John
J. Sheridan, 75th Precinct, Long Island City
Photograph and articles provided by Loretta Sheridan, great-granddaughter
of
Det. John J. Sheridan.
Attempt by Long Island City Police to Break Up Series of Petty
Depredations--
Arrest of Three Suspects--Bad Blood Between Law-Breakers and Their Adversaries
New York Evening Post July 16, 1902
Detective John Sheridan of the Seventy-fifth Precinct, Long Island City,
was shot and killed early this morning by two men whom he was attempting
to arrest. Three men are in custody of suspicion of having been concerned
in the shooting. Sheridan saw the men he was after acting in a suspicious
manner, and approached them with the intention of putting them under arrest
when they opened fire on him. One bullet entered his head over the eye,
and the other pierced his heart.
Sheridan had for his partner in the early morning hunt for thieves another detective named John Shelbury, who was a block away when the shooting began. Shelbury made towards the sound of firing on a run, and stumbled over Sheridan's body, which lay in a shadow on Henry Street, near Jackson Avenue.
Sheridan made a desperate effort to speak, but with a gasp fell back dead. The police say that Sheridan's revolver failed to go off, and that this allowed his assailants to "get the drop on him." They say that he was a remarkable shot, and that if his gun had worked properly he would not have been killed. There was no trace left of the men who did the shooting.
Michael Carr, one of the men arrested, is well known to the police and bears a bad character. He was discharged from custody only last Saturday, having been arrested for an attempted burglary on a store at the corner of Jackson Avenue and Jane Street. There were three men concerned in that affair, and one of them shot at the owner of the store. Carr was also arrested some months ago in connection with an attempt to rob Dan Nolan, a Jackson Avenue grocer, on the street.
A man named Wright, who saw Sheridan's assailants running away, looked the arrested men over and said that Carr and one of them whose name is Donnelly resembled the two men who ran past his house.
Sheridan, the dead detective, was about forty years old. He leaves a
widow [sic] and a son and a daughter. He had an excellent reputation as
an officer ad was popular among his comrades.
Carr, Donnelly, and the third suspect, Strang, were arraigned before Magistrate
Connorton. Carr and Donnelly are each twenty years old and Strang, twenty-one.
All three were held without bail for examination on Friday.
Cass was arrested by Detective Shelburg at his home a short time after
the shooting. Shelburg said he found Carr lying on a lounge. He was in
his stocking feet, but otherwise fully dressed. Shelburg says that Carr's
mother, who was asleep when he entered the house, was awakened, and when
she heard that Sheridan had been shot, remarked that it was a good thing
or something to that effect. The police say that Carr had been heard to
threaten the lives of Sheridan and Detective Rooney, who worked with Sheridan
in running down criminals. Donnelly and Strang were both in bed when arrested
and professed astonishment when told of the charge.
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SHERIDAN WAS SHOT DOWN
BEFORE HE COULD USE HIS GUN
He Was Following Two Men He Suspected of Belonging to Desperate Burglar
Gang to Long Island City-Probably Ran Into an Ambush-Three Arrests
New York Sun July 17, 1902
While he was following two men whom he believed to be burglars, Detective John J. Sheridan of the Long Island City police was shot and almost instantly killed early yesterday morning by one or both of the men who disappeared. The police arrested three men on suspicion of their having done the killing, but the evidence against them is comparatively weak as yet.
Sheridan had been twenty-six years on the police force and was the best detective in Long Island City. He was born and had done duty ever since he became a policeman in the district in which he was shot, which is the toughest in the borough. He knew every character in the district and all them knew him as a man who had nerve enough to take any chance to catch his man. That is probably how he came to be killed.
There has been a series of burglaries extending over a year past in that part of Long Island City known as Dutch Kills. A year ago two men broke into Nelson's grocery store on Jackson avenue and were found by Nelson robbing his cash drawer. Nelson was fired on and badly wounded. One of the men arrested suspicion for the deed was one of those arrested yesterday. The hold-ups and burglaries continued and only a week ago a burglar was discovered in a dry goods store at Jackson avenue and Jane street and escaped after firing two shots at his pursuers.
When Inspector Thompson took command of the district he picked out Sheridan as the man best fitted to cope with the gang that was evidently doing this work, but on account of their desperate character, he gave orders that a policeman in plain clothes would always be detailed to go around with Sheridan in the "dog watch," that part of the night after 12 o'clock. Policeman Schelberg was the one assigned to this duty yesterday morning.
