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History of the
Watertown Police Department
Serving the
community since 1853
1842-1899 SECTION ON
HISTORY OF
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1842
HARRIS GILMAN AND ELI H. BOUTON, Town Constables
Up to 1842 Watertown
operated under a county system of government and in April of that year
Watertown held its first election for town constables. Harris Gilman and Eli H. Bouton were
chosen.
1849
JOSEPH GILES, Village Marshal
On March 7, 1849, Watertown
was incorporated as a village and a charter was adopted. The village marshal was Joseph Giles.
Joseph Giles was one of
the early day police officers in Watertown.
He was sheriff of Jefferson County many years ago, deputy sheriff,
constable, in fact held office most all his life in Watertown. Joe was always able to manage the tough boys
who came to town . . .
1853
POLICE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED
In 1853 Watertown was incorporated as a city, and from then on operated
the law and order department, with justices of the peace, city marshals and
constables. There were justices of the
peace in Watertown and sometimes two or three constables in a ward. Occasionally in an old city directory one or
two would be identified as policemen.
CITY CHARTER / AN
ACT /
To Incorporate the City of Watertown
03 03 . . .
Section 7. The mayor shall be the chief executive officer and head of the police of
the city. It shall be his duty to
recommend in writing to the city council such measures as he may deem
expedient. He shall keep the seal of
said city, sign all commissions, licenses and permits which may be granted by
the city council; he shall endeavor to maintain peace and good order, and see
that the laws of the state and ordinances of the city are observed and
executed; he shall have the power to administer oaths or affirmations, and to
take and certify acknowledgement of deeds and other instruments in
writing. As a judicial officer, he shall
have power, and by giving the bonds required by law, may exercise the
jurisdiction of justice of the peace, and to prevent or suppress riot or other
public disturbance, by may appoint as many special constables as he may deem
proper.
In witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand a affixed the great seal of said state, at the capitol in
Madison, this third day of March, A.D. 1853.
Charles D Robinson,
Secretary of State. Watertown Chronicle, 03 16 1853
-- -- LUCIUS BRUEGGER
became the first city marshal in 1853 when Watertown was incorporated as a
city.
Lucius
Bruegger named the Sharp Corner saloon [823 E. Main] "The Beehive."
1854-1857
1855
Night Watchman taken up town,
filled with beer, while two sawed Maes’ shanty fence and threw it into the
river
1858
-- -- Harris Gilman, City Marshal
August Tanck elected City Marshal
1859
01 27 Accounts presented and referred . . . W. Bieber & Co., for rent of lock-up to March, 1859,
$18.00
WD
02 10 Confer with Messrs. Bieber & Co. and
ascertain the amount of rent for lock up for the ensuring year WD
03 03 John Staub, candidate for office of City Marshal
03 10 Subject of Police
Jurisdiction
06 02 Special Police or
Night Watch proposed WD
1859-1860
-- -- August Tanck, City Marshal
1860
01 26 August Tank for three months services
as City Marshall, Oct. 1st, 1859, to Dec 31, 1859, $25, allowed and charged to
city general fund. WD
1861
-- -- John Haines, City Marshal
05 23 Office of police justice to be abolished,
remarks by Mayor Williams WD
1862
-- -- Frederick
Herman, City Marshal
1863
-- -- J. STAUB, City Marshal
06 25 NIGHT WATCH
Common Council Proceedings: Resolved, that his Honor the Mayor be
authorized to appoint a night watch if, in his opinion, it is necessary. WD
10 15 A THIEF CAUGHT
On the night of the 8th
the warehouse of George Peeples was entered by means of cutting a hole through
the floor and a considerable quantity of wool and a number of sheep pelts
stolen. Sheriff Giles immediately went
in pursuit of the thief, overtook him at Madison, brought him and the property
back, and after examination before Justice Ducassee, was committed to jail for
trial. The name of the burglar is Otto
Esche. He will probably have a permanent
location at Waupun before long. WD
1864
-- -- JOHN
HAINES, City Marshal
01 28 KEEPING COUNTY CRIMINALS IN THE CITY LOCKUP
Ald. Dennis moved that
the Mayor is hereby requested to make out the account against the county for
keeping criminals in the city lockup, and that the [Jefferson County] Deputy
Sheriff, Joseph Giles, should be asked to certify on the account that he used
the lockup for the county prisoners, and that such account be presented for
allowance at the next meeting of the county board. Motion carried.
