Age: 54
Served: 24 years
February 18, 1891 to April 20, 1915

James “Big Jim” O’Neill was born in Indiana, came to Cincinnati during the last half of the 19th Century and joined the Cincinnati Police Department in 1891.  He was renowned for his abilities as a patrolman in controlling one of the toughest beats in the city, known as “The Bottoms”.  While patrolling his beat one day, he came across a scruffy puppy huddled in some debris.  He brought the puppy to a boarding house to feed him and then to the District Two stationhouse on Hammond Street to care for him.  The puppy, sarcastically named “Handsome”, became a fixture at the stationhouse and patrolled with Big Jim for years thereafter until, after fourteen years of service, he died. 

Big Jim continued on without his partner and, on April 14, 1915, he attempted to arrest four black males under the Cincinnati end of the Southern Bridge.  One of them, William Clayton (AKA Robert Ross), shot Patrolman O’Neill in the chest.  Six days later, at 4:45 a.m. on April 20, 1915, Patrolman O’Neill died at General Hospital 

Patrolman O’Neill left a wife, Margaret (53), and a son, Lawrence J. (19).  His funeral was held at his home at 2457 Elberon Avenue at 7:45 a.m., April 23, 1915.  Services were held at the Blessed Sacrament Church on Wilder Avenue near State Avenue.  Pallbearers included Patrolmen Charles Beckman, Henry Crowley, Charles Fink, John Dowd, Maurice Brosnan and John H. Martin.  The badge of mourning was worn for a period of ten days from April 21 through 30.  He was laid to rest in St. Joseph (New) Cemetery on April 23, 1915. 

Handsome was taken to a taxidermist and, a century after his death, can still be seen at the Greater Cincinnati Police Museum.

If you have further information, artifacts, or pictures of this officer, please contact the Museum Director at Director@GCPHS.com.