Buchanan County, Missouri - Chapter 10: The Police Department of St. Joseph, Its History and the Various Chiefs from the Begi N X Inc T( ) the Present Time. - the Police, 1900

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF ST. JOSEPH, ITS HISTORY AND THE VARIOUS CHIEFS FROM THE BEGI N X INC T( ) THE PRESENT TIME. - THE POLICE JUDGE AND CITY ATTORNEY, AND THE MEN WHO HAVE HELD THESE PLACES. - HISTORY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM THE DAYS OF THE BUCKET BRIGADE TO THE PRESENT TIME. - THE VARIOUS CHIEFS.

Up to 1851 the peace of St. Joseph was preserved by a constable, who, when the times were lively, as during the California period, had a force of deputies and was assisted by the sheriff. The constable was also the collector of town taxes and was withal an important functionary.

When St. Joseph was incorporated as a city, a marshal was provided, who, like the constable, was the tax collector; but it was not until 1858 that the police department was created, at which time the marshal was given a deputy and six men. These were pompously styled the city guard and the deputy marshal was the captain thereof. The marshal received fees only, but had a lucrative place. In 1866 the collector's office was established and the marshal gave his entire attention to police work. The fee system continued until the city adopted the new charter, in 1885, when the title of the office was changed to that of chief of police and a salary of $1,500 per annum provided.

In 1887 the metropolitan system was adopted. Under this the governor appoints three commissioners, whose duty it is to manage the police department. The commissioners elect one of their number as treasurer. At the beginning of each fiscal year they certify to the council the amount necessary for the department during the year, which the council is required to provide. This amount is paid in monthly installments to the treasurer of the board and expended for salaries and other necessaries.

The first chief of police was William B. Tullar, who had been elected marshal for two years, but who resigned when the new charter went into effect and was made chief of police for one year. He was succeeded by John Broder in 1886, who was retained by the board of commissioners when the metropolitan system went into effect, and who has filled the place continuously to this date.

Under the present system a captain of police and two sergeants are provided for. Solomon Broyles was captain from June 1, 1887, to March 3, 1888, when he died. He was succeeded by John Bloomer, promoted from sergeant, and who has been constantly on duty to this date. The first two sergeants were John Bloomer and William J. Lovell. When Sergeant Bloomer was made captain, J. Fred Henry, who held the honorary title of corporal, was advanced. Sergeant Lovell was succeeded May 7, 1892, by Corporal Edward L. Cutler, who served until June 1, 1893. Corporal John J. Neenan was advanced and served until his death, August 29, 1896. Patrolman Wm. H. Frans was then made sergeant, and both he and Sergeant Henry are still on duty.

The metropolitan force was organized June 1, 1887, with the chief, captain, two sergeants, two turnkeys, two drivers and thirtytwo patrolmen. At present (1898) there are forty-two patrolmen, four detectives, one humane officer, three signal service operators,

The chief, captain and sergeants are appointed for one year. Patrolmen are appointed for six months as specials, on probation, at $60 per month. If confirmed they are appointed for three years from the date of the first appointment. The humane officer is selected by the Humane Society and commissioned and paid as a regular patrolman by this department, he being under the direction of the chief. Regular patrolmen receive $70 per month salary.

A telephone signal service, the first to exist, was introduced in 1891. There are thirty-seven stations, and patrolmen are scheduled to signal every hour during the day and night. There is an independent telephone exchange, with a switch-board and three opera-

On April 28, 1887, Governor Marmaduke appointed Bernard Patton, John Donovan, Jr., and Thos. P. Maupin commissioners, the first for three years, the second for two and the last for one year. The regular terms of commissioners after the first appointment are for three years, a vacancy occurring annually. Mr. Patton was president for three years. He was succeeded as commissioner by Geo. H. Hall, Jr. Mr. Donovan was re-appointed at the expiration of two years, and Mr. Maupin was re-appointed at the expiration of his year. Mr. Donovan was treasurer for the first three years and was succeeded by Mr. Hall in 1890, when Mr. Maupin was elected president. This organization continued until August 11, 1892. Mr. Maupin's term had expired in April, 1891, Mr. Donovan's, April 1892, and Mr. Hall had become ineligible because he was a candidate for office. At that time Governor Francis appointed an entire new board, consisting of Thos. F. Ryan to succeed Mr. Donovan, Samuel M. Nave to succeed Mr. Maupin and Harris Ettenson to succeed Mr. Hall. Mr. Nave served as president until the expiration of his term. Mr. Ryan was elected treasurer and served continuously in that capacity for six years. Mr. Ettenson was succeeded in 1893 by T. F. Van Natta, and Mr. Nave was succeeded in 1894 by John H. Trice. Mr. Van Natta was elected to succeed Mr. Nave as president. Both Mr. Ryan and Mr. Van Natta were re-appointed. Mr. Trice was re-appointed April 29, 1897, and Mr. Rvan was succeeded September 6, 1898, by Walter H. Robinson. The board is now organized as follows: Thos. F. Van Natta, president; John H. Trice, vice-president; Walter FI. Robinson, treasurer. Chris U. Rutt, who was appointed secretary at the first organization of the board, has held the place continuously to date.