The Clerk read the
report of the election held on the 15th day of January and on motion of Ald.
Dennis the Committee of Judiciary was instructed to report at the next meeting
of the Council a bill to be presented to the Assembly for the passage of an act
to legalize all actions had in regard to raising a tax to pay bounties to
volunteers. WD
02 14 MARSHAL SHALL NOT BURY DEAD ANIMALS
Common Council
Proceedings: Ald. Dennis moved that the
Marshal shall not bury any more dead animals at the expense of the city, but
shall inform the owners that it is their duty to remove nuisances from the
streets or in front of their lots.
Carried.
04 21 SALARY OF THE MARSHAL
Resolved, That the
salary of the Marshal of this city for the ensuing year shall be two hundred
dollars and that the sum so paid shall include and be in full for all services
that the said Marshal is performing under the direction of the Common
Council. Adopted by unanimous vote. WD
1865
10
05 JOHN HAINS, CITY MARSHAL
Common Council Proceedings:
Against General Fund, John Hains, $50, three months salary as
Marshal. WD
1866-1872
-- -- ERNST OFF, CITY MARSHAL
1869 SPECIAL
POLICE
1. The common council,
for the purpose of guarding against the calamities of fire, shall have power to
prescribe the limits within which wooden building or buildings of other
materials that shall not be considered fire proof, shall not be erected or
repaired and to direct that all and any buildings within . . .
7. The common council
shall have power to organize a sack [fire] company, which shall be known as
sack company number one, to consist of not more than twenty members. Such
company shall constitute a part of the fire department, and at fires shall be
subject to the control of the chief engineer. The members of said company,
either collectively or individually, are hereby authorized and empowered to act
as a special police in and for the city of Watertown, and are hereby vested
with all the power and authority which now is or may hereafter be vested in any
police officer of said city and shall be entitled to all the rights and
immunities of the fire department; at fires they shall take charge of all
property which may be exposed or endangered, and shall, so far as it may be in
their power, preserve the same from injury and destruction . . . Riedl, Ken, Watertown Fire Department: 1858-2007,
2007, pg 48
1870
Gas supplied to Engine house and Lockup on
S. First St.
1873
-- -- John “Putt” Reichert [Reichardt], City Marshal
1874
-- -- P.
Dougherty, City Marshal
-- -- J. F.
Barber, City Marshal
c.1875
WATERTOWN'S CALABOOSE
Jail or lock-up located
in basement of early fire house on South First Street,
as noted in
"Watertown Fire Dept 1857-2007" by Ken Riedl, pgs
36-41.
1876
-- -- WATERTOWN SPECIAL POLICE [Fire Police]
A general desire seems
to prevail among many of our citizens, and the matter will soon be submitted to
the consideration of the Board of Street Commissioners as to the exigency of
organizing a Sack Company, to
act as a reinforcement to our present police force in cases of great
necessity.
Although the city
charter expressly provides for an organization of this description [see 1869], still
no force of this kind has yet been formed, and without it the efficiency of
our Fire Department seems necessarily incomplete. The organization, as provided by the charter,
is to comprise not more than twenty men, to constitute a part of the Fire
Department and to be subjected to the full control of the chief engineer.
It is understood that
each member belonging to the company is virtually constituted a police officer,
empowered with the same rights, privileges and authority that are vested in any
emissary connected with our city police.
Watertown Democrat, 06 22 1876 / Riedl, Ken, Watertown Fire Department: 1858-2007, 2007, pg 84
_____________________________________________________
Sack Company No. 1 was
incorporated in 1876 for the purpose of attending fires in the capacity of a special fire police force—few now
know that they even existed, much less what their role was at the time. Special Police or Fire Police were Volunteer
Fire Company members with sworn police powers.
