The
origins of the Udall Police date back many years but are very hard to
track down due to the fact that most of the city's history blew
away in the 1955 tornado, but with some hard work, and a lot of luck we
have been able to find the following information.
1879
J.M. Napier and P.W. Smith purchased ten acre tract from I.N
Nelson. Both men were aware the railroad being built and the
advantage of a small town near a railroad.
1881
Udall is founded in by J.M. Napier and P.W. Smith, and is
christened after English author Cornelius Udall.
1883
WILLIAM B. NORMAN - Justice of the Peace and real estate
agent, Udall, is a native of England, and was born in London March 19,
1820, came to the United States, locating in New York State, which was
his home for two years; thence to Michigan, and eventually to Ohio,
being one of the pioneers of Williams County. In 1856, he emigrated to
Steele County, Minn., being among the first settlers in that region. He
was closely and prominently identified with the agricultural interests
of Steele County until the autumn of 1871, when he became a resident of
Cowley County, Kan., taking up his abode in Maple Township, being among
the first in that locality. Mr. N. has been favorably known. In 1873, he
became Postmaster of Red Bud Post Office, that office being established
through an effort on his part. In 1879, he opened a store at Red Bud,
which he operated until locating at Udall early in 1883. Mr. N. was
married in Ohio to Miss Sarah J. Duke, whose death occurred in Kansas in
October, 1882. They have six sons born to them - George H., Robert O.,
John W., Alfred D., J. D. and W. P. Mr. N. is at present extensively
engaged in the real estate business in connection with being Justice of
the Peace. He took the census of Maple Township, and has otherwise been
officially identified. Politically, has been a Republican since the
organization of the party.
Tuesday, January 23, 1883
Sheriff Shenneman, of Cowley County, Kan., was fatally shot at Udall
Station, by Charles Cobb, of Jefferson County, Kan., who had just
escaped arrest for a crime committed there by killing the Constable who
attempted to arrest him. Sheriff Shenneman had received notice from the
Jefferson County Sheriff of the escape of the criminal, and learning
that he was in the vicinity, had issued posters dated January 12,
describing the party, and
offering a reward for information, etc. On the 15th of the same month, a
young man, mounted on a pony, came to the house of Waller Jacobus, a
wealthy farmer, residing in Maple Township, and stating that his name
was George T. Smith, and that he had just come through from Texas to
Dodge City with a drove of cattle, asked for employment until spring,
when he wished to return to his home in Pennsylvania. Mr. Jacobus, not
having work for him at that time, he proposed to remain for a time as a
boarder. This was acceded to, and he staid a week, and was then given
work. Soon after hiring him, Mr. Jacobus saw one of the posters of
Sheriff Shenneman, which so accurately described young Smith, as he
called himself, that, taken in connection with the fact that Smith
always carried weapons, he became convinced that he was harboring a
criminal, and accordingly wrote to the Sheriff to that effect. On
Tuesday morning, January 23, Mr. Shenneman drove over to the place of
Jacobus, about twenty miles from Winfield, and by arrangement with
Jacobus, was introduced to the family, including his workman, as Dr.
James, of Udall. The Sheriff decided at once that he had found his man,
and soon after dinner attempted to arrest him by throwing his arms
around him from behind. Cobb, however, was extremely strong and 
agile, and after a long struggle, they both fell, when Cobb shot the
Sheriff with his revolver, inflicting two wounds, one of which proved
fatal. Although so terribly wounded, and suffering from pain and loss of
blood, Sheriff Shenneman did not relax his hold until Cobb was secured
by Jacobus and a man who had been called by his wife. The two succeeded
in setting a rope around his neck and choking him until he gave up. Mr.
