Police Report on the Murder of Thomas Coughlin (1930)
This report, from the Chicago Police Department and dated April 17, 1930, summarizes the results in the investigation of the murder of Thomas Coughlin on the night of March 8–9, 1930. Coughlin was a warehouse security guard and the perpetrators appeared to be searching for something, possibly files related to an ongoing investigation into the payroll supervised by Richard W. Wolfe (1866–1951), the city’s commissioner of public works. Parts of the report, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, are redacted. Minor typographical errors have been silently corrected.
22nd District. April 17th, 1930.
From: Captain Commanding 22nd District
To: Homicide Section - Detective Bureau
Subject: Death of Thomas Coughlin
Death: Thomas Coughlin, [redacted], age 62 years, Irish, [redacted]
Time of death: March 9th, 1930, 12.45 p.m.
Place of death: Mother Cabrini Hospital, Racine & Gilpin Place.
Cause of death: Gunshot wounds, one right chest, two thru right hand.
Witnesses:
Lieut. Philip Parodi, 22nd District
Sergt. Edward Hanley, 22nd District
[Sergt.] Edward F. Balata, 22nd District
[Sergt.] Albert Woodrick, 22nd District
Ptlmn. Charles Doherty, 22nd District
[Ptlmn.] Charles Doherty, 22nd District
[Ptlmn.] Dennis Murphy, 22nd District
[Ptlmn.] George R. Higgins, 22nd District
[Ptlmn.] Theodore Pierce, 22nd District
[Ptlmn.] John Jordan, 22nd District
[Ptlmn.] James Dwyer, 22nd District
[rest of list, 8–10 names, redacted]
History
On March 8th, 1930 about 11.50 p.m. our station (22nd) received a telephone call that a man was shot at 1309 W. Harrison street.
Sergt. Edward Hanley’s Detective Bureau Squad 17-A were in the station and upon receipt of this call they responded immediately to the scene of the crime.
While enroute to said address they were hailed by one [redacted] who was driving in his auto east on Harrison street at Racine Ave. He informed Sergt. Hanley that he had an old man in his automobile suffering from gunshot wounds.
The Sergeant interviewed the injured man and learned that his name was Thomas Coughlin employed as a watchman for a private garage situated at 1309 W. Harrison St. Mr. Coughlin then related how two unknown men entered the garage, one armed with a revolver and asked for some records. Coughlin knew nothing about any records so they ordered him to sit down in a chair in the garage.
While one of these bandits stood guard armed with a gun the other ransacked the office which is adjacent to the garage. Then as these two bandits were about to leave the front door of this garage (apparently frightened by the sound of auto horns of passing automobiles) Mr. Coughlin kind of arose from the chair he was seated in when one of these bandits fired three shots directly at him. One bullet entered the right chest and two other bullets passed thru his right hand. Both bandits fled from the scene and left Coughlin seriously wounded.
However, he was able to stagger out the front door and attract the attention of persons who in turn hailed [redacted] riding in his car east on Harrison street. [Redacted] stopped and three or four men assisted Mr. Coughlin into his auto. While enroute to the Mother Cabrini hospital they met Sergt. Edward Hanley’s squad as heretofore mentioned and they accompanied [redacted] as he conveyed the wounded man to said hospital.
Investigation
A description of Mr. Coughlin’s assailants were obtained and same was flashed over the teletype machine. Officers Charles Doherty and Dennis. Murphy assigned to the 22nd Dist. were now at the Mother Cabrini hospital interviewing Mr. Coughlin.
A statement was obtained and later they proceeded to the garage where Mr. Coughlin was employed. This is a private garage owned and conducted by [redacted].
Entering this garage they noted about 20 Mack trucks with City of Chicago, Bureau of Street signs on them. Also noticed a chair in this garage which belonged in the office and undoubtedly the same chair which Thomas Coughlin was sitting on when fired upon by his assailants.
This chair was upright standing against the east wall probably 10 to 12 feet south of the front garage door. A pool of blood was noticed on the garage floor about 6 feet north of this wooden chair.
Drops of blood leading from the garage into the office were also detected. A telephone, wires torn from laying on the floor evidently torn by Thomas Coughlin as he tried to call for help.
Officer Murphy picked up a lead pellet 32 caliber out of the pool of blood on the garage floor and also an iron bolt which was laying on the garage floor about 10 feet southwest of this wooden chair. In the office these officers noted nothing disturbed or missing outside of a crack side of the north side of a wooden desk.
