On the night of May 31, 1900, a disturbing peace complaint drew 28-year-old Police Officer Dennis D. Crane and other officers to the vicinity of Broadway and Osage Streets in Saint Louis, Missouri. The officers were responding to reports of a man firing a weapon near the Alexian Brothers Hospital. Upon arrival, they encountered a suspect identified as Alfred T. Koenig standing in the middle of the street.
Koenig, who was reportedly intoxicated and claiming to be a union man, was brandishing a double-barreled shotgun.
Officer Crane approached the suspect and issued a command for him to drop the weapon. Instead of complying, Koenig abruptly raised the shotgun and fired, striking Officer Crane in the chest. The wound was critical, and the chaos immediately escalated as the suspect fled the scene. Koenig ran into the back room of a nearby establishment known as the Ess & Son saloon, attempting to evade capture by the pursuing officers, including Sergeant Lucey and Officer Maher.
The officers cornered Koenig inside the saloon, leading to a violent exchange of gunfire. During the shootout, Officer Maher returned fire, striking Koenig in the chest and killing him at the scene. Officer Crane was transported to the Alexian Brothers Hospital for emergency treatment, but his injuries proved fatal. He died a few hours later, early on the morning of June 1, 1900. He was survived by his wife, a son, and two brothers, one of whom was a fellow police officer and the other a Catholic priest.
