Iowa Concerns of Police Survivors

Deputy Sheriff Clarence Woolman was shot and killed by a prisoner in the Kirkwood Hotel, at 400 Walnut Street, in Des Moines, Iowa.

He was transporting the prisoner to the State Hospital for Inebriates, in Knoxville, and had stopped in Des Moines for the night. As Deputy Woolman slept in a hotel bedroom his prisoner took his gun from his pocket and shot him three times. The prisoner then walked to a saloon at 3rd and Court Avenue and shot and killed the bartender.

The prisoner was the former police surgeon for the Council Bluffs Police Department.

The man was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to a mental hospital. On January 9th, 1915, he was declared sane and released.

Deputy Woolman had served with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He was survived by his wife and five children.

Town Marshal Joseph Kaschmitter was shot and mortally wounded as he was walking near the depot at approximately 2:00 am.

Marshal Kaschmitter encountered two men who covered him with their revolvers and ordered him to throw up his hands. He obeyed and, at the same time, said, "I am the town marshal." At this, both men opened fire, the bullets entering his chest and stomach. As the suspects fled, Marshal Kaschmitter drew his revolver and fired several times.

Citizens attracted to the scene carried Marshal Kaschmitter to the home of a local doctor where he died two days later. A posse failed to locate the suspects.

Marshal Kaschmitter had served with the Alton Marshal's Office for seven years. He was survived by his wife and nine children.

Town Marshal James Busby was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend two men who had blown the safe inside the Paton Post Office minutes earlier.

Marshal Busby and several armed citizens chased the suspects into a nearby schoolhouse. As they ran through the door, one of the suspects turned and shot Marshal Busby as he entered behind them. In a gun battle that followed, the citizens killed one suspect and severely wounded the other.

The wounded suspect was charged with first-degree murder. On November 4th, 1911, he was found guilty of manslaughter after his attorney convinced the jury that his accomplice shot Marshal Busby.

Marshal Butcher was shot and killed while searching two suspects. One of the men suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot Marshal Butcher twice. Although wounded, Marshal Butcher was able to return fire until he was shot a third time and killed.

It was later discovered that both suspects were brothers who had escaped from Anamosa Prison. Both drowned when they attempted to swim the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, in an attempt to escape a pursuing posse.

Marshal Butcher had been with the agency for eight years and was survived by his wife and six children.

Patrolman Theodore Gerischer was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man during a period of unrest due to labor protests. Patrolman Gerischer encountered five men and began chasing one when the man ran away. Patrolman Gerischer fired a warning shot, causing the man to stop. When Patrolman Gerischer approached him the man shot him in the head with a revolver. The suspect was captured in Rock Island, Illinois, the next day.

The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison December 26, 1911. He was paroled in 1934. On February 1, 1935, he was sentenced to one to 14 years in Joilet Prison, Illinois, for the attempted murder of a Rock Island Policeman.

Police Officer Charles Gillin was accidentally shot and killed by another officer when he and several officers responded to a prisoner riot at the Linn County Jail in Marion, Iowa.

One of Iowa's most notorious criminals, who was in jail for blowing a bank safe, threw a bottle of nitroglycerin against the wall in his cell, blowing out part of the wall. As the officers entered the jail, one officer opened fire with an automatic rifle, striking Officer Gillin and another officer as the inmate threw what he thought was another bottle of nitroglycerin at the officers. Luckily, he picked up the wrong bottle.

It was later discovered that one of the inmate's gang members had smuggled three bottles of nitroglycerin to him. The inmate was convicted of numerous crimes and sentenced to 35 years in prison. On June 11th, 1913, he escaped. In 1914, he was located in California at San Quentin Prison, where he was serving a three-year sentence for burglary under an assumed name. In 1917, as the inmate was being returned to Iowa, he escaped again by jumping from the train. Several days later, he was recaptured and returned to prison in Iowa.

Officer Gillin had served with the Cedar Rapids Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife and two sons.

Officer Arends was electrocuted while checking on a defective street light. He had served with the agency for three years and was survived by his wife and four children.

Sheriff Elisha Bushnell was killed when he fell from scaffolding that had been erected at the county jail during a period of construction.

Sheriff Bushnell had served with the Mills County Sheriff's Office for five years. He was survived by his wife and five children.

Deputy Sheriff Levi Bowers was shot and killed in Rockford, Iowa, by a man he was attempting to arrest for the attempted murder of a local doctor.

As Deputy Bowers and the local constable entered the suspects home he opened fire with a shotgun, killing him instantly, and blowing off part of his mother's hand as she tried to stop him. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with Deputy Bowers' murder.

The 28-year-old suspect shot and slightly wounded the doctor as he walked out of a grocery store in Rockford. He said he shot the doctor because he gave him medicine for indigestion that burned up his insides. On March 18th, 1916, he was convicted of Deputy Bower's murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1918 he was transfered to the insane ward at Anamosa Penitentiary and died there on February 1, 1954.

Deputy Bowers is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.

