Murder on the Fourth Street Bridge
Opening a box of items donated long ago by ex-officer Frank Springer, I found a book. It looked old, and without any markings or labels. Opening the book, it now appeared to be some sort of journal. The first page was completely covered with penciled cursive writing without any paragraphs. Just a mass of words.
The first sentence read:
“Thursday morning at about 12:50 A.M. Oct the 24 – 07. Harry L. Logan was shot on the 4th St. Bridge from the effect he died at the Good Samaritan hospital about two hours later.”
I was hooked. Nine pages later the journal entry was finished and the case was closed. But there seemed to be some pieces missing, so I started researching in newspaper and museum archives. A whole second story emerged, each as fascinating as the other making this a story with two parts.
The detective case notebook/log book appears to have been mostly kept by detectives Hyde and Reed. There is a note in the left margin of the first page “Case 78 slipped Oct 24 to Jones & Tichenor,” probably meaning that they handed over the case to these officers.
This is the first case in the notebook and was written in cursive with no paragraph breaks, interesting spelling and not much punctuation. The book appears to be a type of written report/diary, with this case being by far the longest. Most entries are just a paragraph in length and probably for the detective’s supervisor to keep up with the case load and progress.
For ease of reading, breaks have been added, most spelling retained and some punctuation added.
Keep in mind, there are two Andersons, but they aren’t related.
The first sentence read:
“Thursday morning at about 12:50 A.M. Oct the 24 – 07. Harry L. Logan was shot on the 4th St. Bridge from the effect he died at the Good Samaritan hospital about two hours later.”
I was hooked. Nine pages later the journal entry was finished and the case was closed. But there seemed to be some pieces missing, so I started researching in newspaper and museum archives. A whole second story emerged, each as fascinating as the other making this a story with two parts.
The detective case notebook/log book appears to have been mostly kept by detectives Hyde and Reed. There is a note in the left margin of the first page “Case 78 slipped Oct 24 to Jones & Tichenor,” probably meaning that they handed over the case to these officers.
This is the first case in the notebook and was written in cursive with no paragraph breaks, interesting spelling and not much punctuation. The book appears to be a type of written report/diary, with this case being by far the longest. Most entries are just a paragraph in length and probably for the detective’s supervisor to keep up with the case load and progress.
For ease of reading, breaks have been added, most spelling retained and some punctuation added.
Keep in mind, there are two Andersons, but they aren’t related.
Part One
Thursday morning at about 12:50 A.M. Oct the 24 – 07 (1907). Harry L. Logan was shot on the 4th St. Bridge from the effect he died at the Good Samaritan hospital about two hours later.
He made a statement before death that a masked man had tried to hold him up on the bridge and he knocked the thug down. When the thug got on his feet he fired two shots in quick succession, both which took effect.
Detective Tichenor and myself reported for duty at the Police station at 9 a.m. that morning. We had not heard of the shooting until that time. The Chief spoke to us in regards to it and sent us up to have a talk to Mrs. Logan the murdered man’s wife. The family lives on 3rd st. near Baker st.
We went directly to the house only to find on our arrival Mrs. Logan was not at home. We walked over to the 4th st. bridge and interviewed several Italians trying to come to some conclusion. We also met there at that time Mr. Kelly, a telegram reporter, and another newspaper man that we did not know but we have since learned was Mr. Strahn, and he had in his procession an old black macintoche rain coat. He stated to us that he had found the coat about 40 or 50 ft. from the south end under the bridge.
We took charge of the coat and after trying to come to some conclusion as to where the shooting took place we returned to the Logan home to await the arrival home of Mrs Logan. We had been standing in front of the house about ½ hour when a man by the name of Miller, living quite close to Mrs Logan house, came up and asked us if (we) were Detectives. On being assured we were, he said he wanted to give us a little information about an ex convict. He said his right name was Joe Anderson, but he was going under several assumed names. He stated this man had served two terms in the Oregon Pen. And had been seen in the neighborhood in possession a large blue revolver. He referred us for further information to Dr. Voose who he told us had raised or had took him to his home after his mother had died.
We called on Dr. Voose and he confirmed the report made to us by Miller, giving us several names that he had knowed him to go under. The Dr. stated his right name was Joseph Anderson, alias Henry Betts, Joe Crawford, Joe Bennett, Jack Bloodgood, Jack Bemmington and several more that he did not remember.
On leaving his office we went direct to the station and on opening our locker we found a large report from Capt. Bruin on much the same lines about this same man. We asked him who gave it to him and he told us he had got it from Capt. Moore and that it had been telephoned, in the man giving it refusing to give his name.
Before leaving Dr. Voose’s office, he told us the best way to find out if Joe Anderson would be to call on Mr. Gamble that conducts a coffee house on Burnside st between 2nd & 3rd st.
While at the station we found his picture in the rogue’s gallery and procured a duplice of same from Officer John Maloney. We then went to Mr. Gamble’s restaurant only to find him out. We had understood that Anderson had been employed by him at one time as a dishwasher under the name of Jack Bloodgood. We concluded to talk to the waiteress. On being asked if she knew him she replied, she did and said she had saw him not more than an hour before, standing in front of the restaurant, also that she had seen him previous going several times by the place down towards First st. We then told her who we were and also we were very anxious to locate this man’s room. She was under the impression he roomed close and we made a round of all rooming houses in the vicinity.
From Officer Stewart (Stuart) we learned that a man named Myers had said that Wednesday night that Logan had been shot, Anderson was in the Seattle Café #641 First st. wearing a long black mackintoche coat and on Thursday night he came back to the same saloon and called Meyers to the rear of the bar room and said for God’s sake not to say any thing about him being around there the night of the murder with that coat. On Wed. night before leaving Meyers at the saloon on being asked where he had go the coat he said he bought it for 50 cents at the Salvation Army.