A closer observation satisfied these officers that this desk was not entered as all the drawers were locked. Mr. Coughlin mentioned in his statement that one of these bandits was armed with an iron bolt and while his partner stood guard alongside of him in the garage he heard the other man pounding at a desk inside the office. The cracked side board of this desk accounted for the said pounding that Coughlin spoke about.
No. 1 told Mr. Coughlin that [redacted] had a record of his he wanted … Both of these men were talking back and forth in a language that Mr. Coughlin could not understand.
The finger print men assigned to the Bureau of Identification were notified and upon their arrival they made a careful observation of the interior of the office and garage, telephone, iron bolt, etc. but were unable to find any finger prints.
Detective Bureau Squads, Ford Squads and other officers were scouring the 22nd District for the purpose of apprehending Coughlin’s assailants or other suspects.
In the statement obtained from Thomas Coughlin he informed us that he was employed as a watchman for [redacted] garage 1309 W. Harrison street. While on duty March 8th 1930 about 10.45 p.m. he just finished his supper and while seated in the office of this garage he heard a noise which sounded as though somebody was pounding on the basement door in front of this office.
He went to the front door with intentions of investigating and just as he opened the door two white men pushed their way thru this doorway. One of these men were armed with a dark revolver and ordered Coughlin into the garage which is to the west of this front office door. The other man was armed with an iron bolt. No. 1 told Mr. Coughlin that [redacted] had a record of his that he wanted.
No. 1 then searched Coughlin for a gun while the other got a chair from the office and brought it into the garage. Then the. man armed with the gun ordered Coughlin to be seated while he stood guard alongside of him. The other man armed with the iron bolt went into the office and Coughlin heard him pounding against a desk in the office.
Both of these men were talking back and forth in a language that Mr. Coughlin could not understand. No. 1 asked him if there were any trucks still out and Coughlin answered “Two or three”. Then a passing auto sounded a horn and #2 went to the front door, looked out and then came back, took the gun from #1 and gave him the iron bolt instead.
#1 then threw this iron bolt on the garage floor. Other passing autos sounded their horns which apparently alarmed these bandits to the extent that they were about to leave this garage thru this front door, #1 going first and #2 following.
Then Mr. Coughlin arose from. his chair and #2 looked back and said, “Sit down” firing three shots at Coughlin. Then both men escaped leaving the garage out the front door.
Mr. Coughlin described his assailants as follows: #1, 20, 5-6, 150, heavy built, smooth face, dark complexion, wore a dark cap and overcoat, spoke broken English. #2, 20, 5-8, 150, slim build, smooth face, light complexion, dark cap, dark brown overcoat, also spoke broken English. He thought he could identify these men.
In making the usual inquiries in the immediate vicinity of this crime [redacted] residing at [redacted] street was interviewed. He informed us that on March 8th about 10.40 p.m. he heard three shots fired, then he heard a man’s voice yelling for help, then another call for help from the same voice.
[Redacted] at this time was sitting in his front room looking out towards Harrison street. He then saw two men turn the corner of Harrison & Throop streets. He ran out of his house and saw a man named [redacted] talking to Mr. Coughlin whom he knew as the watchman at the garage.
Walking towards these two men he saw that Mr. Coughlin was injured. Both [redacted] and [redacted] then made several efforts to stop passing automobiles and finally succeeded in stopping [redacted] as he came driving east in Harrison street. They carried Mr. Coughlin into [redacted] auto and conveyed him to the Mother Cabrini Hospital.
[Redacted] was next interviewed and he informed us that he resided at [redacted] street and as he was about to retire for the night he heard a man’s voice calling for help. He rushed out of his home and saw an unknown white man leaning against the garage situated at 1309 W. Harrison St. He noted blood flowing from wounds on the hand of this man.
This unknown man (Thomas Coughlin) told [redacted] that 2 young men held him up and shot him. He asked [redacted] to notify the police department which he did.
[Redacted] also heard cries for help as he resides [redacted] from this garage. He dressed and ran out to Harrison street and there saw Mr. Coughlin whom he knew standing in front of the garage where he was employed as a watchman.
He assisted [redacted] and [redacted] as they were trying to stop passing autoists and then called [redacted] of this garage.
[Redacted] was next interviewed. He stated that along about 10.40 p.m. he escorted his [redacted] to her home in the vicinity of Loomis and Oregon streets. Then he came walking down Oregon street toward Racine Ave. He heard a man scream. He walked to the garage at 1309 W. Harrison street and also saw Mr. Coughlin standing there wounded.
[Redacted] was also interviewed. He informed us that he [redacted]
[Full paragraph redacted.]
