Adam W. Fryer
Agency patch
Patrolman

Adam W. Fryer

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch August 9, 1889
Age 40
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo
Badge 752
The Vigil Panel 10 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Adam W. Fryer was shot to death at Harrison Street and Clinton Street by two burglars. As the assailants fled, Officer Fryer was shot and killed. Both assailants were sentenced to the Joliet Penitentiary for life. A new trial was granted and the killers were acquitted. One, age 25, became the leader of infamous "Henry Street Gang". On December 23, 1892, he and his gang robbed more than 40 passengers on a Southside Chicago train. Three weeks later when a Chicago officer tried to arrest him at a saloon, he shot the officer and beat him almost to death. Days later he was arrested after a gun fight with two Chicago officers. On July 14, 1893, he was convicted under the habitual criminal act and sentenced to 25 years. On January 5, 1897, he was pardoned by Governor John P. Altgeld. In 1899 he was sentenced to two years for stealing whiskey from a box car. Patrolman Fryer served with the Chicago Police Department for less than two years.

In Our Keeping

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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

137 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Fryer gave the Chicago Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 9, 1889
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo
Age 40
Badge Number 752
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Adam is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1889, 46 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 142nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Adam was 40. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Adam had served 1.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Adam among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Adam W. Fryer

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch August 9, 1889

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 30-E

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