| Officer
George Shuman August 26th, 1907 On August 26th, 1907,
Officer Shuman was shot to death while affecting an
arrest of a William Handy in the area of the Reading
Railway near Adams St. Several hours later Handy was
arrested. On September 23rd, 1907, he was sentenced
to death for the murder of Officer Shuman and on February
20th, 1908, he was electrocuted. Officer Shuman was
a member of the South Bethlehem Borough Police Department.
Ten years later the Boroughs of South Bethlehem and
Bethlehem merged to become the City Of Bethlehem.
Officer
Charles Lawrence January 6th, 1924 On January 6th, 1924,
Officer Lawrence responded to the scene of a structure
fire in the unit block of W. Broad St. Officer Lawrence
had climbed a ladder to assist in fighting the fire
when he fell from the ladder. He suffered a head injury
and died a short time later at St. Lukes Hospital.
Officer
Charles Fenton November 14th, 1927 On November 12th,
1927, Officer Fenton while walking his patrol beat interrupted
a robbery at a “disorderly house” at 228
Columbia St. and as he was attempting to arrest several
actors he was shot by one of them. Officer Fenton died
from his injuries on November 14th, 1927. Several individuals
were later arrested in Cleveland, Oh. for the murder
of Officer Fenton.
No
photo available Captain Harry Strauss June 3rd, 1933
On June 3rd, 1933, Captain Strauss was directing traffic
on William Penn Highway during a barn fire, when he
was struck and killed by an automobile.
Officer
Phillip J. Fahy August 29th, 1969 On August 29th, 1969,
Officer Fahy and his partner Officer Merle Getz were
on patrol when they attempted to stop a vehicle driven
by a Bebley Wells. After pursuing the vehicle to an
area off the Williams St. Ext. Wells exited his vehicle
and immediately fired a shotgun at Officer Fahy mortally
wounding him. Officer Getz was able to return fire striking
Wells several times. Wells was later tried and convicted
for the murder of Officer Fahy and is still incarcerated
in the State Prison System. A bridge that spans the
Lehigh River was named the Phillip J. Fahy Memorial
Bridge in Officer Fahy’s honor.
Officer
Daniel E. Rice April 25th, 1997 On April 25th, 1997,
Officer Rice a 26-year veteran of the force was on patrol
when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident at
the intersection of Schoenersville Rd. and Westgate
Dr. Officer Rice died from injuries that he suffered
in the accident. The local chapter of the Ancient Order
Of Hibernians “The Danny Rice Division”
is named in his honor. The City of Bethlehem also honored
him by dedicating a local park in his name.
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