Officer Henry H. Raley

Henry H. Raley

Officer Henry Raley was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two drunk men near Davis Street and Forsyth Street.

As he walked one of the men towards a store to call for a wagon he was confronted by a group of the man's friends. The group demanded that the suspect be released. One of the men in the mob shot Officer Raley. He then shot and killed another man and severly wounded another when they went to Officer Raley's aid. The suspect was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Soon after he went to prison he escaped from a convict road camp and was never seen again.

Officer Raley was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and had been with the Jacksonville Police Department for only 6 weeks. He was survived by his wife and two children.