CHARLES SKELLY, St. Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan Contributed 2005 by Estella Cox indianamoll@maplenet.net for use in the USGenWeb Archives. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ The Herald Press - December 17, 1929 CITY PAY LAST TRIBUTE TO ITS SLAIN OFFICER Four Thousand Persons View Body as It Lies in State OVERFLOW BIG CHURCH Police Officials of Six Towns Form Escort of Honor With flags in St. Joseph hanging at half mast and police and fire department officials present from six cities to pay solemn tribute, funeral services were held at the First Methodist Church this afternoon for Charles Skelly, 25-year-old St. Joseph policeman, shot down on the streets of St. Joseph Saturday night in the performance of his duty. The funeral, one of the largest ever held in the city, was attended in a body by members of the sheriff's office, St. Joseph city officials, United States Coast Guard members, headed by Captain Samuel J. Carlson, firemen and police officials from St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, Niles, Dowagiac, Kalamazoo and South Haven. The crowd at the funeral rites overflowed the church, and many stood outside through the services. THOUSANDS PASS BIER At least 4,000 persons, including hundreds of children passed by the body of the young police officer as it lay in state at the First Methodist church. Another 500 friends and Benton Harbor city officials viewed the body at the Esalhorst chapel in that city before it was brought to St. Joseph at 10:30 o'clock this morning. Forming a guard of honor at either side of the casket were former comrades of the young officer, Charles Wahl, of the St. Joseph fire department, and Raymond Slanker of the city police force. In a casket of gold, softly lined with gold baronet satin, the body of the young policeman lay as if in restful sleep. SCORES OF FLORAL TRIBUTES Behind the casket were massed the flowers, filling the entire large chancel and overflowing to the head of the aisles on either side. The stars and stripes of a large American flag that hung to the right of the chancel were repeated with flowers in a floral piece placed directly above the casket. It was but a few minutes past noon when the first of the hundreds present for the funeral took their places quietly in the large church. The east side of Main street for two blocks, from Pleasant to Elm streets, was blocked off for the cars belonging to the scores of officials present at the rites. A continuous stream of persons from all walks of lifeled into the church from mid-morning until the funeral services began. MANY CHILDREN AT BIER With the noon hour came the children, just out of school, to form a solemn procession past the casket. Boys came by the hundreds, awe-stricken by the tragedy, gazing wonderingly at their hero, now a martyr. Among the boys were many from the school safety patrols, who modeled their traffic duty after that of their idol. "Don't forget to say that the boys loved him, dad," said one of the young sons of the Rev. Wesley F. Ledford, Methodist minister, who spoke at the services. The Ledford boys, whose home is across the street from the fire station, had thrilled over many a swift ride down the brass pole at the station house at invitation of Officer Skelly when he was a member of St. Joseph's fire department. He was not dressed in his uniform, but wore a suit of dark clothes, with an emblem in the buttonhole of the recently organized Fraternal Order of Police. EULOGIZED BY LEDFORD Funeral services were conducted in both German and English. There was music by the choir of the Church of God, St. Joseph, and a short address in German by the church pastor, the Rev. G. Butgereit. The members of the Methodist choir sang, and the Rev. W.F. Ledford paid a tribute to St. Joseph's martyred officer in behlaf of the city. A large number of persons who attended services at the church accompanied the funeral party to Crystal Springs cemetery, six uniformed men from the sheriff's office forming a motorcycle escort. FLOWERS FILL SEVERAL CARS Flowers filled several cars. There were deep red roses by the hundred, lilies, sweet peas, carnations and great sheaves of chrysanthemums. A broken wheel, expressing the sympathy of the sheriff's department, was a touching reminder of the tragedy that has struck a deep blow to official circles of the city and county. In addition to the profusion of blossoms from personal friends of Officer Skelly and his family were tributes in the form of flowers from the St. Joseph and Benton Harbor fire departments, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor police forces, Fraternal Order of Police, B.P.O.E., St. Joseph, F.O. Eagles, of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and Retail Merchants Association of this city, the city of St. Joseph, boys and girls of the St. Joseph public schools, Teachers' club of St. Joseph, St. Joseph city employees, Captain Carlson and members of his coast guard crew, St. Joseph post office, Young People of the Church of God, Auto Specialties Manufacturing company, Southties Manufacturing company, South Haven Metropolitan Club, from organizations in other cities who sent representatives to the funeral, and many other groups including a huge spray from a dozen or more acquaintances who banded together in expression of their friendship and sympathy. COMRADES CARRY CASKET Police officers and St. Joseph firemen who carried the casket were David Hunter, veteran member of the St. Joseph police force, Officer Ben Phairas, Chief Thure O. Linde and Night Chief William Barry of the Benton Harbor police department, and Thomas Schillinger and R. Keene Evans, St. Joseph firemen. From church to the middle of Main street where the hearse stood, a lane was formed by police officers and firemen from six cities, members of the sheriff's department, and United States Coast Guardsmen. The funeral procession, with its motorcycle escort, proceeded to Wayne street and through the center of Benton Harbor's business district to Crystal Springs cemetery. LEDFORD'S TRIBUTE Paying tribute to Officer Charles Skelly in behalf of the city os St. Joseph, the Rev. W.F. Ledford said: "As a city, we join with Officer Skelly's loved ones in mourning his death and paying tribute to his memory and his brave deeds. "One of our best officers has paid with his life in the performance of his duty. He saved others, but he did not save himself. Clean and white, he did nothing to soil his life, but honored his friends, his uniform and his community. "Officer Skelly was friendly in disposition, he loved everybody and all were his friends. Boys on the streets loved him, for he was ever a friend to the children of the city. DARING OF YOUTH "We must not forget that he had the thoughtless freedom, the reckless daring of youth. It is only such brave spirits that will risk the dangers necessary to a life of adventure. A youth of such spirit will brave a solo flight across the ocean; navigate the frigid regions of the north and south poles. "Officer Skelly was a fighter, and so with Browning could say: 'I was ever a fighter, so one fight more, the best and the last!' REMINDER OF DUTY "If we are to make progress toward the higher and better things, we must cooperate with the law of the land, and the death of Officer Skelly reminds us of our duty to that law and those sworn to enforce it. We criticize all to easily, we praise all to little. Our hearty cooperation is not always given, so that often unwittingly, by our attitude, we lend encouragement to law breakers and crime. "His tragic death reminds us of our dependence one upon another, and in a community we need each other. When one suffers, all suffer and if we are to make progress against law breakers and crime, we must stand together. "We should honor officers of the law, remembering that they are our protection. Through their fithful performance of duty, they give peace and security to our homes and our business pursuits. "SERVED COMMUNITY WELL" "This tragic death reminds us of our dependence on God, for in our grief we are broguht into closer communion with Him. His family have the memory of a brave boy, who served his community well and died in that service. "We commit his spirit unto God in the sure hope and trust that nothing of good is lost and that all who have faithfully performed their duty shall receive due recompense." THINK GANGLAND WILL "TAKE CARE" OF BURKE Chicago police officials here aiding in the search for Fred Burke, alias Dane, today expressed the belief that the slayer of Patrolman Charles Skelly, now that his participation in the St. Valentine's day massacre is known,will be killed by other members of his gang as a protection against his making any admissions in the event of his capture. "It's just a law of gangland," declared the Windy City officials. jic