Hugh McDermott
| Hugh McDermott | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hugh James McDermott May 12, 1877 Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 💀Died | December 9, 1953 (aged 76) East Liverpool, Ohio, U.S.December 9, 1953 (aged 76) |
| Other names | Hughie McDermott |
| 💼 Occupation | East Liverpool, Ohio Chief of Police |
| Known for | The death of Pretty Boy Floyd. |
Hugh James McDermott (May 12, 1877 - December 9, 1953) was Chief of Police for East Liverpool, Ohio, from 1916 to 1948 and was known for his role in the manhunt and shootout that led to the death, on October 22, 1934, of Charles 'Pretty Boy' Floyd.[1]
Early life[edit]
McDermott was born on May 12, 1878, in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and originally trained as a potter like his father.[2]
Police career[edit]
He started working with East Liverpool Police Department in 1902, when he was appointed by Mayor W. C. Davidson. He went on to serve as Police Chief of the department for over thirty years between 1916 and 1948.[3] He remains the longest-serving chief of the department.[4]
During his time both as a patrolman and later as chief, McDermott was involved in a number of high-profile murder inquiries including the 'Adamant Porcelain' murders in 1918, and the still-unsolved murder of the unidentified 'carnival girl' in 1944.[5] In the former case, the suspect confessed only after McDermott arrived with his airedale terrier Turk, who is said to have lunged at the suspect.[6]
Involvement with Pretty Boy Floyd[edit]
On October 22, 1934, McDermott and four other East Liverpool Police officers, along with FBI Agents Melvin Purvis, Dave Hall, Winfred Hopton, and Sam McKee were searching for Pretty Boy Floyd.[7]
McDermott and Purvis received a tip local people near the townships of Calcutta and Clarkson that Pretty Boy Floyd was nearby. McDermott, along with officers Glenn Montgomery, Herman Roth and Chester Smith, armed themselves with rifles and shotguns and made their way in McDermott's 1934 Chevrolet.[8][9] Floyd was shot dead by agent Herman "Ed" Hollis on Purvis's order.
Later life[edit]
He continue to work as chief of police for the Wellsville Police Department until 1948, he died five years later of a heart attack.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Hugh McDermott - Find A Grave". December 9, 1953. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
- ↑ Barth, Harold. "Biography of Hugh J. McDermott".
- ↑ "East Liverpool Law Chiefs". East Liverpool Historical Society.
- ↑ "Last call for a good cop". Columbiana County Families of Homicide Victims. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ↑ Turzillo, Jane (2015). Unsolved murders & disappearances in Northeast Ohio. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1625856357. Search this book on
- ↑ Brooks, Timothy. "The Adamant Porcelain Murders". East Liverpool Historical Society. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ↑ Breuer, William (1995). J. Edgar Hoover and his G-men. Praeger. p. 187. ISBN 0275949907. Search this book on
- ↑ Wallis, Michael (2011). Pretty Boy : the life and times of Charles Arthur Floyd. p. 449. ISBN 978-0393342185. Search this book on
- ↑ Tresniowski, Alex (2010). The Vendett: Special Agent Melvin Purvis, John Dillinger, and Hoover's FBI in the Age of Gangsters. p. 383. ISBN 978-1458760234. Search this book on
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