Roll of Honor

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Keeper

Hugh McGovern

New York City Department of Correction — East Elmhurst, NY

Felonious

End of Watch October 29, 1900

Age 51

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 9

Incident

Keeper McGovern was killed during an escape attempt at the 7th District Prison attached to the old Police/Magistrates Court on West 54th Street in Manhattan. The suspects had cut themselves free from their cell with a saw that one of the suspect's girlfriends smuggled into the jail inside a sweet potato pie.

After getting free the suspects struck Keeper McGovern over the head with the cut away piece of bar, killing him. The suspects then climbed down a makeshift rope. The first inmate made it down the rope but the the rope broke as the second man climbed down and he fell to his death.

The prisoner who escaped was later captured in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was sentenced to death for Keeper McGovern's murder and executed at Sing Sing Prison on June 8, 1903.

Keeper McGovern had been with the agency for 20 years.

Rest in peace Keeper McGovern.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis August 27th, 2019

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Keeper McGovern gave the New York City Department of Correction 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the East Elmhurst community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Keeper McGovern.

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

Agency

Department New York City Department of Correction

Location East Elmhurst, NY

Platform Identity nydc.queens.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 29, 1900

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Blunt object; Pipe

Offender Executed in 1903

Keeper Hugh McGovern is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At New York City Department of Correction, 9 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 90% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Department of Correction

of 10 officers

90% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious