Patrolman Duddles | Star #2507

Patrolman Edward Appleyard Duddles, Star #2507, aged 45 years, was a 12 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 12, 39th Precinct – Larrabee.

On January 3, 1895, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Officer Duddles was on duty when he heard the screams of a woman. As he headed towards the sounds he discovered it to be a burglary in progress at No. 297 West Division Street (present day 448 West Division Street). Inside the apartment building main entrance he observed two men, John Carey and William Roach attacking a woman, Mrs. Lundvall. Before Officer Duddles was able to draw his service revolver, the bandits opened fire and struck Officer Duddles, mortally wounding him. Officer Duddle’s collapsed to the floor seconds after arriving. The robbers then fled on foot and were chased by some citizens and then other officers, who shot at them several times. The robbers were able to make good their escape in the Northwestern Train Yards shaking their pursuers in the maze of freight trains.

The course of events started when Mrs. Lundvall and her children, Freddie and Lillie, returned home that evening between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. to find their door locked. She assumed that her husband was inside and knocked on the door, with no response she then rang the doorbell but still received no response. While waiting outside, she heard movement inside and decided to pry the door open. Upon entry she observed two men in the hallway moving to the rear of the apartment. She discerned they were robbers and sent her son, Freddie, to the police station for help. Before she could exit the apartment with her daughter, the robbers emerged from the rear of the apartment with their guns drawn. They told her that they would shoot her if she screamed, so she stayed silent as the two men made their way towards the front door. So eager to exit the apartment, the men bumped into Lillie and caused her to fall down the stairs. Lillie screamed as she fell and Mrs. Lundvall responded by screaming as well. The robbers turned and fired at Mrs. Lundvall, the bullet missing her and lodging in the ceiling. It was at the same time when Officer Duddles burst through the building’s main entrance. With their finger already on their triggers they opened fire on Officer Duddles. Lillie Lunvall was only feet from Officer Duddles when he was shot, his blood splattering onto her cloak and dress, sending her into hysterics.

After the shooting, Mrs. Lundvall was unable to give a detailed description of the robbers, but she was able to tell detectives that there was a third man present, John McCormick, alias MaGee / Johnson / Cronin, whom she saw before entering the apartment. It was believed that McCormick was acting as a lookout and had warned his comrades inside of her approach before fleeing on foot.

On January 4, 1895, at 4:00 p.m., John Carey, John McCormick and William Roach were arrested in a house located at No. 64 Green Street (present day 304 North Green Street). On June 14, 1895, Carey and Roach were sentenced to life in the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet by Judge Burke. John McCormick was found guilty of complicity and also sentenced to life in the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet by Judge Burke. On July 22, 1915, John McCormick was paroled.

The robbers were members of the Market Street Gang, which had plagued the North Side in an area called “Little Hell” and known as Goose Island. The gang was well known for waylaying, assaulting and robbing citizens with impunity. It had also interfered with elections, its members intimidating Republican voters with threats of violence. At the election previous to the murder of Officer Duddles, the gang knocked down and slugged voters, killing one of them. Among the members of this gang was former Senator O’Malley, who himself had assaulted two or three of the voters. Warrants were issued for the gangs and O’Malley’s arrest, but he could not be found. O’Malley eventually turned himself in after the rapidly growing popular indignation.

Officer Duddles was waked at his residence located at 2147 North Southport Avenue. He was laid to rest in Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 North Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

Patrolman Edward Appleyard Duddles, born in 1850, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department in January, 1883.

Officer Duddles was survived by his wife, Annie (nee Tookey) and six children: Hazel Estelle, Iva Bell, Pamela Irene, Viola Annie.

Incident recorded under Chicago Police Historical Homicide Database, Case #540 and Case #2817.

In February 1958, Officer Duddles’ star was retired by Commissioner Timothy J. O’Connor and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the lobby at Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. In 2000, Chicago Police Headquarters moved to a new facility at 3510 South Michigan Avenue, Officer Duddles’ Star was re-encased in the new headquarters building lobby.