Henry Wendelstorf

Queens County Sheriff's Office — Bronx, NY

Felonious

End of Watch June 25, 1897

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 14 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Henry Wendelstorf died of wounds he received the previous day when he was beaten with a baseball bat while attempting to make an arrest at a home near the intersection of 11th Avenue and 14th Street (modern-day Clintonville Street and 14th Road)

Deputy Wendelstorf went to the farm after it was reported to him that two brothers slashed a farmer with a razor after he caught them stealing cherries. Deputy Wendelstorf obtained warrants for both brothers, however, a mob of citizens also went in search of the men and threatened to lynch them. Marshal Wendelstorf located the men as they ran into a home while fleeing from the mob. As he entered the home the brothers attacked him and beat him with a bat.

Deputy Wendelstorf was taken to Flushing Hospital where he died the next day from his injuries.

The two brothers were arrested. One was sentenced to 18 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter. The other brother was not charged in the death of Deputy Wendelstorf but was charged with assaulting the farmer. He was sentenced to one year.

Deputy Wendelstorf was survived by his wife and four children.

Survivors

Deputy Wendelstorf was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

129 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Wendelstorf served with the Queens County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Bronx community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Queens County Sheriff's Office

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Bronx, NY

Platform Identity qcso.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 25, 1897

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Blunt object; Bat

Deputy Sheriff Henry Wendelstorf 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 97,756 officers honored here.

In NY, 728 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.9% of this state's fallen. That is 33.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Queens County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Queens County Sheriff's Office

of 4 officers

50% Felonious

NY — Statewide

728

of 2,147 officers

33.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious