Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 1 year, 6 months, 18 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 6 - Grand Crossing
District of Incident (Present Day): 009 - Deering
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 31
Timeline
Date of Birth: 25 Apr 1894
Date of Appointment: 09 May 1924
Date of Incident: 27 Nov 1925
End of Watch: 27 Nov 1925
Date of Interment: 30 Nov 1925
Interment Details
Cemetery: Mount Hope Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # B-9
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 22
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 16
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall:
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman James H. Carroll, Star #517, aged 31 years, was a 1 year, 6 month, 18 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 6 – 75th Street Station, detailed to the Detective Bureau in plainclothes.
On November 27, 1925, at 3:10 a.m., Officer Henry and his partner, Patrolman James H. Carroll, were on duty in plain clothes. They were ordered to stand watch outside a “soft drink parlor,” owned by John McKeone, located at 5253 South Halsted Street. They were standing watch in addition to dozens of other officers surrounding Lloyd Austin’s Englewood Avenue apartment on the lookout for Martin Durkin. Durkin was wanted for car theft, for severely wounding three Chicago Police Officers and for the murder of an FBI Special Agent Edwin C. Shanahan on October 11, 1925. He had a $500.00 reward out for his arrest.
Although the officers were ordered to stand watch outside the saloon, they had been keeping watch from inside for several nights because Officer Carroll was ill. While sitting inside near a stove in the barroom there was a knock at the door. The bartender, George Howard, let in three men who claimed to be policemen. The bandits brandished weapons and ordered everyone to put their hands up, announcing a robbery. Officers Carroll and Henry confronted the robbers and shooting erupted almost instantly. Officer Carroll fired six rounds, all of which were later recovered in the wall. Officer Carroll and Officer Henry both received several gunshot wounds in the exchange. Officer Carroll was shot in the head and died on scene. Officer Henry was shot in the abdomen and succumbed to his wounds three days later on November 30, 1925. A patron, Martin Custer, was also shot and killed. The robbers escaped without being hit and were never apprehended.
Officer Carroll was waked at his residence located at 6828 South Calumet Avenue, his funeral mas was also held at his residence. He was laid to rest on November 30, 1925 in Mount Hope Cemetery, 11500 South Fairfield Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
Patrolman James H. Carroll, born April 25, 1894, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on May 9, 1924. He earned 1 Credible Mention during his career.
Officer Carroll was survived by his wife, Agnes May (nee Bailey); children: Barbara, Esther, Judith, Mae and the late Jane Gloria; parents: Elizabeth (nee Brennon) and James C. and siblings: Allan A. and Mrs. J. R. Kelso.
Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department homicide file, Case #8184.
Sergeant Harry J. Gray, also attempting to apprehend Durkin, was also killed in the line of duty, by Durkin’s girlfriend, on November 2, 1925.