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Patrolman

James W. Jones

Louisville Police Department — Louisville, KY

Felonious

End of Watch August 16, 1888

Age 40

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Badge 143

The Vigil Panel 9 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 90

Incident

Patrolmen James W. Jones and Joseph Rosenberg were walking a beat at 2:00 a.m. when they heard a woman scream "murder, help." The officers entered a house at No. 98 Lafayette Street, a house infamous for crimes and murders committed within its walls. They found Charles Dilger in the act of beating Mary Burns, alias "Bumgy" Burns, with whom he was living. What occurred inside the house was never discovered, but Dilger fled and was arrested two hours later. Officer Jones was dead with stab wounds in the brain and heart. Officer Rosenberg laid at the foot of the bed stabbed in the right temple. He was reported to have died later that afternoon. Dilger was tried twice and appealed to the supreme court and Governor. His appeals were denied and he was set to be hanged on July 31, 1889 along with another murderer, Barry Smart. Both men were hanged at the same time. Smart died instantly. Dilger slipped through the noose and the rope caught him over the chin at the lower teeth. He was seemingly unhurt and was drawn up through the trap by deputies. A new rope was brought into service and the noose was readjusted and Dilger asked, "What's the matter?" He was told, "The rope has slipped its knot." Dilger replied, "This shows that I should not die." He was hanged again and died. Patrolman Jones had served with the agency for seven years. He is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky.

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Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

138 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Jones gave the Louisville Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Louisville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Louisville Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Louisville, Jefferson County, KY

Platform Identity lpd.jefferson.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 16, 1888

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 40

Badge Number 143

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1888, 60 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 126th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

James 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. James had served 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%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded