Patrolman

John T. Delehanty

Felonious
End of Watch September 25, 1895
Age 25
The Vigil Panel 13 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Delehanty was assaulted as he returned to the station house after working a plain cloths assignment. When Patrolman Delehanty and his partner reached the corner of East 34th Street and 2nd Avenue, in Manhattan, they came across a group of intoxicated males acting disorderly. Patrolman Delehanty ordered the loudest of the group to quiet down. The suspect refused and Patrolman Delehanty attempted to seize the suspect, who was an acrobat, but failed.

The suspect struck Patrolman Delehanty with both fists while at the same time tripping him to the ground. The suspect then struck Patrolman Delehanty with a sandbag, fracturing his skull. The suspect fled, but was apprehended by another Patrolman. Patrolman Delehanty died three days later from his injury.

This incident caused the Police Commissioner to restore long night sticks to the force.

Patrolman Delehanty was assigned t the 21st Precinct, the present day 13th Precinct.

Patrolman Delehanty was assaulted as he returned to the station house after working a plain cloths assignment. When Patrolman Delehanty and his partner reached the corner of East 34th Street and 2nd Avenue, in Manhattan, they came across a group of intoxicated males acting disorderly. Patrolman Delehanty ordered the loudest of the group to quiet down. The suspect refused and Patrolman Delehanty attempted to seize the suspect, who was an acrobat, but failed.

The suspect struck Patrolman Delehanty with both fists while at the same time tripping him to the ground. The suspect then struck Patrolman Delehanty with a sandbag, fracturing his skull. The suspect fled, but was apprehended by another Patrolman. Patrolman Delehanty died three days later from his injury.

Patrolman Delehanty was assigned t the 21st Precinct, the present day 13th Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

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Tributes

131 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Delehanty served with the New York Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 25, 1895
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Assault
Weapon Blunt object; Sandbag

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1895, 74 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 95th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 25. 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.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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 blunt object; sandbag, in 0% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John T. Delehanty

New York City Police Department · End of Watch September 25, 1895

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 54-E

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