Age: 29
Served: Almost 6 years
1918 to April 22, 1924
OFFICER
Tony was born “Antonia Siemon” on June 12, 1894 to German immigrants Louis (born Ludwig) and Mary (Ott) Siemon.
We know very little about his life before 1914, when he was 20, living at 842 Brighton, and working as a bottler.
About 1918, Tony joined the Newport Police Department as a Patrolman.
On August 2, 1921, he married a Middletown divorcee, Mary McKibbin, originally of Springfield, Missouri. During 1923, Patrolman Siemon were living at 313 Elm Street. They moved in 1914 to 605 Isabella Street at Sixth Street and were still living there in 1924.
INCIDENT
On March 29, 1924 Patrolmen Siemon and William Abbe, Deputy Sheriff George Gugle, and Detective James Fuller, attempted to serve a warrant on Pearl Hageman at her home at 409 W. Fifth Street and Patterson Street for failure to pay a fine. While there, Patrolmen Siemon and Abbe were hailed by Mrs. Alice Williams at 411 W. 5th Street requesting assistance with brothers, Joseph (39) and John (32) Sorell, who were creating a disturbance at a party. Siemon determined to arrest John Sorell who broke from his grasp and ran to the rear of the house. Siemon started after him. As he approached Sorell, he was struck in the head with a bottle, apparently thrown by one of the Sorrells.
Patrolman Siemon re-secured John Sorell and was walking him to the front when Joseph Sorell attacked and stabbed Patrolman Siemon, then ran toward the street. Patrolman Siemon fired three shots at Joseph Sorell and struck him once in the right leg near the groin.
Meanwhile, Patrolman Abbe and Deputy Gugle were engaged in a fight with several men in Williams’s home.
Both brothers and Patrolman Siemon were taken to Booth Hospital. Patrolman Siemon was listed as being in serious condition. John Sorell was treated for lacerations on his head and Joseph for the gunshot wound.
DEATH
Patrolman Siemon hovered between life and death for three weeks. He died on April 22, 1924 from sepsis pneumonia due primarily to infection from knife wound in abdomen; becoming the second Newport officer to be killed in the line of duty.
Patrolman Siemon was survived by his wife, Mary Siemon; both parents; and siblings, Kate Siemon, Bernard Siemon, Antonia Siemon, and Emil Siemon.
At 8:30 a.m. on April 25, 1924, Newport city officials and every member of the Newport Police Department came to Mrs. Siemon’s home and escorted the funeral cartage three blocks to Corpus Christi Church at 9th and Isabella for a Requiem High Mass. The street was lined with people. The pallbearers were Patrolmen Oney McLaughlin, Charles Hamilton, Fred Taylor, Morris Hodesh, and William Abbe. After the funeral, the street was again lined with people all the way to the corporation limit at 12th and Monmouth Streets. At St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Newport officers knelt in silence while his remains were lowered into his grave.
JUSTICE
On the day after Patrol Siemon died, police charged the Sorrell brothers with Willful Murder. On May 1, 1924, a preliminary hearing for them was continued to May 8th because defense attorney, D. W. White, failed to appear. Both were indicted on June 20, 1924. Their trial was due to begin July 14, 1924 but was delayed until September. We find no evidence that John was prosecuted further.
After a lengthy trial and sequester, on October 2, 1924, the jury returned a verdict of Guilty for Manslaughter against Joseph Sorell. He was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary. We have no record of him thereafter.
If you know of any information, archives, artifacts, or images regarding this officer or incident, please contact the Greater Cincinnati Police Historical Society at Memorial@Police-Museum.org.
© This narrative was further researched and revised April 27, 2022 by Cincinnati Police Lieutenant Stephen R. Kramer (Retired), Greater Cincinnati Police Historical Society President. All rights are reserved to him and the Greater Cincinnati Police Museum.