Patrolman McGlynn Sr. | Star #2229

Patrolman Frank Clayton McGlynn, Sr., Star #2229, aged 27 years, was a 1 year, 8 month, 22 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 14 – Deering.

On July 18, 1924, at 10:00 a.m., Officer McGlynn was assigned to escort a messenger, D. T. Healy, of the Stearns Lime and Cement Company in carrying the company’s $6,000.00 payroll to its factory. The factory was located at 2700 South Leo Street (present day Peoria Street) in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Unknown to Officer McGlynn, three offenders, George Meade, Raymond Carroll and George Dempsey, had subdued the office staff and were awaiting the arrival of the payroll messenger. As Officer McGlynn and the messenger were in the process of entering the factory building the gunmen opened fire with a fusillade of bullets. Officer McGlynn was struck three times in the chest, one bullet penetrating his heart. He fell incapacitated to the sidewalk, just outside the door, before he could fully draw his own weapon, it falling next to him. Healy ran from the building yelling at the top of his lungs, as Officer McGlynn lay mortally wounded. McGlynn died the same day as a result of his injuries.

As Healy observed from a concealed position, clinching the payroll bag, the three robbers fled the factory wearing white handkerchiefs over their faces. They jumped into a waiting auto where a fourth accomplice, Miller, waited and sped away. News of the shooting quickly spread amongst police. Multiple squads of policemen carrying shotguns spread out across the city searching for the robbers. It was long before the first robber was located and arrested.

George Meade was the first arrested and quickly implicated Raymond Carroll as an accomplice. After the shooting, Carroll fled to Saugatuck, Michigan to hide. He was apprehended there and extradited back to Chicago. On July 31, 1924, both men were held by the Coroner. The third accomplice, George Dempsey, was then implicated and a message for his arrest was put out. He was implicated, by the others, as the owner of the auto in which they escaped. After the shooting, Dempsey fled to New York City to hide. He was eventually apprehended and extradited back to Chicago. On May 8, 1925, both Meade and Carroll were sentenced to life in the Illinois State Penitentiary at Joliet by Judge Lynch. The fourth accomplice, driver of the getaway car, Miller, was later arrested as well. On March 25, 1927, the charges against Miller were dropped. Meade was paroled 65 years later, dying the following year.

Officer McGlynn was waked at his residence located at 3812 West 22nd Street. His funeral mass was held in Requiem at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church located at 2153 South Millard Avenue. He was laid to rest on July 22, 1924 in Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois.

Patrolman Frank Clayton McGlynn, Sr., born August 28, 1896, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on October 26, 1922. On July 18, 1924, he was advanced into the grade of 1st Class Patrolman at a salary of $2,000.00 per annum for Meritorious Conduct. Officer McGlynn was affectionately known to his fellow officers as “Handsome Mac.”

Officer McGlynn was a member of St. Patrick’s Council No. 11022 Knights of Columbus. He was survived by his wife, Agnes (nee Snyder); son, Frank Clayton, Jr.; parents: John and Mary and siblings: Addie Bidell, Amy Band, Catherine, Charles, Edward and Mary, age 17. His sister, Mary met Patrolman Michael A. Madigan at her brother’s funeral. The two courted and were eventually married. Mary and Officer Madigan had only been married for a few months before he too was killed in the line of duty on June 18, 1926.

Incident recorded under Chicago Police Historical Homicide Database, Case #7471.