Oscar Edward Brosseau  | Star #174

Death Classification: Line of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 27 years, 2 months, 18 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: 25th District - Fillmore

District of Incident (Present Day): 010 - Ogden

Cause of Death: Aggravated Battery - Blunt Trauma

Age at Time of Death: 55

Timeline


Date of Birth: 02 Jan 1878

Date of Appointment: 02 Apr 1906

Date of Incident: 01 Jun 1933

End of Watch: 20 Jun 1933

Date of Interment: 23 Jun 1933

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Mount Carmel Cemetery - Hillside, Illinois
 Grave Location: Lot S3, Block 3, Section 17
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # C-4

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 24

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 35

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 39-E: 5

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: No Military Record Found

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Patrolman Oscar Edward Brosseau, Star #174, aged 55 years, was a 27 year, 2 month, 18 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 25th District – Fillmore

On June 1, 1933, Officer Brosseau was assigned to preserve order outside the Royale Bakery located at 1240 South Kedzie Avenue where a labor demonstration was being held because the bakery was employing non-union workers. Officer Brosseau was charged with keeping picketers from the local 237 of the Jewish Baker’s Union, in order. At 9:50 p.m., the picketers became violent and attacked Officer Brosseau severely beating him with a baseball bat. Officer Brosseau was transported to St. Anthony Hospital where he lingered for three weeks before he was pronounced dead on June 20, 1933. Per the Coroner’s report, his official cause of death was, “Pulmonary embolism result of a fracture of the patella bone, due to external violence.”

On June 22, 1933 Al Goldberg, Sam Goodman, Morris Kauffman and Nathan Stein were arrested as accessories to murder. On July 7, 1933, the Coroner’s Jury recommended the arrest of his assailants on the charge of manslaughter. On July 25, 1933, all four men were discharged by Judge Hayes.

Officer Brosseau was laid to rest on June 23, 1933 in Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois. His grave is located in Lot S3, Block 3, Section 17.

Patrolman Oscar Edward Brosseau, born January 2, 1878, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on April 2, 1906.

Officer Brosseau was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association. He was survived by his wife, Nellie L. (nee Grandpre), age 50; mother, Virginia (nee Grand); sister and two brothers. One of his brothers, George, was also a Chicago Policeman in the Warren Avenue Station.