Shenneman, now almost exhausted, was laid on a bed, and his wounds
examined and dressed. His friends arrived from Winfield in the
afternoon, and remained with him until he died, on Thursday evening
about 9 o'clock. On Friday morning, his body was taken to Winfield for
interment, the funeral being appointed for the following Sunday, when it
was attended by a great concourse of people from the city and
surrounding country, including the Sheriffs of all the adjoining
counties. In the meantime, Cobb had been taken to Winfield on Tuesday
afternoon, by Marshal Herrod and Sheriffs McIntire and Taylor, and
confined in the Winfield jail that night. The next afternoon he was
taken to Sedgwick County and confined in the Wichita Jail. On Thursday
morning the Sheriff of Jefferson County arrived at Wichita, accompanied
by a farmer of the same county, who had lived near Cobb, and knew him
well, and who immediately identified him. It was determined, however, to
remand him to the jail in Winfield, and on Saturday morning he was
placed in a carriage, and, in charge of four Sheriffs, was brought to
Winfield; but, on arriving at the town, it became so evident that the
prisoner would inevitably be lynched if put in the jail (the citizens
being wild with excitement) that the prisoner was taken from the
carriage, and taken on foot, by two of the Sheriffs, to the Badger Creek
road, where, toward morning, they were enabled to get a team, and take
their prisoner again to Wichita, by way of Douglas, arriving Sunday. On
the following Wednesday, January 31, Cobb was again brought back to
Winfield, by Deputy Taylor, and lodged in jail without any signs of
violence being manifested by the citizens. Between 2 and 3 o'clock the
following morning, however, masked men entered the jail, obliging the
guard to keep silence, by the aid of loaded revolvers, and taking the
prisoner to the K. C., L. & S. Railroad bridge hung him to a
cross-tie
1900
- 1940's
The duties of the town marshal
consisted not only of maintaing the law, but also maintaing the city.
The town marshal was also the town maintenance man. NEED
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1950's
Wednesday, May 25, 1955, 10:35
PM. The deadliest tornado to ever touch Kansas roared into Udall,
completely 
leveling the town killing 83 residents and injuring 270. Almost every
home in Udall was reduced to splinters. 192
buildings destroyed, 170 houses destroyed, and 18 homes standing but
unlivable. But by far the biggest lost came in the number of
lives. Around fifty per cent of the families in Udall lost one or
more members of their families.
Chief
/Town Marshal Wayne Keelys was in his home the night of the
tornado and recalls that he
was watching some TV and some of the local children were over. "I
remember that there had been a tornado watch out earlier in the night,
but that it was canceled an hour and a half BEFORE the tornado hit. The
first warning we had was the noise. It was like a jet aircraft coming
into town. I got my family and the kids and got them into the
cellar just before it hit. I remember my wife trying to light a
candle, and myself not being able to breath to well. I was able to
get a quick glance out of the cellar while the tornado was over us.
It looked like there was electricity inside of it. I'm not sure if
it was metal hitting together or maybe static electricity. Debris
was coming into the cellar and blocked the entrance.
After
the tornado passed we came out of the cellar. I looked down at my watch
and it read 10:41 PM. The first thing I saw was a neighbor laying
in a flooded street. One of the neighbors came up and said that my
sister had been found in a ditch with a 2x4 through her. She made
it, how I don't know, but she pulled through.
There
was a 1952 Chevy pickup in the tree in my front yard. The
owner of the truck was found dead later outside of town. I walked
through the damage. I remember not being able to tell what part of town
I was in. We found another neighbor setting on a porch, setting
down leaning up next to a pole like they were sleeping, but they were
gone. The water tower had been knocked over and the streets were
flooded. I saw an old model ford setting in the street near the
water tower and it looked like it had not been touched. The front
window was still up, and it had not been broke." That's
where Mr. Kelly's stops, and starts talking about the next day. More
than 44 years later you can still hear the pain of that night in Mr.
Keely's voice.
The
day after the tornado Marshal Keely along with the mayor of Udall, stood
out on what is 
now K55 & Cowley 3, and took donations from the site seers. In
one day they collected around $27,000, which in 1955 was a unbelievable
amount of money. Marshal Keely stated that it worried him having
that amount of money in town, and not having a bank to secure it.
The bank in Winfield had closed for the day, and the money was kept by
Marshal Keely until the bank in Winfield opened the next day.
It
took years for the city of Udall to recover from that deadly tornado.
Udall is now just getting back to the size it was in 1955, after 45
years. A beautiful
monument, located in the city park, now stands to honor the lives
that were lost, and the patch that is worn by the Udall Police has 83
stars that represent the number of people who lost their lives in the
1955 tornado.