They received special police training and were responsible for traffic
control, crowd control, fire and incident scene security, apparatus security
securing property and, in some instances, station security during calls for
service. They hustled when the alarm of fire was heard, many times reaching the
scene before the firemen themselves.
During times of large-scale or particularly serious small emergencies,
the response system could become overwhelmed.
To that end, having a trained, equipped group of responders who could
supplement fire personnel was an invaluable tool to incident commanders. Riedl, Ken, Watertown
Fire Department: 1858-2007, 2007, pgs 84-86
1877-1878
-- -- D.
Kehr, City Marshal
1879
-- -- GEORGE HENZE, City Marshal
A city marshal
reported, and complained, to the city council in 1879 that he had arrested four
persons as vagrants and brought them to the Justice of the Peace, who dismissed
them all with the injunction "go and sin no more." Later 17 others were arrested as vagrants,
one was put in jail, 16 were dismissed to "go and sin no more." WDT article 03 20 1982
c.1880s
-- -- F. P. [Peter]
Brook, owner of a confectionary and fruit store on the Main St bridge,
served as deputy city marshal, date uncertain
WG
1883
07 13 FARMER FILLED WITH CORN JUICE DEALT WITH TOO
LENIENTLY
An Editorial: A prominent farmer of Emmet made quite a
disgraceful exhibition of himself on Main Street yesterday afternoon on account
of being well filled with corn juice. He
became quite noisy and when remonstrated with by an officer, endeavored to
convince the arm of the law that he could act just as he pleased on our
streets. Our deputy marshal made an
effort to quiet him, found kind words of no avail, and was compelled to use his
cane on the fellow’s head, cutting him slightly. At this juncture in the proceedings our rural
friend’s wife took a hand in [the incident] and the officer was persuaded to
let the fellow alone. Such fellows as
the subject of this item have been dealt too lenient with by our officers and
they imagine that they can do just as they please without being interfered
with. If this fellow’s head is sore for
some time to come, our verdict is that he deserves not only a sore head, but
should be fined for raising a disturbance.
WG
1885
August Charles Kerr,
appointed night patrolman, becomes city marshal and first police chief; served
1885-1912.
09 04 Officer Stylow;
chance to show the public just how adept he was at handling six desperate
tramps
1886
05 26 CUSTODIAN
OF THE PUBLIC'S PEACE UNABLE TO CONTROL HIMSELF
A city officer, who is supposed to be a
custodian of the public's peace, could be seen Sunday last highly intoxicated,
unable to control himself, let alone other people, and at the same time dashing
through the streets in a buggy and putting the whip to the horse in a manner
that made said officer liable to be arrested for cruelty to animals. Should our city tolerate this state of things
much longer? WG
07 16 TRAMPS ARRESTED AFTER STRUGGLE
Sheriff Illing and
Marshall Zautner had quite an exciting time arresting seven tramps who were
quartered near the C. & N.W. Ry. depot.
The tramps made a strong resistance, and the sheriff found it necessary to draw his revolver and for the marshal to use his billy in arresting
them. They were finally captured and
placed in the lockup overnight. Next day
Commissioner Feld examined them. Four
were bound over for trial to the circuit court for being tramps, and two for
resisting an officer. The last of the
gang was sentenced to the county jail for 15 days for using profane language.
1889
-- -- CHARLES ZAUTNER, City Marshal
Night police officer sleeping while on duty,
Zautner prepared formal complaint regarding.
1890
02 07 STOLEN CLOTHES CAN BE CLAIMED
Marshal Zautner has a
number of articles of wearing apparel that he found in possession of a tramp
this week. They were evidently stolen
from a clothes line. The owner can have
them by calling on the marshal. WG
04 04 NIGHT WATCHMEN, FORCE OF THREE MEMBERS
Night watchmen was made subject to the control of the
city marshal and they shall be on duty from 8 o'clock p.m. until 6 o’clock a.m.
during the winter months and from 8 o’clock p.m. until 5 o'clock a.m. during
the summer months.
