Lest We Forget Police Officer Wilfred Matthews

Police Officer Wilfred Matthews
Appointed: March 1, 1913
Date of Incident: October 17, 1916
End of Watch: October 29, 1916

Yonkers Police Officer Matthews was appointed to the department on March 1, 1913. Ptl. Matthews was assigned to mounted patrol in the more rural areas of Yonkers. On October 17, 1916, Ptl. Matthews, while in the courthouse for an arraignment, was examining his Colt revolver. As often was the case in those days, he had been issued the gun without any training. Officers at that time were forbidden to carry their firearm in a holster. While he was placing the weapon back in his pocket, it accidentally discharged and struck Ptl. Matthews in the leg. In modern times, the wound probably would not have been fatal, but in 1916 penicillin had not yet been discovered. Ptl. Matthews died of infection twelve days later on October 29, 1916. He was 40 years old and left behind his wife and one child. "Lest We Forget"

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