OLD POLICE CHIEF DIES
KENNEDY - William W. - Chicago Pioneer is found dead. - Expires Suddenly in his room at McEwen's Hotel of Heart Disease - Came to the City 52 Years ago - Handled Force During Great Fire of 1871 as Head of Department - Employed in Postoffice mailing division.
William W. Kennedy, Chief of Police of Chicago during the great fire and a pioneer resident of the city, was found dead in his room in McEwen's Hotel, 91 W. Madison St., at 7 o'clock last night. He had lived there for 18 years. Mr. Kennedy became Chief of Police under Mayor Mason and retired from that office and from the police service soon after the election Joseph Medill.
William Wallace Kennedy came to Chicago in 1847. He was born in 1830 on the Tombigbee River, in Alabama. At that period his father conducted a country store at a cross roads. Early in the year 1847 his father disposed of all his property and taking his family, started overland in a wagon for the North, reaching Chicago in June. Soon after coming to Chicago he and his brother George engaged in the hardware business, opening a store at Lake and Wells street, as it was called then.
Disposing of his hardware business, he joined the city police force in 1860, and in 1868 was a Captain in command of the West Side station. On the election of Mayor Mason, in 1869 he was made Chief of Police. During Kennedy's term of office he had the distinction of acting as Mayor, Controller, and Chief of Police at the same time. This was in the fall of 1869 when the other officials were away on their vacations. His administration of the affairs of the police department at the time of the great fire was an eventful one, and he is remembered by all of the old time members of the Police and Fire departments, as well as veteran members of other branches of the city service.
After leaving the police service Mr. Kennedy practically disappeared form public view. In 1880 he was appointed to a position in the mailing division of the Chicago postoffice, and retained that position until the time of his death. He was last seen alive on Wednesday evening. He had been ill and compelled to remain away from his work. As he did not leave his room yesterday the hotel proprietor and his friends became solicitous for his welfare, and forcing the door of his room found the old man partly dressed dead upon the bed. He had been dead eight or ten hours, the evident cause of death being heart disease.
Mr. Kennedy was never married, and the nearest surviving relative is a sister, Mrs. W.H. Palmer, residing in New York City. The interment will be tomorrow at Rosehill from Gavin's undertaking rooms, Center avenue and Van Buren streets. He was a member of the Hysperia Lodge, A.F. and A.M. and of the Postoffice Employees' Benevolent society.
During the last few years I have heard little of Kennedy," Chief of Police Kipley said last night. "His time on the police force was just before I joined the department, but I knew of him by reputation. I knew that he resided on the West Side, but he appeared to be of a reticent disposition and we seldom heard of him. There are few men connected with the Police department now who will remember Kennedy."
Chicago Tribune, 21 Sept 1900
KENNEDY - William W. - Chicago Pioneer is found dead. - Expires Suddenly in his room at McEwen's Hotel of Heart Disease - Came to the City 52 Years ago - Handled Force During Great Fire of 1871 as Head of Department - Employed in Postoffice mailing division.
William W. Kennedy, Chief of Police of Chicago during the great fire and a pioneer resident of the city, was found dead in his room in McEwen's Hotel, 91 W. Madison St., at 7 o'clock last night. He had lived there for 18 years. Mr. Kennedy became Chief of Police under Mayor Mason and retired from that office and from the police service soon after the election Joseph Medill.
William Wallace Kennedy came to Chicago in 1847. He was born in 1830 on the Tombigbee River, in Alabama. At that period his father conducted a country store at a cross roads. Early in the year 1847 his father disposed of all his property and taking his family, started overland in a wagon for the North, reaching Chicago in June. Soon after coming to Chicago he and his brother George engaged in the hardware business, opening a store at Lake and Wells street, as it was called then.
Disposing of his hardware business, he joined the city police force in 1860, and in 1868 was a Captain in command of the West Side station. On the election of Mayor Mason, in 1869 he was made Chief of Police. During Kennedy's term of office he had the distinction of acting as Mayor, Controller, and Chief of Police at the same time. This was in the fall of 1869 when the other officials were away on their vacations. His administration of the affairs of the police department at the time of the great fire was an eventful one, and he is remembered by all of the old time members of the Police and Fire departments, as well as veteran members of other branches of the city service.
After leaving the police service Mr. Kennedy practically disappeared form public view. In 1880 he was appointed to a position in the mailing division of the Chicago postoffice, and retained that position until the time of his death. He was last seen alive on Wednesday evening. He had been ill and compelled to remain away from his work. As he did not leave his room yesterday the hotel proprietor and his friends became solicitous for his welfare, and forcing the door of his room found the old man partly dressed dead upon the bed. He had been dead eight or ten hours, the evident cause of death being heart disease.
Mr. Kennedy was never married, and the nearest surviving relative is a sister, Mrs. W.H. Palmer, residing in New York City. The interment will be tomorrow at Rosehill from Gavin's undertaking rooms, Center avenue and Van Buren streets. He was a member of the Hysperia Lodge, A.F. and A.M. and of the Postoffice Employees' Benevolent society.
During the last few years I have heard little of Kennedy," Chief of Police Kipley said last night. "His time on the police force was just before I joined the department, but I knew of him by reputation. I knew that he resided on the West Side, but he appeared to be of a reticent disposition and we seldom heard of him. There are few men connected with the Police department now who will remember Kennedy."
