Death Classification: Line of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 16 years, 8 months, 29 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 3, 6th Precinct - Thirty-Fifth Street

District of Incident (Present Day): 009 - Deering

Cause of Death: Aggravated Battery - Blunt Trauma

Age at Time of Death: 40

Timeline


Date of Birth: 30 Apr 1862

Date of Appointment: 20 Apr 1886

Date of Incident: 009 - Deering

End of Watch: 18 Jan 1903

Date of Interment: 21 Jan 1903

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: St. Boniface Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
 Grave Location: Lot 4, Block 1, Section G
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 11

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Not Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: No Military Record Found

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Patrolman Frederick “Fred“ Heilman, Star # Unknown, aged 40 years, was a 16 year, 8 month, 29 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 3, 6th Precinct – Thirty-Fifth Street.

On August 24, 1900, Officer Heilman was attacked by a mob of people after leaving the 35th Street Station located at No. 840 West 35th Street (present day 736 West 35th Street). Officer Heilman was attempting to force a group of people from the rear of a saloon located at 33rd and Halsted Streets when the mob gained control of the Officer’s club. The mob of people then beat him with his own club. After the beating he never fully recovered and developed dropsy, better known today as edema. A condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid collecting in the cavities or tissues of the body. On January 18, 1903, he would become ill while at home and passed away at 12:40 p.m. His official cause of death was listed as Cirrhosis Hepatis which is a disease of the liver with a contributing cause of Ascites, which is the buildup of fluid in the abdomen.

Seven people were arrested in connection with the beating. They were: James Bowling, Mary Bowling, Michael King, Thomas King, Marquette Schott, Fred Wittick and Maggie Wittick. It is unknown the outcome of their cases.

Officer Heilman was waked at his residence located at 6336 South Champlain Avenue. His funeral mass was held at Holy Cross Church located at 4541 South Wood Street. He was laid to rest on January 21, 1903 in St. Boniface Cemetery, 4901 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois. His grave is located in Lot 4, Block 1, Section G.

Patrolman Frederick Heilman, born on April 30, 1862, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on April 20, 1886. Prior to joining the Chicago Police Department, Officer Heilman was the Wagon Driver for Chief Denis Joseph Swenie of the Chicago Fire Department

Officer Heilman was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association. He was survived by his wife, Lizzie and siblings: Anne Shoemaker, Hazel Hayden, Mary MacKenhoupt and Michael.

Chicago Police Historical Homicide Database case not found for this incident.