Police Officer Thomas Bird

Thomas Bird

Police Officer Thomas Bird succumbed to a stab wound in his arm sustained two weeks earlier while attempting to arrest a man for assault near the intersection of Annunciation Street and Erato Street.

Two boys had approached Officer Bird and his partner, stating that they were just assaulted by two other men who had run up Leeds Row. Officer Bird and his partner were unable either suspect. After several minutes both men exited a saloon, and Officer Bird attempted to place them under arrest. One of the men resisted and stabbed Officer Bird in his arm. A citizen who witnessed the struggle tried to assist Officer Bird but was struck with the handle of the knife in his chest, knocked down, and fell over top of Officer Bird. The suspect fled the scene on foot but was arrested a short time later by another officer.

Officer Bird was taken to a local hospital, where he was initially treated and then returned to his home on Chippewa Street. The wound developed gangrene due to infection, and he returned to the hospital, where he died on March 2nd, 1858.

Two days prior to his stabbing, he was attacked by four subjects at the same location. Their charges were dropped when he was murdered.

On March 17th, 1858, the suspect was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of murder. The outcome of the trial is not known.

Officer Bird was assigned to the First Police District. He was survived by his sister.