U.P. deputy honored…100 years after on-duty death

The Houghton County Sheriff’s Department says information recently received from the National Sheriff’s Association and the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund updates a part of the area’s history.

The documentation shows that a Houghton County Sheriff’s Deputy had been killed in the line of duty on October 8, 1913.  His name had not been identified and reported to the NLEOMF to be inscribed on their memorial.  This information had not been recorded and saved in Houghton County prior to this notice.

From the newspaper articles sent, the agencies were able to piece together an amazing, but tragic death of this officer:  Deputy James Pollock had a skirmish with miners approximately one week before his death.  The Daily Northwestern, from Oshkosh, Wisconsin described the incident as “vanquishing six of them (miners) in a fist fight a few days ago.”  On October 8, 1913, Deputy Pollock was killed by miners at the Isle Royal Mine, a copper mine which was near Hurontown.  He was shot twice in the head and beaten badly.   Deputy Pollock had shot a miner before being killed, and the miner died in the hospital.

Nine arrests of miners were made for the murder of Deputy Pollock.  Two miners faced trial, with one miner acquitted. The other miner’s charges were dropped.

Houghton County Sheriff Brian McLean has authorized the National Sheriffs’ Association to follow through with the inclusion of Deputy Sheriff James M. Pollock’s name to be inscribed at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. and his incident recorded.

In addition, Deputy Pollock’s story was honored at the Upper Peninsula Peace Officers Memorial service held May 15th at Norway.  His name will be added to the U.P. Peace Officers Memorial plaque which is inscribed with all the U.P. Peace Officers killed in the line of duty.  This ceremony is held each year on May 15th, a day set aside in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy as Police Memorial Day.

Houghton County Sheriff Brian McLean is asking for more information from the public.  He says he is looking for “any and all old stories, photos and/or newspaper articles that people would not mind sharing.”

McLean can be contacted at (906) 487-5949.