left side under
| the heart, and two bullets struck him
in the hips.
Never Lost Consciousness
Despite these wounds, Keeley held on
| to Holden until he tainted from loss
of blood The fainting spell was but
momentary in duration, although suffi-
cient to cause him to relax his hold
upon the criminal, and Holden escaped,
Kelley was taken to a hospital and
made successful fight of nine weeks,
recovering after the surgeons had pro-
nounced him dead at least twice.
Julian was arrested a few months
later in Kansas City for robbing sa-
looms, his old trick of placing the bar
tender in the ice box leading to his
Identification and subsequent prosecu-
tion on the charge of attempted mur-
der of Keeley. He was convicted and
is now serving forty-year sentence in
the Missouri penitentiary. Holden was
later arrested in New York for robbery
and is serving ten years sentence in
Sing Sing.
Despite this narrow escape from
death, Keeley is enamored of his pro-
fession and the prominence of his name
in police circles throughout the coun-