Death Classification: Performance of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 26 years, 1 month, 19 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 1, 1st Precinct - Central Detail
District of Incident (Present Day): 012 - Near West
Cause of Death: Fall - Thrown from Horse
Age at Time of Death: 50
Timeline
Date of Birth: Jan 1859
Date of Appointment: 13 May 1883
Date of Incident: 01 Jul 1909
End of Watch: 02 Jul 1909
Date of Interment: 05 Jul 1909
Interment Details
Cemetery: Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # 23
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 23
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 4, Line 44
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 13-W: 22
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman John Patrick Kearney, Sr., Star # Unknown, aged 50 years, was a 26 year, 1 month, 19 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 1, 1st Precinct – Central Detail.
On July 1, 1909, Officer Kearney was assigned to protect a wagon driver from striking union workers. While mounted on his horse, it suddenly bolted as an automobile passed. He was thrown from his mount and struck the ground, sustaining a fractured spine in the fall. Officer Kearney died the next day from his injuries on July 2, 1909.
Officer Kearney was waked at his residence located at 3533 South Hamilton Avenue. His funeral mass was held at St. Agnes of Bohemia Church located at 2651 South Central Park Avenue. He was laid to rest on July 5, 1909 in Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 2755 West 111th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Patrolman John Patrick Kearney, Sr., born in January 1859, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on May 13, 1883.
Officer Kearney was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association and Archbishop McHale Council No. 1194 Knights of Columbus. He was survived by his wife, Rose (nee Murtha), age 39 and children: John Patrick, Jr., age 1, Mary, age 22, Patrick, age 25, Peter James, age 15, Phillip, age 12 and Rose, age 24.
Chicago Police Department homicide file not found for this incident.