Death Classification: Line of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 9 years, 5 months, 27 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 15, 25th Precinct - Lawndale

District of Incident (Present Day): 010 - Ogden

Cause of Death: Explosion - Accidental

Age at Time of Death: 42

Timeline


Date of Birth: 1862

Date of Appointment: 15 Sep 1894

Date of Incident: 010 - Ogden

End of Watch: 12 Mar 1904

Date of Interment: 15 Mar 1904

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Mount Carmel Cemetery - Hillside, Illinois
 Grave Location: Grave 2, Lot N16, Block 10, Section D
 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: Not Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: No Military Record Found

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Sergeant Philip Maher, Star # Unknown, aged 42 years, was a 9 year, 5 month, 27 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 15, 25th Precinct – Lawndale.

On February 27, 1904, Sergeant Maher was investigating the death of Patrolman John Lucasey who was found dead on February 16, 1904 in the Union Traction Company’s Lawndale Car Barn located at 12th Street and 40th Avenue (present day Pulaski Road). Sergeant Maher, Inspector John T. Long and another man were at the car barn when it exploded due to a gas leak. The explosion fatally wounded Sergeant Maher and Long, it is unknown if the third man was injured. Inspector Long would die from his injuries two days later on February 29, 1904. Sergeant Maher was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital where he would die from his injuries fourteen days later on March 12, 1904.

The Coroner’s Jury in the Lucasey and Long cases found that the Union Traction Company had failed to comply with building ordinances.

Sergeant Philip Maher, born in 1862, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on September 15, 1894 and was issued Star # Unknown. He was promoted to Sergeant and issued Star # Unknown.

Sergeant Maher was waked at his residence located at No. 583 South Kedzie Avenue (present day 1236 South Kedzie Avenue). His funeral mass was held at St. Agatha’s Catholic Church located at 3147 West Douglas Boulevard. He was laid to rest on March 15, 1904 in Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1400 South Wolf Road, Hillside, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 2, Lot N16, Block 10, Section D.

Sergeant Maher was survived by his wife, Kate (nee Devlin); children: Francis J. and John M.

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