BIOGRAPHY PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE COPIED AND USED ELSEWHERE FOR ANY PURPOSE WHATSOEVER. THIS BIOGRAPHY, AS IN ALL OTHERS I HAVE WRITTEN, ARE MY PERSONAL PROPERTY. THE FACT THAT YOU CAN SEE IT HERE DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE FREE TO TAKE IT ELSEWHERE. CONTACT ME FOR PERMISSION TO USE IT.
-------------------------
George is buried under the name "George W. Merkel," which stands for "George White Merkel," which was not his actual name. His birth name was George Frderick Merkel, but after his divorce from his first wife, he assumed the name of "George White," moved across the bay to Oakland from San Francisco, married another woman and took a job in the Oakland Police Department. It was not until he died that his co-workers and new friends learned that his surname was actually "Merkel" and not "White."
(According to the website "The Officer Down Memorial Page" found at http://www.odmp.org/officer/14074-special-officer-george-(merkel)-white, George's tour of duty was only 1 year and 3 months when he died in 1907, yet he was already listing his profession as "Deputy Constable" in the June, 1900 census. He may have had a previous "tour of duty" or was working for another branch of law enforcement prior to the last.)
George's parents were Sebastian and Elenora "Lena" (Meier) Merkel, natives of Goshen, New York and Germany, respectively. His father was the son of German immigrants and was one of the first men to sign up with the 45th NY (volunteer) Infantry in the Civil War - a unit composed of German immigrants and their offspring, which fought at the famous battles of Chancelorsville and Gettysburg, among others. (See Sebastian's memorial page for more information.)
Although born in New York, George's family was living in California by the time he was 9 or 10 years old. The family was settled in San Francisco by 1880, which is where they remained.
In about 1886, when George was barely 17, he married 15-year old Rose A. McMahon, daughter of Peter and Margaret Mary (Donahue) McMahon, immigrants from Northern Ireland, probably County Monaghan.
On May 6, 1887, when Rose was 16, she gave birth to their one child, Mary Alice Merkel. In April or May of 1898, when their child was about 11, Rose was granted a divorce from George on the grounds of "failure to provide." It appears that he abandoned his wife and child to their fates.
On the 10th of July, 1900, at St. Rose's Church in San Francisco, Rose went on to marry John McGrath, a laborer who spent many years working for the city, mostly as an asphalt worker. After the marriage, Rose's child from her first marriage used the step-father's last name. It is unknown whether or not the new father adopted the child. (St. Rose's church was later destroyed by the great San Francisco earth quake.)
Meanwhile, George had already married his second wife, Ida Cohen, an 18-year old girl from Massachusetts, in about May of 1900 in San Francisco. George appears twice in the 1900 census. In May, he is living in San Francisco, still using his birth name, but by June of that same year, he and second wife Ida are living in a rented home in Oakland, the family has adopted the alias of "White" as their surname, and George is working as a "deputy constable."
George and Ida had two children in the ensuing few years:
Earl Charles Merkel, b. Apr 3, 1902
Leona Henrietta Merkel, b. Feb 8, 1907
When their youngest child, Leona, was barely 9 months old, George was killed on the job when he interrupted a robbery in progress while walking his beat in Chinatown. (See newspaper article excerpts, below.) It was then that it was discovered he was living under an alias. He may have done so to avoid paying spousal and child support to his first family, but we do not know.
Both hero and rascal, and somewhat of a mystery, George Merkel was the ancestor of many Californians, some of whom are participating in a perpetual virtual reunion on my Facebook page.
Biography Copyright (c) 2010,
Silver Rose Parnell
All rights reserved.
Written permission required to use copyrighted material for any purpose.
[Please note: Photos of tombstone contributed by Alfred Janske, who holds the copyright on those photos.]
-----------------------------------
APRIL 17, 1898
San Francisco Call Newspaper
IN THE DIVORCE COURT
"The following new suits for divorce were filed yesterday in the County Clerk's office: Rose A. Merkel from George Merkel, failure to provide;…"
MAY 3, 1898
The San Francisco Call Newspaper
"MISMATED MARRIED COUPLES
Judge Seawell has granted Rosa A. Merkel a divorce from George Merkel on the ground of failure to provide."
-------------------------------------
Death notice in the Oakland Tribune of November 28, 1907:
MERKEL - In this city, Nov 25, 1907, George White Merkel, beloved husband of Ida Merkel and father of Earl Charles and Henrietta Merkel, and loving son of Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian Merkel and brother of Henry Merkel and Mrs. Caroline Pederson, a native of New York, aged 38 years, 11 months and 19 days.
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 29th at 10:30 a.m. from his late residence, 718 5th Street; thence to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, southwest corner of 12th and Myrtle Streets, where services will be held, commencing at 11 a.m. Interment Mt. View Cemetery
-------------------------------------
SAN FRANCISCO CALL
Friday, November 29, 1907
POLICE JOIN HANDS IN SEARCH FOR MURDERERS
Slayers of Policeman Are Believed to be Men Who Robbed Hotel
SIMILARLY ARMED
Many Points of Resemblance in Two Pairs of Thugs Found
OAKLAND, Nov. 28. - In the belief that with the capture of the two masked murderers of Policeman George White the two bandits who robbed the Brooklyn hotel in San Francisco would also be taken into custody, the police of this city and of San Francisco have joined hands to follow fresh clews. Detective Connolly of the San Francisco force, who was closeted with Captain of Detectives Petersen today, said that the description of the men who killed White tallied remarkably with that of the two men wanted by the polic across the bay.
In the possession of the local bureau of detectives is a worn hat and coat, both black, which were found today in a vacant house near Hennings' saloon. It is presumed that this might have been discarded by one of the men, who after the shooting fled down Alice street to second and were there lost to view.
In both the Brooklyn hotel robbery and in the murder the methods of the highwaymen were the same. Both pairs of thugs wore black hats and carried heavy revolvers. In the Hennings holdup they carried two pistols each, all of which were turned against White by the robbers. It is thought that they sought to terrify the occupants of Hennings' place by the display of weapons. They were disconcerted at seeing a special officer and killed him to elude battle and pursuit.
In the Brooklyn hotel at 365 First street, San Francisco, the thugs stood George T. Montgomery, a son of the proprietor, and the night clerk, Daniel Davaney, in a corner and tied their hands. They looted the cash drawer, but found the safe locked, the total booty being not more than $3.
A formal report, made to the heads of the local police today, gives the true name of Special Officer White as George White Merkel. This was a surprise to Chief Wilson and to the other commanding officers, who had known the dead man as White. He had registered in the force under that name and was called White by his comrades. An inquest will be held tomorrow."
-------------------------------∼George White was a Special Officer for the Police Department in Oakland, California. He worked there 1 year and 3 months. He died in the line of duty at age 32. While walking his Beat in Chinatown, he interrupted a Burglary in progress. He had walked into a Saloon at Sixth and Alice Streets, as it was being robbed. When the two suspects noticed him, they opened fire. He was fatally wounded, the suspects fled and was never captured. He was survived by his wife, mother, and two children.
-------------------------
George is buried under the name "George W. Merkel," which stands for "George White Merkel," which was not his actual name. His birth name was George Frderick Merkel, but after his divorce from his first wife, he assumed the name of "George White," moved across the bay to Oakland from San Francisco, married another woman and took a job in the Oakland Police Department. It was not until he died that his co-workers and new friends learned that his surname was actually "Merkel" and not "White."
(According to the website "The Officer Down Memorial Page" found at http://www.odmp.org/officer/14074-special-officer-george-(merkel)-white, George's tour of duty was only 1 year and 3 months when he died in 1907, yet he was already listing his profession as "Deputy Constable" in the June, 1900 census. He may have had a previous "tour of duty" or was working for another branch of law enforcement prior to the last.)
George's parents were Sebastian and Elenora "Lena" (Meier) Merkel, natives of Goshen, New York and Germany, respectively. His father was the son of German immigrants and was one of the first men to sign up with the 45th NY (volunteer) Infantry in the Civil War - a unit composed of German immigrants and their offspring, which fought at the famous battles of Chancelorsville and Gettysburg, among others. (See Sebastian's memorial page for more information.)
Although born in New York, George's family was living in California by the time he was 9 or 10 years old. The family was settled in San Francisco by 1880, which is where they remained.
In about 1886, when George was barely 17, he married 15-year old Rose A. McMahon, daughter of Peter and Margaret Mary (Donahue) McMahon, immigrants from Northern Ireland, probably County Monaghan.
On May 6, 1887, when Rose was 16, she gave birth to their one child, Mary Alice Merkel. In April or May of 1898, when their child was about 11, Rose was granted a divorce from George on the grounds of "failure to provide." It appears that he abandoned his wife and child to their fates.
On the 10th of July, 1900, at St. Rose's Church in San Francisco, Rose went on to marry John McGrath, a laborer who spent many years working for the city, mostly as an asphalt worker. After the marriage, Rose's child from her first marriage used the step-father's last name. It is unknown whether or not the new father adopted the child. (St. Rose's church was later destroyed by the great San Francisco earth quake.)
Meanwhile, George had already married his second wife, Ida Cohen, an 18-year old girl from Massachusetts, in about May of 1900 in San Francisco. George appears twice in the 1900 census. In May, he is living in San Francisco, still using his birth name, but by June of that same year, he and second wife Ida are living in a rented home in Oakland, the family has adopted the alias of "White" as their surname, and George is working as a "deputy constable."
George and Ida had two children in the ensuing few years:
Earl Charles Merkel, b. Apr 3, 1902
Leona Henrietta Merkel, b. Feb 8, 1907
When their youngest child, Leona, was barely 9 months old, George was killed on the job when he interrupted a robbery in progress while walking his beat in Chinatown. (See newspaper article excerpts, below.) It was then that it was discovered he was living under an alias. He may have done so to avoid paying spousal and child support to his first family, but we do not know.
Both hero and rascal, and somewhat of a mystery, George Merkel was the ancestor of many Californians, some of whom are participating in a perpetual virtual reunion on my Facebook page.
Biography Copyright (c) 2010,
Silver Rose Parnell
All rights reserved.
Written permission required to use copyrighted material for any purpose.
[Please note: Photos of tombstone contributed by Alfred Janske, who holds the copyright on those photos.]
-----------------------------------
APRIL 17, 1898
San Francisco Call Newspaper
IN THE DIVORCE COURT
"The following new suits for divorce were filed yesterday in the County Clerk's office: Rose A. Merkel from George Merkel, failure to provide;…"
MAY 3, 1898
The San Francisco Call Newspaper
"MISMATED MARRIED COUPLES
Judge Seawell has granted Rosa A. Merkel a divorce from George Merkel on the ground of failure to provide."
-------------------------------------
Death notice in the Oakland Tribune of November 28, 1907:
MERKEL - In this city, Nov 25, 1907, George White Merkel, beloved husband of Ida Merkel and father of Earl Charles and Henrietta Merkel, and loving son of Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian Merkel and brother of Henry Merkel and Mrs. Caroline Pederson, a native of New York, aged 38 years, 11 months and 19 days.
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 29th at 10:30 a.m. from his late residence, 718 5th Street; thence to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, southwest corner of 12th and Myrtle Streets, where services will be held, commencing at 11 a.m. Interment Mt. View Cemetery
-------------------------------------
SAN FRANCISCO CALL
Friday, November 29, 1907
POLICE JOIN HANDS IN SEARCH FOR MURDERERS
Slayers of Policeman Are Believed to be Men Who Robbed Hotel
SIMILARLY ARMED
Many Points of Resemblance in Two Pairs of Thugs Found
OAKLAND, Nov. 28. - In the belief that with the capture of the two masked murderers of Policeman George White the two bandits who robbed the Brooklyn hotel in San Francisco would also be taken into custody, the police of this city and of San Francisco have joined hands to follow fresh clews. Detective Connolly of the San Francisco force, who was closeted with Captain of Detectives Petersen today, said that the description of the men who killed White tallied remarkably with that of the two men wanted by the polic across the bay.
In the possession of the local bureau of detectives is a worn hat and coat, both black, which were found today in a vacant house near Hennings' saloon. It is presumed that this might have been discarded by one of the men, who after the shooting fled down Alice street to second and were there lost to view.
In both the Brooklyn hotel robbery and in the murder the methods of the highwaymen were the same. Both pairs of thugs wore black hats and carried heavy revolvers. In the Hennings holdup they carried two pistols each, all of which were turned against White by the robbers. It is thought that they sought to terrify the occupants of Hennings' place by the display of weapons. They were disconcerted at seeing a special officer and killed him to elude battle and pursuit.
In the Brooklyn hotel at 365 First street, San Francisco, the thugs stood George T. Montgomery, a son of the proprietor, and the night clerk, Daniel Davaney, in a corner and tied their hands. They looted the cash drawer, but found the safe locked, the total booty being not more than $3.
A formal report, made to the heads of the local police today, gives the true name of Special Officer White as George White Merkel. This was a surprise to Chief Wilson and to the other commanding officers, who had known the dead man as White. He had registered in the force under that name and was called White by his comrades. An inquest will be held tomorrow."
-------------------------------∼George White was a Special Officer for the Police Department in Oakland, California. He worked there 1 year and 3 months. He died in the line of duty at age 32. While walking his Beat in Chinatown, he interrupted a Burglary in progress. He had walked into a Saloon at Sixth and Alice Streets, as it was being robbed. When the two suspects noticed him, they opened fire. He was fatally wounded, the suspects fled and was never captured. He was survived by his wife, mother, and two children.
BIOGRAPHY PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE COPIED AND USED ELSEWHERE FOR ANY PURPOSE WHATSOEVER. THIS BIOGRAPHY, AS IN ALL OTHERS I HAVE WRITTEN, ARE MY PERSONAL PROPERTY. THE FACT THAT YOU CAN SEE IT HERE DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE FREE TO TAKE IT ELSEWHERE. CONTACT ME FOR PERMISSION TO USE IT.
-------------------------
George is buried under the name "George W. Merkel," which stands for "George White Merkel," which was not his actual name. His birth name was George Frderick Merkel, but after his divorce from his first wife, he assumed the name of "George White," moved across the bay to Oakland from San Francisco, married another woman and took a job in the Oakland Police Department. It was not until he died that his co-workers and new friends learned that his surname was actually "Merkel" and not "White."
(According to the website "The Officer Down Memorial Page" found at http://www.odmp.org/officer/14074-special-officer-george-(merkel)-white, George's tour of duty was only 1 year and 3 months when he died in 1907, yet he was already listing his profession as "Deputy Constable" in the June, 1900 census. He may have had a previous "tour of duty" or was working for another branch of law enforcement prior to the last.)
George's parents were Sebastian and Elenora "Lena" (Meier) Merkel, natives of Goshen, New York and Germany, respectively. His father was the son of German immigrants and was one of the first men to sign up with the 45th NY (volunteer) Infantry in the Civil War - a unit composed of German immigrants and their offspring, which fought at the famous battles of Chancelorsville and Gettysburg, among others. (See Sebastian's memorial page for more information.)
Although born in New York, George's family was living in California by the time he was 9 or 10 years old. The family was settled in San Francisco by 1880, which is where they remained.
In about 1886, when George was barely 17, he married 15-year old Rose A. McMahon, daughter of Peter and Margaret Mary (Donahue) McMahon, immigrants from Northern Ireland, probably County Monaghan.
On May 6, 1887, when Rose was 16, she gave birth to their one child, Mary Alice Merkel. In April or May of 1898, when their child was about 11, Rose was granted a divorce from George on the grounds of "failure to provide." It appears that he abandoned his wife and child to their fates.
On the 10th of July, 1900, at St. Rose's Church in San Francisco, Rose went on to marry John McGrath, a laborer who spent many years working for the city, mostly as an asphalt worker. After the marriage, Rose's child from her first marriage used the step-father's last name. It is unknown whether or not the new father adopted the child. (St. Rose's church was later destroyed by the great San Francisco earth quake.)
Meanwhile, George had already married his second wife, Ida Cohen, an 18-year old girl from Massachusetts, in about May of 1900 in San Francisco. George appears twice in the 1900 census. In May, he is living in San Francisco, still using his birth name, but by June of that same year, he and second wife Ida are living in a rented home in Oakland, the family has adopted the alias of "White" as their surname, and George is working as a "deputy constable."
George and Ida had two children in the ensuing few years:
Earl Charles Merkel, b. Apr 3, 1902
Leona Henrietta Merkel, b. Feb 8, 1907
When their youngest child, Leona, was barely 9 months old, George was killed on the job when he interrupted a robbery in progress while walking his beat in Chinatown. (See newspaper article excerpts, below.) It was then that it was discovered he was living under an alias. He may have done so to avoid paying spousal and child support to his first family, but we do not know.
Both hero and rascal, and somewhat of a mystery, George Merkel was the ancestor of many Californians, some of whom are participating in a perpetual virtual reunion on my Facebook page.
Biography Copyright (c) 2010,
Silver Rose Parnell
All rights reserved.
Written permission required to use copyrighted material for any purpose.
[Please note: Photos of tombstone contributed by Alfred Janske, who holds the copyright on those photos.]
-----------------------------------
APRIL 17, 1898
San Francisco Call Newspaper
IN THE DIVORCE COURT
"The following new suits for divorce were filed yesterday in the County Clerk's office: Rose A. Merkel from George Merkel, failure to provide;…"
MAY 3, 1898
The San Francisco Call Newspaper
"MISMATED MARRIED COUPLES
Judge Seawell has granted Rosa A. Merkel a divorce from George Merkel on the ground of failure to provide."
-------------------------------------
Death notice in the Oakland Tribune of November 28, 1907:
MERKEL - In this city, Nov 25, 1907, George White Merkel, beloved husband of Ida Merkel and father of Earl Charles and Henrietta Merkel, and loving son of Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian Merkel and brother of Henry Merkel and Mrs. Caroline Pederson, a native of New York, aged 38 years, 11 months and 19 days.
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 29th at 10:30 a.m. from his late residence, 718 5th Street; thence to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, southwest corner of 12th and Myrtle Streets, where services will be held, commencing at 11 a.m. Interment Mt. View Cemetery
-------------------------------------
SAN FRANCISCO CALL
Friday, November 29, 1907
POLICE JOIN HANDS IN SEARCH FOR MURDERERS
Slayers of Policeman Are Believed to be Men Who Robbed Hotel
SIMILARLY ARMED
Many Points of Resemblance in Two Pairs of Thugs Found
OAKLAND, Nov. 28. - In the belief that with the capture of the two masked murderers of Policeman George White the two bandits who robbed the Brooklyn hotel in San Francisco would also be taken into custody, the police of this city and of San Francisco have joined hands to follow fresh clews. Detective Connolly of the San Francisco force, who was closeted with Captain of Detectives Petersen today, said that the description of the men who killed White tallied remarkably with that of the two men wanted by the polic across the bay.
In the possession of the local bureau of detectives is a worn hat and coat, both black, which were found today in a vacant house near Hennings' saloon. It is presumed that this might have been discarded by one of the men, who after the shooting fled down Alice street to second and were there lost to view.
