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Private John F. Henry
Pennsylvania State Police
End of watch:
Sunday, September 2,1906
Age:
31
Badge Number: NA
Years on The Job:
9 months
Cause of Death:
Shot and killed |
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Henry was the first Constabulary member to be
killed in the line of duty. He was shot and killed at Florence, Jefferson
County, as he and other Troop D members attempted to arrest heavily armed
Black Hand Society fugitives on the afternoon of September 2, 1906. In need
of assistance to apprehend the fugitives barricaded in a home, Sergeant
Joseph Logan phoned for help. A detachment arrived at 4:30 p.m. Henry
immediately advanced to the house but when about 20 feet from it, he was
shot down. Privates Homer Chambers and William Mullen, attempting to rescue
Henry, were seriously wounded before they could reach him. A phone call was
made for additional support.
A second detachment of 15 Troopers arrived at 6:30 p.m. Covered by heavy
gunfire, Privates Francis Zehringer, Robert Cummings, and August Grosser
rushed to the house, battered in the side door, and entered the dwelling.
They were fired upon by fugitives from a stairway and Zehringer was mortally
wounded. Cummings and Grosser escaped. Realizing that lives were being
sacrificed uselessly, the Troopers, under cover of darkness and a rainstorm,
placed dynamite at the base of the house. At dawn, the dynamite was
detonated. The house was destroyed and its inhabitants killed. Chambers and
Mullen recovered from their wounds. Henry was survived by a sister, a
resident of Philadelphia. A rosary found in Henry's uniform blouse pocket
was given to his sister.
His body was taken from Punxsutawney to Philadelphia by train and he is
buried at St. Dennis Cemetery, Philadelphia. Henry, 31 at the time of his
death, had completed nine months of Constabulary service.
Born:
August 10,1875
Died:
September 2,1906 |
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Walk tall, walk tall and protect us from above with honor and dignity.
May you lead the charge for
citizens right in heaven as you did here on earth
Darrell Thompson
Privet Security Officer St. Clair Co. MI,
Community College Campus Patrol #14
darrell@policespecial.com
www.sc4.edu
Rest in peace, and
may God allow him to keep watch
over us on earth while he patrols his beat
in heaven.
Our prayers go out to the
Officer and his Department and family.
May they all find peace in their hearts soon.
From all the Staff at Police Special
Inc.
Contact us to have information posted or if you have any info pertaining
to already posted information. Please contact a Police Special Inc. or
Fax to 866-809-5551
Contact
us
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