Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 10 years, 9 months, 0 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 9, 12th Precinct - Gresham
District of Incident (Present Day): 006 - Gresham
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 39
Timeline
Date of Birth: 23 Apr 1878
Date of Appointment: 07 Mar 1907
Date of Incident: 01 Dec 1917
End of Watch: 07 Dec 1917
Date of Interment: 10 Dec 1917
Interment Details
Cemetery: Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # B-4
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 2
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 1, Line 53
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 28-E: 4
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman Michael J. McGough, Star #2982, aged 39 years, was a 10 year, 9 month, 0 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 9, 12th Precinct – Gresham.
On December 1, 1917, at 2:20 a.m., Officer McGough was on patrol and came across Charles Martino attempting to steal coal from the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad yard on Wallace Street between 80th and 81st Streets. Charles Martino was the night watchman employed by the Railroad. Officer McGough attempted to place Martino under arrest when he began to resist. Martino produced a revolver and fired at Officer McGough. Officer McGough was struck and mortally wounded. He was taken to St Bernard’s Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds six days later on December 7, 1917.
Martino was arrested after the shooting. On December 8, 1917, Martino was held to the Grand Jury by the Coroner’s Jury. Markino stood trial and pleaded poverty as the motive behind his crime. He claimed that his family was freezing and their hardship had pushed him to steal the coal. On December 20, 1919, he was found guilty and sentenced to the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet.
Officer McGough was waked at his residence located at 7625 South Lowe Avenue. His funeral mass was held at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church located at 7747 South Emerald Avenue. He was laid to rest on December 10, 1917 in Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 2755 West 111th Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Patrolman Michael J. McGough, born April 23, 1878, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on March 7, 1907.
Officer McGough was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association and Auburn Park Council No. 1678 Knights of Columbus. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth (nee Foley); children: John and Mary and siblings: James, Mary Feeney, Patrick and Peter.
Chicago Police Department homicide file not found for this incident.