Chicago Tribune, 21 Sept 1900
OLD POLICE CHIEF DIES
KENNEDY - William W. - Chicago Pioneer is found dead. - Expires Suddenly in his room at McEwen's Hotel of Heart Disease - Came to the City 52 Years ago - Handled Force During Great Fire of 1871 as Head of Department - Employed in Postoffice mailing division.
William W. Kennedy, Chief of Police of Chicago during the great fire and a pioneer resident of the city, was found dead in his room in McEwen's Hotel, 91 W. Madison St., at 7 o'clock last night. He had lived there for 18 years. Mr. Kennedy became Chief of Police under Mayor Mason and retired from that office and from the police service soon after the election Joseph Medill.
William Wallace Kennedy came to Chicago in 1847. He was born in 1830 on the Tombigbee River, in Alabama. At that period his father conducted a country store at a cross roads. Early in the year 1847 his father disposed of all his property and taking his family, started overland in a wagon for the North, reaching Chicago in June. Soon after coming to Chicago he and his brother George engaged in the hardware business, opening a store at Lake and Wells street, as it was called then.
Disposing of his hardware business, he joined the city police force in 1860, and in 1868 was a Captain in command of the West Side station. On the election of Mayor Mason, in 1869 he was made Chief of Police. During Kennedy's term of office he had the distinction of acting as Mayor, Controller, and Chief of Police at the same time. This was in the fall of 1869 when the other officials were away on their vacations. His administration of the affairs of the police department at the time of the great fire was an eventful one, and he is remembered by all of the old time members of the Police and Fire departments, as well as veteran members of other branches of the city service.
After leaving the police service Mr. Kennedy practically disappeared form public view. In 1880 he was appointed to a position in the mailing division of the Chicago postoffice, and retained that position until the time of his death. He was last seen alive on Wednesday evening. He had been ill and compelled to remain away from his work. As he did not leave his room yesterday the hotel proprietor and his friends became solicitous for his welfare, and forcing the door of his room found the old man partly dressed dead upon the bed. He had been dead eight or ten hours, the evident cause of death being heart disease.
Mr. Kennedy was never married, and the nearest surviving relative is a sister, Mrs. W.H. Palmer, residing in New York City. The interment will be tomorrow at Rosehill from Gavin's undertaking rooms, Center avenue and Van Buren streets. He was a member of the Hysperia Lodge, A.F. and A.M. and of the Postoffice Employees' Benevolent society.
During the last few years I have heard little of Kennedy," Chief of Police Kipley said last night. "His time on the police force was just before I joined the department, but I knew of him by reputation. I knew that he resided on the West Side, but he appeared to be of a reticent disposition and we seldom heard of him. There are few men connected with the Police department now who will remember Kennedy."
Chicago Tribune, 21 Sept 1900
KENNEDY - William W. - Chicago Pioneer is found dead. - Expires Suddenly in his room at McEwen's Hotel of Heart Disease - Came to the City 52 Years ago - Handled Force During Great Fire of 1871 as Head of Department - Employed in Postoffice mailing division.
William W. Kennedy, Chief of Police of Chicago during the great fire and a pioneer resident of the city, was found dead in his room in McEwen's Hotel, 91 W. Madison St., at 7 o'clock last night. He had lived there for 18 years. Mr. Kennedy became Chief of Police under Mayor Mason and retired from that office and from the police service soon after the election Joseph Medill.
William Wallace Kennedy came to Chicago in 1847. He was born in 1830 on the Tombigbee River, in Alabama. At that period his father conducted a country store at a cross roads. Early in the year 1847 his father disposed of all his property and taking his family, started overland in a wagon for the North, reaching Chicago in June. Soon after coming to Chicago he and his brother George engaged in the hardware business, opening a store at Lake and Wells street, as it was called then.
Disposing of his hardware business, he joined the city police force in 1860, and in 1868 was a Captain in command of the West Side station. On the election of Mayor Mason, in 1869 he was made Chief of Police. During Kennedy's term of office he had the distinction of acting as Mayor, Controller, and Chief of Police at the same time. This was in the fall of 1869 when the other officials were away on their vacations. His administration of the affairs of the police department at the time of the great fire was an eventful one, and he is remembered by all of the old time members of the Police and Fire departments, as well as veteran members of other branches of the city service.
After leaving the police service Mr. Kennedy practically disappeared form public view. In 1880 he was appointed to a position in the mailing division of the Chicago postoffice, and retained that position until the time of his death. He was last seen alive on Wednesday evening. He had been ill and compelled to remain away from his work. As he did not leave his room yesterday the hotel proprietor and his friends became solicitous for his welfare, and forcing the door of his room found the old man partly dressed dead upon the bed. He had been dead eight or ten hours, the evident cause of death being heart disease.
Mr. Kennedy was never married, and the nearest surviving relative is a sister, Mrs. W.H. Palmer, residing in New York City. The interment will be tomorrow at Rosehill from Gavin's undertaking rooms, Center avenue and Van Buren streets. He was a member of the Hysperia Lodge, A.F. and A.M. and of the Postoffice Employees' Benevolent society.
During the last few years I have heard little of Kennedy," Chief of Police Kipley said last night. "His time on the police force was just before I joined the department, but I knew of him by reputation. I knew that he resided on the West Side, but he appeared to be of a reticent disposition and we seldom heard of him. There are few men connected with the Police department now who will remember Kennedy."
Chicago Tribune, 21 Sept 1900
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