Deputy Herzog was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a safe blower. He chased the man into the woods but was shot and killed by the suspect. The man later committed suicide when he became surrounded by a posse.

Patrolman Speth succumbed to gunshot wounds received the previous day when he attempted to remove a man from his hotel room. He had been ordered to escort the man to the police station to answer questions regarding a fraud investigation. The man refused to leave his room and shot Patrolman Speth when he forcefully tried to make him go. Patrolman Speth was able to return fire, as well as other officers arriving on the scene, seriously wounding the suspect.

The suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 17 years in prison. He was pardoned by Governor N.E. Kendall October 1, 1921.

Patrolman Speth was survived by his wife and eight children.

Special Officer Charles Crill was shot and killed and his partner was wounded in the railroad yards that were located at East 4th Street and Maple Street. They had discovered a group of 12 men breaking into a boxcar of train No. 64 and called for assistance from the Des Moines Police Department. As he and his partner, a Des Moines officer, approached the group one of the men opened fire, killing Officer Crill and wounding the other officer.

The group of men fled but the shooter and two others were recognized by the Des Moines officer. The three were arrested and charged with murder. One was the leader of a strike going on at the Ford plant.

Officer Crill was survived by his wife. His father-in-law was the Des Moines police chief.

Marshal Hanshaw was shot and killed by a suspect who was high on morphine and threatening citizens of the town with a rifle. He went to the man's home and was attempting to reason with him when the man suddenly grabbed the rifle and shot him. The marshal was able to return fire hitting the suspect twice. Several citizens arriving on the scene shot and killed the suspect.

Marshal Hanshaw was survived by his wife and child.

Night Marshal Dick Eggleston was killed when a wall collapsed on him as he assisted with fighting a fire at a commercial building at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Main Street.

As Marshal Eggleston was in the back alley with several citizens and firefighters an explosion occurred inside the building, causing the wall to collapse. Marshal Eggleston and a citizen were killed, and a firefighter was injured.

Marshal Eggleston had served with the Osceola Police Department for two years and had previously served with the Clarke County for four years.

Officer Geoge Mattern was shot while investigating gun shots he heard while walking his regular beat.

As he headed towards the sound of the shots he met the suspect who shot him in the abdomen. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries eight months later.

The suspect was fleeing from another officer after robbing a bar. He escaped capture and was never caught.

Chief of Police Charles Jackson was shot and killed after he and several other officers responded to a house after receiving a tip that a wanted man was there.

The officers were met at the door by the suspect's wife. After gaining entry they began searching the home and located the suspect in a bedroom. As they called out his name the suspect began firing, striking Chief Jackson in the chest. Chief Jackson was able to return fire, wounding the suspect. The suspect stayed in the residence for 30 minutes before running out of the back door. Officers opened fire on him and fatally wounded him.

Chief Jackson was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries four days later.

Chief Jackson had served with the Des Moines Police Department for 16 years. He is buried in Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

Detective James Britton was shot and killed when he and three other officers went at 3:30 p.m. to arrest a group of outlaws. When the officers entered the address at W. Third and Ross Street, the suspects opened fire -- fatally wounding Detective Britton. Detective Britton was able to return fire and kill one of the suspects and wound a second. The third suspect was also shot and wounded by another officer.

One suspect, sentenced to life, escaped from Fort Madison Penitentiary in 1921. In 1929 he was recaptured in Vancouver, British Columbia, and returned to Iowa. He was paroled on Oct. 18, 1943.

Detective Britton was buried at Graceland Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa.

Detective Cornelius McCarthy was shot and killed after arresting a burglar. He was working undercover with a local milkman investigating a series of burglaries. The burglar was entering houses while the milkman was making deliveries, using the noise as cover. The delivery driver pointed out a suspicious man and identified him as a possible burglar. Detective McCarthy, dressed in overalls, arrested the man and called for a patrol wagon to take him to jail.

While they were waiting the suspect asked to sit down on the curb. He sat down long enough to pull a .32 caliber pistol from his shoe and shot Detective McCarthy in the chest. He then began firing at the patrol wagon which was pulling up. The suspect was arrested and sentenced to life in prison, where he later died.

Detective McCarthy had served with the Des Moins Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife and seven children, ages seven to 15.

Deputy Sheriff William Maxwell was shot and killed by one of five prisoners making their escape from the county jail on 3rd Street S E in Le Mars.

Deputy Maxwell and his father, who was the sheriff, had entered the jail to feed the prisoners when one opened fire with a smuggled pistol. Deputy Maxwell was killed, and his father was seriously wounded. All five subjects were captured near Maurice two days later.

A week later, all five prisoners were convicted of Deputy Maxwell's murder and sentenced to life. On December 25th, 1920, three escaped from Fort Madison Penitentiary. Two were recaptured, and one was shot and killed. One died in prison on January 13th, 1943. One was paroled on February 9th, 1939, and another was paroled in 1957. The subject who provided the pistol was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Deputy Maxwell was a WWI veteran and went to work for his father as a deputy after being discharged from the Army in April of 1919. He was survived by his parents and three sisters.