The Milwaukee Police Department bombing was a November 24, 1917, bomb attack that killed nine members of local law enforcement and a civilian in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. The perpetrators were never caught but are suspected to be an anarchist terrorist cell operating in the United States in the early 20th century. The target was initially an evangelical church in the Third Ward and only killed the police officers when the bomb was taken to the police station by a concerned civilian. The bombing remained the most fatal single event in national law enforcement history for over 80 years until the September 11 attacks.[1]
Milwaukee Police Department bombing
Boise's Evening Capital News headline reads Bomb tragedy kills 11 at Milwaukee
Location
Central police station at Oneida and Broadway, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
On September 9, 1917, Rev. Augusto Giuliani of the Milwaukee Italian Evangelical Church held a rally near a local Galleanist meeting spot in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood. When the anarchists disrupted the rally, police fired on the demonstrators, killing two, arresting 11, and leading to a raid on the Galleanists.[2]
The bombingedit
A little over two months later, on November 24, 1917, a large black powder bomb wrapped as a package was discovered by Maude L. Richter, a social worker, next to Rev. Giuliani's church in the Third Ward.[3][4] She dragged the package into the church basement and notified the church janitor, Sam Mazzone.[4] Mazzone took the bomb to the central police station at Oneida and Broadway and turned it over to the Milwaukee Police Department.[3][5] The station keeper was showing it to the shift commander, Lieutenant Flood, right before a scheduled inspection, when it exploded.[4] Nine members of the department were killed in the blast, along with a female civilian who had been there to report a robbery.[3][5] Six additional police personnel were seriously injured: a lieutenant and five detectives.[6] The police detective who faced the full brunt of the explosion was reported to have been found with his body mangled while one officer was killed while on the second floor. The explosion was loud enough to be heard throughout much of the city and attracted a crowd of thousands to the police station.[7]
Casualtiesedit
Nine members of the Milwaukee Police Department were killed as well as Catherine Walker, who was in the police station reporting a robbery.[5][8]
Name
Appointed
Years on the force
Henry Deckert
October 21, 1913
4
Frank Caswin
February 1, 1915
2
Fred Kaiser
February 7, 1905
12
David O'Brien
November 4, 1897
20
Stephen Stecker
December 1, 1899
17
Charles Seehawer
December 1, 1899
17
Edward Spindler
July 1, 1903
14
Al Templin
October 17, 1904
13
Paul Weiler
December 13, 1906
10
Aftermathedit
It was suspected at the time that the bomb had been placed outside the church by the Galleanist anarchists who had been involved in the Bay View incident. Those responsible were never apprehended, but days later the eleven alleged Italian anarchists previously arrested went to trial on charges stemming from the Bay View incident. The specter of the larger, uncharged crime of the bombing haunted the proceedings and assured convictions of all eleven. However, in 1918, Clarence Darrow led an appeal that gained freedom for most of the convicted.[9]
While historian of anarchism Paul Avrich have suggested the local Ferrer Circle anarchists may have been responsible, interviews with surviving Galleanist members implicated Mario Buda, chief bombmaker for the Galleanists, and Carlo Valdinoci.[5][10][11][12][13] Buda and Valdinocci had previously fled with many other Galleanists to Mexico in order to evade the draft. At the time, the bombing was the most fatal single event in national law enforcement history, only surpassed later by the September 11 attacks.[1]
^Avrich, Paul (1991). Sacco and Vanzetti : the anarchist background. Paul Avrich Collection. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. p. 104. ISBN0-691-04789-8. OCLC 21971831.
Balousek, Marv & Editor J. Allen Kirsch (1997). 50 Wisconsin Crimes of the Century. Badger Books Inc. ISBN9781878569479. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help) - Total pages: 365
Dell’Arti, Giorgio (January 26, 2002). (PDF). memoteca.it. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 27, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
milwaukee, police, department, bombing, november, 1917, bomb, attack, that, killed, nine, members, local, enforcement, civilian, milwaukee, wisconsin, united, states, perpetrators, were, never, caught, suspected, anarchist, terrorist, cell, operating, united, . The Milwaukee Police Department bombing was a November 24 1917 bomb attack that killed nine members of local law enforcement and a civilian in Milwaukee Wisconsin United States The perpetrators were never caught but are suspected to be an anarchist terrorist cell operating in the United States in the early 20th century The target was initially an evangelical church in the Third Ward and only killed the police officers when the bomb was taken to the police station by a concerned civilian The bombing remained the most fatal single event in national law enforcement history for over 80 years until the September 11 attacks 1 Milwaukee Police Department bombingBoise s Evening Capital News headline reads Bomb tragedy kills 11 at MilwaukeeLocationCentral police station at Oneida and Broadway Milwaukee Wisconsin U S DateNovember 24 1917 7 33 P M local time TargetMilwaukee Italian Evangelical ChurchAttack typeLarge