We then took the coat and went to South Portland to try to have it indentified. Several people had saw Anderson with the coat were under the impression it was the coat, but could not swear to it. We were more than satisfied by this time we had the right lead. We learned also the same night that a lady by the name of Mrs Winan living along the gulch about 75 ft. North of South end of the bridge and about 50 ft. West had heard the shooting on the night of the murder. As it was to late to call for an interview that night, we decided to call next morning.
On seeing her, she stated she was in bed and had just awoke from some unknown cause when she heard some one walking South over the bridge. Just about the time the party got opposite her home, which is about 50 ft. West of the bridge, she heard two pistol shots fired in rapid succession. She jumped up and saw from her bed room window, that had no curtain and the window being up, a man wearing a long black coat running along a path that leads to the gulch under the bridge. She also heard fast foot steps on the bridge going North but could see no one. The man with the long coat quickly disappeared down in the gulch at the last place she could see him was within 40 ft. to where the coat was found after daylight the same morning. But she thinking there had been no great damage done, she went back to bed.
We interviewed several other people and got a few more minor details.
Sunday morning Oct 27th we revisited the Burnside restaurant and learned that Anderson had been in the restaurant on Sat morning & got a cup of coffee. The waitress had been unable to phone us, she being to busy at the time there being no Phone in the house.
We then visited the Burnside house where we understood Anderson had at one time roomed, and the clerk told us he heard that Anderson was rooming some where on the East side back of some candy store, or where some one was making candy.
We watched the Burnside bridge about an hour then we concluded to visit the East side and try and locate him over there. We remember that a man by the name of McJimsey that has a shady reputation with the Detectives was conducting such a place some where in East Portland and knowing he had been harboring a bad class here to fore we started in quest of his place of business.
After searching for more than a hour, we finally located the place at 482 E. Washington.
Several little girls were at play in front of the house when we arrived and we spoke to them, asking them how many candy men were in the house or making candy there. It proved to be the McJimsey outfit as we had surmised. The children told us there were five or six men in that part of the dwelling.
This house is located over a gulch being two stories and a basement, being fully 40 ft. from the basement floor to the ground. There are two doors in the front, one leading to the upstairs apartment, the other the downstairs apartment. The hallway leads to the kitchen from the front door. There is also a stairway leading to the basement under the main stairway. As we entered the hallway, Anderson, who had been in the landlady’s kitchen, stepped out of the kitchen door and saw us at the same time and he rushed down into the basement, falling over the wood pile. It being extremely dark, we followed him down but could not locate him.
We ran back on the main floor then out to the street, each taking opposite sides of the house. There is a window opening on the East side of the house and out of this Anderson went. A 2x4 had been nailed up along the side of the basement about 24 ft. long fully 40 ft. from the ground and he crossed this hand over hand, and slid down a pile and was attempting to hide under the sidewalk when we covered him and he came to us. We then hand cuffed him and after rounding up another bad character we called the Patrol wagon and conveyed them to jail.
Thursday morning at about 12:50 A.M. Oct the 24 – 07 (1907). Harry L. Logan was shot on the 4th St. Bridge from the effect he died at the Good Samaritan hospital about two hours later.
He made a statement before death that a masked man had tried to hold him up on the bridge and he knocked the thug down. When the thug got on his feet he fired two shots in quick succession, both which took effect.
Detective Tichenor and myself reported for duty at the Police station at 9 a.m. that morning. We had not heard of the shooting until that time. The Chief spoke to us in regards to it and sent us up to have a talk to Mrs. Logan the murdered man’s wife. The family lives on 3rd st. near Baker st.
We went directly to the house only to find on our arrival Mrs. Logan was not at home. We walked over to the 4th st. bridge and interviewed several Italians trying to come to some conclusion. We also met there at that time Mr. Kelly, a telegram reporter, and another newspaper man that we did not know but we have since learned was Mr. Strahn, and he had in his procession an old black macintoche rain coat. He stated to us that he had found the coat about 40 or 50 ft. from the south end under the bridge.
We took charge of the coat and after trying to come to some conclusion as to where the shooting took place we returned to the Logan home to await the arrival home of Mrs Logan. We had been standing in front of the house about ½ hour when a man by the name of Miller, living quite close to Mrs Logan house, came up and asked us if (we) were Detectives. On being assured we were, he said he wanted to give us a little information about an ex convict. He said his right name was Joe Anderson, but he was going under several assumed names. He stated this man had served two terms in the Oregon Pen. And had been seen in the neighborhood in possession a large blue revolver. He referred us for further information to Dr. Voose who he told us had raised or had took him to his home after his mother had died.
We called on Dr. Voose and he confirmed the report made to us by Miller, giving us several names that he had knowed him to go under. The Dr. stated his right name was Joseph Anderson, alias Henry Betts, Joe Crawford, Joe Bennett, Jack Bloodgood, Jack Bemmington and several more that he did not remember.
On leaving his office we went direct to the station and on opening our locker we found a large report from Capt. Bruin on much the same lines about this same man. We asked him who gave it to him and he told us he had got it from Capt. Moore and that it had been telephoned, in the man giving it refusing to give his name.
Before leaving Dr. Voose’s office, he told us the best way to find out if Joe Anderson would be to call on Mr. Gamble that conducts a coffee house on Burnside st between 2nd & 3rd st.