The following- was passed: Police force of the city would consist of 3
members which would be under the control of the city marshal.
05 14 JESSE JAMES GANG MEMBER CAPTURED IN DOWNTOWN WATERTOWN
A young man named T. W. Berry, supposed to be a pal of
one J. M. Officer who is wanted at Ava, Mo., having escaped from the sheriff at
that place, was arrested on Watertown’s Main Street this morning by Deputy
Sheriff Graewe. The desperate character
of the man is shown in his drawing a revolver on Graewe before being
taken. He was placed in the lockup. J. M. Officer is thought to be somewhere in
the city. The Watertown News, 05 14 1890
05 21 JESSE JAMES GANG MEMBER CAPTURED
In our last issue we recorded the capture here of one
T. W. Berry, supposed to be connected with two notorious characters in southern
Missouri, named J. M. Officer and Geo. Scott, all three having escaped from the
hands of Joseph M. Lyon, sheriff of Douglas county, Missouri, while in his
custody to answer to the charge of the robbery of Samuel Turner’s store, at
Arno, Missouri.
Deputies Graewe and Arndt, returning from Jefferson
afternoon, after leaving Berry in jail, spotted Officer and Scott, who had got
on board at Janesville. The pair left
the train here and started up town, followed by our officers and Sheriff
Hibbard. Officer and Scott went into the
Watertown post office and enquiring for the same mail that Berry had gave
assurance to the officers that they were on the right track.
One was arrested in front of Stallmann’s and the other
at the corner of Second Street. The
prisoners attempted to draw revolvers, both being well armed, but Deputy Graewe
and his assistants were too quick for the fellows. The Missourians were taken down to Jefferson
by the 4 o’clock freight and lodged in jail.
Monday Sheriff Lyon, accompanied by Mr. Turner,
identified the prisoners and a requisition having been obtained from Gov.
Hoard, they started back with their prisoners yesterday morning. A reward of $75 was offered for the arrest of
these men by Sheriff Lyon and Deputy Sheriff Graewe has received his
money. About $200 was stolen from
Turner’s store, but the prisoners are also wanted by the sheriff of Wright
county, Missouri, for breaking into the county treasurer’s office and taking
$7,000.
They are a hard and desperate gang and there is no doubt
they belonged to the Jesse James desperadoes.
After committing the burglary at Arno the fellows were tracked to
Memphis,Tenn. about March 31; from there Sheriff Lyon dispatched to Deputy
Graeve that these men would be in Watertown about a certain time, which
happened to correspond to very nearly the exact day when they did put in their
appearance here.
Many are asking themselves why it happens that
Watertown was chosen as their projective point, and what was their inducement
for coming here. There is no doubt that
the prompt arrest of these desperate characters saved us from some fine work,
that most likely would have taken place on the night of the day the capture was
made. The Watertown News, 05 21
1890
08
22 BURST
HIS BILLY OVER HIS TRAMPSHIP'S HEAD
Last
week Thursday, Marshal Kerr had quite an encounter with a tramp named John
Miles near the C.M. & St. Paul depot.
Miles was in company with two other tramps, in Hubers
lumber yard, and the former took hold of Theo. Martin, a laborer therein, with
intent, it is supposed, of robbing him of his money. Martin resisted and summoned aid, when the
tramps skipped away. Marshal Kerr was
telephoned for and hastened to arrest them.
