Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 16 years, 5 months, 9 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 7, 17th Precinct - Englewood
District of Incident (Present Day): 007 - Englewood
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 42
Timeline
Date of Birth: 05 Feb 1905
Date of Appointment: 01 May 1889
Date of Incident: 10 Oct 1905
End of Watch: 10 Oct 1905
Date of Interment: 13 Oct 1905
Interment Details
Cemetery: Calvary Cemetery - Evanston, Illinois
Grave Location: Lot S40, Block 1, Section I
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # B-1
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 24
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 1, Line 36
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 42-E: 6
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Desk Sergeant John P. Shine, Star #44, aged 42 years, was a 16 year, 5 month, 9 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 7, 17th Precinct – Englewood.
On October 10, 1905, Sergeant Shine was in charge of a squad of officers who were in pursuit of Robert Newcomb, who had previously killed one woman, Mrs. Florence Poore, wounded two men and ran through the streets brandishing a pistol. Newcomb then sought refuge in his home at 1261 West 61st Street and barricaded himself in his apartment. In response to Sergeant Shine’s knock at his rear door Newcomb fired through the door, the bullet taking effect in the Sergeant’s abdomen from which wound he died two hours later in Englewood Union Hospital. Newcomb was arrested, tried, convicted and is now under death sentence for murder. Of the four persons shot by Newcomb, three have died from their wounds.
On October 11, 1905, Newcomb was arrested and held without bail by Coroner’s Jury. On January 7, 1906, Newcomb was sentenced by Judge Barnes to hang on February 16, 1906. Newcomb was hung on February 16, 1906.
Sergeant Shine was waked at his residence located at No. 5913 South Princeton Avenue. His funeral mass was held at St. Bernard Catholic Church located at 340 West 66th Street. He was laid to rest on October 13, 1905 in Calvary Cemetery, 301 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, Illinois. His grave is located in Lot S40, Block 1, Section I.
Desk Sergeant John P. Shine, born in 1863, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on May 1, 1889.
Sergeant Shine was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association. He was survived by his wife, Margaret (nee Flynn); daughter, Annie D. Shine Fitzgibbon; mother: Anna (nee Magner) and siblings: Anna Maria Shine McManimen, Cornelius C., Michael and William T.
Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department homicide file, Case #2309.
On October 14, 1910, Sergeant Shine’s star was retired by General Superintendent LeRoy T. Steward and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street, Room 505, Office of the Superintendent of Police. Officer Shea’s star was one of fourteen stars added to the newly instituted memorial to preserve the memory of officers killed in the line of duty. The tradition of retiring a star number was born. In 1928, the star case was moved to the 4th floor Office of the Superintendent at Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. The Honored Star Case was later relocated to the lobby of Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. In 2000, Chicago Police Headquarters again moved to a new facility at 3510 South Michigan Avenue, Sergeant Shine’s Star was re-encased in the new headquarters building lobby.