While at the station we found his picture in the rogue’s gallery and procured a duplice of same from Officer John Maloney. We then went to Mr. Gamble’s restaurant only to find him out. We had understood that Anderson had been employed by him at one time as a dishwasher under the name of Jack Bloodgood. We concluded to talk to the waiteress. On being asked if she knew him she replied, she did and said she had saw him not more than an hour before, standing in front of the restaurant, also that she had seen him previous going several times by the place down towards First st. We then told her who we were and also we were very anxious to locate this man’s room. She was under the impression he roomed close and we made a round of all rooming houses in the vicinity.
From Officer Stewart (Stuart) we learned that a man named Myers had said that Wednesday night that Logan had been shot, Anderson was in the Seattle Café #641 First st. wearing a long black mackintoche coat and on Thursday night he came back to the same saloon and called Meyers to the rear of the bar room and said for God’s sake not to say any thing about him being around there the night of the murder with that coat. On Wed. night before leaving Meyers at the saloon on being asked where he had go the coat he said he bought it for 50 cents at the Salvation Army.
We then took the coat and went to South Portland to try to have it indentified. Several people had saw Anderson with the coat were under the impression it was the coat, but could not swear to it. We were more than satisfied by this time we had the right lead. We learned also the same night that a lady by the name of Mrs Winan living along the gulch about 75 ft. North of South end of the bridge and about 50 ft. West had heard the shooting on the night of the murder. As it was to late to call for an interview that night, we decided to call next morning.
On seeing her, she stated she was in bed and had just awoke from some unknown cause when she heard some one walking South over the bridge. Just about the time the party got opposite her home, which is about 50 ft. West of the bridge, she heard two pistol shots fired in rapid succession. She jumped up and saw from her bed room window, that had no curtain and the window being up, a man wearing a long black coat running along a path that leads to the gulch under the bridge. She also heard fast foot steps on the bridge going North but could see no one. The man with the long coat quickly disappeared down in the gulch at the last place she could see him was within 40 ft. to where the coat was found after daylight the same morning. But she thinking there had been no great damage done, she went back to bed.
We interviewed several other people and got a few more minor details.
Sunday morning Oct 27th we revisited the Burnside restaurant and learned that Anderson had been in the restaurant on Sat morning & got a cup of coffee. The waitress had been unable to phone us, she being to busy at the time there being no Phone in the house.
We then visited the Burnside house where we understood Anderson had at one time roomed, and the clerk told us he heard that Anderson was rooming some where on the East side back of some candy store, or where some one was making candy.
We watched the Burnside bridge about an hour then we concluded to visit the East side and try and locate him over there. We remember that a man by the name of McJimsey that has a shady reputation with the Detectives was conducting such a place some where in East Portland and knowing he had been harboring a bad class here to fore we started in quest of his place of business.
After searching for more than a hour, we finally located the place at 482 E. Washington.
Several little girls were at play in front of the house when we arrived and we spoke to them, asking them how many candy men were in the house or making candy there. It proved to be the McJimsey outfit as we had surmised. The children told us there were five or six men in that part of the dwelling.
This house is located over a gulch being two stories and a basement, being fully 40 ft. from the basement floor to the ground. There are two doors in the front, one leading to the upstairs apartment, the other the downstairs apartment. The hallway leads to the kitchen from the front door. There is also a stairway leading to the basement under the main stairway. As we entered the hallway, Anderson, who had been in the landlady’s kitchen, stepped out of the kitchen door and saw us at the same time and he rushed down into the basement, falling over the wood pile. It being extremely dark, we followed him down but could not locate him.
We ran back on the main floor then out to the street, each taking opposite sides of the house. There is a window opening on the East side of the house and out of this Anderson went. A 2x4 had been nailed up along the side of the basement about 24 ft. long fully 40 ft. from the ground and he crossed this hand over hand, and slid down a pile and was attempting to hide under the sidewalk when we covered him and he came to us. We then hand cuffed him and after rounding up another bad character we called the Patrol wagon and conveyed them to jail.
We took Anderson to the Detective room and he admitted being near the 1st St bridge within 4 blks of the murder on Wednesday night, also that he had a long black mackintoch coat. He said he left the First st. saloon, as near as he could remember, about 8-30 p.m. on Wed night and went further South. Just how far, he did not remember. He said he fell in with three other men that he had never met before and got very drunk. He said he got so warm that he threw his rain coat away, first saying he threw it in the river, later saying it seemed to him that he was on a bridge and had a faint rememberance of throwing it over a railing.
He also said he went back to the 1st st saloon on Thursday night, and on being told of the murder by Meyers, he told him not to say anything about he, Anderson being there on Wednesday night, wearing a long black coat.
We talked to him several times and he said on Wednesday night he did not remember how or what time he got home, but when he awoke his clothes and shoes were awful muddy. He said he might have committed the murder and not remember it.
On this case we reported every detail to the Chief and Captain Bruin and received valuable advise in return.
We asked him about his revolver, but he denied of ever having one, with the exception of a 22 caibre which was no account and he had thrown it away. From a man names Hart, a confederate we learned that two weeks before Anderson arrest, Anderson had a large blue gun and a belt full of cartridges and that he had seen him with it.
We then took the coat to the Salvation Army Home in East Portland. We found the lady who had sold the coat, but she was a little uncertain about it. Later, after calling at the station at our request and seeing Anderson, she identified him and the coat without any question, giving this testimony under oath before the District Attny.
Anderson told us he had roomed at the Bay City house on Burnside St. between First & Second St. We went down there to see the landlady and she informed us that Anderson stayed there two or three nights with a young man by the name of R. Aubery. She also stated that she had seen him having a large blue revolver and she was deathly afraid of him while he was stopping in her house.
We found the man Aubery and he said he had known Anderson for some time, but did not know his name. He said Thursday eve, following the murder, he met Anderson in the North End (saloon) and after talking to him a short time, Anderson asked Aubery if he had saw in the paper about the murder on the bridge, saying at the same time that the had made a bad job of it. He then went south, leaving Aubery in the North End.
He came back to the room that Aubery had, after 12 a.m. Friday morning. After both arose, Aubery saw Anderson had a large blue gun and a belt full of cartridges, only three were missing. He stayed with Aubery that night and on Sat. eve he wanted Aubery to loan him $4.00 on the gun. On being told by Aubery that he did not want the gun he took it, saying “I am going out and I’ll get $4.00 in a few minutes without selling the gun.”
We have had all witnesses before the District Attny. and all of these statements and some minor details that I may have forgotten to mention were sworn to. We have searched and tried hard to find the gun, but so far failed. We believe some of the McJimsey could got away with that after Anderson’s arrest because when he left Aubery at the Bay City house on Sat., eve he put the gun in his grip and took his belongings over to McJimsey’s place that eve. We arrested him the next day, being Sunday, at about 11:30 a.m. at that place. We will try and get the gun before the trial.
We had McJimsey and his partner Joe Martin, that makes candy at #482 E. Washington St. before the District Attry. Martin said that Anderson had been absent or had not shown up at there place of business Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, the week of the murder. McJimsey said Anderson had been absent some nights in the week but was not certain what nights they were.
A complaint charging Anderson with first degree murder has been signed by Detective Tichenor and Anderson is now held without bail to await the action of the Grand Jury.
Recovered revolver belt and cartridges used by Anderson, January 26/08 in the slough at the back of the house where he threw it just before his arrest. Found guilty of murder by a jury in Judge Bronough court in the first degree, Feb 15/08.
He also said he went back to the 1st st saloon on Thursday night, and on being told of the murder by Meyers, he told him not to say anything about he, Anderson being there on Wednesday night, wearing a long black coat.
We talked to him several times and he said on Wednesday night he did not remember how or what time he got home, but when he awoke his clothes and shoes were awful muddy. He said he might have committed the murder and not remember it.
On this case we reported every detail to the Chief and Captain Bruin and received valuable advise in return.
We asked him about his revolver, but he denied of ever having one, with the exception of a 22 caibre which was no account and he had thrown it away. From a man names Hart, a confederate we learned that two weeks before Anderson arrest, Anderson had a large blue gun and a belt full of cartridges and that he had seen him with it.
We then took the coat to the Salvation Army Home in East Portland. We found the lady who had sold the coat, but she was a little uncertain about it. Later, after calling at the station at our request and seeing Anderson, she identified him and the coat without any question, giving this testimony under oath before the District Attny.
Anderson told us he had roomed at the Bay City house on Burnside St. between First & Second St. We went down there to see the landlady and she informed us that Anderson stayed there two or three nights with a young man by the name of R. Aubery. She also stated that she had seen him having a large blue revolver and she was deathly afraid of him while he was stopping in her house.
We found the man Aubery and he said he had known Anderson for some time, but did not know his name. He said Thursday eve, following the murder, he met Anderson in the North End (saloon) and after talking to him a short time, Anderson asked Aubery if he had saw in the paper about the murder on the bridge, saying at the same time that the had made a bad job of it. He then went south, leaving Aubery in the North End.
He came back to the room that Aubery had, after 12 a.m. Friday morning. After both arose, Aubery saw Anderson had a large blue gun and a belt full of cartridges, only three were missing. He stayed with Aubery that night and on Sat. eve he wanted Aubery to loan him $4.00 on the gun. On being told by Aubery that he did not want the gun he took it, saying “I am going out and I’ll get $4.00 in a few minutes without selling the gun.”
We have had all witnesses before the District Attny. and all of these statements and some minor details that I may have forgotten to mention were sworn to. We have searched and tried hard to find the gun, but so far failed. We believe some of the McJimsey could got away with that after Anderson’s arrest because when he left Aubery at the Bay City house on Sat., eve he put the gun in his grip and took his belongings over to McJimsey’s place that eve. We arrested him the next day, being Sunday, at about 11:30 a.m. at that place. We will try and get the gun before the trial.
We had McJimsey and his partner Joe Martin, that makes candy at #482 E. Washington St. before the District Attry. Martin said that Anderson had been absent or had not shown up at there place of business Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, the week of the murder. McJimsey said Anderson had been absent some nights in the week but was not certain what nights they were.
A complaint charging Anderson with first degree murder has been signed by Detective Tichenor and Anderson is now held without bail to await the action of the Grand Jury.
Recovered revolver belt and cartridges used by Anderson, January 26/08 in the slough at the back of the house where he threw it just before his arrest. Found guilty of murder by a jury in Judge Bronough court in the first degree, Feb 15/08.
Inspector Tichenor, about ten years later
Detective Sgt. William Jones
Part Two
Part two is taken from the newspaper articles in the Oregonian, dated from October 24, 1907 to May 26, 1909 and from museum archives and other research sites. While the previous account is the detective notes, the newspaper articles reveal the public side of the story.
First, a little about locations. Several streams used to flow in the downtown Portland area and a few lakes were sprinkled throughout. Marquam gulch and a small lake were located at what is now the west end of the Marquam Bridge but were covered by I-5 and I-405 construction .
The Bridge Saloon was located at 643 First Street. Present day, it would be south of I-5, around the intersection of First Avenue and Sheridan.
The Fourth Street Bridge was a foot bridge that spanned Marquam Gulch alongside the railroad trestle bridge for the Southern Pacific West Side Division rail.
