President Lincoln wasn't the only President someone tried to kill where a member of the Metropolitan Police were present. A young Irish Metropolitan Police officer who was on the top of things one day happened to be in the right place at the right time . He would soon find himself and the Metropolitan Police being placed back into history books yet again.
BlacksSheep Productions 2009
As you can see it is not unheard of for an attempted assassination on a President.
I will only mention those I know of that in some way involve the Metropolitan Police.
On a typical July summer day President Garfield was leaving for his summer vacation. He was to travel by train and was at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C. Little did he know that a deranged assassin lay in wait for him there with a .44 Webley British Bulldog revolver in hand.
Charles Guiteau arrived at the train station earlier then President Garfield. While he was waiting he saw fit to have his shoes shined. He paced about the train station waiting and even had the mind set to ask a cab driver at the station if he would drive him to the Police Station a little later on. Guiteau found later that the MPDC would kindly do so for him, no charge.
As President Garfield and company entered the waiting room two loud shots rang out. The President was shot twice, one was a graze to his arm but the second lodged itself into his spine. The President would suffer for 80 days before passing from his wounds.
There was only one Policeman with the President at the time of the shooting. A young Policeman named Patrick Kearney. The shooter put his pistol back in his pocket and turned to leave the station for the cab he still had waiting outside, but he was apprehended before he could leave by Metropolitan Policeman Patrick Kearney, who was so excited at having arrested the man who shot the President that he neglected to take the shooters gun from him until after their arrival at the police station. The rapidly gathering crowd screamed "Lynch him!" but Kearney took the shooter to the police station a few blocks away. As the shooter was being arrested he uttered the exulting words, repeated everywhere: "'I am a Stalwart of the Stalwarts! I did it and I want to be arrested! Arthur is President now!'" This statement briefly led to unfounded suspicions that Arthur or his supporters had put the shooter up to the crime. The Stalwarts were a Republican faction loyal to ex-President Grant; they strongly opposed Garfield's Half-Breeds. Strangely enough, while at the train station President Garfield was also in the company of Todd Lincoln
Contemporary illustration of Guiteau's pistol..
Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Passenger Terminal, Washington, D.C.
The arrest of the assassin :
President Garfield is at center right, leaning after being shot. He is supported by Secretary of State James G. Blaine who wears a light colored top hat. To left, assassin Charles Guiteau is restrained by Metropolitan Policeman Patrick Kearney and members of the crowd, one of whom is about to strike him with a cane.
*President of the United States of America Ronald Reagan and the D.C. Metropolitan Police*
March 30th, 1981
My sources of information for these pages are from watching the History Channel, Wikipedia Encyclopedia,The Day Lincoln Was Shot by Jim Bishop and GW Washington Studies by K.G. Alfers. Also from my 22 years as a Police Officer, collecting police memorabilia, meeting people ,watching the news, and hearing stories while sitting with friends over a few beers. So take it for what it is . HISTORY - just like in our school books, it is remembered as it is recorded .........
*President of the United States of America James R. Garfield and the D.C. Metropolitan Police*
July 2nd, 1881
01.20.2013
Thomas K. Delahanty (born c.1934) was a District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department officer who was wounded during the assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan on Monday, March 30, 1981, in Washington, D.C.
Chaos outside the Washington Hilton Hotel after the assassination attempt on President Reagan. James Brady and police officer Thomas Delahanty lie wounded on the ground.
Reagan, White House Press Secretary James Brady, and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy were also wounded in the crossfire. Delahanty was shot in the neck by one of John Hinckley, Jr.'s six bullets, and he fell to the ground next to Brady (who had been seriously wounded in the head).
Delahanty was taken to Washington Hospital Center. He went home eleven days later on Friday, April 10, 1981, and was quoted as saying, "I feel good . . . I'm ready to go."
Since the bullet had ricocheted off his spinal cord after striking his neck, he suffered permanent nerve damage to his left arm. Delahanty was cited for heroism for his valiant effort to protect the President, but was ultimately forced to retire from the Washington police force due to his disability. Delahanty lives in suburban Washington.
Most Police will never have to use their gun in their career. Metropolitan Police Officer Thomas Delahanty never had the chance on the day he was gunned down by a cowards bullet. The bullet that hit Officer Delahanty may very well have been the one that may have killed President Reagan had he not stopped it. Ironic how being six inches to the left or right can change your life forever.
Secret Service Agent Jerry Parr is credited with saving the life of President Reagan that day. While in the limousine after the shooting, they were initially going to return to the Whitehouse. With all the excitement the President didn't even realize he had been shot. However Agent Parr noticed a small amount of blood on the President and insisted they go to the hospital. The doctors have said that the decision to go to the hospital rather then the Whitehouse allowed them to treat the President in time to save his life. In photo one you can see Agent Parr to the Presidents right side as he waves.
Bill Armstrong - Jerry Parr - and myself back in the late 80's. I had attended a Police Memorial Service in Fall River MA. Where Agent. Parr was the guest speaker. He read the story of the assassination attempt to us in a very personal way that reached our hearts.
The Face of a Mad Man
The type of handgu used a .22 Caliber Rohn RG - 14 aka Saturday Night Special
.22 Caliber bullet this is a small bulet but a very deadly one ....
