Patrolman Martin Gorman
Age: 30
Served 3 years
1881 to October 19, 1884

Cincinnati Patrolman Henry Schierloh
Age: 25
Served 1 year
1883 or 1884 to October 30, 1884

Racial tensions were still high in October 1884 during only the fifth general election since the end of the Civil War.  As often happens, decisions were being made at high levels of government in an effort to curry political favor and without considering how those decisions might the city’s citizens and, of course, those sworn to protect them.  In this case, the primary decision was made by United States Marshal, Lot Wright, to deputize as many as 1300 men and arm 600 with British Bulldog revolvers.  Wright was influenced in this decision by powerful Republicans, mostly from other states, who worried that the voting franchise would be taken from many black residents by the Democrat-controlled city government.  Wright did not consider the character in his deputies and many of them became involved in Election Day drunken binges, fracases, stabbings, shootings, and general mayhem. 

On October 14, 1884, Cincinnati police officers were assigned to keep the peace at polling places, especially in the most likely areas of disenfranchisement including “Bucktown” in the area 6th Street and Broadway and “Little Bucktown” in the area of 6th and Freeman.  At the 12th Ward (Precinct B) polls at 6th Street and Freeman Avenue, they had been taunted all day by black, armed, and variously intoxicated United States Marshals.  The taunts at times included threats, once with a revolver, and once they even took a prisoner from a policeman at gunpoint. 

After the poll closed and while the workers counted votes, at about 10 p.m., Third District Patrolman Gorman, of 598 W. 8th Street , came out of the tent to calm a disturbance between one of the deputy marshals, Fred Guy, and James Russell.  Patrolman Gorman ordered them to quiet down and Guy grabbed Russell.  As Patrolman Gorman interceded, a group of blacks ran in and fired a volley of shots.  Patrolman Gorman was shot in the back just above the pelvis.  He tried to take his prisoner to the center of the street, but the group overwhelmed him and beat him with his baton. 

The shots drew the attention and response of other officers and Patrol Wagons Nos. 1, 3, 4, and 5.  The deputy marshals backed down Sixth Street, still firing, and entered 700 W. 6th Street, a common dive where police officers had previously had many problems.  As the officers approached, blacks began firing from all sides and levels of the various buildings and windows.  In all, about 100 shots were fired.  Third District Patrolman Schierloh of 160 Bremen Street, who had responded on Patrol Wagon No. 5, said, “I’m shot!” having been hit in the back over the left side of the pelvis.

Once the shooting was done, Mike Banfield approached the wounded Patrolman Gorman as he staggered down Freeman Avenue just below 6th Street.  Gorman said to him, “I’m shot, take my keys.”  Banfield assisted him to Mrs. King’s grocery where he was picked up by a patrol wagon and taken to Cincinnati Hospital.  His wounds were adjudged so grievous that a priest was summoned to administer the Sacrament of Last Rights. 

Patrol Wagon No. 5 transported Patrolman Schierloh to the General Hospital and, though in serious pain, when placed next to Patrolman Gorman, he said, “I don’t care so much for myself.  But poor Gorman!  It’s too bad.  I knew they would give it to him.  They said all day they were going to do it.”

Patrol No. 1 was directed to a black man who had been shot in the abdomen just left of the navel.  He was identified as Henry Brown, aged 25, living with his wife at No. 79 Taylor Alley.  He was armed with a fully loaded revolver and had a Deputy Marshal’s badge in his pocket.  He died October 15, 1884.

Two other officers were shot on this night.  Patrolman Patsy Cunningham, of the Hammond Street Station, received a flesh wound inside the right leg just below the thigh.  Another bullet struck him in the left breast but was stopped by his coat and a pencil he had in his vest pocket.  He remained on duty.  Patrolman Carpenter escaped injury when two bullets struck his night stick and one passed through his pant legs. 

On the next night, shots were again fired between blacks and policemen and a shanty in Taylor Alley was set on fire.  Though dodging small arms fire, police extinguished the blaze.  Officer Keller of Vine and Calhoun Streets was hit in the leg by one of the dozens of fired shots.

On October 16, 1884, another Deputy Marshal, Gabriel Bolden, a 45-year-old black male, was found hiding in a residence in Taylor Alley.  He had been shot in the bowels on the 14th.  There was little hope for his recovery.  Across from that residence they found Edward Gaines, a 30-year-old black male, shot through the shoulder and out the chest.  James Wallace was found with a bullet wound to the arm at Taylor Alley and Budd Street.  Sarah Fletcher, an innocent bystander, was also found shot in the leg.  Bolden advised that two other male blacks were also wounded, one in the arm and one in the leg, but did not identify them or their locations.  More shots were fired intermittently on the night of the 16th without any injuries.

Patrolman Gorman died at 3:10 a.m. on October 19, 1884.  He left a wife, Catharine, and a daughter, Claudia (20).  Upon hearing of his death, his sister, Mary Rhinner (37) of Betts and John Streets, fell to the floor and died.  She left four children.  Patrolman Gorman’s funeral took place at the Cathedral at 9 a.m. the following Monday, October 23, 1884.  He was thereafter buried in St. Joseph’s (New) Cemetery.

Patrolman Schierloh’s wound was thought to be non-fatal, but it was found to have traversed upward and into the liver causing his death after twelve pain-filled days at 12:30 p.m. on October 30, 1884.  He was single and survived by several siblings.  His funeral was held at 9 a.m. on November 1, 1884, by Fr. Engelbert at St. Francis Church at Liberty and Vine Streets with interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery on East Ross in St. Bernard.  His pallbearers consisted of members of the Jefferson Club including Messrs. Doll, Baumann, Zimmerman, Haass, and Merk.

The situation was investigated by the United States Congress during January 1885 and discussed while in session during April 1885.  United States Marshal Lot Write was relieved of duty on June 9, 1885.  No one was ever prosecuted for the deaths and injuries to the officers.

Much of the information and research material for this narrative was provided by Sally Lowery Branham. If you have further information, artifacts, or pictures of this officer, please contact the Museum Director at Director@GCPHS.com.