The Baltimore News October 19, 1926

Patrolman Henry Sudmeier of the Northern District was shot and seriously wounded shortly after last midnight by a fellow policeman in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at Mount Washington during an attempt to capture a man who had been stealing from the poor boxes for three nights.

The wounded policeman was taken to Union Memorial Hospital where surgeons operated immediately. They said his condition was critical.

DETAILED TO HIDE IN CHURCH

According to police officials the shot probably was fired by Patrolman Joseph Young who had been detailed with Patrolman Melvin Jackson in plain clothes to hide in the church.

“Hank” Connelly, 54 years old, who is said to have served several terms in the Maryland Penitentiary was captured during a chase in the church which resulted in the wounding of the policeman.

SAW INTRUDER ENTER

Patrolman Young and Jackson said they were hiding in the side of the church when they saw an intruder enter. He walked down the main aisle and they called on him to halt. Instead he ran toward the entrance and the two patrolmen opened fire.

Patrolman Sudmeier, who was patrolling the beat near the church and heard the shots, ran in at the front door and flashed his electric torch.

The patrolman who were attempting to catch the intruder apparently believed the thief had flashed the light, and according to Lieutenant Edward J. Dillon, Young fired at the torch. Sudmeier fell and the lamp was extinguished.

DID NOT NOTICE WOUNDED MAN

In the darkness and confusion the two plain clothes policeman did not notice the body, as the man they were chasing appeared again and dashed from the side of the church where he had been crouching, into the main aisle.

He was captured and only as they were leaving the church did his captors discover Sudmeier bleeding from a wound in the right side of the abdomen.

While one policeman handcuffed Connelly the other summoned an ambulance and Sudmeier was hurried to the hospital. There it was found he had suffered a severe wound and an operation was performed immediately. Surgeons were not sanguine regarding his chance for recovery.

RECENTLY RELEASED IT IS SAID

Connelly, the police said, has a long prison record and was released only a few weeks ago. He was unarmed when captured.

The two patrolmen who arrested him were detailed to watch the church yesterday by Captain Frank Gatch, who had received reports of looting poor boxes. Only a small amount was believed to have been taken each time, but it was feared that the thief would grow bolder and attempt to steal the golden and silver vessels used in the Catholic service.

The wounded patrolman is 28 years old and has been a member of the department for about a year.

DIAGRAM SHOWING BURGLAR SUSPECT CHASE AND SHOOTING

PHOTO-DIAGRAM showing how Patrolman Henry Sudmeier was wounded last night when Patrolman Joseph Young and Patrolman Melvin Jackson assigned to capture the suspected thief, fired at the intruder attempting to escape through the door of the office. The patrolman in plain clothes had been hiding in the church. Patrolman Sudmeier had been summoned to the church by the ringing of a burglar alarm. He apparently did not know the other Policemen were in the building. He flashed his light in their faces and they both fired, believing that Patrolman Sudmeier was the thief. Later Joseph (Hank) Connelly was arrested as the suspect. He said he gained entrance through a window.

The Baltimore News October 19, 1926

Lieutenant Edward Dillon and Sergeant Joseph Payowich examining a chisel found at the Sacred Heart Church, where Patrolman Henry Sudmeier was wounded by fellow patrolmen last night when an attempt was made to capture a burglar suspect tampering with the poor boxes.

Details of the accidental shooting early today in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Mount Washington, in which Patrolman Henry Sudmeier, Northern District, probably was fatally injured by two fellow officers were made known by the later as Commissioner Gaither pressed an investigation.

Sudmeier, who is twenty-eight, a bridegroom of eight months and lives at 1618 South Charles Street was shot twice. He is in Union Memorial Hospital, paralyzed from the waist down from the bullets, which tore through his chest and abdomen.

SHOT IN PURSUIT

Patrolmen Joseph Young and Melvin Jackson, Northern District shot Patrolman Sudmeier while pursuing Joseph (Hank) Connelly, held in $10,000 bail for a hearing tomorrow, as the church thief.

Telling of the gunplay, the two officers assigned by Captain Frank Gatch to snare the robber said: “We had chased Connelly around and down into the basement. We thought he had slipped out the side door and were going after him. Then this other flashlight shot into our faces and we saw a revolver leveled at us. It looked like another thief, so we shot and started to grapple with the fellow we learned later was Patrolman Sudmeier.

FOUND FLASHLIGHT

“We found a flashlight and chisel that Connelly had left behind. There was a half pint of whiskey too”

Captain Gatch said:

“ I am going to drive out to the church today and go over the scene. However I fail to see where there is the slightest blame that attaches to either Young or Jackson.”

After the Rev. John Colgan, assistant Pastor, complained yesterday poor boxes had been robbed four times since August 13. Captain Gatch assigned Young and Jackson to watch the office last night.

WATCH IN PLAIN CLOTHES

In plain clothes they took their places an hour after dusk in the shadows alongside the side aisles.

It was shortly after midnight when the figure of a man was seen by Patrolman Jackson bending over money boxes in front of a small altar.

Although the officers did not know it, Father Colgan in his study in the rectory had become aware of the marauder’s presence when his hand first touched the boxes. A burglar alarm, leading from Church to house had buzzed.

PRIEST CALLS POLICE

The priest called Northern District sub-station and Patrolman Sudmeier was sent rushing to head of the thief. Not many hours earlier he had kissed his bride good-bye.

Sounds of a commotion struck upon the young Policeman’s ears as he raced through the church vestibule. He opened a side door, his electric torch cutting through a pathway of light through the darkness.

There was a cry. The flashlight clattered to the floor as Patrolman Sudmeier cried: “You’ve shot a cop”

Connelly was sent to Northern Station in the patrol, while the wounded bluecoat was hurried to the hospital. The prisoner had no weapons.

Chief Surgeon Dwight F. Mohr, Police Department, ordered Sudmeier to the operating table at once. In his latest report, Dr. Mohr gives the wounded policeman scant chance of recovering.

WIFE UNNERVED

Aroused at 1:30 am. Mrs. Sudmeier was driven to the hospital in an auto. A short time later she was taken away, unnerved and in need of a physician’s ministrations.

She was able to tell a reporter for The Baltimore News.

“ I knew something had happen to Henry the moment I heard the telephone ring this morning. They tried to fool me by saying he was just sick with an attack of indigestion.“HE WAS SHOT”

Father Colgan said only small amounts of money had been stolen each time the poor boxes were looted. But he was fearful the thief would grow bolder and eventually plunder the tabernacle of its gold and silver vessels.

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The condition of Patrolman Henry Sudmeier of the Northern District who was shot Monday night by another policeman while attempting to capture a thief in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mount Washington was reported as critical last night at the Union Memorial Hospital.

The patrolman is partially paralyzed. X-Ray pictures showed that the bullet penetrated his abdomen and lodged in his spine. In an unsuccessful attempt to remove the bullet an operation was performed yesterday.

Connelly, 54 years old accused by the patrolmen of breaking into the church in an effort to rob the poor boxes yesterday was held in $10,000 bail for grand jury action by Magistrate Jacob Schroeder, in the Northern Police Court.

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