On arriving in that vicinity he found the tramps and gave chase. Two of them got away but Miles was induced to
stand after the marshal had emptied two chambers of his revolver as an
inducement to have him stop. On catching
up with Miles he showed fight, and it was necessary for the marshal to burst
his billy over his trampship's
head before the fellow would submit to an arrest. He was a big, burly-looking fellow, weighing
nearly 200 pounds, and he evidently thought his size would scare the marshal if
he resisted arrest. He was not long in
being convinced, however, that he had run upon a hornet’s nest and the hind
legs of a mule combined in the person of Marshal Kerr. He was placed behind the bars in the city
lockup for the balance of the day, and the next morning sentence for vagrancy
by Justice Stacy to five days solitary confinement in the county jail. WG
10
01 TRAMP
BREAKS OUT OF LOCK-UP
A
drunken tramp placed in the lock-up was released last night by a comrade, who
broke down the door of the marshal’s office and was then able to turn the key
in the door of the lock-up, thus giving the fellow inside his liberty. Both tramps made a sudden departure. WR
12
12 FIRE-BUGS
CONFESS TO LEWIS FIRE
In our issue of last
week we referred briefly to the arrest of John Schlueter charged with setting
fire to G. B. Lewis & Co.’s bee hive factory in February. As stated, Mr. Parks, the junior member of
the company, visited the reform school at Waukesha for the purpose of getting a
confession out of Eddy Weigel, a boy 11 years of age sent from here to that
institution last October, with the suspicion hanging over him that he knew all
about the various fires that were kindled here the present year, involving the
loss of over $25,000 worth of property in the destruction of the G. B. Lewis Co.’s bee hive factory, the Watertown woolen mill, Geo. W. Evans’ livery barn and the Herzog and Lange
barns.
When Mr. Parks first
began interviewing young Weigel, he was reluctant to telling all he knew about
these fires, but he finally made a clean breast of it. He stated that he fired Evans’ and Lange’s
barns merely for the sake of seeing a fire, and Herzog's barn because some of
the Herzog family were mad at his folks, and called him names because they did
not buy beer at Herzog's saloon, and he fired the barn to get even with them.
With regard to the
Lewis fire, he stated that he and Schlueter planned this fire because they had
applied for work at the Lewis factory and were refused. Early in the evening they passed some time in
a barn back of the William Pell house in the 5th ward, and then strolled down towards
Weber’s lumber yard, thence down to the river bank, and waited around the mills
and factory until the electric lights went out.
Weigel gave a minute description of the interior of the factory at the
place therein where they started the fire on the night in question, so that
there can be no doubt of his story being correct.
As soon as the electric
lights were turned off, both entered the basement door on the south of the
factory leading from the alley way between there and the woolen mill, Schlueter
applied the match whilst Weigel stood guard outside watching so that they could
not be surprised in their nefarious work.
When everything was ready, Weigel went outside to watch, but returned
again to inform Schlueter that a man was passing by and they had better wait
awhile longer. They did so, and both
returned to their respective posts.
Schlueter applied the
match to a pile of shavings in the fore part of the basement and then skipped
outside, calling to his partner to run.
Both started on the run, got separated in Weber's lumber yard, but came
together again near Jesse Stone's residence, and then proceeded to Hughes' barn
nearby, where they passed the night.
On arriving home from
Waukesha, Mr. Parks had Schlueter arrested.
He was closely questioned as to his connection with the Lewis fire, and
told substantially the same story as above. . . .
. . . . It is a relief
to know that older persons were not engaged in this work. Both boys will probably spend the best years of
their lives in the reform school, if not in the state prison, and it is hoped
that with this as an example before them, other boys here may be prevented from
ever engaging in such despicable work.
The reform school and
state prison, to our mind, is altogether too mild a punishment for such
acts. It now remains to discover who
fired the old Lindon House barn, and let us hope that the guilty one may also
be found out. WG
1890c
-- -- Police
Dept located in City Hall, adjacent to Fire Dept
1892-1895
-- -- CHARLES KERR, City Marshal
1894
01 23 1894 CRIME REPORT
During the
year 1894 there were 226 arrests made by officers in this city. The
statistics as compiled by the chief-of-police show the nature of complaint and
number of arrests as follows: Assault, 29; abusive
language,27; drunk and disorderly, 17; petit larceny, 11;
carrying concealed weapons, 4; obtaining money by false
pretenses, 3; malicious mischief, 3; indecent
exposure,2; threats, 2; resisting officer, 2; bastardy,
1; grave larceny, 1; assault with intent to rob,
1; non-support, 1; jumping board bill, 1. In addition there were papers served on 121
tramp cases, making the total 226 arrests. Besides, 1,000 persons
were accorded free lodging at the jail.