1960's
In the 60s.......
1970's
To
the right is a photo taken in the 1970's. The department consisted
of one town marshal, a deputy marshal once in awhile, and one
patrol car
just like in years past. Low crime in the small community was still
much like it had been for many years. NEED
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1980's
In
the 80's Bill King ran things much like they had been ran for years in
the past. One town marshal NEED
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1990's
In
the 90's Udall Became a Police Department adding the number of officers
working on the streets and giving the department a more modern touch.
NEED MORE INFO IF
ANYONE OUT THERE HAS ANY....................SEND
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Present
day
The
Udall Police Department now consist on 2 full time officers 2 part time officer
and 4 reserves, and is known as AMERICA'S SAFEST CITY, with walking,
bicycling and roller blading being among the favorite pastimes of it's
residents. The City of Udall also hosts one of the finest museums
in all of South-Central Kansas, with items of great interest for every
member of your family. You can visit their web site by CLICKING
HERE.
Cowley County Law Enforcement
Officers killed in the Line of Duty
Greater love ha
th
no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
Sheriff of Cowley County
Albert Taylor Shenneman, Shot by young cowboy, January 25, 1883
Winfield City Marshall
Fulton, Shot while attempting to quell domestic dispute,
September 2, 1892.
Winfield Constable
Hugh Hicks Siverd, killed by bootleggers at 9th & Main,
October 25,1893.
Arkansas City Constable
John Breene, wounded in a revolver duel with a burglar, November
27, 1906.
Cowley County Sheriff
A. O. Welfelt, Shot arresting burglar, Dec 1, 1906, died, January
27,1907
Winfield Policeman
Dick Kreuger, Shot and killed while apprehending a stalker,
September 3,1920
Cowley County Deputy Sheriff
Robert Vest, killed in on-duty auto accident, January 17, 1964.
Web site evaluation
1999
2000
2001
2002-2006
History of Law Enforcement
The
origins of police work can be traced to early English society. Before
the Norman Conquest there was no such thing as regular police
services. Protection of the citizens came from the citizens. This
system, known as the 'Pledge' system was really quite simple.
Families in groups of ten, called 'tithings', would take care of minor
problems. Larger problems would require a 'hue and cry' and the
involvement of a constable. A constable is most likely the first
official police officer. Another system of law enforcement in
these days was the Shire reeve, the forerunner of a modern day
sheriff. The shire reeve was responsible for the shire (county) and
collected taxes for the crown or the local land owner. The
evolution of this position led to the apprehension of law violators.
By the thirteenth century a system known as the 'watch system' was the
policing method in England's larger cities. In essence, watchmen
patrolled the night, looking out for disturbances, thieves, and fires.
They reported their findings to the constable. In major areas such as
London, the watchmen were organized into church parishes and normally
were members of the parish they protected.
In 1326 the office of 'justice of the peace' was created to
assist the shire reeve. The justice of the peace took on a
judiciary role in addition to their established role as peace keeper.
The local constable became the operational assistant to the
justice of the peace. The constable supervised the watchmen, served
summons, investigated crimes, executed warrants, and secured
prisoners. The relationship that was created in this era is the same
principle relationship that has survived to this day.
Near the 19th century, industrialization swelled the urban poor
population and created a dire need for police services. Henry
Fielding, author of Tom Jones, organized the 'Bow Street Runners of
London'. This primitive police agency investigated crimes and
attempted to bring criminals to justice. In 1829, Sir 
Robert Peel, referred to as the 'father of modern law enforcement' and
England's Home Secretary, introduced "Act for Improving the
Police in and near the Metropolis." The "Metropolitan
Police Act" established
the first organized police force in London. Comprised of over 1,000
men, the London Metropolitan Police was structured in a paramilitary
fashion. The London Metropolitan police was led by two magistrates
who were later given the title of Commissioner, however; the
responsibility of the police force rested on the Home Secretary and
ultimately the Parliament. The officers of the police force were
referred to as
Bobby's Boys or 'bobbies', after their
creator. Sir Robert Peel made the distinction of a policeman visible to
the public through the use of uniforms and badges. - By
Johnny O
