Death Classification: Performance of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 33 years, 6 months, 6 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 32 - North Robey

District of Incident (Present Day): 019 - Town Hall

Cause of Death: Animal Bite

Age at Time of Death: 60

Timeline


Date of Birth: 06 Dec 1862

Date of Appointment: 23 Aug 1889

Date of Incident: 019 - Town Hall

End of Watch: 04 Mar 1923

Date of Interment: 07 Mar 1923

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: St. Peter Catholic Cemetery - Skokie, Illinois
 Grave Location: Unknown
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: No Military Record Found

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Patrolman Frank Gerber, Star #4066, aged 60 years, was a 33 year, 6 month, 6 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 32nd District – North Robey.

On approximately February 4, 1923, Officer Gerber responded to a disturbance regarding a rabid dog. He had been called to a home on Cuyler Avenue to kill the dog, but was bitten as he attempted to do so. He received medical attention for the bite but later developed hydrophobia, an extreme or irrational fear of water. This condition is a symptom of rabies in humans and it was then learned that he had contracted rabies from the dog bite. He underwent treatment for the rabies. On March 4, 1923, one month after the incident, Officer Gerber died from a side effect of the rabies treatment that he received. His official cause of death was listed as Paralysis.

Officer Gerber was waked at his residence located at 3831 North Hamlin Avenue, his funeral mass was also held at his residence. He was laid to rest on March 7, 1923 in Niles Center Cemetery which was later renamed St. Peter Catholic Cemetery, 8115 Niles Center Road, Skokie, Illinois.

Patrolman Frank Gerber, born December 6, 1862, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on August 23, 1889. On March 15, 1898, he was given a Civil Service promotion.

Officer Gerber was survived by his wife, Pauline Eva (nee Imhof); children: Adelhaid Paulina, age 35, Amanda, Anton Frank, age 35, Catherine, age 36, Josephine and Tillie; siblings: Anne and Joe and siblings: Anna Neisen and Joe Gerig.

Chicago Police Department homicide file not found for this incident.

Robey Street was later renamed Damen Avenue. Robey Street was named for James Robey a real estate developer. Damen Avenue was named after Father Arnold Damen. In 1857 Father Damen founded Holy Family Parish and it was the fourth largest church in the country when it was built. He was also the founder of St. Ignatius College which became Loyola University.