P/O John T Lloyd

On this day in Baltimore police history, 1889, we lost our brother patrolman, John T. Lloyd, to gunfire based on the following:

On July 4, 1889, while clearing a corner, Officer Lloyd was attacked by four men, one of whom shot him three times at close range—so close in fact that the muzzle flash set the officer's jacket on fire. Shot three times and severely beaten, Patrolman Lloyd managed not only to survive for several hours and to give a deposition as to what happened, but he held onto one of his attackers, “the suspect that shot him,"  until backup had arrived.Baltimore Sun newspaper article dated 5 July 5, 1889, entitled "Shot Down on Duty"

Shot Down On Duty
Another Victim of Violence
Patrolman John T Lloyd was killed.

5 July 1889

Samuel Cooper arrested one charge of murder. Four men accused of being accessories. The police commissioner and state's attorney, Kurt, asked the governor to request Attorney General Whyte to assist in the prosecution

The present year has been a remarkable one for Baltimore on account of the unusual number of deaths by violence that have occurred. The latest victim was patrolman John T. Lloyd of the Southern District, who was shot about 1:30 o’clock yesterday, July 4, 1889, at the northeast corner of Light and West Street.

A complaint had been made at the Southern District Police Station of men loafing and disturbing the peace at that corner. Patrolman Lloyd has been ordered to give it his attention. A crowd of men were there, and when the patrolman ordered them to keep quiet and they did not obey him, he attempted to arrest one of the men. Resistance was made to this action, and he was shot in addition to being roughly handled. The shots caused the patrolman's clothing to catch fire, indicating that the attacker was nearby at the time.

Samuel Cooper, Edward Doyle, James Reynolds, James Toole, and Thomas H. Hudson were arrested in connection with the shooting. Cooper is charged with being the man who fired the shots, and the others are accused of being accessories. Justice Donovan committed them to jail in preparation for a hearing on Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock. The police are also looking for other men who were supposed to have been connected with the assault.

WHERE THE ballots ENTERED

Patrolman Lloyd was carried into the drugstore on the corner and afterward ran over to his home at 18 Conway St. in a patrol wagon. He was attended to by Dr. George A. Strauss and Dr. John E. Blake, who found that he had been shot twice. One of the bullets entered his abdomen about 2 inches and a half to the right of the Naval and ranged downward. The second bullet passed straight through the thigh. Dr. George A. Strauss says that in addition to these, there was a glancing well in the abdomen in close proximity to the first. The doctor says the wounds in the abdomen both had a downward course. The best, certain, and undershirt were burned, which clearly indicates the shots were fired at close range. The doctor recovered in the clothing of the wounded patrolman a bullet of 38 caliber, which was the one that caused the glancing wound spoken of. Internal hemorrhage and shock were the causes of death.

LLOYDS DEPOSITION

Lieutenant . Bruchey and Justice Donovan awakened, who took the patrolman’s deposition as follows:
“In patrolling my beat, I went up Light Street to West Street, and I found Samuel Cooper and three or four others standing on the corner. I said to Cooper, “Do not make so much noise; the proprietor of the drugstore will come down and complain.” Cooper replied, “What are you talking about?” And without any further provocation, he pulled out a pistol and fired three shots. Then he and Ed Doyle, whom I recognized, and two or three others whom I did not recognize, jumped on me.”

VISITING THE SALOONS

Patrolman knocks on all parties of young men visiting the saloons in the neighborhood of the shooting, and about 1:15 Saul them come out of Wiesner’s saloon, one cross street. The men showed that they had been drinking but were not acting in such a manner as to justify their arrest. They walked down Light Street toward West, and the patrolman went in the opposite direction. He had gotten to the corner of Light and Hamburg when he heard the shots.

ARRESTED BY SGT. CHAILOU

Sgt. Chailou was standing at the corner of light and cross streets when he heard for shots. He ran to the corner of Light West Street and was the first officer to arrive on the scene. The Sgt. saw two men struggling on the ground and pulling the top man off when he recognized him as Cooper. He did not recognize the underman as patrolman Lloyd at first. Cooper said to the Sgt., “Let me go; I’ve not done anything.” The patrolman said, “I am shot,” and pointed out Cooper as the man who would shoot him, whereupon Cooper was arrested.

PICKING UP THE OTHERS

Patrolman Ludwig was standing at the corner of Light and Hamburg Streets and waiting for shots. He ran to the scene and saw Sgt. Chailou with Cooper under arrest. He helped take the prisoner to the patrol box. The officers then carried the world of patrolmen into the drugstore. In response to an inquiry from patrolman Ludwig as to who had shot him, patrolman Lloyd said Cooper had done it. The officers afterwards arrested Edward Doyle and James Reynolds. The two men were in the crowd when the officers arrived. Bread walked away when Cooper was arrested. They were caught several blocks away. Tool and Hudson were arrested later in the day, being known as part of the crowd that had traveled around that night. It will be noticed that the patrolman says they heard shots.