In both the Brooklyn hotel robbery and in the murder the methods of the highwaymen were the same. Both pairs of thugs wore black hats and carried heavy revolvers. In the Hennings holdup they carried two pistols each, all of which were turned against White by the robbers. It is thought that they sought to terrify the occupants of Hennings' place by the display of weapons. They were disconcerted at seeing a special officer and killed him to elude battle and pursuit.
In the Brooklyn hotel at 365 First street, San Francisco, the thugs stood George T. Montgomery, a son of the proprietor, and the night clerk, Daniel Davaney, in a corner and tied their hands. They looted the cash drawer, but found the safe locked, the total booty being not more than $3.
A formal report, made to the heads of the local police today, gives the true name of Special Officer White as George White Merkel. This was a surprise to Chief Wilson and to the other commanding officers, who had known the dead man as White. He had registered in the force under that name and was called White by his comrades. An inquest will be held tomorrow."
-------------------------------∼George White was a Special Officer for the Police Department in Oakland, California. He worked there 1 year and 3 months. He died in the line of duty at age 32. While walking his Beat in Chinatown, he interrupted a Burglary in progress. He had walked into a Saloon at Sixth and Alice Streets, as it was being robbed. When the two suspects noticed him, they opened fire. He was fatally wounded, the suspects fled and was never captured. He was survived by his wife, mother, and two children.
-------------------------
George is buried under the name "George W. Merkel," which stands for "George White Merkel," which was not his actual name. His birth name was George Frderick Merkel, but after his divorce from his first wife, he assumed the name of "George White," moved across the bay to Oakland from San Francisco, married another woman and took a job in the Oakland Police Department. It was not until he died that his co-workers and new friends learned that his surname was actually "Merkel" and not "White."
(According to the website "The Officer Down Memorial Page" found at http://www.odmp.org/officer/14074-special-officer-george-(merkel)-white, George's tour of duty was only 1 year and 3 months when he died in 1907, yet he was already listing his profession as "Deputy Constable" in the June, 1900 census. He may have had a previous "tour of duty" or was working for another branch of law enforcement prior to the last.)
George's parents were Sebastian and Elenora "Lena" (Meier) Merkel, natives of Goshen, New York and Germany, respectively. His father was the son of German immigrants and was one of the first men to sign up with the 45th NY (volunteer) Infantry in the Civil War - a unit composed of German immigrants and their offspring, which fought at the famous battles of Chancelorsville and Gettysburg, among others. (See Sebastian's memorial page for more information.)
Although born in New York, George's family was living in California by the time he was 9 or 10 years old. The family was settled in San Francisco by 1880, which is where they remained.
In about 1886, when George was barely 17, he married 15-year old Rose A. McMahon, daughter of Peter and Margaret Mary (Donahue) McMahon, immigrants from Northern Ireland, probably County Monaghan.
On May 6, 1887, when Rose was 16, she gave birth to their one child, Mary Alice Merkel. In April or May of 1898, when their child was about 11, Rose was granted a divorce from George on the grounds of "failure to provide." It appears that he abandoned his wife and child to their fates.
On the 10th of July, 1900, at St. Rose's Church in San Francisco, Rose went on to marry John McGrath, a laborer who spent many years working for the city, mostly as an asphalt worker. After the marriage, Rose's child from her first marriage used the step-father's last name. It is unknown whether or not the new father adopted the child. (St. Rose's church was later destroyed by the great San Francisco earth quake.)
Meanwhile, George had already married his second wife, Ida Cohen, an 18-year old girl from Massachusetts, in about May of 1900 in San Francisco. George appears twice in the 1900 census. In May, he is living in San Francisco, still using his birth name, but by June of that same year, he and second wife Ida are living in a rented home in Oakland, the family has adopted the alias of "White" as their surname, and George is working as a "deputy constable."
George and Ida had two children in the ensuing few years:
Earl Charles Merkel, b. Apr 3, 1902
Leona Henrietta Merkel, b. Feb 8, 1907
When their youngest child, Leona, was barely 9 months old, George was killed on the job when he interrupted a robbery in progress while walking his beat in Chinatown. (See newspaper article excerpts, below.) It was then that it was discovered he was living under an alias. He may have done so to avoid paying spousal and child support to his first family, but we do not know.
