Cornelius Joseph Leyden

Lehigh Valley Railroad Police Department — Bethlehem, PA

Accident

End of Watch July 30, 1916

Age 45

The Vigil Panel 31 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Chief of Police Cornelius Leyden and Patrolman James Doherty, of the Jersey City Police Department, were killed as a result of massive explosions on barges carrying munitions at Black Tom Island in Jersey City, New Jersey's, New York Harbor. Parts of New York City and Jersey City were heavily damaged as a result of the explosions.

Several workers and civilians were killed and hundreds more were injured.

It is believed that the explosions were the result of German sabotage preceding WWI. As a result, Germany paid reparations to those affected by the explosion from the end of WWII until 1979.

Chief Leyden was survived by his wife and three sons.

Survivors

Chief Leyden was survived by his wife and three sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RR-1A8A63D6
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Cornelius. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief of Police Leyden served with the Lehigh Valley Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bethlehem community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Leyden.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Lehigh Valley Railroad Police Department

Location Bethlehem, PA

Platform Identity lvrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 30, 1916

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Chief of Police Cornelius Joseph Leyden is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Lehigh Valley Railroad Police Department, 3 of 6 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Lehigh Valley Railroad Police Department

of 6 officers

50% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident