by Town Historian Al Dumas
One of the most infamous crimes in Monticello, the Town Of Thompson, and Sullivan County history took place 100 years ago on September 6, 1923 at 3:00 am as Veteran Monticello police officer Edward C. Dollard was on his rounds. Recently, members of the Monticello Police Department along with Town Historian Al Dumas commemorated the solemn date with a photo at a memorial plaque and Officer Dollard’s grave.Today, this loss of Officer Dollard reminds us of the dangers our law enforcement professionals put themselves in every day. We owe them our gratitude for putting their lives on the line as they do their duty. Here is how the crime unfolded 100 years ago…
A burglary was in progress at an auto sales store near the corner of Broadway and Oakley Avenue, today known as North Lakewood Avenue. As Officer Dollard approached the store to investigate, two men stepped into view, with one opening fire with a .45 caliber pistol, striking Officer Dollard once in the chest and twice in the head, killing him instantly.
Officer Dollard is pictured alongside his family.
Monticello patrolman Al Conroy, hearing the shots, hurried to the scene to intervene. The burglars, seeing Officer Conroy, fired a volley of shots at him. Officer Conroy returned fire, striking the rear of the car, but was unable to stop them.
Officer Conroy immediately posted an all-points warning as far as New York City according to the New York Times in its report. Along with Monticello, the police agencies involved in the pursuit included Middletown, Monroe, Tuxedo, multiple sheriffs and the New York State Police.
During the pursuit, the items stolen were tossed into the path of the pursuing officers, including tires and a cash register. There were ultimately three men involved in the crime – and they were apprehended by the New York State Police between Monroe and Tuxedo, where the getaway car was found abandoned. A search was then initiated into the neighboring woods, where the suspects surrendered without resisting. They were heavily armed and found with their cache, including the service revolver that belonged to Officer Dollard.
Monticello Police Department honors fallen Officer Dollard.
After their capture, the trio was transported to the Monroe Barracks of the State Police to await pickup by the Monticello Police Chief John J. Shea, Sullivan County Sheriff George D. Pelton, Sullivan County DA Henry F. Gardner and former Sullivan County Sheriff George N. Hembdt.
During the return to Monticello, one of the three suspects had given the chilling details of what occurred. It was learned that one man was the triggerman, firing at point blank range with another being the witness and then there was a third man – a driver – who was not further implicated in the affair.
Upon the arrival to Monticello, a large crowd of people had gathered, with emotions running high after what had happened. Because of the heightened emotions of the crowd, the officers and trio of suspects were led through a connecting tunnel between the County Jail and the County Courthouse.
The funeral gathering the following Saturday at St. Peter’s Church was recalled by the Liberty Register to be one of the largest attendance in the Village of Monticello. The funeral procession was 40-plus cars going down Broadway to the family plot at St. Peter’s Cemetery on Rock Ridge Road, where Officer Dollard was buried in the rain.
The trial of the men was held soon after, with the triggerman, 23-year-old Peter Fessler of Guttenberg, N.J., being convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in Dannemora State Prison, where he died on 22 May, 1951. The getaway driver, 23-year-old Cornelius Short of Jersey City, N.J was tried and convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to die in the electric chair and was sent to Sing-Sing to await execution. Just days before his scheduled electrocution, Governor Alfred E. Smith commuted his sentence to life, and spared his life. The last member of the criminal trio, George Barche, pulled off an escape from the Sullivan County Jail with an accomplice named Morris Raner on 28 October, 1923, and he was never recaptured.