In the early hours of a snowy March 23, 1906, in the quiet village of Sodus, New York, a dedicated public servant named Edward Pullman met a tragic end. Pullman, a constable and night watchman, was diligently making his rounds, checking on the local businesses to ensure their security. As he approached the G.K. Knapp Bank, he discovered that a burglary was in progress.
A group of criminals, who had been on a crime spree across the Northeast, had forced open the back door of the bank and were attempting to crack the safe.
Undaunted, Constable Pullman forced open the front door to confront the burglars. In the ensuing confrontation, shots were exchanged. Pullman was struck by a bullet in the chest and killed. The burglars, startled by the turn of events, hastily dragged his body inside the bank and fled the scene, stealing two horses and a cutter for their escape. When dawn broke and Pullman had not returned from his watch, a search was initiated, leading to the grim discovery of his body at the bank.
The investigation quickly led law enforcement to Rochester, where three suspects were apprehended on Mill Street. The men were identified as Fred Schultz, James McCormick, and a man known as 'Big Ed' Kelly, who also used the aliases 'Howard' and 'Graham'. The case garnered significant national attention, and after a seven-month trial, all three men were convicted for their roles in the murder of Constable Pullman.
Fred Schultz and 'Big Ed' Kelly were sentenced to life in prison. James McCormick received a sentence of 15 years. The story, however, did not end there. 'Big Ed' Kelly later managed to escape from a work detail at Sing Sing Prison and was never recaptured. Fred Schultz was eventually released from prison, while James McCormick served his sentence. The brazen crime and the subsequent manhunt and trial left a lasting mark on the community of Sodus and the history of law enforcement in Wayne County.