Both hero and rascal, and somewhat of a mystery, George Merkel was the ancestor of many Californians, some of whom are participating in a perpetual virtual reunion on my Facebook page.
Biography Copyright (c) 2010,
Silver Rose Parnell
All rights reserved.
Written permission required to use copyrighted material for any purpose.
[Please note: Photos of tombstone contributed by Alfred Janske, who holds the copyright on those photos.]
-----------------------------------
APRIL 17, 1898
San Francisco Call Newspaper
IN THE DIVORCE COURT
"The following new suits for divorce were filed yesterday in the County Clerk's office: Rose A. Merkel from George Merkel, failure to provide;…"
MAY 3, 1898
The San Francisco Call Newspaper
"MISMATED MARRIED COUPLES
Judge Seawell has granted Rosa A. Merkel a divorce from George Merkel on the ground of failure to provide."
-------------------------------------
Death notice in the Oakland Tribune of November 28, 1907:
MERKEL - In this city, Nov 25, 1907, George White Merkel, beloved husband of Ida Merkel and father of Earl Charles and Henrietta Merkel, and loving son of Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian Merkel and brother of Henry Merkel and Mrs. Caroline Pederson, a native of New York, aged 38 years, 11 months and 19 days.
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 29th at 10:30 a.m. from his late residence, 718 5th Street; thence to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, southwest corner of 12th and Myrtle Streets, where services will be held, commencing at 11 a.m. Interment Mt. View Cemetery
-------------------------------------
SAN FRANCISCO CALL
Friday, November 29, 1907
POLICE JOIN HANDS IN SEARCH FOR MURDERERS
Slayers of Policeman Are Believed to be Men Who Robbed Hotel
SIMILARLY ARMED
Many Points of Resemblance in Two Pairs of Thugs Found
OAKLAND, Nov. 28. - In the belief that with the capture of the two masked murderers of Policeman George White the two bandits who robbed the Brooklyn hotel in San Francisco would also be taken into custody, the police of this city and of San Francisco have joined hands to follow fresh clews. Detective Connolly of the San Francisco force, who was closeted with Captain of Detectives Petersen today, said that the description of the men who killed White tallied remarkably with that of the two men wanted by the polic across the bay.
In the possession of the local bureau of detectives is a worn hat and coat, both black, which were found today in a vacant house near Hennings' saloon. It is presumed that this might have been discarded by one of the men, who after the shooting fled down Alice street to second and were there lost to view.
In both the Brooklyn hotel robbery and in the murder the methods of the highwaymen were the same. Both pairs of thugs wore black hats and carried heavy revolvers. In the Hennings holdup they carried two pistols each, all of which were turned against White by the robbers. It is thought that they sought to terrify the occupants of Hennings' place by the display of weapons. They were disconcerted at seeing a special officer and killed him to elude battle and pursuit.
In the Brooklyn hotel at 365 First street, San Francisco, the thugs stood George T. Montgomery, a son of the proprietor, and the night clerk, Daniel Davaney, in a corner and tied their hands. They looted the cash drawer, but found the safe locked, the total booty being not more than $3.
A formal report, made to the heads of the local police today, gives the true name of Special Officer White as George White Merkel. This was a surprise to Chief Wilson and to the other commanding officers, who had known the dead man as White. He had registered in the force under that name and was called White by his comrades. An inquest will be held tomorrow."
-------------------------------∼George White was a Special Officer for the Police Department in Oakland, California. He worked there 1 year and 3 months. He died in the line of duty at age 32. While walking his Beat in Chinatown, he interrupted a Burglary in progress. He had walked into a Saloon at Sixth and Alice Streets, as it was being robbed. When the two suspects noticed him, they opened fire. He was fatally wounded, the suspects fled and was never captured. He was survived by his wife, mother, and two children.
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