In the small town of Dundee, New York, a young man named Jay Close, aged 21, met a tragic and untimely end on Saturday, December 24, 1910. On what should have been a festive Christmas Eve, Close, serving as a Constable, was thrust into a volatile and dangerous situation that would ultimately cost him his life. He had been a constable for only a single day.
The events of that fateful day were set in motion by a 35-year-old man who was intoxicated and causing terror on Union Street.
The man was recklessly discharging a shotgun, firing into the homes of residents and creating a climate of fear. Constable Close was given the daunting task of apprehending the crazed individual. As he pursued the suspect, the man broke into a nearby house, and Close followed him inside. It was in this house that the suspect turned his shotgun on the young constable, firing a fatal shot that struck him in the head.
Following the shooting, the suspect attempted to take his own life, but only managed to inflict a severe injury to his lower jaw. He was subsequently taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder for the death of Constable Close. The legal proceedings that followed saw the suspect convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. He was handed a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison for his crime.
However, the perpetrator's time in the general prison population was short-lived. After only six months of incarceration, he was diagnosed as being hopelessly insane. This diagnosis led to his transfer to the Matteawan Insane Asylum, where he would live out the remainder of his days. The tragic death of Constable Jay Close left a lasting mark on the community of Dundee, a somber reminder of the dangers faced by those who swear an oath to protect and serve.
