Evening star., 1933-11-26

On cold morning in December, 1871,
Francis M. Doyle was shot to death In
| a grogeery In the 800 block Of Mary
land avenue southwest-the first men,
ment to lose his life in the line of duty.
| In the 50 years that have passed since
! then, So policemen have been killed in
the performance Of their duties, and
of this number. 81 were murdered, the
others having been the victims of ac-
cidents
Doyle had gone into the groggery
after two other members of the police
force had been chased into the street
| by an infuriated woman, armed with a
pistol and a 10-inch butcher knife.
The other officers had been sent to the
establishment with instructions to make
thorough search for q watch reported
to have been sold to the proprietor.
John Shea, by band Of thieves.
Although the policemen had a search
warrant, the proprietor's wife, Mrs
Mary Shea, flew into a rage when in
formed Of the purpose OF their visit.
Brandishing her weapons in a manner
that left no doubt as to her earnestness,
Mrs. Shea rushed the officers into the
street, then-before they realized what
was happening-locked and barred the
door.
Door Broken Down.
Returning to headquarters, the police
men were ordered to search the grog-
gerry at all hazards-to break down the
door, if necessary, and to place Mrs.
Shea under arrest II she showed the
slightest inclination to become violent
| again.
Outside the place, the officers, Ed
mund j. Duvall and F. w. Pfaff. we're
Joined by Doyle. When Mrs. Shea re-
threw themselves against 1t. Mrs. Shea
was silent for few minutes; then, when
the door began to give away, she called {.
I'm shoot the first man who comes
in here!"
Ignoring the warning. the policemen
continued their efforts to force the door,
and it finally fell before them. Mrs.
Shea. described in accounts published
IN The Star at the time as "a tall,
heavy-bullt woman with a masculine
countenance," stood behind the counter,
the gun in one hand and the knife in
the other.
She stood motionless for a moment.
as Doyle marched In, followed by Duvall
and Pfaff Then she leveled her pistol
at Doyle and pulled the trigger.
oh, my God" Doyle cried, clutching
his chest and sinking to the floor.
What happened after that, neither
the newspaper accounts nor the police
reports make plain. 1t is known. how
ever. that Mrs. Shea was arrested by
Ofhcer Thomas Aldridge. and that she
tswore all the way to the Jail" At her
trial several months later she contended
the shooting was accidental and the
illrV aPOuitte6 her her huS-
band. who had been indicted on a
charge OF receiving stolen goods. also
had been found not guilty.
Force 10 Years Old.
The Metropolitan Police Department
had been IL existence slightly more
than 10 years at the time of the Doyle
Staying, and it was not until 13 years
later that another such tragedy oc-
CURED. John H. Fowler-no relation to
the lieutenant of the same name who
now serves as police ballistics expert
was the victim.
Fowler was shot on September 8.
1894, by John Langster. colored. A
mob of angry citizens gathered outside
the police station in which the slayer
was held, threatening to lynch him. but
police officials spirited him away to an
other station for safekeeping.
When it was decided to move Lang
ster, however, 1t was found that he had
stuffed chewed meat into the keyhole
in the door Of his cell, in the hope that
members of the mob would not be able
to get to him. The meat was rammed
into the keyhole so tightly that it took
the officers in charge of the station
more than half an hour to unlock the
cell door.
The Metropolitan Police Department,
as such. was not established until Au-
gust 6, 1851. Originally the enforce s
in the hands of a peace officer, ap-
pointed by the Prince Georges County,
Md. court. Later additional constables
were appointed by the courts OF Mont
gomery County, Md, and FAIRFAX
Under the charter of May 3, 1902.
however. general police authority was
given to the mayor and the corporation.
About two years later, the mayor was
authorized to appoint not more than
four constables. In May. 1905. the Of
fice of high constable" paying sal
airy Of $50 year, was established.
Auxiliary Watch Set UP.
This set-up was retained until Au-
r,1st 23. 1912, when Congress approved
an act to establish an auxiliary watch
for the protection of public and private
property" John H. Goddard was ap-
pointed captain Of the watch, which
consisted Of is men. The watch con-
tinued to police the District until 1t
was replaced by the Metropolitan Po-
lice Department, composed OF super
intendent, 10 sergeants and $50 men.
William B. Webb was the first super1n-
The most famous OF all the killings
in the history Of the Police Department
was-and still is-the so-called Busch
case"
On the morning of September %,
1926, Oficers Leo w. Z. Busch and
Frank L. Ach were standing on the
corner of Georgia avenue and Upshur
street, discussing series OF hold-ups
staged along the Washington Baltimore
Boulevard during the night. Only
short time before they had received
lookout describing the four bandits
The policemen were still studying the
lookout when four men answering the
descriptions of the robbers approached.
The men were unable to give satisfac-
the night, so Busch and Ach decided
to take them to the nearest police box
and call for the patrol wagon to take
AS they approached the box one of
the men-later identified as Samuel
Mareno-broke away from the officers
a pistol as he did SO. His Companions
Nicholas Lee Eagles, John Proctor
and John F. McCabe-followed suit.