Sergeant Edward W. Marpool | Star #618

Sergeant Edward W. Marpool, Star #618, aged 55 years, was a 23 year, 11 month, 11 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 20, 25th Precinct – Shakespeare.

On October 26, 1920, at 1:15 a.m., Sergeant Marpool responded to a complaint, which had come into the station, made by Dave Pluzinski, ownwer of a saloon located at 2200 North Western Avenue. Pluzinski stated that two men with guns were acting suspiciously in the area of the saloon. He had just finished handing out assignments to his officer and decided to go investigate the complaint. He jumped on the patrol wagon driven by Patrolman Tom Kileen along with Patrolmen Bergerson and Creighton. While searching the area, the patrol wagon came to a stop at Frankfort Street (present day Charleston Street) and Western Avenue, a block away from the saloon, and extinguished its lights. Sergeant Marpool began to walk along Western Avenue on one side of the street, with Officer Creighton at his heels, while Officer Bergerson walked the other. As they approached Custer Street (present day Shakespeare Avenue) he observed two suspicious men, John Kristoveck and James Morrison, in the company of two female companions in the east alley of Western Avenue. Sergeant Marpool approached in the shadows moving closer to investigate when one of the men, Kristoveck, caught a glimpse of him. As Marpool rounded the corner, the streetlight reflected off of his star and brass buttons making his presence known. According to news reports, one of the female companions cried out just before the shooting saying, “Don’t shoot Harr,” but her words were unheeded. Seeing the Sergeant, Kristoveck drew his gun and fired once as Marpool stood only a few feet from him. Sergeant Marpool was hit and collapsed to the ground mortally wounded saying, “I’m gone, don’t tell my wife.” Officer Bergerson, from across the street, returned fire along with Officer Creighton as the gunman and his accomplices all fled on foot. Sergeant Marpool was rushed to Alexian Brothers Hospital. However, the officers efforts were in vain as he succumbed to his wounds en route to the hospital.

After the shooting, over 300 officers cordoned off a section of the city while searching for the suspects. Captain P. J. Harding and Lieutenant Timothy Cullinan responded with all available men from the Shakespeare Avenue station in addition to the homicide squad, men from the Detective Bureau, detectives from adjoining precincts and many of the police reserve officers. The manhunt was on and all suspicious men were stopped. At Cromwell Street (present day Washtenaw Avenue) near Milwaukee Avenue two suspicious men refused to stop. A gun battle ensued and police fired a dozen shots with two rounds fired by the men as the fled into an alley. The men were then cornered in the vicinity of Coyne Street (present day Belden Avenue) and Cromwell Street (present day Washtenaw Avenue). Meanwhile other officers went back to the saloon to interview Mr. Pluzinski. He provided a clue to the identity of the offenders. A new velour hat was also found nearby which also provided a clue to the men’s identity. The men were able to get away once again and engaged police in four different shootouts that night. At 4:30 a.m., Kristoveck, still armed, was located and surrounded in a vacant lot at Milwaukee and California Avenues, and was shot to death when he resisted arrest. On September 12, 1921, the second man, James Morrison, was identified and was located in an Atlanta, Georgia Federal Penitentiary. He was serving a sentence for Burglary related to a U.S. Post Office hold-up. Morrison died January 5, 1938 while a resident at the U.S. Hospital for Defective Delinquents, in Springfield, Missouri.

John Kristovek was also tentatively identified as one of two gunman who murdered Detective Sergeants George C. Burns and Bernard J. Lenehan on October 3, 1919.

Sergeant Marpool was waked at his residence located at 4834 West Iowa Street. He was laid to rest on October 28, 1920 in Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 2, Lot S9, Block 9, Section B.

Sergeant Edward W. Marpool, born December 2, 1864, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on November 15, 1892. On March 14, 1898, he was given a Civil Service promotion. On February 1, 1901, he was promoted to 2nd Class Detective Sergeant. On April 1, 1914, he was promoted to 1st Class Detective Sergeant, his title being officially changed to Senior Detective Sergeant by order of the city council on January 11, 1915. On Mar 1, 1917, he was reduced to 2nd Class Detective Sergeant and restored to Sergeant.

Sergeant Marpool was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent Association and the Henry W. Longfellow Council No. 708 Royal Arcanum. He was survived by his wife, Lillian; son, Raymond E. and step-daughter, Bernice Heins.

Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department homicide file, Case #4551.