Following an old detective maxim that "the cat will come back," Sheridan and Schelberg stationed themselves near the dry goods store where the attempt was made a week ago. A little before 3 o'clock they saw two young men turn from Orchard street into Jackson avenue and then go west into Henry street which crosses Jackson avenue. Sheridan told Schelberg to cut through another street and intercept the two men if they continued down Henry street. Sheridan himself followed alone after the two men.
Just what happened next is not known, but the police believe that when Sheridan turned the corner he found himself unexpectedly at close quarters with the men and that they had opened fired before he had a chance to. Schelberg heard four shots in rapid succession. He ran around into Henry street and on the sidewalk near the side door of the corner saloon almost stumbled over Sheridan. He was moaning and died a minute later. One bullet had struck his right eye and gone through his brain. The other had struck in the left nipple. Either would have killed him.
Schelberg did not see the men. He found Sheridan's revolver a few feet away from him. A dent in one of the six cartridges showed that it had missed fire. If it hadn't, Inspector Thompson thinks there would have been one less burglar in Long Island City to-day, for Sheridan rarely missed his man. A block away they found four good cartridges, apparently emptied from the guns of Sheridan's assailants.
Several persons told the police they had seen two men running, after
the shots, but they saw only the tops of their hats. One woman, Mrs. Ellen
Torribolo of 128 Jane street, said that two men who had been running stopped
in front of her window and she saw them look back. The one of them said:
"It's a damn shame we didn't get his gun." Then, she says, they
ran up Webster avenue.
Inspector Thompson called in detectives from every precinct in the borough
to work on the case with him. Before two hours had elapse, they had arrested
Michael Carr, Frank Donnelly, and Harry Strang, all of whom live in Dutch
Kills and are about the same age, 22. Carr is the man who was arrested
for shooting Nelson the grocer a year ago, but he was let go for want
of evidence. All three traveled together, the police say, and had a grudge
against Sheridan. All three were found at their homes. Carr was in bed
with only his shoes off. The police did not find any revolvers. The prisoners
were held without bail in the Long Island City police court and committed
to the county jail for examination on Friday. They denied all knowledge
of the crime.
Inspector Thompson said yesterday that he considered the scene of the crime one of the worst districts in the entire city. If Sheridan's murderers escaped, he added, it would be the first time such a thing had happened in any district he commanded.
"Sheridan was on of the best policemen I ever knew, " he said
yesterday. "He did not know was fear was. He was cornered and he
fell, but he lived up to the police motto, 'Faithful into death.'"
Sheridan was 47 years old. He leaves two children, a boy and a girl.
It was rumored in Long Island City last night that Donnelly wished to
make a statement to the police. The report could not be verified as he
and the others are in the county jail. It is said that Magistrate Connorton
refused the application of Capt. Woods that the men be remanded to his
custody and turned the prisoners over to the Sheriff to guard against
the third degree.
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John. J. Sheridan Killed in Long Island
City While Trying to Capture Three Burglars
REVOLVER MISSED FIRE
Three Men Arrested on Suspicion Said to Have Threatened Sheridan's Life
New York Herald, July 17, 1902
His revolver missing fire, and left to the mercy of three thieves whom he was trying to capture, Detective John J. Sheridan was shot to death in the Dutch Kills section of Long Island City about half-past two o'clock yesterday morning. One bullet entered his brain through his right eye and another went through his heart.
For weeks the neighborhood in which the tragedy occurred has been infested with burglars. It was to hunt these thieves down that Detective Sheridan and Policeman Shelberg were detailed Tuesday night by Police Captain Anthony Woods of the Hunter's Point station. The police had obtained information that Tuesday night or Wednesday morning an attempt would be made to rob either Fleckstein's saloon or William Koch's dry goods store, located on opposite sides of Henry street, but facing Jackson avenue. Secreting themselves in the doorway of an undertaker's establishment, at No. 364 Jackson avenue, the detectives began their vigil. It was shortly after two o'clock that two shadowy figures were seen to steal up Jackson avenue and turn into Henry street. Sheridan sent Shelburg to Jane street, a block distant, instructing him to turn down Hunter avenue, which runs parallel with Jackson avenue, with a view of heading the men off in that direction, while he followed the pair into Henry street.
Shelburg had gone only a short distance when he heard pistol shots in Henry Street, returning, he found Sheridan, who was nearly dead lying on the sidewalk, with his revolver a few feet away, the hammer resting on an unexploded cartridge and indicating that before he was wounded the detective had attempted to shoot the men.
From descriptions given by persons who had seen the culprits, Michael Carr, twenty-two years old of Crescent and Wilbur avenues, and Frank Donnelly, twenty-two years old of No. 90 Hunter avenue, and later, Harry Strang, twenty-two years old, of No. 31 Dutch Kills street, were arrested on suspicion. All live near the scene of the tragedy. Carr was found lying on the couch at home with only his shoes and coat off.