He said [redacted] Thomas Coughlin as a watchman for the past year and recommended him as a sober honest and industrious watchman. He knew of no trouble that Coughlin had with anyone. [Redacted] was questioned as to why any person or persons would ask for any records but he was unable to enlighten us as he said whatever records he has pertaining to his business are either on his desks, in his desks or in the wall vault. He knew of no reason why anybody wanted them.
During the time this murder of Thomas Coughlin occurred Asst. State’s Attorney Harold M. Kiele and Homer A. Dodge were assigned by States Attorney John A. Swanson to investigate alleged pay roll irregularities in the office of Richard W. Wolfe, Commissioner of Public Works.
We were of the opinion that probably some former employee wanted to get a records of his discharge. [Redacted] knew of no former employee who would use such felonious methods in getting same.
However a check up was made on all present and former employees and at the completion of same we were unable to determine any motive or even a clew to the crime.
During the time this murder of Thomas Coughlin occurred Asst. State’s Attorney Harold M. Kiele and Homer A. Dodge were assigned by States Attorney John A. Swanson to investigate alleged pay roll irregularities in the office of Richard W. Wolfe, Commissioner of Public Works.
Taking into consideration that this garage was used for storing auto trucks which were used by the Department of Public Works and Thomas Coughlin’s assailants demanded certain records we consulted Asst. States Attorney Harold Kiele and he immediately responded on this call.
Upon his arrival he made a thorough search and examined all records in the desks and also in the wall vault but found nothing that he could use toward assisting us in establishing a motive for this murder and nothing that would be of any help to him in the investigation of the alleged pay roll irregularities in the office of Richard W. Wolfe, Commissioner of Public Works.
[Redacted] was present during the time Asst. State’s Attorney Harold Kiele was conducted this search and examination was readily consented to same.
On March 10th, 1930 Sergt. Raymond Gilso assigned to the Detective Bureau Squad 33-B at the 28th District arrested one [redacted] who had 2 guns in his possession, one 45 caliber and a 32 caliber. The arrest of [redacted] cleared up a number of garage robberies throughout the city and we were of the opinion that [redacted] might have been implicated in the murder of Thomas Coughlin.
On March 11th, 1930 Sergt. Edward Balata went to the 28th District and obtained the 32 caliber revolver from Sergt. Ray Gilso which he took from [redacted] and together with the 32 caliber lead pellets found on the garage’s floor and another removed from the body of Coughlin at the time of the post-mortem. On March 13th, 1930 Sergt. Balata brought said pellets and the 32 caliber revolver to the Coroner’s officer and requested that an examination and test be made by Major Goddard, the Ballistic expert.
At the completion of said test and examination the Ballistic expert reported that the lead pellets fired by the gun held in the hand of Coughlin’s assailants was not fired by the 32 caliber revolver found in the possession of [redacted].
Thomas Coughlin died at the Mother Cabrini hospital on March 9th, 1930 about 12,45 p.m. and the following day the inquest was held and disposed of at 4056 Harrison St. Deputy Coroner Dennis Carroll presiding at the inquest.
The following verdict was read; Thomas Coughlin came to his death on March 9th, 1930 about 12.45 p.m. in the Mother Cabrini Hospital, Racine and Gilpin Place from shock and hemorrhages caused from a gunshot wound which perforated the liver and large bowel fired from a 32 caliber revolver held in the hand of an unknown man who in company with another unknown man gained entrance into a garage situated at 1309 W. Harrison street on March 8th, 1930 about 10.45 p.m. and there shot Thomas Coughlin who was employed as a watchman.
The Coroner and Jury further recommend that the police continue in their investigation for the purpose of apprehending these two unknown men and when arrested turn them over to the Sheriff of Cook County and they be held there until discharged by due process of law.
Opinion
From our investigation we are unable to determine the motive of this crime. At the time these two unknown men forced their way into the garage. They searched Thomas Coughlin for a gun but did not utter a word about money or any other valuable.
Coughlin had a little change on his person but that was not disturbed. [Redacted] informed us that at no time money, merchandise or any other valuables were left in the garage or office.
He paid his employees in check which offset any theory that these bandits were after a payroll. The deceased was a man of excellent habits, had no enemies and was known by his associates as a home man.
From the investigation conducted by Asst. States Attorney Harold M. Kiele with reference to records, he very readily informed us that the search and examination of records he made in the office of this garage had no bearing whatsoever upon the irregularities of the pay rolls of the Commissioner of Public Works of which investigation he was assigned.
[Redacted signature]
Captain Commanding 22nd District . . .