Jerome Palmer
1877-1920
Originally from Independence, Kansas, he moved to Portland by 1900 as a 22 year old. By 1910 he had moved into a house at 669 Liberty Street and was working as a street car conductor.
Appointed to the Bureau in February, 1912 at the age of 35, he worked as patrolman and as an assistant jailer.
The Incident
On Wednesday, November 17, 1920, two young soldiers from Fort Lewis, Washington were in town on leave. Starting around 7:00 pm the next evening, the two were now absent without leave and had completed three holdups. One of the men had brought along two guns, selling one army pistol at a loan office in Portland.
The robberies resulted in a large number of uniformed and plain clothed officers searching for the two men. Officers Palmer and Thorpe teamed up and happened on the two men around 10:30 at the corner of 6th and Glisan. After stopping the men, one of them started to run away. After again being told to stop, he turned and began firing at the officers.
Officer Palmer was shot through the heart and died almost immediately. Officer Thorpe returned fire, hitting the shooter and breaking his right arm. Thorpe, joined by three other officers, continued chasing and firing at the fleeing man. He was finally captured without further struggles near the railroad tracks. He was later sentenced for homicide.
Palmer was 43 and survived by his mother and four brothers.
Appointed to the Bureau in February, 1912 at the age of 35, he worked as patrolman and as an assistant jailer.
The Incident
On Wednesday, November 17, 1920, two young soldiers from Fort Lewis, Washington were in town on leave. Starting around 7:00 pm the next evening, the two were now absent without leave and had completed three holdups. One of the men had brought along two guns, selling one army pistol at a loan office in Portland.
The robberies resulted in a large number of uniformed and plain clothed officers searching for the two men. Officers Palmer and Thorpe teamed up and happened on the two men around 10:30 at the corner of 6th and Glisan. After stopping the men, one of them started to run away. After again being told to stop, he turned and began firing at the officers.
Officer Palmer was shot through the heart and died almost immediately. Officer Thorpe returned fire, hitting the shooter and breaking his right arm. Thorpe, joined by three other officers, continued chasing and firing at the fleeing man. He was finally captured without further struggles near the railroad tracks. He was later sentenced for homicide.
Palmer was 43 and survived by his mother and four brothers.