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Name 
Dates of Service
Dates of ServicePeter Newsham: 2016 to Present
Cathy L. Lanier: Jan. 2007 - 2016
Charles H. Ramsey: April 1998 - Dec. 2006
Sonya Proctor : Nov. 1997 - April 1998
Larry Soulsby: July 1995 - Nov. 1997
Fred Thomas: Dec. 1992 - July 1995
Issac Fulwood: July 1989 - Sept. 1992
Maurice T. Turner, Jr: July 1981 - July 1989
Burtell M. Jefferson: Jan. 1978 - June 1981
Maurice J. Cullinane: Dec. 1974 - Jan. 1978
Jerry V. Wilson: Aug. 1969 - Sept. 1974
John B. Layton: Dec. 1964 - July 1969
Robert V. Murray: Dec. 1951 - Dec. 1964
Robert J. Barrett: July 1947 - Nov. 1951
Harvey G. Callahan: Feb. 1941 - June 1947
Edward J. Kelly: Nov. 1941 - Feb. 1946
Ernest W. Brown: Oct. 1932 - Nov. 1941
Pelham D. Glassford: Nov. 1931 - Oct. 1932
Henry G. Pratt : April 1929 - Nov. 1931
Edwin B. Hess: Oct. 1925 - April 1929
Daniel Sullivan: Feb. 1922 - Oct. 1925
Harry L. Gessford: April 1920 - Dec. 1921
Raymond W. Pullman: April 1915 - Feb. 1920
Richard Sylvester: July 1898 - April 1915
William C. Moore: Dec. 1886 - July 1898
Samuel H. Walker: July 1886 - Dec. 1886
William M. Dye: April 1883 - June 1886
William G. Brock: Dec. 1879 - April 1883
Thomas P. Morgan: Feb. 1878 - Nov. 1879
A.C. Richards: Dec. 1864 - Jan. 1878
William B. Webb: Sept. 1861 - Nov. 1864
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Chiefs
When I visited Washington D.C. back in the 90's I saw they noticed the look of the outside area where President Reagan was shot. Here are a couple photos of the area. It has changed since then to deter any further incidents.
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This is the actual gun used to murder President Lincoln. It is currently on display at the Ford Theatre Museum
This is Metropolitan Police Officer William Crook. He was not present at President Lincolns Murder but was known to be the closest D.C. Officer assigned to protect him. He has written several articles about working in the White House and President Lincolns assassination.
This is Ford Theatre located in Washington D.C. This photograph was taken just days after President Lincoln was murdered inside of it. It is now a museum.
This is a sketch of the door MPDC Officer Parker was supposed to be sitting at. This is the door Booth went through to enter the Presidents sitting area where he was shot
President Lincoln was not fond of having his picture taken. This picture is the last known one taken of him. He is sitting with his son Todd.
This is the booth the President was seated at when he was fatally shot
Presidential Assassinations Attempts
There are conflicting stories as to how Booth reached the seating area of President Lincoln. However one thing that is factual, Metropolitan Police Officer John Parker was not at his assigned post. The two most talked about reasons are that he moved to another location in order to watch the play and the second was that he left the area to have a drink in a local pub. In addition to his not being at the door he was never even seen again after the shooting until later the next day when he arrived at the station house for work. I have read several books on this and subject and watched the History channel touch on it. It seems more likely that Parker was tossing down a pint or two then sitting in the theatre. Had he been in the theatre I would imagine he would have responded to President Lincoln's seating area when he was shot. Many have wondered why Parker was even assigned to the White House to begin with since his record was blemished with wrong doings. Parker was brought up on internal charges within the MPDC but was found not to have been responsible. There are no written records on the discipline hearing for him either.
Mrs Lincoln blamed Officer Parker for his failing to be at his post when her husband was assassinated and could never understand why he was never punished for failing to be at his post. Several years later Parker was released from the MPDC for several complaints brought against him.
Officer William H. Crook was the closest Policeman to President Lincoln that was assigned to the White House. ( at this time in history the MPDC had assigned officers to the White House. It wasn't until the 1920's that a private police force was formed just for the White House). Officer Crook believed that had Parker been on his post the President would not have been killed. It had been Booths intent to stab the officer, but since he wasn't there.. Officer Crook was very loyal to the President and expressed his fear of an assassination often. On the evening the President was murdered Officer Parker was Officer Crooks relief. Officer Crook was held over for three hours, (4pm-7pm) because Parker was late for his shift. Crook was assigned to the White house for the length of five Presidents and has written several respectful books about his experiences at 1600 Pennsylvanis Ave. It's a shame that someone like Parker has more attention in the history books then a man of high charactor like William Crook.
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Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police
Assassinations
PRIVATE JOHN FREDRICK PARKER of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police.
Parker was the policeman assigned to President Lincoln that fateful evening, but where was he ? There are three suggestions. First is he was sitting in the viewing area watching the play. Second is he started at the theatre then found his way to the Star Saloon. Third and the one "I" find most possible, he went directly to the Star Saloon with the coachman and remained there until the assassination. He was not seen until the following morning when he brought in a female custody. He was brought up on charges and cleared. NO COPY of his trial have been found and he was released from service several years later. He was never known for being a good police officer either before the assassination or after. Which leads one to wonder why he would have been assigned to guard the President to begin with.
The STAR SALOON
The research I have conducted shows this to be the only known reference of the inside of the STAR SALOON which is attached to the Ford Theatre. This is where Private John Parker is alleged to have been drinking a beer while president Lincoln was shot. I know of no other picture of the Star Saloon.
Below is the Coachman who was with Private Parker at the Star Saloon when President Lincoln was assassinated.
CpG
P.O. Box 911
Foxborough, Ma. 02035
Presidential
Assassinations Attempted Assassinations Presidents Deaths Rumored to have been assassinations
Abraham Lincoln
James Garfield
William McKinley
John F, Kennedy
Andrew Jackson
Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Rooservelt
Franklin D. Rooservelt
Harry S. Truman
John F. Kennedy
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
James Carter
Ronald Reagan
George H.W. Bush
William Clinton
George W. Bush
Zachary Taylor
Warren G. Harding
