This is RTS for Thursday, March 2, 2006
TROOPER SWANSON: A couple readers passed along a very
interesting piece of history – new to us, anyway – about a state
trooper from Mount Jewett who was the first ever killed in the line
of duty as a result of hostile action.
Russell T. Swanson, who was born and raised on the west end of
Mount Jewett, was the first ever Pennsylvania State Trooper shot
and killed, and while we know the slaying took place near North
East, Pa., we’re not sure of the date.
We learned this from Ken and Sally Bernhard of Corry who tell us
they unearthed the information while organizing a reunion of “Old
Westenders” this June.
As part of the reunion, the group plans to set up a table
display with photographs of Officer Swanson, who was a motorcycle
cop.
The Bernhards found this information on the Pennsylvania State
Police web site, in a location dedicated to the “memorial
wall.”
“You might also be interested in Ofc. John D. Simoson who was
killed in a motorcycle accident while patrolling on Main Street in
Smethport in 1937,” they continue.
LOCAL COPS: While on the subject of policemen, we’ve received
quite a bit of information on the police force in Bradford in the
1940s and 1950s – responses to a reader’s request.
Jolene Michaels Devaney e-mails a note: “My father Leo Michaels
served from 1952 to 1954 alongside of Johnny Colosimo and Pat Ray.
Even though he wasn’t on the force long I remember him telling me
stories about walking the beat at night on foot twirling his billy
club. He did mention that when he did come across trouble he could
pretty much settle it with just talking.”
“Not only do I remember when Johnny was on the police force but
he also drove myself and many kids in our neighborhood to school.
He had the Congress Street school bus route for many years.
“My father’s nickname while on the force was ‘Clancy.’ Two other
gentlemen to mention: Jack Arbuckle and John ‘Woody’ Woodley.”
Patricia McGraw Mealey writes, “My father was on the Bradford
Police in the ’40s. He rode the motorcycle and also was on the desk
for the night session. We lived on Amm Street and I went to 4th
ward school. He left Bradford to enter the Navy.”
More on this subject coming soon.
