This is an item about a Madison, Indiana man who killed an Indiana State
Trooper and was executed in the electric chair, at Michigan City, for his
part in the crime.
On May 25, 1937 this bandit from Madison, Indiana and his cohorts ambushed
Trooper Paul Minneman from Logansport, Indiana and County Deputy Elmer
Craig at a small rural Cass County Church.
Prior to his murder on that Spring 1937 Day the Trooper and Deputy Craig,
a passenger in the Trooper's patrol car, had stopped to check an automobile
parked alongside a road near the village of Royal Center when another vehicle
approached. The vehicle hesitated briefly near the patrol car, then opened
fire on the Officers while speeding away from the scene.
Trooper Minneman and Deputy Craig ran to the patrol car and gave chase but
lost the escaping vehicle as they came upon the rural church at a Cass County
Crossroads. The Officers stopped at the church believing the evaders
might be hiding in the area.
Unknowingly the car they had been chasing was the infamous Brady Gang that
included Madison's James Dalhover plus Clarence Shaffer and Al Brady himself
who had just robbed the Goodland, Indiana bank of over $2,500,00.
After firing at the Officers, along the roadway, the gang hid their getaway
vehicle behind this rural church.
As Trooper Paul Minneman & Deputy Craig exited the patrol car at the church,
he and Deputy Craig were met with gunfire from the gang, and after both
Officers were wounded, and on the ground, the gang stood over Minneman
and pumped bullets into his body. They then moved to Craig but let him go
without additional shots vowing to let him suffer. The Deputy survived his
wounds. The Trooper did not.
We only touch on the Brady Gang, who said they would make John Dillinger
look like a piker and who J. Edgar Hoover described as the most vicious and
dangerous gang in history, to tie Madison's Dalhover to his gang-cohorts.
It is said Dillinger only shot to kill when trapped, but Brady, Shaffer and
Dalhover shot police & citizens alike just for the pleasure of killing.
The truth of the latter statement surfaced at the small rural church near
Logansport and (indeed) in other crimes the gang committed before the FBI
captured them, October of 1937, in the State of Maine.
In Maine FBI bullets killed Brady and Shaffer when they sought to "gun-battle"
agents closing in on them. Those same Federal Agents captured Madison's
James Dalhover - Bringing an end to the Brady Gang's robbery and murder.
Rhuel James Dalhover was returned to Indiana where he was tried for the
murder of Trooper Paul Minneman. Dalhover was convicted and electrocuted,
November 18, 1938, at the state prison in Michigan City.
Trooper Paul Minneman was originally buried in Logansport, Indiana then moved to St. Mary's Cemetery at Lafayette. James Dalhover is buried at, what was then, North Madison.
Our Madison/Logansport item concludes with this reflection:
Since the State Police Department was organized in 1933 -
Forty Four (45) Men and Women have died in the line of duty.
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Roger Bean
Assisted by PE 248
