In the autumn of 1911, the town of Gloversville was gripped by a manhunt for a murder suspect. Mounted Policeman John Henry Pollock, a member of the Gloversville Police Department, joined a posse of about 50 deputy sheriffs to track down an individual who had shot and killed a livery driver. On Wednesday, October 25, 1911, during the search, Policeman Pollock and another deputy encountered the suspect.
In the ensuing confrontation, both officers were shot and wounded.
Two days later, on Friday, October 27, 1911, Policeman Pollock succumbed to the gunshot wound he had sustained. The other deputy who was shot alongside him ultimately recovered from his injuries. The man responsible for the shootings, identified as 18-year-old Charles Edward Baker, was captured a few hours after the incident on Mountain Lake Road. He was shot and seriously wounded by a member of the posse during his apprehension.
Following his capture, Charles Edward Baker was tried for the murder of the livery driver. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and received a sentence of 20 years in prison. After serving his sentence, he was released on June 2, 1933. As he was leaving the prison, he was immediately arrested for the murder of Policeman Pollock. However, a few days later, the murder charge against him in connection with Pollock's death was dismissed due to a lack of sufficient evidence.