Harry M. Logan had recently moved from Pocatello, Idaho with his wife and four children. One child was a 17 year-old stepson who figures into the story a little later. They lived at 565 Third Street with his family. Third would now be an avenue and the residence could have been just north of today’s I-5. Logan was 40 years old and had just taken a job as an engineer at the railroad terminal yards. He was to have started that night, the 23rd, but postponed until the next day. Instead, he headed for home, arriving around 9:00 p.m. At some point later that evening, he wound up at the Bridge Saloon.
October 24
Around 1:00 a.m. on the morning of October 24, 1907, Harry Logan left the South Portland Exchange Saloon, apparently walking home. Within a short distance he reached the south end of the 4th street pedestrian bridge where he was confronted by a masked man, a “highwayman,” in the middle of the bridge. The “thug” ordered him to “throw up his arms.” Logan replied by hitting him with his right fist. The robber then fired two shots, striking Logan just above the heart and in one elbow. Logan then ran back to the nearby saloon, calling for help.
A few hundred feet away, Patrolman Anderson was walking his beat. He noticed Logan heading to the bridge and a few minutes later he heard the shots and saw the revolver flash. Anderson ran to the bridge, but the robber was gone. He turned his attention to Logan, telephoning for the patrol wagon (in these days, the patrol wagon was also the ambulance, and telephones were a call box or in a building).
Part two is taken from the newspaper articles in the Oregonian, dated from October 24, 1907 to May 26, 1909 and from museum archives and other research sites. While the previous account is the detective notes, the newspaper articles reveal the public side of the story.
First, a little about locations. Several streams used to flow in the downtown Portland area and a few lakes were sprinkled throughout. Marquam gulch and a small lake were located at what is now the west end of the Marquam Bridge but were covered by I-5 and I-405 construction .
The Bridge Saloon was located at 643 First Street. Present day, it would be south of I-5, around the intersection of First Avenue and Sheridan.
The Fourth Street Bridge was a foot bridge that spanned Marquam Gulch alongside the railroad trestle bridge for the Southern Pacific West Side Division rail.
Harry M. Logan had recently moved from Pocatello, Idaho with his wife and four children. One child was a 17 year-old stepson who figures into the story a little later. They lived at 565 Third Street with his family. Third would now be an avenue and the residence could have been just north of today’s I-5. Logan was 40 years old and had just taken a job as an engineer at the railroad terminal yards. He was to have started that night, the 23rd, but postponed until the next day. Instead, he headed for home, arriving around 9:00 p.m. At some point later that evening, he wound up at the Bridge Saloon.
October 24
Around 1:00 a.m. on the morning of October 24, 1907, Harry Logan left the South Portland Exchange Saloon, apparently walking home. Within a short distance he reached the south end of the 4th street pedestrian bridge where he was confronted by a masked man, a “highwayman,” in the middle of the bridge. The “thug” ordered him to “throw up his arms.” Logan replied by hitting him with his right fist. The robber then fired two shots, striking Logan just above the heart and in one elbow. Logan then ran back to the nearby saloon, calling for help.
A few hundred feet away, Patrolman Anderson was walking his beat. He noticed Logan heading to the bridge and a few minutes later he heard the shots and saw the revolver flash. Anderson ran to the bridge, but the robber was gone. He turned his attention to Logan, telephoning for the patrol wagon (in these days, the patrol wagon was also the ambulance, and telephones were a call box or in a building).
Officer Peter Anderson
Arriving with the patrol wagon, Sergeant Wendorf began coordinating a search for the robber. All the officers of the second night relief shift were notified and aided in the search throughout the morning. The suspect was not found.
Patrol Wagon in front of the old Headquarters
The initial thought was that the suspect was the same person that had been committing robberies in the Portland area for some time. Patrolman Anderson believed, because he’d disappeared so quickly, the man had dropped over the side of the bridge, about twenty feet to soft ground and made his getaway. Imagine officers searching for evidence underneath the bridge, using oil lanterns.
Logan was taken to the Good Samaritan Hospital where he repeated his story to his wife, step-son and an Oregonian reporter. He died about four hours after being shot. Somewhere in this brief time span he was also treated by an emergency room doctor, but his chest wound proved to be too severe. Two days later his body was shipped by train to Pennsylvania for burial.
Logan’s wife declared that his shooting was the act of an enemy, to keep him from taking the job at the railroad terminal.
That same night Chief of Police Gritzmacher stated “There has been nothing found to controvert the statement made to the Oregonian by the dying man after he was taken to the hospital, and I do not believe that he would have deliberately concocted a false tale at that time. Of course, we have been able to accomplish nothing as yet, and it may be that it was not done for robbery, but unless something is developed to show the contrary, I shall hold to the robbery theory.”
October 25
At 9:00 a.m. that morning, two detectives were assigned to the case. They were Detective Sergeant Jones and acting Detective Tichenor. They arrived on scene at 10:00, finding that newspapermen and onlookers had been in the area for hours. This was years before any type of organized crime scene management or forensic investigation. Portland was the first large police organization to put all of its officers through a training academy, but that was still twenty years away. Not to say that crimes weren’t handled and solved, but at the time the Oregonian felt that “in view of the large number of mysterious cases of this kind on record as unsolved, no one has any idea that the Portland police will do any better this time.”
Chief Gritzmacher was born in Prussia (now Germany) and had started in Portland as a patrolman some 32 years before, working his way up through the ranks, very recently becoming Chief and was anxious for an arrest and conviction in this murder.
October 26
In the afternoon the coroner held an inquest into the murder. Mrs. Logan denied making any statement about enemies killing her husband. Logan’s 17 year old stepson swore that at the hospital, his father had told him and his mother that he had been shot by a masked man, that he had hit him and had been shot twice.
