Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 1, Line 27
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 40-E: 6
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman John Monighan, Star #3179, aged 45 years, was a 9 year, 3 month veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 8, 19th Precinct – Stock Yards.
On January 27, 1895, at approximately 12:20 a.m., Officer Monighan was on duty at the car barns located at O’Neil (present day 23rd Street) and Halsted Streets. He was standing at the entrance when car #1835, and electric streetcar, was being switched onto the tracks that led into that particular barn. Standing directly in its path, Officer Monighan was unable to escape when the car suddenly swung around the curve and into the building. The car pinned Officer Monighan between the streetcar and the wall of the barn, a space with only 6” of clearance. In addition to the injuries he sustained by the crushing force, his head was slammed into the glass window of the streetcar shattering it. He then sustained a laceration to the neck, cutting his jugular artery on the broken glass. Employees at the car barn stooped the car immediately and attempted to free him. Officer Monighan only lived for only a few moments more and died as a result of the accident.
Officer Monighan was laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery, 301 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, Illinois.
Patrolman John Monighan, born in 1850, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department in September, 1885.
Officer Monighan was survived by his three children. He was preceaded in death by his wife.
Chicago Police Department homicide file not found for this incident.