Age:  54
Served:  8 years
1873 to April 3, 1881

Anthony Schaefer, born in Germany during December 1827, immigrated to the United States.  During 1858, he was elected to represent the 9th Ward on Cincinnati City Council for a term ending in 1860.  His fortunes seemed to decline after the Civil War and, by 1873, he found it necessary to take a position within the Police Department.  He survived a couple political changes in City Hall, but when Mayor Jacob took office, he suspended Patrolman Schaefer about February 1881 for being a Democrat.  The suspension was to have lasted three months, but, based on Patrolman Schaefer’s reputation as a good and temperate officer, the Mayor reinstated him late during March 1881.

On a cold morning about 4 a.m. on April 3, 1881 Patrolmen Schaefer and newly appointed Jacob Hohnecker, both assigned to the Bremen (now Republic) Street Station, were patrolling the area of Sycamore and Abigail Streets.  Patrolman Schaefer went inside the Gambrinus Brewery to get warm.  The younger Hohnecker stayed outside.  When he became uneasy about the amount of time Patrolman Schaefer was inside, he entered and found his partner had fallen off an elevated walkway at a location where the safety bar had broken.  Patrolman Hohnecker and some employees of the brewery carried Patrolman Schaefer to his home at 371 Broadway where he died five hours later at 9 a.m.  The Coroner found that he died from a fractured right temporal bone of the skull.

Patrolman Schaefer left a wife, Agnes, and seventeen children, including four still at home; John H. (16), Frank (13), Frederick (9), George (7), and Reuben (1).  His wife received $300 from the Police Relief Association.  Patrolman Hohnecker left the department.

Please contact Director@GCPHS.com if you have any information about this incident or the officer or his picture, artifiacts, and/or relatives.