WR
06 29 Julius Schoechert
appointed special policeman WG
x Charles
H. Pieritz appointed to force
1895
01 30 ANOTHER NIGHT POLICE OFFICER NEEDED
West siders are crying for another
night police officer in their section.
It is claimed that one man cannot possibly render service to the
business portion of that part of the city and at the same time keep a watchful
eye on the horde of tramps and tough characters who infest the railroad tracks
from the Junction to the Northwestern coal sheds. It is not deemed safe for a citizen to travel
over that route after nightfall. An
extra officer is urgently demanded. WR
11 13 TRAMP DEMANDS SWEET CAPORAIS
A rude tramp had lodgings
Saturday night at the police station. He
somewhat amused the officers by demanding that they provide him with
cigarettes, specifying Sweet CaporaIs as the only brand that he smoked . Such luxuries, however, are not furnished at the
station. WR
1896-1916
HERMAN C. BLOCK:
Member of police dept:
1893-1916 / Police Chief:
1896-1916
Watertown's first Chief of Police in the modern sense
of that term was the late Herman C. Block.
He was first named in 1896 and served by appointment of the City Council
from 1903 to 1910, when he was appointed to the same position by the Board of
Police and Fire Commissioners, serving until 1916 when he resigned and was
succeeded by Charles Pieritz.
Mr. Block became a
Milwaukee Road detective after leaving his position here. His home for many years was at South Fourth
and Market Streets, the site now [1954] occupied by the office building of Dr.
A. C. Hahn, Dr. A. C. Nickels and Dr. Vernon P. Smebak.
1897
04 07 FERDINAND LINK ELECTED ASSISTANT
CHIEF ENGINEER
At a meeting of the Watertown
Fire Department Monday evening Ferdinand Link was elected assistant chief
engineer in place of Charles Pientz, whose position on the police force
prevented his qualifying. Mr. Link received 33 votes against 32 for Herman
Conrad. Watertown News
1898
03 09 03 09 POLICE SET TRAP FOR TRAMPS
After resident offers
sleigh to officers
A gang of eight tramps who
had imbibed freely of alcoholic spirits held high revelry and caused
considerable trouble in the vicinity of the Chicago & Northwestern railway
roundhouse last Thursday afternoon.
The police department
being notified, Officers Eifiler, Kerr and Pieritz were dispatched to quell the disturbance and arrest
the culprits. At about 5:30 the latter
were encountered, and after a desperate struggle, in which Officer Kerr was
roughly handled but nevertheless succeeded in besting his man, three of the
gang were landed behind the bars of the lock-up. They gave their names as Charles Carney,
William Bates and Thomas Curlen. Subsequently Justice Stacy sentenced Bates to
the county jail for twenty days and Curlen for five
days, the former for using obscene language and the latter for drunkenness.
Carney was held for examination on the 11th inst.
After jailing the above
three the officers went back in quest of the other offenders, who it was
ascertained had kept up their nefarious work in the meantime. They attempted to ensconce themselves in the
roundhouse and, being ordered out by the engine-wiper, Samuel Fluker, had
unmercifully pounced upon the latter and pummeled and kicked him so that he was
rendered unconscious, when they left him and fled up the track. Fluker was found by neighbors in this
condition and taken to his home.
On their way over the
police were notified of what had happened by Station Agent Heimerl
and Joseph Reinehr and chase was given, Mr. Reinehr placing his sleigh at the officers disposal. As they neared the crossing north of the
roundhouse the tramps espied the pursuing party, but supposing them to be
farmers returning home, set about to hold them up. The tramps were somewhat dismayed upon
discovering the trap they had fallen into and their capture was soon effected
by the officers.
