Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND002 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 03407
Title: Herman M. Personius
Date:
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 1861
Summary: Herman Myron Personius Valley City August 1906 About 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 30, 1906, Herman M. Personius, a member of the local police force, and an old-time citizen of Valley City was shot and instantly killed by a desperado whom he was attempting to arrest in the Northern Pacific yards. The evening prior to the killing, Officer Swanson of the force, received word from Sanborn, that the caboose of the Cooperstown local freight had been held up by a number of armed and unmasked men. The Police Chief and various officers set out to meet the train. As the train pulled into the yards, the officers went down the length of the train and routed the men out of the car indicated by the train crew as the one in which the desperadoes had taken refuge. Personius left an officer holding the arrested men as he ran down the train to see if he could pick up another suspect. He preceded the length of two box cars when four shots were fired in rapid succession. The other members of the party hurried to the scene of the shooting, only to find the unfortunate man sweltering in his own blood and unconscious. While four shots were fired, only two took effect. The first bullet entered his mouth and the second between the collar bone and the second rib. Both wounds proved fatal. Personius was taken to the station for medical attention and died only a few short moments later. Personius, 45, lived in Valley City for a number of years. He was a hardworking, laboring man and had been recently put on the force. He was a fearless officer, going about freely the railroad yards at all hours of the night. He left a wife and seven small children. A $1,000 reward was offered in the arrest and conviction of the murderers of Police Officer H. E. Personius. It was believed that a man nicknamed "Blackie" or "The Lone Star Kid," was the one responsible for the murder of the police officer but he was never convicted of the crime.
Red ID: FND_I_77328 Image ID: 509148 Image Notes: 10960 00002 03407

Collection: FND002 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program
Date:

Summary: The North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Program honors fallen officers with highlights of their lives and careers.

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