On the second day, a suspect is arrested by the Multnomah County Sheriff and one of his deputies. Robert Lawrence had been arrested at Jack King’s bathhouse at 7th and Washington streets. He was evidently in the middle of a “prolonged spree” of drinking, admitted that he was in South Portland on the night of the shooting, but could not give “any connected account of his movements” that night. For some reason Jack King had suggested to him that he had known about the murder. This started a “terrific fight” between the men, resulting in Lawrence’s arrest.
October 27
The next day, after sobering up, Lawrence was able to give a coherent account of his movements and no longer a suspect, was released from jail.
October 28
Bob Lucas is arrested on suspicion of being connected to the murder. Lucas seems to have been a regular inhabitant of the city jail and had been in the Bridge Saloon the night of the murder. He returned to the saloon the morning after the shooting and asked if anyone had been looking for him. When told that no one had, he asked “not even the police?”
After being questioned by the District Attorney, Lucas is turned loose. Apparently he could easily be found and was usually the first person suspected and arrested whenever a crime was committed.
October 29
In the meantime, a few days before, detectives had arrested Carl Anderson, “a notorious stick-up man and jailbird.” (There was no known relationship between Carl Anderson and Patrolman Anderson.) He was being held on a vagrancy charge but was being questioned as a suspect for the murder of Logan. Anderson claimed to have arrived in Portland the week before, but couldn’t give a reasonable account of his activities since his arrival. He became very nervous when confronted with an overcoat (mackintosh) said to be his property. The coat had been found by a Telegram (newspaper) reporter at the murder scene before the detectives first made it to the bridge.
Anderson, who was described as being about 5’6” tall and stocky, admitted to the police that he had been at First and Sheridan streets around midnight, but couldn’t explain his movements afterwards.
District Attorney Manning related that while he couldn’t give any details, but he was positive that Anderson was the murderer. He went on to say that Anderson had spent six years in the Oregon State Penitentiary and some time on a rock pile for robbery, and that he hadn’t seen a more complete line of circumstantial evidence. He said “I have not time to investigate the case further at present, but will take it up immediately upon my return. I am satisfied the prisoner is Logan’s murderer and that is all I can say on the subject at present.” He then left for Seattle, promising to take up the case upon his return.
Logan was taken to the Good Samaritan Hospital where he repeated his story to his wife, step-son and an Oregonian reporter. He died about four hours after being shot. Somewhere in this brief time span he was also treated by an emergency room doctor, but his chest wound proved to be too severe. Two days later his body was shipped by train to Pennsylvania for burial.
Logan’s wife declared that his shooting was the act of an enemy, to keep him from taking the job at the railroad terminal.
That same night Chief of Police Gritzmacher stated “There has been nothing found to controvert the statement made to the Oregonian by the dying man after he was taken to the hospital, and I do not believe that he would have deliberately concocted a false tale at that time. Of course, we have been able to accomplish nothing as yet, and it may be that it was not done for robbery, but unless something is developed to show the contrary, I shall hold to the robbery theory.”
October 25
At 9:00 a.m. that morning, two detectives were assigned to the case. They were Detective Sergeant Jones and acting Detective Tichenor. They arrived on scene at 10:00, finding that newspapermen and onlookers had been in the area for hours. This was years before any type of organized crime scene management or forensic investigation. Portland was the first large police organization to put all of its officers through a training academy, but that was still twenty years away. Not to say that crimes weren’t handled and solved, but at the time the Oregonian felt that “in view of the large number of mysterious cases of this kind on record as unsolved, no one has any idea that the Portland police will do any better this time.”
Chief Gritzmacher was born in Prussia (now Germany) and had started in Portland as a patrolman some 32 years before, working his way up through the ranks, very recently becoming Chief and was anxious for an arrest and conviction in this murder.
October 26
In the afternoon the coroner held an inquest into the murder. Mrs. Logan denied making any statement about enemies killing her husband. Logan’s 17 year old stepson swore that at the hospital, his father had told him and his mother that he had been shot by a masked man, that he had hit him and had been shot twice.
On the second day, a suspect is arrested by the Multnomah County Sheriff and one of his deputies. Robert Lawrence had been arrested at Jack King’s bathhouse at 7th and Washington streets. He was evidently in the middle of a “prolonged spree” of drinking, admitted that he was in South Portland on the night of the shooting, but could not give “any connected account of his movements” that night. For some reason Jack King had suggested to him that he had known about the murder. This started a “terrific fight” between the men, resulting in Lawrence’s arrest.
October 27
The next day, after sobering up, Lawrence was able to give a coherent account of his movements and no longer a suspect, was released from jail.
October 28
Bob Lucas is arrested on suspicion of being connected to the murder. Lucas seems to have been a regular inhabitant of the city jail and had been in the Bridge Saloon the night of the murder. He returned to the saloon the morning after the shooting and asked if anyone had been looking for him. When told that no one had, he asked “not even the police?”
After being questioned by the District Attorney, Lucas is turned loose. Apparently he could easily be found and was usually the first person suspected and arrested whenever a crime was committed.
October 29
In the meantime, a few days before, detectives had arrested Carl Anderson, “a notorious stick-up man and jailbird.” (There was no known relationship between Carl Anderson and Patrolman Anderson.) He was being held on a vagrancy charge but was being questioned as a suspect for the murder of Logan. Anderson claimed to have arrived in Portland the week before, but couldn’t give a reasonable account of his activities since his arrival. He became very nervous when confronted with an overcoat (mackintosh) said to be his property. The coat had been found by a Telegram (newspaper) reporter at the murder scene before the detectives first made it to the bridge.
Anderson, who was described as being about 5’6” tall and stocky, admitted to the police that he had been at First and Sheridan streets around midnight, but couldn’t explain his movements afterwards.
