Roll of Honor
Incident
Location: Pennsylvania Weapon: Edged weapon; Knife Offender: Executed in 1919
Captain Ralph Mullen was stabbed to death while attempting to arrest a murder suspect in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The suspect, who had been a laborer for the railroad, had murdered a railroad track superintendent several weeks earlier in Buffalo, New York. Captain Mullen and a Buffalo Police Department detective had trailed the suspect to Philadelphia and learned that he had frequented a saloon near the intersection of Eight Street and Thompson Street. With the assistance of Philadelphia detectives, they waited for the man at the time he usually came to the saloon.
When the suspect entered they immediately questioned him. As Captain Mullen began to frisk him the man suddenly ran from the saloon and jumped a fence onto the grounds of the adjacent Children's Homeopathic Hospital at the intersection of Franklin Street and Thompson Street and hid behind a large tree. As Captain Mullen pursued him and ran past the tree the man suddenly appeared and stabbed him in the chest with a knife. He then proceeded to slash at Captain Mullen's neck as he fired at the man in self defense.
The subject was taken into custody by other detectives. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for Captain Mullen's murder before being extradited back to New York state to face trial for the murder of the track superintendent. He was convicted of the New York murder, sentenced to death, and subsequently executed on March 20, 1919.
Captain Mullen had served with the Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department for 15 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother and sister.
In Our Keeping
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Captain Mullen gave the Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphpia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Mullen.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Captain Ralph Malcolm Mullen 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department, 13 of 36 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 36.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ralph Malcolm Mullen's cause is highlighted.
How Ralph Malcolm Mullen Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1919
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph Malcolm Mullen is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ralph Malcolm Mullen was killed by edged weapon; knife.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
35 officers from Pennsylvania Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
