Archives: Fallen Officers

Ralph Maple

Ralph Maple Killed by Drunken Fred Watts
Young Police Officer Shot While Making Arrest
Reprinted from the Colton Daily Courier
September 17, 1916

Officer Ralph Maple was fatally wounded yesterday afternoon by Fred Watts of this city while the later was resisting arrest. Maple lived but one hour and twenty minutes after the fatal shot had been fired.

Fred Watts, a man of three score years, is a well-known resident of Colton. Until one week ago he was an employee of the Glove Mills, but lost work because of drunkenness. He was discovered hanging out at the mill at 10 o’clock this morning with a .32 automatic revolver by H.B.Day of Santa Fe and police officers were immediately notified. Officer J.C. Button went down to the mill in answer to the call and told Watts to go home and put the gun away. Watts told him he didn’t know that it was unlawful to carry a gun if it was not concealed and started in the direction of home. He was then under the influence of liquor.

About 1:30 in the afternoon a call came from the Globe Mills and was taken by Pete Bruback, fireman. Watts was still at the mill and an officer was wanted to come down and take his gun away. Ralph Maple answered the summons. Taking his star off and putting it in his pocket and fastening his gun within easy reach, he started out I Street toward the mill. Seeing Watts sneaking behind the Colton Poultry Supply house, Maple evidently followed him to the house of a sister, Mrs. Harry Tredennick on West G Street where the shooting took place.

A few minutes later, neighbors heard five distinct shots in rapid succession. The first word of the trouble to reach the police station was brought by two high school boys in an automobile. John Adamson and Tom Thompson rushed to the Trennedick residence and found Ed Thompson, who drives an ice wagon, taking the gun away from Watts in the front yard. The latter’s left arm was badly wounded at the elbow.

A steam of blood marked Watts’ course from the front of the house to the back and lying across the half opened cellar door was Officer Ralph Maple with a bullet wound in the lower left leg, another in the upper right leg and a third in the abdomen just below the ribs. Knopsnyder’s ambulance was immediately called and Maple was rushed to the Ramona Hospital, while Watts was taken to the county hospital where he now is.

Mrs. Maple and their two-year-old baby hurried to her husband’s bedside, reaching it just a second before he died, an hour and twenty minutes after the shooting. Today was the fourth anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Maple’s wedding, a sad ending of a happy married life.

Chief of Police George Maple of this city, father of the unfortunate officer, and Mrs. Maple, left for Los Angeles last Friday night by automobile for San Francisco. Wires have been kept busy to reach them at some stage of their journey, finally reaching him at Paso Robles at 8 o’clock last night. He is on his way back and expects to reach here this morning.

A brother of the deceased, L.G. Maple, is on his way here from Gallup, New Mexico, and the paternal grandmother in Los Angeles has also been notified. Mrs. Maple and her baby girl are at the home of Mr. Maple’s sister, Mrs. Wilson, on Pennsylvania Avenue. Mr. Watts is a widower. He has a son, George Watts, in this city.

The inquest will be held Monday at the Knopsnyder Chapel. No arrangements have been made for the funeral services.

Robert F. Gushe

A little after 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, 1916, a citizen was held up at gunpoint at 13th Street and Clay. The victim resisted the efforts of the “highwayman” and screamed for assistance.

Patrolman Robert F. Gushe, a five-year veteran of Oakland Police Department, heard the cries for help and rushed on foot to the scene. He saw a man walking hurriedly down Clay Street, and several citizens pointed at him as the robber. Gushe took off after the person. He caught up to him, tapped him on the shoulder and said, “You are wanted!”

Without turning around the man reached with his right hand around the left side of his torso and fired one shot, which struck Gushe. Despite a mortal wound to the heart, Gushe fired three rounds at his assailant, and then collapsed to the pavement. A storeowner, witnessing the assault, picked up the stricken officer’s weapon and fired at the fleeing suspect. Along with several citizens, he pursued the highwayman who escaped in the maze of alleys and back streets in the area. Despite a cordon set up by officers and detectives, the criminal escaped capture.

Gushe died enroute to the hospital. He had joined the department as a special officer in September 1911, and received appointment to a full-time position in December. His wife survived him.

John F. Toolen

John Francis Toolen, the murdered police sergeant, who had recently passed an examination for a lieutenancy with the highest mark, was one of the most picturesque members of the Los Angeles police department. The son of a wealthy contractor and politician of Chicago, and himself a member of the bar, he ignored splendid opportunities to practice his profession and enter business in order to indulge his love for police work.

He was the son of Andrew J. Toolen, former Commissioner of Public Works in Chicago, who was prominent in the politics of that city for many years. His brother is Clarence A. Toolen, law partner of Patrick H. O’Donnell, a famous Chicago attorney.

When he was but a small boy in Chicago John Francis Toolen displayed his preference for police work, an attraction that developed almost into a passion with him in later life. He would leave his home in an exclusive residential district in Chicago No. 4444 Lake Avenue and spend all his spare time out of school and during his vacations in frequenting the police stations, and in visiting with policemen on their beats. He came to know practically every Chicago policeman, and while still in his teens became an authority on police work.

His family urged him to enter one of the professions. In preparation for the law, he graduated from Lake Forrest College, from the Kent College of Law in Chicago, and was a student for several years at Notre Dame University where he became a football star and athlete.

When he was admitted to the bar he entered the District Attorney’s office in Chicago and specialized on work pertaining to the police department. He continued his close relations with the members of the force.

While employed in public office he eloped with Miss Minnie Warden, a nice of Congressman Martin B. Madden of Chicago, the present Republican nominee for United States Senate in Illinois, and known as the richest member of Congress. Her brother is Paul Warden of the District Attorney’s office in this city.

In 1901 Mr. Toolen came to Los Angeles with his father. They lived in a home adjoining that occupied by Carter Harrison, the famous Chicago Mayor, in Altadena. Mr. Toolen Sr. and Carter Harrison were personal friends and political allies.

The young man decided he wished to remain here permanently. His father desired him to continue his legal work, and Congressman Madden, who had a keen person interest in the young attorney’s welfare, offered him a splendid opening in Chicago. All these offers he declined.

His father then arranged for a good business for him here, but he declared he would never engage in any work that kept him indoors. Then, in the summer of 1901, he broke away from his legal connections and took up outdoor work. His first job was with the Southern Pacific in the capacity of locomotive fireman. He continued that work until he achieved his great desire by becoming a member of the Los Angeles police department, November 7, 1906.

He entered into police duty with a zest that won recognition and promotion. Responsibilities were placed on him by his superiors, and his devotion to duty became one the classics of the department. As quickly as permitted under the departmental regulations he passed the examination for sergeant, with a general average of 85 per cent, an exceptionally high average.

He was appointed sergeant October 31, 1910. Sergeant Toolen lived with his family at 3214 North Broadway. He was 40 years old. He leaves Mrs. Toolen and two children Andrew J. Toolen, a 17 year old high school student, and Cecelia V. Toolen, 18 years old.