District Attorney Manning related that while he couldn’t give any details, but he was positive that Anderson was the murderer. He went on to say that Anderson had spent six years in the Oregon State Penitentiary and some time on a rock pile for robbery, and that he hadn’t seen a more complete line of circumstantial evidence. He said “I have not time to investigate the case further at present, but will take it up immediately upon my return. I am satisfied the prisoner is Logan’s murderer and that is all I can say on the subject at present.” He then left for Seattle, promising to take up the case upon his return.
Officer Richard Stuart
Anderson had been caught in the back of a candy stand on the East Side, where he had been living in a small room. (The East Side was the recently incorporated part of Portland located on the east side of the Willamette River.) The paper gave credit for his capture to patrolman Richard Stuart. Stuart worked the beat where the crime took place, but was put into plain clothes with orders to assist the detectives. Stuart found the mackintosh that led to Anderson’s arrest and followed his various aliases to the actual person.
Detective Tichenor, writing about the arrest and case years later in 1925, said:
“This murderer was arrested on East Washington Street after a spectacular flight. He was cornered in the basement of an old house on east 8th and Washington and managed to climb out of a window which overlooked a gulch 60 ft. below, and working his way hand over hand on a ledge for 35 ft., he was met by the writer at a point of a gun and forced to submit to arrest. This case was cleared up through a slip of Anderson leaving his coat at the scene of the crime. Prior to the murder, Anderson committed over 20 holdups on the Slavin Road, south of the city.”
Anderson was admitting to everything. He said that he was at the crime scene, that he owned the mackintosh, which he tossed over the side of the bridge. He claims he may have committed the murder, but didn’t remember certain parts of the incident. Anderson had been in and out of Portland and the area over the past years. A few years ago, while in the midst of a burglary attempt in Portland, he had been shot by the manager of the Baggage and Omnibus Company, and after being arrested in the Dalles, was sent to the State Penitentiary for two years.
October 31
Anderson is arraigned in the Municipal Court and charged with first degree murder. So far, two lawyers decided not to take his case after meeting with him.
In the next months, Anderson confesses to his cellmate that he had killed Logan. He admitted to being an accomplice in a prior murder of the Park Rose streetcar conductor Nevins. Anderson also told where he had dropped his revolver. Detectives Tichenor and Jones were able to recover the gun and trace it through a second-hand store back to Anderson.
February 15, 1908
Anderson’s trial at the State Circuit Court is concluded. After a half-hour deliberation, the jury found him guilty of first degree murder. Anderson appeared to be “unconcerned,” and asked his lawyers for a new trial. He was taken back to the County jail and place in solitary confinement. He is subsequently given the death penalty.
June 25, 1908
Anderson has obtained a stay of execution while his appeal goes before the Supreme Court.
May 26, 1909
Anderson has been sentenced again to hang. The paper says that Anderson, “…yeggman, murderer, thief, burglar and all-around undesirable citizen, has again been sentenced to hang for the cold-blooded murder of Harry Logan.” (A Yeggman was the common slang for a burglar or safecracker.)
July 2, 1908
After several appeals, Joseph Anderson was hanged at the Salem Penitentiary for the murder of Harry Logan. His last words were “If I killed Harry Logan, I was not conscious of it.”
Postscript
The Fourth Street Footbridge was built sometime in the 1860s, condemned in 1877 but shored up several times, and rebuilt in 1898. It was washed out during a flood in March of 1908.
Officer Carol Tichenor started as a patrolman in 1902 and in 1906 promoted to the Detective Division where he served for fifteen years. In 1921 he was given charge of the Sunshine division, promoted to Captain in 1931. He stayed with the Sunshine division until his death in 1942 after 40 years of service.
Detective Sgt. William Jones came to Portland in 1893. In 1903 started as a patrolman in 1903 and by 1905 he was a detective. By 1906 he was a Sergeant and teamed with Tichenor. He died in October, 1908 of a stroke at the age of 36.
Chief of Police Charles Gritzmacher was born in 1847 in Prussia (now called Germany). His family moved to America when he was ten. He was appointed as a policeman in 1875 and by 1880 had attained the rank of Captain and later as Chief of Detectives. He announced his retirement in 1905, but was persuaded to stay on as acting Chief and in 1907 accepted the position of Chief. He retired in 1909 after 34 years of service. He died in 1931 at the age of 84.
Officer Peter Anderson was born in 1875 in Aalborg, Denmark. He worked as a laborer, farm hand, street car man, salesman, porter and soldier before joining the Police in 1903. Anderson was one of the first traffic officers. He retired in 1925 after 22 years and worked for a time for the U.S. National Bank. He died in 1959 at the age of 84.
Officer Richard M. Stuart was first appointed in 1883 at the age of 23 after he’d already spent eight years at sea and two years working on riverboats. In 1890 he left for Astoria to be a U.S. deputy Marshal and later a fireman. He came back to Portland and the police in 1902. He retired in 1919 and died in 1941 at the age of 81.
Sarah Logan - her maiden name was Sarah J. Kelly and at 17 she married Samuel Arbuthnot in 1882. He died in 1889 leaving her with two sons. She married Harry Logan in 1892 and they had a son and daughter before his murder in 1907. The Logan family had moved to Portland from Kansas, arriving around 1906. The family at that time consisted of Harry, wife Sarah, son Emerson who was three, daughter Mina who was one, and stepsons James and Samuel Arbuthnot. The family, headed by Sarah, continued to live in Portland until 1910 when they moved to Corvallis , where her eldest child James was a college Instructor in Physical Culture. It appears that she married William V. Phillips in 1914 and died in Corvallis in 1916 at the age of 52.
The family split up soon after, with Samuel moving to Morrow and by 1930 back to Portland. His older brother James, continued in Corvallis as a college physical director, later moving to the same position at the University of Washington.
