Library records tell tale of Davenport’s first slain police officer

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By Amy Driscoll | Monday, May 12, 2008 11:53 PM CDT | () comments

A blog excerpt from Davenport Library’s Special Collections archivists.

Ninety-one years ago Davenport Police Patrolman Emil Speth walked the streets of Davenport wearing badge No. 13. He was appointed to the department on July 13, 1911, according to an entry in the Davenport Police Roll Call Register January 1910-March 1918.

Looking through the police roll call register, one is able to trace Officer Speth as he moves up in police grades, takes vacations and even time off when his wife is sick. It is not until a remark is placed next to Emil Speth’s name in the Davenport Police Roll Call Register for the month of January 1917 that things have changed. The remark is short and simple, stating “Died 5:55 p.m. 1/26/17.”

Speth was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Davenport.

City records in the Davenport library show Officer Speth’s final shift began on January 24, 1917. The Davenport Police Blotter January 1, 1917-October 31, 1918 provides an entry that notes a man named J. Allen Cox was arrested by Officer Kinney and Officer Speth for the crime of murder.

The Ambulance Record — January 1, 1917 to January 20, 1920 — records Emil Speth was shot below the heart by J. Allen Cox at the Hess Hotel, 12:35 a.m. (the date is listed as January 24, but would actually have been January 25 as it had just passed midnight). Officer Speth was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital (now Genesis East Hospital) from the Hess Hotel at 128-130 E. 2nd Street (currently the site of the Mid American Building & Plaza).

The Davenport Daily Times and The Davenport Democrat and Leader help flesh out the incident. Around Jan. 24, 1917, the Davenport Police Department received a complaint from Mrs. Violet Black, who accused J. Allen Cox of taking money under false pretenses when he said he would be able to help her obtain a divorce from her husband. He demanded payment, according to Black, but did not produce evidence that the divorce was finalized. Detective John Kinney went to the Hess Hotel late in the evening of Jan. 24 when it was discovered Cox was registered there. Officer Speth happened to be patrolling nearby and accompanied Kinney inside.

They found Cox and a gentleman named J. C. Wood inside Cox’s room and after talking to Cox, the officers asked him to go down to the station with them. Detective Kinney then stepped outside of the room to check the identity of Wood, leaving Officer Speth to secure Cox. Suddenly, a commotion was heard from the room. J. Allen Cox had a gun hidden in the pocket of the overcoat he was wearing and shot Officer Speth through his coat without ever pulling the weapon out. Both officers fired at Cox and he was wounded slightly.

Officer Speth died on Jan. 26, 1917, leaving a widow and eight children ages 16 to 3 months. J. Allen Cox was convicted of murder and was sentenced to 12 years at the Fort Madison, Iowa Penitentiary. He would be paroled on Aug. 29, 1921.

Amy Driscoll is an archivist with the Davenport Library Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center. Read more and comment at blogs.davenportlibrary.com/sc/

Police Memorial Day

On Oct. 1, 1962, President Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726 authorizing May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and making the calendar week of May 15 National Police Week. In 1994 President Bill Clinton signed Public Law 103-322 directing that the United States flag be flown at half-staff on May 15 of each year. Davenport police officers killed in the line of duty:

- Emil Arthur Speth: Died Jan. 26, 1917

- Bernard Herman Geerts: Died July 16, 1928

- William Hans Jurgens: Died July 16, 1958

- Michael Lee Farnsworth: Died Dec. 5, 1971