END OF WATCH: December 10, 1903
Cleveland Police Department
Patrolman Louis D. Weick was appointed to the Cleveland Police Department in March of 1903 and was considered by many to be a popular officer. Cleveland Police Chief Kohler referred to Weick as an excellent officer. Weick was assigned to the First Precinct and lived on Holmden Avenue with his wife and young daughter.
Weick was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and served in the Fifth Infantry. Prior to coming to Cleveland, Weick resided in Elmira, New York. His mother, Mrs. John Young, still resided there at the time of her son’s death.
On December 9, 1903, at 2:30 am, Patrolman Louis D. Weick was on foot patrol in the Eagle Street and Sheriff Street (now E. 4th Street) area. Thomas Bishotta, and several others were standing in front of a restaurant located on Sheriff Street. The group was creating a disturbance and Patrolman Weick approached the group to investigate. They walked away but Bishotta, who stood his ground and began arguing with Weick. As Weick took hold of Bishotta to arrest him, a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Bishotta pulled a revolver and fired three shots at Patrolman Weick. The first shot missed but the next two struck Weick in the right side of his abdomen. Weick released his hold and staggered back a few steps. Bishotta ran across the street and Weick ordered him to stop. Weick fired two shots at the fleeing man but missed him. Bishotta fired two more shots at Weick, missing as well.
Patrolman O’Shea and Watchman Becker were in the area and heard the shots and rushed to the area. O’Shea and Becker saw Weick fall to the ground and pursued Bishotta to Ontario Street were he was apprehended. Plain Clothes officers Whelan and DeHeck also heard the shots and rushed to the area where they attended to the injured Weick.
According to newspaper accounts of the day, Weick was placed on a passing Woodland Avenue streetcar by Whelan and DeHeck and was taken to the Cleveland General Hospital. Weick was unconscious when he arrived at the hospital.
Although Weick regained consciousness at the hospital and was able to positively identify his assailant, he died of his injuries at 8:50 am. Weick was the 6th of 99 police officers killed in the line of duty in Cleveland, Ohio.
On December 12, 1903 at 2:00 p.m. Services for Weick were held at his residence and were conducted by the Reverend August Kimmel of the Trinity Evangelical Church. Louis D. Weick was laid to rest at the Riverside Cemetery.
On January 20, 1905, Thomas Bishotta, was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life. On December 28, 1914, then Governor, James Cox commuted his life sentence to a 15 year sentence and he was released the same day.
Louis D. Weicks’ name is inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall, Washington, D.C. panel 25, West Wall, line 15.
By Lt. Edward F. Lewis, Bay Village Police Department
