Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 20 years, 6 months, 25 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 16 - Maxwell
District of Incident (Present Day): 012 - Near West
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 49
Timeline
Date of Birth: 27 Apr 1878
Date of Appointment: 09 Mar 1907
Date of Incident: 04 Oct 1927
End of Watch: 04 Oct 1927
Date of Interment: 07 Oct 1927
Interment Details
Cemetery: Mount Carmel Cemetery - Hillside, Illinois
Grave Location: Grave 2, Lot N2, Block 8, Section C
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # B-11
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 2
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 21
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2-W: 19
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Sergeant Patrick Francis Delaney, Star #417, aged 49 years, was a 20 year, 6 month, 25 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 16 – Maxwell.
On October 4, 1927, at 1:00 a.m., Sergeant Delaney observed three suspicious men, Shelby Brown, Arthur Lucus, 24, of 1308 West 14th Street and Willie Richardson, in front of a building located at 1337 Hastings Street. As Sergeant Delaney was questioning the other men, his focus the two, Lucas drew a revolver and fired. The men then fled on foot while Sergeant Delaney returned fire emptying his revolver at their backs. Sergeant Delaney then staggered to a nearby call box and contacted the operator at the Maxwell Street station. While reporting in, he collapsed before he could finish. A patrol wagon was immediately dispatched to his location and upon arrival found the Sergeant unconscious at the base of the call box. Sergeant Delaney was rushed to Cook County Hospital where he died a short time later at 4:30 a.m. the same day.
Shelby Brown was later arrested and during questioning, buckled under the pressure, and gave up Lucas’ location. According to Brown, Lucas was hiding out in a barn at the rear of his home. Police went to the location and apprehended him. In the end all of the offenders were eventually arrested including a fourth as an accomplice. On October 11, 1927, Brown, Lucus and Willie Richardson were held by the Coroner for murder and Miss Sidney Norment as an accessory. On March 12, 1928, Lucas entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet by Judge Comerford. On April 12, 1928 the cases against Brown, Richardson and Sidney were stricken off the record.
Sergeant Delaney was laid to rest on October 7, 1927 in Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 2, Lot N2, Block 8, Section C.
Sergeant Patrick Francis Delaney, born April 27, 1878, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on March 9, 1907. On February 19, 1915, he was promoted to Detective Sergeant. On June 28, 1921, he was promoted to Sergeant.
Sergeant Delaney was survived by his wife, Annie (nee Lonergan); children: Imelda L., Marie, Robert and William V.
Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department homicide file, Case #7952.
Sergeant Delaney’s children were: Marie, Robert, William, and Imelda.
Mary P. Carroll
Granddaughter