Officer Maloney, Slain In the Line Of Duty, Williamsport 1907

 
End of Watch Wednesday, March 13, 1907
JOHN PATRICK MALONEY

Age 33, Williamsport Pa

Officer John Maloney was shot and killed as he attempted to question two suspicious men sitting alongside the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad tracks. One of the men was wanted in a recent burglary.

As he approached the two, the burglary suspect jumped up and suddenly fired at Officer Maloney, striking him three times. Officer Maloney was killed instantly. 

Nelson  had accidentally shot himself in the leg during the incident. He was apprehended the following day.

Wednesday evening, Thomas Reed went to his family home for the first time since 1903.  There he  confessed to his father that he had been with Nelson, and that Nelson had shot Officer Maloney, whom Nelson and Reed both knew.

In September of 1903 Reed and Nelson had both been sent to the Eastern State Penitentiary for robbery.  Nelson had been released in September of 1906, "since which time, according to Reed's statement, he had been following his old business [burglary] in Williamsport, Jersey Shore, and Lock Haven"

"Reed's term expired at Cherry Hill on Monday. When he was liberated, though he was to have gone to Jersey City, where his brother awaited him, he met Nelson, and, after spending Tuesday In Philadelphia, they went to Williamsport Wednesday and went to the railroad section near Lycoming Creek, where Nelson had some dynamite hidden under some ties. 

While sitting on the ties Maloney, who, Nelson said, had been looking for him for recent burglaries, suddenly walked in on them, dressed in citizen's clothes.

 According to Reed's story, Maloney grappled with Nelson,  the  men fought desperately, and then  there were a succession of shots and Maloney fell, while Nelson ran away. 

 It was several hours after this that Reed crept to his father's house in Williamsport, aroused the family, bade then "How'dy" after his long absence, then told of the shooting and ran away. He still is at large. "

Nelson was found hiding in Coleman's lumber yard, half a mile east of Williamsport.

 He was captured a few hours later.

"When arrested Nelson had several pounds of dynamite and a handful of fuses in his pockets. He is said to have admitted the shooting. When the car on which Nelson was brought into the city reached Pine and Fourth streets, near the City Hall, a crowd of '500 men, women and school children gathered, and shouts of "Lynch him!" were made by both men and women. "

George Nelson,  convicted of Officer Maloney's murder, was sent to the Eastern State Prison, where he died six years later as a result of the accidental gunshot wound.

December 1907

Nelson was apparently sentenced to just 19 years in prison, for second degree murder.  He was scheduled to be released in January of 1926.  He died in prison, December 23rd 1913.

Officer John Patrick Maloney was born July 18 1874, the son of  Irish Immigrants, William & Hannah Maloney. Officer Maloney became a police officer in Williamsport in 1902.  He was in his 5th year of service when he was killed. He's buried in the Mt Carmel section of the Williamsport Cemetery.

Typically death certificates list the residence of the deceased, but Maloney's appears to list his place of death.  "Near Mossers Tannery on the P&R.R. track"

Cause of death is listed as "gun shot wounds at the ands of desperado"