The prisoners gave
their names as Robert Gray, Thomas Ryan, John Gukeen,
Charles Haney and James Clark. Saturday
morning Justice Stacy committed them to jail at Juneau to await their
examination tomorrow, when it is expected Mr. Fluker will be able to appear
against them. Mr. Fluker was quite seriously injured, sustaining a broken rib
and some pretty sore bruises, but he is recovering nicely. His assailants, it is hoped, will receive
their just deserts at the hands of the law.
1899
01 11 POLICE POORLY PAID
The police force of
this city is probably the poorest paid of any like body of men in the
state. People must remember that these
men are on duty when they are snugly ensconced in a good warm bed, and that
they are obliged to face the extremes of all kinds of weather. They have to support their families, and
dress as becomes the dignity of their positions. How are they going to do it on $35 per
month? Other cities pay about twice that
sum. Besides, it is a very hazardous
occupation. Their work is amongst the
criminal classes, and the liability of bodily injury and the destruction of
hard-earned uniforms continually stares them in the face. Others might be found to take their places at
the same miserable stipend, but an increase in their monthly allowance would
not only be an act of justice but tend to greater zealousness. These men have long been in the employ of the
city, and their faithfulness deserves to be rewarded. WR
01 11 TRAMPS LODGED IN LOCK-UP
(same date) Chief of
Police Block reports that during the year 1898 1,648 persons mostly tramps were
given lodging in the city lock-up. The
total number of arrests made on warrants was 171. WR
01 29 PAY INCREASE FOR POLICEMEN
Times, Weltbuerger and Gazette are in hardy accord with the Republican in the movement to increase
the pay of our policemen. The Welbuerger's suggestion of $45 per month
is not a dollar too much. And even that rate
is $15 less per month than Fond du Lac and Madison, and $30 less than
Janesville. WG
09 12 MAN SHOT DEAD BY WATERTOWN OFFICER
At about 2 o'clock
Sunday morning Officer Lucius Bruegger shot and killed Gustave Dumpke near the
corner of West Main and North Warren streets.
Apparently the deed was committed in self-defense.
It is said that Dumpke,
together with two companions, Edward Gruel and Henry Saum, had been drinking
and carousing downtown Saturday night and the police warned them to desist and
retire to their homes. They had
proceeded a portion of the way when Officer Krueger, on his return from the
Junction, came across them at the place above mentioned. The men were still boisterous and noisy and
Bruegger threatened them with arrest unless the disturbance ceased. Thereupon the three attacked the officer,
knocking him down, taking away his billy and unmercifully pounding him. Bruegger fought bravely, but was badly used
up, the injuries about his head being terrible and resulting in much loss of
blood. While lying on the ground and
only as a last resort, he claims, he pulled his revolver and fired, the bullet
hitting Dumpke in the right neck, passing upward and lodging in the left
temple.
As best he could,
Officer Bruegger notified Janitor Krueger of the occurrence. The latter gave the alarm and Officers Kerr
and Pieritz were soon at work on the case, Bruegger meanwhile going to a
physician to have his wounds dressed. WR
12 20 WATERTOWN
GAZETTE CONDEMNS TRAMP
Last week Thursday a tramp with his arm in a sling was
going around the city begging for money.
He claimed that he scalded his arm while working at Janesville and was
endeavoring to reach his home in Green Bay.
Marshal Zautner took him before Dr. Werner, who examined his arm and
agreed with the marshal’s opinion that the scar thereon was not induced by
scalding, but was self-inflicted for the purpose of playing on the sympathy of
the public, and thereby extracting money from people who might sympathize with
him. He was then placed in the lockup,
where he made a confession to the marshal, saying that he produced the scar by
placing some acid upon his arm for the purpose above stated. He was taken before Justice Stacy and given
ten days solitary confinement in the county jail, during which time he will
have a chance to reflect on the heinousness of his crime.
Any person who will mutilate his body as this fellow
did, and for the purpose, does not deserve to live. Watertown
Gazette, 12 20 1889
Portfolio
of Police Dept pictures
File
on city jail
Fuermann Brewery,
Police Dept occupies former site of
UNKNOWNS
005_WPD_049 
005_WPD_050
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Next Segment 
1900-1949 section
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History of Watertown, Wisconsin