Memorial to Oscar A. McKimmie

End of Watch: January 17, 1920
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Age: 27  Years of Service: 3
Location of Death: 1216 10th Street, NW
Duty Assignment: Second Precinct

Circumstance:

An armed suspect broke into the house at 1316 10th Street, NW, and surprised the occupant. The owner then yelled out the window for help. Foot Patrol Officer McKimmie heard the cries and came south on I Street to assist. Officer McKimmie attempted to draw his weapon but was shot in the left chest by the suspect.

Biography:

Officer McKimmie assigned to the Second Precinct, had been with the Metropolitan Police Department for three years. He was married and had three children.

Articles from the Washington Post – transcribed by Dave Richardson, MPD/Ret.

THE 1920 SHOOTING DEATH OF OFFICER OSCAR A. MCKIMMIE.
WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE DATED JANUARY 18, 1920, PAGE 1
SLAIN BY A BURGLAR
Policeman McKimmie is Fifth of Force to Die in 20 Months
SHOT ANSWERING SCREAMS

One of Three Bullets Strikes Him Over Heart and He Crumples Up on Pavement—Mrs. Solent Had Discovered Suspect in Closet and Called Help From Window—Police Lack Clew to the Murderer.

While pursuing an unidentified suspect who had previously been discovered in the home of Solomon Solet, 1316 Tenth Street, NW, Policeman O.A. McKimmie, of the second precinct, was shot and killed last night near Tenth and O streets, NW. The murderer escaped in a near-by alley, with not a clue left to his identification.

Thus the fifth death of officers killed in line of duty was chronicled in police records within the last 20 months. McKimmie’s death recalls the murder of Lieut. David T. Dunigan ans Policeman John A. Conrad May 31, 1918; Detective Sergt. Harry Wilson, who was shot by a woman during the race riots July 31, 1919, and Detective Sergt. James E. Armstrong, who died a few days after being shot by John McHenry, the youth who also took the life of Wallace Mulcare in his business establishment near Thomas Circle December 14, 1919.

Answered “Murder” Cries.
Policeman McKimmie was patrolling his beat shortly after 9 o’clock last night, near Tenth and O streets, when he heard a woman screaming “murder” coming from the home of Mr. Solet. Running up Tenth Street, toward the Solet home, McKimmie saw a man leap from a vestibule. Before he could draw his revolver the suspect fired three shots at the policeman. One of the bullets struck him over the heart; he faltered a moment and crumpled in a heap in the middle of the street, dead.

Here his body lay for several minutes before it was picked up and placed in a passing automobile and taken to Garfield Hospital.

The death of McKimmie not only shocked the police department with which he had been connected three years. At his home at 711 Jefferson Street, Brightwood Park, his wife, soon to be a mother again, and three children, all under six years old, were not told of the tragedy. The frail little wife had contemplated going to the hospital tomorrow and will not know of her husband’s death until later.

Discovered by Mrs. Solet.
Shortly before the suspect shot and killed Policeman McKimmie, he was discovered hiding in a closet in the home of Mr. Solet by his wife, who was preparing her children for bed.

Noticing the closet door open, Mrs. Solet started to advance toward it, when the muzzle of a revolver was slowly poked out. She screamed and rushed to the front window, while the suspect ran down the steps, and leaped from the front door. It was then that Policeman McKimmie started in pursuit of him, and met his death.

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WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE DATED JANUARY 25, 1920
McKimmie FUND REACHES $6,300
Police Have Given So Far $1,782 and $2,352 Has Come From Precincts
Police officials yesterday announced that $1,782.50 had been collected to date from the men in the department and that $2,352.10 has been sent in from precincts as coming from citizens who desired to contribute to the fund for the relief of the family of Policeman McKimmie, of the Second precinct, who was killed January 17 by a burglar.
Approximately $2,000 is in the hands of various business houses, to be turned over to the widow and with the sum of $177.50 in the Washington Post fund, the amount contributed so far is about $6,300.

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WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE DATED MARCH 28, 1920, PAGE 11
ALLEGED SLAYER ARRAIGNED
Herbert S. Weston, entered a plea of not guilty in Justice Stafford’s court yesterday on the charge of killing Patrolman Oscar M. McKimmie.
The indictment is to the effect that Weston shot and killed Mr. McKimmie when he frustrated a housebreaking, which a confederate of Weston was doing while Weston kept watch outside.