Hie police court is the tribunal to which offenders against the city ordinances are brought. When St. Joseph was a town offenders were brought before a justice of the peace. When St. Joseph became a city, in 1851, the mayor was, under the charter, the police judge, and so continued until 1855. The office of recorder was then introduced, the first incumbent being A. A. Dougherty, who served one year. The position was subsequently held as follows: Felix Robidoux, 1856-58; John A. Dolman, 1858-62; M. U. Harrington, 1862-64; Wm. C. Toole, 1864-66; J. B. Hawley. 1866-68; Charles M. Thompson, 1868-70; Wm. Drumhiller, 1870-72; Charles M. Thompson, 1872-76; R. B. Fleming, 1876-78; Samuel B. Green. 1878-80; George W. Belt, 1880-82; John A. Dolman, 1882-84;

Mordecai Oliver, 1884-86; John A. Dolman, 1886-90; William B. Sanford, April, 1890, to September, 1891, died in office; John A. Dolman, September 1, 1891, to February 9, 1896, dying in office; Peter J. Carolus, February 10, 1896, to April, 1898, when succeeded by Col. John Doniphan, the present incumbent.

The office depended upon fees until 1885, when the fees were abolished and a stated salary provided. The recorder was also exofficio justice of the peace, up to 1889, when this perquisite was cut off. In 1893 the name of the office was changed to ''police judge."

Prior to 1884, the recorder provided his own clerk. Harry Angel was the first appointee, serving until April, 1891, when he was succeeded by Albe M. Tracy, who served until April, 1895, and was succeeded in turn by John T. Warburton. The mayor appointed these clerks. In 1897, the office was abolished, and the duties thereof delegated to the secretary of the board of police commissioners.

The city attorney prosecutes offenders against the ordinances before the police judge. This office was created under the first charter and Alexander W. Terrell was the first incumbent, serving 1851-52. He was succeeded by John Scott, who served until 1856. The office was held subsequently in the following order: Alexander M. Davis, 1856-57; Thomas Thoroughman, 1857-58; W. R. Likens, 1858-60; Joseph P. Grubb, 1860-61; Isaac Parker, 1861-64; James Hunter, 1864-66; Jeff Chandler, 1866-72; Wm. D. O'Toole, 1872-74; John T. Baldwin, 1874-76; Willard P. Hall, Jr., 1876-78; William Fitzgerald, 1878-80; Enos J. Crowther, 1880-82; Augustus Saltzman, 1882-84; William E. Sherwood, 1884-86; Fred J. Lufler, 1886-88; George P. Rowe, 1888-90; Peter J. Carolus, 1890-92; Wm. R. Hoffman, 1892-94; James W. Mytton, 1894-96; Joshua A. Graham, 1896-98, succeeded by Fred W. Heyde, the present incumbent.

A number of men who held this humble office afterwards distinguished themselves in the legal profession, among them Alexander Terrell, who was United States minister to Turkey; Alexander Davis, Thomas Thoroughman, John T. Baldwin, Isaac Parker, Jeff Chandler, Willard P. Hall, Jr., and Joseph P. Grubb. Messrs. Davis, Thoroughman and Chandler achieved fame at St. Louis and John T. Baldwin in Montana. Willard P. Hall was one of the first judges of the court of appeals at Kansas City and Joseph P. Grubb was circuit judge here for many years.. Isaac C. Parker went to congress from this district and was appointed by President Grant as United States judge at Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he died recently.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. - First, there was the bucket brigade, then organizations of volunteer firemen ; next a combination of volunteer and paid firemen, and then an all-paid department, which has grown into one of- the best equipped and most efficient in the West.