Samuel, who was at his step-father’s side when he died, worked for years in furniture retail sales and died in Portland in 1948 at the age of 53.
Son Emerson Logan served in the Navy during the first World War, married and moved to Idaho where he worked as a dentist until his death in 1956 at the age of 56.
Daughter Mina K. Logan is harder to track, but may have moved to Los Angeles where she died in 1984 under her maiden name.
Detective Tichenor, writing about the arrest and case years later in 1925, said:
“This murderer was arrested on East Washington Street after a spectacular flight. He was cornered in the basement of an old house on east 8th and Washington and managed to climb out of a window which overlooked a gulch 60 ft. below, and working his way hand over hand on a ledge for 35 ft., he was met by the writer at a point of a gun and forced to submit to arrest. This case was cleared up through a slip of Anderson leaving his coat at the scene of the crime. Prior to the murder, Anderson committed over 20 holdups on the Slavin Road, south of the city.”
Anderson was admitting to everything. He said that he was at the crime scene, that he owned the mackintosh, which he tossed over the side of the bridge. He claims he may have committed the murder, but didn’t remember certain parts of the incident. Anderson had been in and out of Portland and the area over the past years. A few years ago, while in the midst of a burglary attempt in Portland, he had been shot by the manager of the Baggage and Omnibus Company, and after being arrested in the Dalles, was sent to the State Penitentiary for two years.
October 31
Anderson is arraigned in the Municipal Court and charged with first degree murder. So far, two lawyers decided not to take his case after meeting with him.
In the next months, Anderson confesses to his cellmate that he had killed Logan. He admitted to being an accomplice in a prior murder of the Park Rose streetcar conductor Nevins. Anderson also told where he had dropped his revolver. Detectives Tichenor and Jones were able to recover the gun and trace it through a second-hand store back to Anderson.
February 15, 1908
Anderson’s trial at the State Circuit Court is concluded. After a half-hour deliberation, the jury found him guilty of first degree murder. Anderson appeared to be “unconcerned,” and asked his lawyers for a new trial. He was taken back to the County jail and place in solitary confinement. He is subsequently given the death penalty.
June 25, 1908
Anderson has obtained a stay of execution while his appeal goes before the Supreme Court.
May 26, 1909
Anderson has been sentenced again to hang. The paper says that Anderson, “…yeggman, murderer, thief, burglar and all-around undesirable citizen, has again been sentenced to hang for the cold-blooded murder of Harry Logan.” (A Yeggman was the common slang for a burglar or safecracker.)
July 2, 1908
After several appeals, Joseph Anderson was hanged at the Salem Penitentiary for the murder of Harry Logan. His last words were “If I killed Harry Logan, I was not conscious of it.”
Postscript
The Fourth Street Footbridge was built sometime in the 1860s, condemned in 1877 but shored up several times, and rebuilt in 1898. It was washed out during a flood in March of 1908.
Officer Carol Tichenor started as a patrolman in 1902 and in 1906 promoted to the Detective Division where he served for fifteen years. In 1921 he was given charge of the Sunshine division, promoted to Captain in 1931. He stayed with the Sunshine division until his death in 1942 after 40 years of service.
Detective Sgt. William Jones came to Portland in 1893. In 1903 started as a patrolman in 1903 and by 1905 he was a detective. By 1906 he was a Sergeant and teamed with Tichenor. He died in October, 1908 of a stroke at the age of 36.
Chief of Police Charles Gritzmacher was born in 1847 in Prussia (now called Germany). His family moved to America when he was ten. He was appointed as a policeman in 1875 and by 1880 had attained the rank of Captain and later as Chief of Detectives. He announced his retirement in 1905, but was persuaded to stay on as acting Chief and in 1907 accepted the position of Chief. He retired in 1909 after 34 years of service. He died in 1931 at the age of 84.
Officer Peter Anderson was born in 1875 in Aalborg, Denmark. He worked as a laborer, farm hand, street car man, salesman, porter and soldier before joining the Police in 1903. Anderson was one of the first traffic officers. He retired in 1925 after 22 years and worked for a time for the U.S. National Bank. He died in 1959 at the age of 84.
Officer Richard M. Stuart was first appointed in 1883 at the age of 23 after he’d already spent eight years at sea and two years working on riverboats. In 1890 he left for Astoria to be a U.S. deputy Marshal and later a fireman. He came back to Portland and the police in 1902. He retired in 1919 and died in 1941 at the age of 81.
Sarah Logan - her maiden name was Sarah J. Kelly and at 17 she married Samuel Arbuthnot in 1882. He died in 1889 leaving her with two sons. She married Harry Logan in 1892 and they had a son and daughter before his murder in 1907. The Logan family had moved to Portland from Kansas, arriving around 1906. The family at that time consisted of Harry, wife Sarah, son Emerson who was three, daughter Mina who was one, and stepsons James and Samuel Arbuthnot. The family, headed by Sarah, continued to live in Portland until 1910 when they moved to Corvallis , where her eldest child James was a college Instructor in Physical Culture. It appears that she married William V. Phillips in 1914 and died in Corvallis in 1916 at the age of 52.
The family split up soon after, with Samuel moving to Morrow and by 1930 back to Portland. His older brother James, continued in Corvallis as a college physical director, later moving to the same position at the University of Washington.
Samuel, who was at his step-father’s side when he died, worked for years in furniture retail sales and died in Portland in 1948 at the age of 53.
Son Emerson Logan served in the Navy during the first World War, married and moved to Idaho where he worked as a dentist until his death in 1956 at the age of 56.
Daughter Mina K. Logan is harder to track, but may have moved to Los Angeles where she died in 1984 under her maiden name.