Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 1 year, 6 months, 8 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 3, 5th Precinct - Stanton
District of Incident (Present Day): 002 - Wentworth
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 31
Timeline
Date of Birth: Jan 1878
Date of Appointment: 23 Dec 1907
Date of Incident: 01 Jul 1909
End of Watch: 01 Jul 1909
Date of Interment: 03 Jul 1909
Interment Details
Cemetery: Oak Woods Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # B-2
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 4
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 1, Line 38
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 23-W: 14
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman Henry G. Schnauble, Star #1062, aged 31 years, was a 1 year, 6 month, 8 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 3, 5th Precinct – Stanton.
On July 1, 1909, at 2:30 a.m., Officer Schnauble encountered a burglar, Tegee McNeil, exiting a building in an alley near 34th Street and Wabash Avenue with proceeds of a burglary. Officer Schnauble ordered McNeil to halt. Disregarding the officer’s command, McNeil drew a gun and opened fire. Officer Schnauble returned fire as McNeil fled on foot. Officer Schnauble then chased McNeil to a vacant lot at 3436 South Wabash Avenue. Under the Southside elevated train tracks McNeil pretended to be shot. This was a ruse to draw Officer Schnauble closer. When the officer approached McNeil opened fire once again at close range striking Officer Schnauble, mortally wounding him. McNeil then made good his escape. A search of the alley where the burglary had occurred produced a set of burglary tools, including a chisel, lantern, screwdriver and a red handkerchief.
On July 14, 1909, Tegee McNeil was arrested and held by Coroner’s Jury. The September 1909 Grand Jury returned a No Bill on McNeil and he was released.
Officer Schnauble was waked at his residence located at 3728 South LaSalle Street. He was laid to rest on July 3, 1909 in Oak Woods Cemetery, 1035 East 67th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Patrolman Henry G. Schnauble, born in January 1878, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on December 23, 1907.
Officer Schnauble was survived by his parents: George Adam and Henrietta (nee Brown) and siblings: Anna Schnauble Rose, Henry G and George E.
Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department homicide file, Case #2365.
On October 14, 1910, Officer Schnauble’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, Officer Schnauble’s Star was re-encased in the new headquarters building lobby.