black powder bomb mass murderDeaths10 9 officers 1 civilian Injured2PerpetratorsUnknownMotiveUnknown Contents 1 Background 2 The bombing 3 Casualties 4 Aftermath 5 See also 6 BibliographyBackground editMain article Bay View incident On September 9 1917 Rev Augusto Giuliani of the Milwaukee Italian Evangelical Church held a rally near a local Galleanist meeting spot in Milwaukee s Bay View neighborhood When the anarchists disrupted the rally police fired on the demonstrators killing two arresting 11 and leading to a raid on the Galleanists 2 The bombing editA little over two months later on November 24 1917 a large black powder bomb wrapped as a package was discovered by Maude L Richter a social worker next to Rev Giuliani s church in the Third Ward 3 4 She dragged the package into the church basement and notified the church janitor Sam Mazzone 4 Mazzone took the bomb to the central police station at Oneida and Broadway and turned it over to the Milwaukee Police Department 3 5 The station keeper was showing it to the shift commander Lieutenant Flood right before a scheduled inspection when it exploded 4 Nine members of the department were killed in the blast along with a female civilian who had been there to report a robbery 3 5 Six additional police personnel were seriously injured a lieutenant and five detectives 6 The police detective who faced the full brunt of the explosion was reported to have been found with his body mangled while one officer was killed while on the second floor The explosion was loud enough to be heard throughout much of the city and attracted a crowd of thousands to the police station 7 Casualties editNine members of the Milwaukee Police Department were killed as well as Catherine Walker who was in the police station reporting a robbery 5 8 Name Appointed Years on the forceHenry Deckert October 21 1913 4Frank Caswin February 1 1915 2Fred Kaiser February 7 1905 12David O Brien November 4 1897 20Stephen Stecker December 1 1899 17Charles Seehawer December 1 1899 17Edward Spindler July 1 1903 14Al Templin October 17 1904 13Paul Weiler December 13 1906 10Aftermath editIt was suspected at the time that the bomb had been placed outside the church by the Galleanist anarchists who had been involved in the Bay View incident Those responsible were never apprehended but days later the eleven alleged Italian anarchists previously arrested went to trial on charges stemming from the Bay View incident The specter of the larger uncharged crime of the bombing haunted the proceedings and assured convictions of all eleven However in 1918 Clarence Darrow led an appeal that gained freedom for most of the convicted 9 While historian of anarchism Paul Avrich have suggested the local Ferrer Circle anarchists may have been responsible interviews with surviving Galleanist members implicated Mario Buda chief bombmaker for the Galleanists and Carlo Valdinoci 5 10 11 12 13 Buda and Valdinocci had previously fled with many other Galleanists to Mexico in order to evade the draft At the time the bombing was the most fatal single event in national law enforcement history only surpassed later by the September 11 attacks 1 See also editList of unsolved murders 20th century 16th Street Baptist Church bombing Anarchism and violence Propaganda of the deed September 1920 Wall Street bombing Palmer Raids Espionage Act of 1917 1919 United States anarchist bombingsBibliography editNotes a b Miller 2016 Avrich Paul 1991 Sacco and Vanzetti the anarchist background Paul Avrich Collection Princeton N J Princeton University Press p 104 ISBN 0 691 04789 8 OCLC 21971831 a b c Balousek 1997 p 113 a b c The Indianapolis Star 1917 a b c d Government of Milwaukee 2017 Avrich 1996 p 105 10 KILLED BY BOMB IN MILWAUKEE POLICE STATION New York Times 25 November 1917 Retrieved 30 April 2023 BOMB KILLS 11 IN MILWAUKEE POLICE STATION St Louis Post Dispatch 25 November 1917 p 1 Retrieved 30 March 2023 Strang 2013 Watson 2007 p 15 Avrich 1996 Avrich 1996b Dell Arti 2002 References 10 KILLED BY BOMB IN MILWAUKEE POLICE STATION New York Times 25 November 1917 Retrieved 30 April 2023 Avrich Paul 1996 Sacco and Vanzetti The Anarchist Background Princeton University Press ISBN 9780691026046 Total pages 265 Avrich Paul 1996b Anarchist Voices An Oral History of Anarchism in America Princeton University Press ISBN 9780691044941 Total pages 323 Balousek Marv amp Editor J Allen Kirsch 1997 50 Wisconsin Crimes of the Century Badger Books Inc ISBN 9781878569479 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a first has generic name help Total pages 365 Dell Arti Giorgio January 26 2002 La Storia di Mario Buda PDF memoteca it Archived from the original PDF on October 27 2007 Retrieved November 24 2017 The Indianapolis Star November 26 1917 Bomb Mystery Baffles Police The Indianapolis Star John Shaffer OCLC 760301417 Miller Ryan W July 17 2016 Deadliest attacks on police in the last 100 years USA Today Retrieved November 24 2017 Government of Milwaukee 2017 Milwaukee Police Department Officer Memorial Page Government of Milwaukee Archived from the original on October 13 2007 Strang Dean A 2013 Worse Than the Devil Anarchists Clarence Darrow and Justice in a Time of Terror University of Wisconsin Press ISBN 9780299293932 Total pages 268 Watson Bruce 2007 Sacco and Vanzetti The Men the Murders and the Judgment of Mankind Penguin Books ISBN 9781101202623 Total pages 44843 02 27 0 N 87 54 30 5 W 43 040833 N 87 908472 W 43 040833 87 908472 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Milwaukee Police Department bombing amp oldid 1175581201, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