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THE BELOW ARTICLE IS TAKEN FROM STORY #5 AND MENTIONS OFFICER MCKIMMIE AND THE TOUGH TIMES ALL THE OFFICERS FACED DURING THAT TIME.
WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE DATED OCTOBER 14, 1920, PAGE 2
LOW PAY DEPLETES RANKS OF POLICE

Maj. Gessfords Annual Report Shows Only 300 Officers on Duty at Night129 QUIT FORCE DURING YEAR
Arrests Total 48,930, a Decrease of 10 Per Cent—Urges Law to Check Sale of Firearms Owing to poor pay and other unsatisfactory conditions, 66 deserted and 63 resigned during the fiscal year ended June 30, according to the annual report of Maj. Harry L. Gessford, superintendent of police, submitted to the District Commissioners yesterday. At present there are 50 vacancies, and in view of the large details required for the embassies, public buildings, bridges, and courts, Washington at night is protected by only 300 policemen. During the day 150 are on duty.More Than 800 on Force. There are more than 800 men on the force, but the various special details, suspension and emergency details, result in the patrol force being cut to 415.Washington consists of 69.7 miles, which means that at night some patrolmen in thickly populated precincts are responsible for about 50 blocks. Seventy outside communities such as Cathedral Heights and Tenleytown, are said to be inadequately guarded. Most of the desertions were due to the police rule which requires 30 days quitting notice. Many of the men had outside offers at much better pay which necessitated leaving the force immediately. They turned in their equipment and failed to come back.

Four Deaths During Year
Detective Sergeant Harry Wilson, Detective Sergeant James E. Armstrong and Patrolman Oscar A. McKimmie were killed in the line of duty. There were four deaths, including that of the superintendent, Maj. Raymond W. Pullman, and 8 men were pensioned. There were 48,930 arrests in the fiscal year, a decrease of 10 per cent. The property stolen amounted to $1,108,875, of which $739,789 was recovered. Maj. Gessford renewed the department’s recommendations for a more stringent law to govern the sale of firearms, and for the establishment of a traffic court. He urged that guides about the city be licensed and all others be prevented from plying that trade.

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PARTIAL WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE DATED JUNE 15, 1922, PAGE 18.
OFFICER’S SLAYER GETS LIFE TERM
Burglar Sentenced for Killing Policeman McKimmie, Who Pursued Him.
Herbert S. Weston, 22 years old, who pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree in connection with the shooting and killing of Policeman Oscar A. McKimmie January 15, 1920, was sentenced to life in prison yesterday by Chief Justice Walter I. McCoy. The suspect was surprised by the officer in robbing a house and in the chase that ensued he fired several shots at McKimmie, killing him instantly. Weston was originally indicted on a charge of murder in the first degree.

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(NO REPORTS WERE FOUND DESCRIBING THE DETAILS OF WESTON’S ARREST. HIS STORY OF A PARTNER APPARENTLY WAS UNTRUE. NO REASON WAS GIVEN WHY WESTON WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER A PLEA TO SECOND DEGREE MURDER.)

THE MCKIMMIE FAMILY SUFFERED SEVERAL OTHER TRAGEDIES DURING THIS PERIOD. THE 1910 CENSUS STATES ONE OF OSCAR’S SIBLINGS DIED DURING CHILDHOOD.

AN AUGUST 8, 1926 WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE ENTITLED “HEROIC ACTIONS ALL IN A DAY’S WORK,” REPORTS THAT ONE OF OSCAR MCKIMMIE’S BROTHERS WAS KILLED IN FRANCE DURING WORLD WAR I; AND ANOTHER WAS KILLED ON THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON (NO DETAILS PROVIDED).

TWO OTHER MCKIMMIE’S DIED IN THE 1922 KNICKERBOCKER THEATER ROOF COLLAPSE IN WHICH 107 WERE KILLED AND 133 INJURED. THE CAUSE WAS OF THE COLLAPSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE BUILDUP OF SNOW ON THE ROOF DURING A BLIZZARD.

ANOTHER BROTHER, JOHN M.A. MCKIMMIE, APPARENTLY SURVIVED A POLICE CAREER IN THE NINTH PRECINCT.