Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Tennessee Incident Date: Monday, July 25, 1927 Weapon: Handgun Offender: Arrested
Special Agent Louis Baum succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained two days earlier while investigating two men in the Illinois Central Railroad yards in Raines, Tennessee.
He had been assigned to the yards to investigate recent gasoline thefts. During his patrol he observed two men walking towards a gasoline shed and he began to approach them. The men separated and, as Special Agent Baum attempted to contact one of them, he was shot in the abdomen.
He was taken to a hospital Memphis where he died from his wound.
The two subjects were arrested in Pulaski, Illinois, for an unrelated crime. One of the subjects was later shot and killed during an escape attempt. Following his death, the second juvenile subject admitted that he and his accomplice had committed 17 crimes, including Special Agent Baum's murder.
Special Agent Baum was survived by his wife.
Survivors
Special Agent Baum was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-RR-034369BE- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Agent Baum served with the Illinois Central Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Baum.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Agent Louis Edward Baum is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Illinois Central Railroad Police Department, 10 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Louis Edward Baum's cause is highlighted.
How Louis Edward Baum Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Louis Edward Baum is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Louis Edward Baum was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Illinois Central Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
