The spelling of his middle name has appeared as Woffendale, Woofendale, etc. in records.
Died at his nephew's (William Williams Walker's) home.
~~~~~~~~~~
Obituaries
Noted Detroiter, Dr. Inches Dies
Dr. James W. Inches, 91, former police commissioner and one of the most colorful participants in Detroit public life died yesterday.
Death came in Marion, Pa., at the home of a nephew, William W. Walker, with whom Dr. Inches lived the last 20 years.
FUNERAL SERVICES
Funeral services will be held at 3 p. m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Church, Overbrook Philadelphia. The body will be cremated.
Dr. Inches served as police commissioner under Mayor James Couzens from 1919 until 1923, succeeding Couzens as commissioner.
When Couzens was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1923 Dr. Inches attempted to follow in his footsteps still further.
He was a candidate for mayor in the runoff election in March and was one of two candidates out of six nominated. In the election proper, however, Dr. Inches was badly beaten by Frank Doremus.
STARTS WORLD TRAVEL
After this setback Dr. Inches withdrew from public life to pursue his hobbies of world travel and big game hunting.
Dr. Inches was born in Fredericton, N. B., Oct. 30, 1860.
He came to Detroit in 1877 and in 1855 moved to St. Clair, where he went into business.
Shortly thereafter he took his degree at the Detroit College of Medicine and returned to St. Clair to practice.
The life of a general practitioner proved too humdrum, however, for Dr. Inches and he began dabbling in politics. At length he became a candidate for mayor there, a post he held five terms before being called to Detroit in 1917 to become health commissioner.
HE'S COMMISSIONER
Two years later Dr. Inches was named police commissioner.
The four years Dr. Inches held the post were exacting. The department, like the city itself, was going through a transition period.
Under him the department moved from the old red brick building where the Water Board Building now stands to its present quarters.
New developments were coming in criminology, and Dr. Inches was well abreast of the latest scientific methods. He was a pioneer in seeing that finger print and firearms laboratories were established here despite frequent opposition of die-hard, old-school subordinates.
Dr. Inches headed the department when it first faced the difficult task of enforcing the prohibition law.
Dr. Inches disapproved of the law. A realist, he foresaw the difficulty of enforcing it. And he predicted: "It will end in corruption of every department in the end".
Many of the more adventurous and colorful aspects of the erect, distinguished looking Inches career came after his retirement from public life.
BARELY MISSES CRASH
He became an aviation enthusiast when only the most reckless used it as a means of transportation.
In fact, on one occasion he missed a London to Paris plane five minutes. The plane, moments later, crashed over the English Channel, killing all on board.
At the age of 63 he was critically injured in a bus-trolley collision here but completely recovered.
In 1924 Dr. Inches made the first of two extended hunting expeditions to Africa. The second trip in 1928 proved even more adventurous, for on the way home the ship was wrecked off the African coast. Dr. Inches spent several hours in an open lifeboat before being rescued by a passing liner.
LOSES HIS LUGGAGE
He lost all his luggage in this wreck except several thousand feet of valuable film of his expedition.
Dr. Inches' other interests included the Automobile Club of Michigan, which he headed several terms.
In recent years Dr. Inches had divided his time between Florida and Philadelphia, where he had relatives. His Detroit home was the Detroit Athletic Club.
Unknown Detroit Newspaper Article
1952
Died at his nephew's (William Williams Walker's) home.
~~~~~~~~~~
Obituaries
Noted Detroiter, Dr. Inches Dies
Dr. James W. Inches, 91, former police commissioner and one of the most colorful participants in Detroit public life died yesterday.
Death came in Marion, Pa., at the home of a nephew, William W. Walker, with whom Dr. Inches lived the last 20 years.
FUNERAL SERVICES
Funeral services will be held at 3 p. m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Church, Overbrook Philadelphia. The body will be cremated.
Dr. Inches served as police commissioner under Mayor James Couzens from 1919 until 1923, succeeding Couzens as commissioner.
When Couzens was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1923 Dr. Inches attempted to follow in his footsteps still further.
He was a candidate for mayor in the runoff election in March and was one of two candidates out of six nominated. In the election proper, however, Dr. Inches was badly beaten by Frank Doremus.
STARTS WORLD TRAVEL
After this setback Dr. Inches withdrew from public life to pursue his hobbies of world travel and big game hunting.
Dr. Inches was born in Fredericton, N. B., Oct. 30, 1860.
He came to Detroit in 1877 and in 1855 moved to St. Clair, where he went into business.
Shortly thereafter he took his degree at the Detroit College of Medicine and returned to St. Clair to practice.
The life of a general practitioner proved too humdrum, however, for Dr. Inches and he began dabbling in politics. At length he became a candidate for mayor there, a post he held five terms before being called to Detroit in 1917 to become health commissioner.
HE'S COMMISSIONER
Two years later Dr. Inches was named police commissioner.
The four years Dr. Inches held the post were exacting. The department, like the city itself, was going through a transition period.
Under him the department moved from the old red brick building where the Water Board Building now stands to its present quarters.
New developments were coming in criminology, and Dr. Inches was well abreast of the latest scientific methods. He was a pioneer in seeing that finger print and firearms laboratories were established here despite frequent opposition of die-hard, old-school subordinates.
Dr. Inches headed the department when it first faced the difficult task of enforcing the prohibition law.
Dr. Inches disapproved of the law. A realist, he foresaw the difficulty of enforcing it. And he predicted: "It will end in corruption of every department in the end".
Many of the more adventurous and colorful aspects of the erect, distinguished looking Inches career came after his retirement from public life.
BARELY MISSES CRASH
He became an aviation enthusiast when only the most reckless used it as a means of transportation.
In fact, on one occasion he missed a London to Paris plane five minutes. The plane, moments later, crashed over the English Channel, killing all on board.
At the age of 63 he was critically injured in a bus-trolley collision here but completely recovered.
In 1924 Dr. Inches made the first of two extended hunting expeditions to Africa. The second trip in 1928 proved even more adventurous, for on the way home the ship was wrecked off the African coast. Dr. Inches spent several hours in an open lifeboat before being rescued by a passing liner.
LOSES HIS LUGGAGE
He lost all his luggage in this wreck except several thousand feet of valuable film of his expedition.
Dr. Inches' other interests included the Automobile Club of Michigan, which he headed several terms.
In recent years Dr. Inches had divided his time between Florida and Philadelphia, where he had relatives. His Detroit home was the Detroit Athletic Club.
Unknown Detroit Newspaper Article
1952
The spelling of his middle name has appeared as Woffendale, Woofendale, etc. in records.
Died at his nephew's (William Williams Walker's) home.
~~~~~~~~~~
Obituaries
Noted Detroiter, Dr. Inches Dies
Dr. James W. Inches, 91, former police commissioner and one of the most colorful participants in Detroit public life died yesterday.
Death came in Marion, Pa., at the home of a nephew, William W. Walker, with whom Dr. Inches lived the last 20 years.
FUNERAL SERVICES
Funeral services will be held at 3 p. m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Church, Overbrook Philadelphia. The body will be cremated.
Dr. Inches served as police commissioner under Mayor James Couzens from 1919 until 1923, succeeding Couzens as commissioner.
When Couzens was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1923 Dr. Inches attempted to follow in his footsteps still further.
He was a candidate for mayor in the runoff election in March and was one of two candidates out of six nominated. In the election proper, however, Dr. Inches was badly beaten by Frank Doremus.
STARTS WORLD TRAVEL
After this setback Dr. Inches withdrew from public life to pursue his hobbies of world travel and big game hunting.
Dr. Inches was born in Fredericton, N. B., Oct. 30, 1860.
He came to Detroit in 1877 and in 1855 moved to St. Clair, where he went into business.
Shortly thereafter he took his degree at the Detroit College of Medicine and returned to St. Clair to practice.
The life of a general practitioner proved too humdrum, however, for Dr. Inches and he began dabbling in politics. At length he became a candidate for mayor there, a post he held five terms before being called to Detroit in 1917 to become health commissioner.
HE'S COMMISSIONER
Two years later Dr. Inches was named police commissioner.
The four years Dr. Inches held the post were exacting. The department, like the city itself, was going through a transition period.
Under him the department moved from the old red brick building where the Water Board Building now stands to its present quarters.
New developments were coming in criminology, and Dr. Inches was well abreast of the latest scientific methods. He was a pioneer in seeing that finger print and firearms laboratories were established here despite frequent opposition of die-hard, old-school subordinates.
Dr. Inches headed the department when it first faced the difficult task of enforcing the prohibition law.
Dr. Inches disapproved of the law. A realist, he foresaw the difficulty of enforcing it. And he predicted: "It will end in corruption of every department in the end".
Many of the more adventurous and colorful aspects of the erect, distinguished looking Inches career came after his retirement from public life.
BARELY MISSES CRASH
He became an aviation enthusiast when only the most reckless used it as a means of transportation.
In fact, on one occasion he missed a London to Paris plane five minutes. The plane, moments later, crashed over the English Channel, killing all on board.
At the age of 63 he was critically injured in a bus-trolley collision here but completely recovered.
In 1924 Dr. Inches made the first of two extended hunting expeditions to Africa. The second trip in 1928 proved even more adventurous, for on the way home the ship was wrecked off the African coast. Dr. Inches spent several hours in an open lifeboat before being rescued by a passing liner.
LOSES HIS LUGGAGE
He lost all his luggage in this wreck except several thousand feet of valuable film of his expedition.
Dr. Inches' other interests included the Automobile Club of Michigan, which he headed several terms.
In recent years Dr. Inches had divided his time between Florida and Philadelphia, where he had relatives. His Detroit home was the Detroit Athletic Club.
Unknown Detroit Newspaper Article
1952
Died at his nephew's (William Williams Walker's) home.
~~~~~~~~~~
Obituaries
Noted Detroiter, Dr. Inches Dies
Dr. James W. Inches, 91, former police commissioner and one of the most colorful participants in Detroit public life died yesterday.
Death came in Marion, Pa., at the home of a nephew, William W. Walker, with whom Dr. Inches lived the last 20 years.
FUNERAL SERVICES
Funeral services will be held at 3 p. m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Church, Overbrook Philadelphia. The body will be cremated.
Dr. Inches served as police commissioner under Mayor James Couzens from 1919 until 1923, succeeding Couzens as commissioner.
When Couzens was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1923 Dr. Inches attempted to follow in his footsteps still further.
He was a candidate for mayor in the runoff election in March and was one of two candidates out of six nominated. In the election proper, however, Dr. Inches was badly beaten by Frank Doremus.
STARTS WORLD TRAVEL
After this setback Dr. Inches withdrew from public life to pursue his hobbies of world travel and big game hunting.
Dr. Inches was born in Fredericton, N. B., Oct. 30, 1860.
He came to Detroit in 1877 and in 1855 moved to St. Clair, where he went into business.
Shortly thereafter he took his degree at the Detroit College of Medicine and returned to St. Clair to practice.
The life of a general practitioner proved too humdrum, however, for Dr. Inches and he began dabbling in politics. At length he became a candidate for mayor there, a post he held five terms before being called to Detroit in 1917 to become health commissioner.
HE'S COMMISSIONER
Two years later Dr. Inches was named police commissioner.
The four years Dr. Inches held the post were exacting. The department, like the city itself, was going through a transition period.
Under him the department moved from the old red brick building where the Water Board Building now stands to its present quarters.
New developments were coming in criminology, and Dr. Inches was well abreast of the latest scientific methods. He was a pioneer in seeing that finger print and firearms laboratories were established here despite frequent opposition of die-hard, old-school subordinates.
Dr. Inches headed the department when it first faced the difficult task of enforcing the prohibition law.
Dr. Inches disapproved of the law. A realist, he foresaw the difficulty of enforcing it. And he predicted: "It will end in corruption of every department in the end".
Many of the more adventurous and colorful aspects of the erect, distinguished looking Inches career came after his retirement from public life.
BARELY MISSES CRASH
He became an aviation enthusiast when only the most reckless used it as a means of transportation.
In fact, on one occasion he missed a London to Paris plane five minutes. The plane, moments later, crashed over the English Channel, killing all on board.
At the age of 63 he was critically injured in a bus-trolley collision here but completely recovered.
In 1924 Dr. Inches made the first of two extended hunting expeditions to Africa. The second trip in 1928 proved even more adventurous, for on the way home the ship was wrecked off the African coast. Dr. Inches spent several hours in an open lifeboat before being rescued by a passing liner.
LOSES HIS LUGGAGE
He lost all his luggage in this wreck except several thousand feet of valuable film of his expedition.
Dr. Inches' other interests included the Automobile Club of Michigan, which he headed several terms.
In recent years Dr. Inches had divided his time between Florida and Philadelphia, where he had relatives. His Detroit home was the Detroit Athletic Club.
Unknown Detroit Newspaper Article
1952
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