Policeman Shelburg, who assisted in arresting Carr, said that when the young man's stepmother was informed that Detective Sheridan was killed, she expressed her approval and said she hoped that Detective James Rooney, also attached to the Seventy-fifth precinct, might meet with the same fate. Later in the day, the three men were arraigned before Magistrate Connorton and held until Friday morning, Captain Woods appearing as complainant. Carr and Strang were arrested last week on suspicion on having attempted a burglary, but discharged for lack of evidence. After their release, it is said, Carr and Strang called at newspaper headquarters, in Borden avenue, Long Island City, and wanted a statement printed to the effect that Detective Sheridan was hounding them. Strang did the talking, and in the course of his remarks said that if Sheridan didn't quit following them up he would kill him.
Sheridan's wounds indicate that the shots were fired at close range.
Sheridan was a widower and lived at No. 31 Hoyt avenue, Astoria, with
his two children. He was forty-seven years old and had been a policeman
for twenty-five years.
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DETECTIVE ON DUTY SHOT IN LONG ISLAND CITY
INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE AGAINST THREE PRISONERS--
MOTHER TRIES TO SHIELD ONE
New York Daily Tribune, July 17, 1902
John Sheridan, a police detective in Long Island City, was shot and killed when he was on duty early yesterday morning. Two bullets hit him, the second causing instant death. Three men have been arrested, and the police say at least two of the prisoners were connected with the murder of Sheridan.
At 3 a.m. yesterday, Sheridan was walking with Patrolman Shelburg along Jackson-ave., in the Dutch Kills district, where there had been recent burglaries. They saw Michael Carr, Frank Donnelly and another man they did recognize cross the avenue at Orchard-st. and go through Henry-st. Sheridan said to Shelburg:
"You go up Jane-st. and come down Henry-st., and I'll follow them
up Henry-st."
Shelburg had gone a little way in Jane-st. when he heard a shot, followed
soon by three more shots which seemed to be fired at almost the same moment.
As Shelburg was running toward Henry-st. he was met by William L. Wright,
of No. 79 Henry-st. Wright was blowing a whistle to attract the attention
of policemen, and he shouted to Shelburg:
"They've gone through Rady-st. Get after them!"
Shelburg ran to Rady-st., but found nobody there. Returning, he found Sheridan's body in Henry-st., about thirty-five feet from Jackson-st., near the side door of a saloon. Close to the body was Sheridan's revolver. It had not been fired, but one cartridge was dented under the hammer, as if Sheridan had tried to shoot and his weapon had missed fire. Near the saloon is a gate leading to a back yard. There was a splash of blood on the gate post. Sheridan had been shot in the forehead first, the bullet glancing from his skull. The second bullet had entered his breast at the left side, and ranged downward, passing though his heart. Apparently Sheridan had been stunned a little by the first shot, and had put his hand to his head, and then had rested it on the gate post, making the bloody mark there. Then he had drawn his own revolver, and tried to use it, but he had been killed by the second bullet that struck him.
Two bullets that did not hit Sheridan passed through the side door of the saloon and buried themselves in a wall of the building. The course of the bullets showed that the shots had been fired across Henry-st.
Policemen who gathered at the scene of the shooting found citizens who had seen the three suspected men running away after the shots were fired. Search for Carr, Donnelly and Charles Strang was begun immediately. Shelburg went to Carr's home, and found Carr lying on a couch snoring, Carr was dressed, except that he had his coat and shoes off. Carr's stepmother said to the policeman, " I hear 'Sloppy' Sheridan is killed." Carr was taken to the police station, protesting that he had not been out of the house all night. Donnelly was undressed and in bed when he was found. Mrs. Strang refused to let policemen in when they asked for her son. They broke in and arrested Strang although his mother had declared he was away at work.
The shoes of the three prisoners were removed by police, and early yesterday morning the shoes were found to fit exactly in the tracks in soft ground over which the men ran from Henry-st. to Rady-st. after the shooting.
Carr, Strang and Donnelly were arraigned before Magistrate Connorton on suspicion of having been concerned in a homicide, the charge being made by Captain Woods. They were remanded to the county jail without bail.
Carr is twenty years old. His home is Wilbur-ave. Strang is a year older, and lives at No. 38 Dutch Kills-st. Donnelly is twenty-two years old. Carr was discharged from custody only last Saturday. He had been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in an attempt to rob H. Deckstein's drygoods store at Jackson-ave. and Jane-st. on Thursday. Three men were concerned in the affair and one of them fired a shot at Deckstein as he was getting out of bed. The bullet buried itself in the bedclothes. Carr was discharged because Deckstein could not identity him as one of the burglars. Carr was arrested some months ago in connection with an attempt to rob Daniel Noble, a Jackson-ave. grocer, but was discharged for lack of identification.
