Police Officer James McKeag, Jr.

James McKeag, Jr.

Police Officer James McKeag was killed after being assaulted and thrown from the Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad trestle in East Pittsburgh.

He had attempted to serve a warrant on a man for stealing a horse and was pursuing him on foot. He caught the man on the trestle but was attacked by three of the man's friends, who had followed them. The group beat Officer McKeag with brass knuckles and the butt of a revolver before throwing him off of the trestle.

His body was found the following morning at approximately 7:00 am.

The case was initially ruled accidental, but in February 1903, a subject admitted to his involvement in the murder after being arrest following a barroom fight in East Pittsburgh. The other three subjects were arrested and all four were held on a true bill for murder.

Officer McKeag was survived by his wife and family.