The late General William R. Penick is credited with having been the most ardent promoter of organized and systematic protection from fires. He began his efforts in i860, when a member of the city council, but was unsuccessful until 1864, when, as mayor of the city, he earnestly recommended an appropriation of $5,000 for the purchase of a steam engine. The provision was made in August of 1864. At the same time Mayor Penick urged that the citizens subscribe means for the purchase of hose and hook-and-ladder equipments. The people responded promptly and sufficient money was soon pledged. In May of 1865 the steam engine arrived, was tested, accepted and named "Blacksnake." The hook-and-ladder truck and hose-reels were also on hand, and the next step was the formation of a volunteer corps. The Blacksnake engine company and the Rescue hook-and-ladder company were promptly organized. In the following year the German-Americans organized a third volunteer company and purchased a hand engine, which was named the "Waterwitch." The steamer was drawn by horses, but the trucks and hand engine were drawn by the firemen and volunteer citizens, there being ropes to accommodate all who desired to "run wid de masheen." Cisterns were built at important points in the business district. There were thirteen of these when the introduction of waterworks supplanted them, and the average capacity of each was about twelve hundred barrels.

There was great rivalry among the firemen, both for efficiency and splendor in parade, and the annual turn-out was always the occasion of a public holiday. The first of these parades occurred on Washington's birthday, 1868, when the late Edward R. Brandow was chief of the department. The procession was composed as follows : "Blacksnake" Steam Engine Company, Hardin Ellis, foreman, 25 men; "Waterwitch" Hand Engine Company, Henry Fund, foreman, 45 men; "Rescue" Hook-and-Uadder Company, Hugh Symmonds, foreman, 55 men. The engine companies had a contest at Market square and the affair concluded with a general drenching, the rivals turning their nozzles upon each other.

In 1870, a paid fire department was established. Seven men were stationed in a house at the foot of Edmond street. The aparatus consisted of the "Blacksnake" engine and three one-horse reels.

The hook-and-ladder company's aparatus was stationed in a building at the alley east of Tootle's opera house. The ground was donated to the city by the late Milton Tootle, and the Rescue company built the house with money secured by means of entertainments. In 1871 two paid men and two horses were placed on duty here.

The zeal of the volunteers naturally began to wane with the introduction of paid firemen, and the companies disbanded. The "Waterwitch," which had been stationed on Edmond street, west of where the Ballinger building now stands, gave way to a second steamer, named "Bluebird," which was purchased in 1872, and the "Waterwitch," which was sold in 1875 to a party in Wyandotte. The "Blacksnake" was sold to Shenandoah, Iowa, some years ago, and the "Bluebird" is still in service.

The introduction of waterworks gave an impetus to improvement and expansion of the fire department. In 1879 a hose reel was located in the Patee market house, which remained there until 1886, when the present house was built at Tenth and Olive streets. In 1881 a reel was located at Tenth and Francis streets, in a building leased from the O. M. Smith estate. In 1895 this company was removed to Seventh and Charles streets. In the same year a company was stationed on North Third street. In 1882, the house at the foot of Felix street was built and the aparatus removed there from Second and Edmond, to make room for the Davis mill. In 1884, Mr. Tooth exchanged ground at Seventh and Charles streets for that which he had donated adjoining the opera house, the hook-and-ladder trucks were moved, and the old "Rescue" house was merged into the Tootle theater. I11 1895, the building at Seventh and Charles streets was enlarged, so as to accommodate new aparatus, and that which was moved from Tenth and Francis streets. In 1889, a house was built at Ninth and Doniphan avenue ; in 1891, one at Eighteenth and Felix streets; in 1892, one at Tenth and Powell streets, and in the following year, the company on North Third street was moved to a new house which had been built at Third and Franklin streets. The last house was erected in 1896, at Twenty-seventh and Penn streets. All of these houses are modern and well appointed.

The fire department is now composed of the chief, assistant chief, eight foremen and forty firemen. There are in service two steam engines, one aerial truck, one water tower, one chemical engine, four hose reels and four hose wagons. There is also a hand reel at South Park, where a volunteer organization exists. There are twenty-eight horses and about 26,000 feet of hose. There are

Dr. Robert Gunn was the first chief of the fire department. He was appointed October 13, 1865. The position had been tendered to Charles W. Davenport, who declined, however, because he was an insruance agent. Dr. Gunn served until April, 1867, when he was succeeded by Edward R. Brandow, who served until April, 1870, and who was in turn succeeded by Robert J. S. Wise. In 1871, Harry Carter was elected and served one year, being succeeded by Egid Wagner, and he in turn by Augustus Saltzman, each serving one year. In April of 1874, Wm. B. McNutt was elected, served six years, and was succeeded bv Henry Gibson, who served one year. In 1881, W. B. McNutt was again made chief and served until 1885. In 1882, Michael M. Kane was made assistant chief, and in 1885 he was made chief, writh William D. Smith as assistant. In 1892, Oliver M. Knapp and P. P. Kane were made assistant chiefs. In 1895, Oliver M. Knapp was made acting chief, owing to the illness of Mr. Kane, who resigned in 1897, and was succeeded by his brother, P. P. Kane, the present chief.