The body of the dead detective was taken to the morgue at St. John's
Hospital. Sheridan was about forty-six years old. He leaves a widow, a
son and a daughter. He had an excellent reputation as an officer, and
was popular among his comrades.
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Inspector Thompson Central Figure In Long Island Case
New York Evening Post, July 18,1902
Michael Carr, Charles Strang, and Frank Donnelly, who are under arrest in Long Island City on suspicion of having been concerned in the murder of Detective Sheridan on Wednesday morning last, were arraigned before Magistrate Connorton at noon today, and held without bail for examination on Monday.
The courtroom was packed with spectators before the proceedings began, and when Inspector Thompson appeared he ordered that the room be cleared of all except for those who were directly interested in the case. He himself took an active part in driving out the spectators, and in one instance shouted, "Here, you fellows, get out of here and go earn an honest dollar."
Inspector Thompson promised that the police would have the necessary
affidavits on which to hold the prisoners on Monday next if they were
remanded until that day.
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Plaster Casts of Footprints May Help Convict Detective's Assassins.
New York Sun, July 29,1902
The inquest in the case of Detective John Sheridan, who was shot to death on the morning of July 16, was begun yesterday at Long Island City by Coroner Nutt. Michael Carr and Frank Donnelly are being charged with being implicated in the murder. Policeman Shelburg, who was with Sheridan shortly before the latter was killed, said that he and Sheridan were sitting on the stoop of Green's undertaking shop in Jackson avenue when Sheridan caught him by the arm and called his attention to two men who were coming out of Orchard street.
The men walked toward Henry street. The witness recognized one of the
men as Carr. Sheridan said to Shelburg:
"You go around through Jane street and head them off," and Shelburg
started off. He had only gone a short distance in Jane street when he
heard pistol shots. Then he heard the sound of a whistle in the direction
of Hunter avenue and Henry street and running that way he saw a man looking
out of a window. The man was William L. Wright of 79 Henry street.
Wright, who had blown the whistle, told Shelburg that the two men had run past the house and had gone into Radde street,. Shelburg ran up Radde street, but saw no one. Then he returned to the place where he had left Sheridan and almost stumbled over the detective's body. He lit a match and was shocked to find that the wounded man was Sheridan, who was almost at his last gasp. The witness hurried to an alarm box and sent a call for the patrol wagon, which soon arrived, but Sheridan died before it arrived.
Policeman John S. DeBoe, one of the men who were sent out in response to Shelburg's call, said that when he arrived at the scene of the murder Shelburg said to him: Well, they've done poor John Sheridan." Witness asked Shelburg which way the men had gone and then, after borrowing Shelburg's revolver, started off, with Policeman Stohl, in pursuit of the murderers. The policemen went through Radde street,. When they reached Jane street, Stohl stopped and said: "I'll be this is one of Carr's jobs." DeBoe asked where Carr lived and Stohl said he lived at Crescent street and Wilbur avenue.
The police then went to Carr's house. DeBoe said that when they reached there they lit a match in the hall. Carr's stepmother was lying on a lounge, fully dressed. They saw man on a lounge in an adjoining room. His shoes were off, but otherwise he was fully dressed. He was lying with his face to the wall. DeBoe asked, "Who's that?" and Stohl answered, "That's Carr." They went to him and DeBoe shook him by the shoulder, telling him to get up. Carr arose and sat in the middle of the lounge. He asked, "What's the matter?" and when told we was under arrest pretended to be surprised.
Mrs. Carr then entered the room and asked what was the matter. DeBoe
told her that an officer had bee shot. When she heard that Sheridan was
the victim Mrs. Carr said: "My God! Sloppy Sheridan killed!"
Then turning toward Carr, she said: "Mike, if I thought you did this
I'd be glad of it. I'm only sorry they didn't do Scabby-face Rooney with
him."
Rooney is a detective and is attached to the Seventy-fourth precinct,
and he and Sheridan used to work together. DeBoe said that Carr's hair
was disheveled and there were beads of perspiration on his forehead.
Robert McMahon of 341 Jackson avenue said he heard the shots fired, and looking out of a rear window, saw two men run through Henry street. He identified Carr as one of the men. Detective Rooney had made a plaster caste of the footprints made by the men in the mud when they were fleeing. He had the casts in court and showed that Donnelly's shoes fitted the casts made of one set of footprints. Donnelly had patches on the soles of both shoes under the toes and these fitted into the casts.
The inquest will be resumed to-morrow.