Louis Emery Kirts

People Buried Here

Epitaph

Description

01-06-1930 – Louis Emery Kirts of 560 Davids St. – Appointed

Patrolman on the Marion City Police Deparytment,

filling the vacancy left by the death of J. H. McIntire

· Age – 36, Born in Marion County

· Mother: Leona A. Williams-Kirts

· Father: John M. Kirts

· Sister: Nellie Zeola Kirts-Greer (1898-1948)

· Sister: Miss May Kirts of Gallipolis, Ohio

· Brother: Benjamin E. Kirts of Elkhart, Indiana

· Brother: Carey O. Kirts Marion, Ohio

· Wife: Minnie E. Tinker-Crawford-Kirts

· Daughter: Juanita L. Kirts-Turner

· Stepson: Lee Crawford

· 1927 Directory shows Louis as a “Painter” living at 165

Glad.

· Worked for Huber Manufacturing Co. prior to coming

to Police Department.

· Marion Star Article – 12-31-1932 – Page #1

SHOT ROUTS

TRIO AT STORE

Patrolman Fires at Fleeing

Men Surprised While Cutting Glass in Door.

Three suspects are being held in city prison after an

attempted burglary of the G. A. Greer clothing store at

488 West Center Street, was frustrated early this

morning by Patrolman Louis E. Kirts, who fired at a trio

fleeing from the store doorway.

One of the trio being held was arrested in the Princess

Theater, a short distance away, about 10 minutes after

the attempted burglary at 3:15 a. m., while the other two

were arrested about an hour later in a Hocking street

poolroom. They were being held at noon on investigation

charges, pending questioning.

The men escaped after being fired at, none being hit.

Kirts called police headquarters for assistance and the

arrests were made after searching the vicinity.

Two lines had been cut on the front door glass of the

store, apparently in an attempt to reach inside to unlock

the door. The glass, however, had not been cut through.

No glass cutters or other weapons were found on the

men, police reported.

H. McElroy of Edwards Street, manager of the store,

said an overcoat was stolen from the store about two

months ago. Glass was cut from a front show window at

that time.

Police were uncertain about filing charges against the

men, due to difficulty in obtaining witnesses.

Questioning was started this morning, with no

developments reported by early afternoon.

· Hired in at $137.50 every two weeks. Worked six days on

one day off at least through 1933.

· Address as shown in 1931 Directory was 148 Glad St.

· Address in the 1934 Directory was shown as 560 Davids

St.

· 08-23-1934 – Marion Star

PEN CONVICT TRAPPED BY CITY OFFICER

Patrolman Louis E. Kirts

Nabs Paroled Man in Attempted Theft

CAUGHT IN K. & M. GARAGE

Prisoner, Free Only Few Months,

Confesses Entering Place To Steal Car

A paroled convict was captured by a Marion patrolman

early this morning In the K. & M. Auto Sales garage at

227 North Main Street where, police said, the man was

preparing to steal an automobile.

The capture was made shortly after midnight by

Patrolman Louis E. Kirts who climbed through a rear

window into the garage when he became suspicious at

finding the window had been forced open.

The man, booked as Thomas Adams 29, alias Thomas

Martin, was lying on the floor behind an automobile,

police said, where he apparently had attempted to hide

when he heard Kirts enter the garage.

Adams made no attempt to resist arrest, police said. He

was booked as having no permanent home, having been

released from the Michigan state prison on May 18. A

complete confession was obtained after Adams was

questioned at length this morning, Acting Police. Chief

E. C. Mackan said.

A steel cash box, containing about $1 in change, and a .

44 caliber revolver, both the property of the garage,

were found In Adams possession by Kirts, according to

police. The gun was not loaded.

Police said Adams has confessed he pried open a rear

window of the garage and had taken license plates from

a used car in the garage and put them on a new

Plymouth coach.

He was about to drive the car away, police said, when

caught by Kirts.

The cash drawer had been pried open and the cash taken

from it, according to Fred Keenan, who, with Harold

Murphy, operates the garage.

A charge was to be filed against Adams this afternoon,

possibly one of breaking and entering the garage,

Mackan said. It also is possible he will be returned to the

Michigan state prison at Jackson, Mich., as a parole

violator.