WHAT Mr. . STRAUSS SAW

William Strauss, a jeweler at 1128 Light St., was looking out his window when the shooting occurred. He heard the patrolman warn the men and says that when the first shot was fired, he saw one man, whom he believed to be Cooper, run into the middle of the street, followed by the officer, who explained, “I am shot!” Another shot was fired, and the patrolman fell to the ground when the third shot was fired. Three or four men then jumped on the patrolman, who had hold of one of the men. Mr. Strauss was hastening to the assistance of the patrolman, Lloyd, when the other officers arrived.

SOMETHING GLISTENED

James said that Nancy, an ice cream dealer on Cross Street, near Light Street, was detained late at his place of business on the night of July 3 on account of July 4 orders. He says, “About 1:30 o'clock, I was standing at the corner of a light and a cross street talking to patrolman Lamb. I heard four distinct shots, and we hurried to the scene. I sold the two men struggling on the ground. I heard Cooper say, "Christ, I did not suit that man.” At the same time, I saw Cooper hand something that glistened to one of the men standing near him. The man was standing on the opposite side of Sgt. Chailou, but I cannot say what Cooper handed him. I saw patrolman Lloyd lying in the gutter and assisted in carrying him into the drugstore, then put him into the patrol wagon. The waistband of his trouser was on fire.” After the shooting, the officer searched diligently for the pistol. The iron gutter plates were taken up in every corner and examined, but the weapon was not found.

DEATH OF THE VICTIM

The world of patrolmen lay in great agony all day. He was attended by doctors George Strauss, John E. Blake Fielder, and W. H. Smith. Ropes were stretched across the street, and a guard of police was stationed at the house to prevent intrusion. Lloyd died at 840 o’clock in the evening, having never recovered from the shock of the worms. Coroner Benson was notified and will have a postmortem examination made this morning. The inquest will be held Sunday at the southern police station. The interment of the body of the deceased patrolman will be on Sunday.

Patrolman Lloyd was 30 years of age and unmarried. He was a native of Baltimore and the nephew of William J. Lloyd of Lloyd’s Hotel and of Edward Lloyd of the Peabody House. His father was John Lloyd Contractor and Miller. He resided with his parents. He was appointed to the police force as a probationer on August 24, 1888, and was promoted to be a regular officer from October to November of the same year. Prior to his appointment on the police force, he was a truck driver and also worked with his father for a time.

SKETCH OF COOPER

Samuel Cooper The accused is about 30 years of age and an engineer. He was born in Baltimore and ended with his widowed mother and two unmarried sisters at 1257 William St. He comes from a respectable family and has a good reputation in the neighborhood. About three years ago, he was employed in the United States customs service in Baltimore. He was first hired when United States Customs launched the search as a watchman and afterwards as a fireman, being employed for two years in these positions. He then secured a situation on a baseline steamer, Carolina, as the engineer in charge of the electric lights. He left this position about three months ago. Since which time he has been unemployed. The father of the accused, Henry Cooper, was a ship carpenter. His uncle John Durr, is chief engineer of the steamer Carolina. He also has a married brother, George Cooper, the on light Street. Mrs. Cooper was prostrated by the shock when she heard of the charge made against her son, and was unable to leave her bed.

The men who are charged with being accessories to the killing are all young. Their occupations and residences are as follows: Edward Doyle is a machinist and lives in 1468 William St. James Reynolds is a candlemaker living at 1237 Durst Alley. James tool is a brush maker and the 1524 Johnson St. Thomas H. Hudson is a laborer and lives at 1213 Wall Street. None of them would make a statement in regard to the shooting. While they are all known to the police, none of them have ever been arrested except for minor offenses. Doyle was sent to jail for 10 days some time ago for assaulting a patrolman, this being the most serious charge against any of them.

PROMPT ACTION OF THE COMMISSIONERS

The police commissioners held a special session to discuss the shooting of patrolman Lloyd. After the consultation with the state attorney, the following letter was sent to Gov. Jackson:

“Sir: after consultation with the state’s attorney we believe, owing to the frequency of late of murders in this city, especially the brutal character of the attempt to murder John T Lloyd, of the police force which looks at this moment as if it would result fatally, that it is our duty to call your attention to this deplorable condition of affairs, said that in connection with the states officers of the city such prompt and effective measures may be adopted as that speedy punishment may be met out to this class of offenders against the laws of our state, thereby deterring others from the perpetration of like offenses. “One of the difficulties in the speedy trial and prompt punishment of the offenders is the right to remove their cases from the jurisdiction of the court of Baltimore city, thereby causing delay and further making it necessary to bring into the prosecution of the case those not familiar with the conception, as the states attorneys of Baltimore city is not always able to assist in the trial at the court to which the case may be removed.