Adams told police, they said, that he has served time in

the Ohio penitentiary for auto theft, and recently was

released under parole from the Michigan state prison.

He had been returned there nearly two years ago as a

parole violator.

He has been in or near Marion for about three weeks,

police said, and has been staying at a local hotel, where

he was registered as Thomas Martin.

Adams is a native of Pennsylvania, police said, and has

lived part of his life in Mansfield.

He said he had no accomplice in his auto theft attempt.

· 08-1934 – Marion Star – Editorial

Good Work, Officer

A timely and courageous bit of police work was

performed by Patrolman Louis E. Kirts early Thursday

morning.

Discovering one of the windows of an uptown garage

open he crawled in to investigate, found a man in hiding,

and it developed the intruder, a paroled penitentiary

prisoner, had planned stealing an automobile.

Fortunately he submitted to arrest without any show of

fight, so that Kirts got his man without injury to himself

and with a real mark of merit chalked up to his credit.

This incident might be regarded as an extraordinary

practical exemplification of the old saying about an

ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.

Needless to say, it took considerably more than an ounce

of nerve for Patrolman Kirts lone-handed to enter a

closed business place in the dead of night with every

prospect of encountering trouble. But he prevented a

robbery and thus provided the most valuable type of

police service. The job of hunting for robbers and the

property they have stolen is little more than ordinary

routine for police departments and by no means is

always successful. Most certainly it is not a cure.

The benefits of prevention are vastly greater. So if

commission of crime can be headed off, the policeman or

the police department performing such service is entitled

to exceptional credit and recognition. In some instances

it requires quick thinking and prompt action, such as

Patrolman Kirts demonstrated in effective fashion. That

is emergency crime prevention. Opportunities for service

of this type are not confined to emergencies, however.

They exist constantly in every community, where police

officers through unceasing vigilance and alertness can do

the most good by eliminating conditions, which incubate

and foster lawlessness and crime. That, beyond doubt, is

one of the most vitally important functions of those

employed to protect lives and property.

· 01-29-1935 – Started to work 1:00 p. m. to 1:00 a. m. in

plain clothes.

· 03-12-1936 – Dismissed from service due to shortage of

funds in city.

· 03-19-1936 – Appealed to City Civil Service Commission

his dismissal from duty as Chief William Marks held less

seniority than he. Decision was made to keep Chief and

lay off four youngest patrolmen.

· 04-01-1936 Ernest C. Mackan took a 30-day leave of

absence – no notation as to why. During this time Desk

Sgt. L. E. Reardon appointed Acting Captain &

Patrolman Kirts recalled from lay-off and assigned to

desk duties.

· 06-30-1936 – Obtained employment at Steel Mills and

started his furlough as created by act of city council.

· 09-16-1941 – Appointed as Captain, lived at 680 Herman

St. at this time. Four other patrolmen took the test for

this position. The appointment of a third Captain to the

Police Force became necessary under the new state law

recently passed by the legislature placing all Ohio

policemen on an eight-hour day schedule. There were

formerly only two Captains.

· 08-25-1950 – Marion Star

Kirts files for retirement

Veteran Police Captain Leaving Marion Force

Captain Louis E. Kirts has applied for retirement from

the Marion police force after 20 years and eight months

of active service. He is 57 years old.

The police pension board will act on the application

tonight at a meeting at city hall and the retirement will

become effective Sept. 6.

Capt. "Lou" Kirts is at present on vacation. He and his

wife are taking a trip through Tennessee and other

southern states.

He joined the force on Jan. 6, 1930, and was appointed

captain on Nov. 6, 1941. He says he has made no definite

plans for the future.

His successor will be appointed from an eligibility list by

Mayor Harold F. Robinson and Safety-Service Director

Ralph Forest.

Patrolman Jack S. Underhill is at present acting captain

until the appointment is made.

· 08-26-1950 – Marion Star

Police Board OK's Kirts’ Retirement

The Police Pension Board met at city hail last night and

approved the retirement of Capt. Louis E. Kirts. His

retirement will be effective Sept. 6. The board also

approved the August payroll of $1,827.71 for payment.