“Believing, therefore that it will greatly promote and assist in the prom presentation and trial of such case to have some representation of the state connected to them from their inception to their finish, no matter in what court of the state they may be tried, we think we are justified in suggesting to you that the attorney general of the state be requested to assist the states officer of Baltimore in the prosecution of the case against the assailants of officer John T Lloyd this letter was signed by E. M. Shriver, John Q. A. Robson, John Gill Junior, who the police commissioners.

STATES ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNOR

States attorney her wrote the following to the governor: “my dear Gov. – the shooting of policeman Lloyd last night has aroused feeling of dairy just indignation on the part of all good citizens of Baltimore, and the prompt trial and punishment of the offenders is demanded by every consideration of the peace and good order of this community by looking to send this case out of jurisdiction situation with the board of police commissioners and I join with them in the clearest request that you will at once officially asked the Atty. Gen. to give me the benefit of his assistance in the prosecution of the case referred to.” In the afternoon Marshall Fray and Mr. John Gill one of the commissioners, visit Lloyd and found him in a prostrate condition.

RECORD OF POLICEMAN KILLED

Since the organization of the present Metropolitan police force three policeman and one detectives have been killed while in the discharge of their duty. Policeman Murphy of the Western district was arresting a man named daring on the Fourth of July when he was struck on the head by the prisoners brother was a Billy the officer took his man to the station house with the officer laid down upon a bench and died. Daring serving a term in the penitentiary. Policeman John Christopher of the Western district was accidentally killed while resting to colored men on a picnic on Frederick Avenue. Detective Richardson was killed on Franklin Street between you tall and Pat the Street while attempting to arrest a man.

Patrolman Clark of the middle District was killed about 15 years ago in the performance of his duty he was standing on the corner of holiday and center Street one night when the cries of murder issued from a house of ill repute. The officer ran to the house and was told that a woman was being beaten. He went upstairs to the woman’s room, and when he reached the top floor he was shot dead. A man named Thomas Cusack was arrested for that murder patrolman Clark was the father of Lidia Cole about home Logue was shot last Wednesday.

Under the old Police Department to noticeable cases occurred when policeman were killed. They were patrolman Benjamin been Robert M Rigdon. Those martyrs took place in the old “plug ugly” days man was killed in the Western part of the city by a set of roughs, and for his testimony at trial of man accused of killing Rigdon was threatens and murdered. Harry Gambrill, Marian Cropps and Peter Corrie were hanged for these murders, at the same time James Stephens, aliasCephas was hanged for the murder of William Chang, Keller did. It is stated that 39,000 persons witnessed the hanging, which took place one 8 April 1859.

11 DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE

Since the first of last January 11 persons have lost their lives in the city by violence. The following is the last of the persons against whom charges of murder have been brought, with the names of the victims:

8 January –Kunigunda Betz, murder of Margaret Schueider, her employer. Owing to the dedicated condition of the accused the case has not yet been tried.
12 January – George S Pembroke, colored, murdered of young Edward Lampson by shooting. The case was transmitted to the circuit court for Baltimore County, the jury rendering a verdict of murder in the first degree a motion for a new trial was granted, whereupon Pembroke pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and was sentenced to 15 years in the penitentiary
15 January – Danny Williams, Keller did, infanticide. Found guilty of manslaughter, with recommendation to mercy, and sentenced to six months in jail.
28 January – William E Johnson, Keller did, murder of James E. Lee, Keller did, by stabbing him at Ford’s opera house. This case was also removed the Baltimore County court. A verdict of manslaughter was rendered. The accused being sent to the penitentiary.
22 February – James Duffy, murder of Jane Harris by throwing a lighted coal oil lamp at her. He was declared not guilty.
1 March – Thomas Heiman – murder of Josh will Evans by shooting in a saloon on W. Fayette St. At the trial in Baltimore the jury disagreed, whereupon the case was removed to the Carroll County court. At the second trial Heiman was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary
16 March – William Shannon – murder of any are no alias Blanche Gray. By cutting her with a knife. This case has not yet been tried
26 May – Michael J McMahon, George W McCubbin and Benjamin a Steinman, murder of James T Kirby by shooting. The case is pending
16 June – Oliver Hinds, murder of James E Hotze – by hitting him in the left temple with a brick. Hinds was presented by the grand jury last week.
27 June – William W. Christopher, who is charged with killing Charles P Logue by shooting him with a pistol.

We his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department will not let him be forgotten. God Bless and rest in Peace. His service "Honored" the City of Baltimore and the Police Department - RIP Officer Lloyd