William Strong (1840 - 1899)

Born 25 Jan 1840 in Kendal, Westmorland, England

Ancestors

Husband of Celestia Malinda (Young) Strong — married 25 Jul 1868 in Salt Lake, Utah, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Jun 1899 at age 59 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States

This person was created through the import of Adams,Fowler,Roulston,Twilla_2011-03-09.ged on 10 March 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom.

Biography

Officer William Strong Died on June 27, 1899

Age 59 Provo Police Department Homicide: Handgun

Officer Strong was murdered by a transient he arrested in the city train yard. The 59-year-old victim had returned from retirement for the purposes of patrolling the depot at night for vagrants. Shortly after midnight, Officer Strong took a man into custody, unaware that he had burglarized a store in Scofield. At 400 S. University Ave., the suspect removed a .38-caliber revolver from his bedroll and shot the officer through the heart. The suspect fled and managed to elude police for nearly 24 hours. Arrested by guards posted west of the city, he was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1902, responding to a Utah Supreme Court decision, the suspect was retried and found not guilty. After serving time for the Scofield burglary, he was paroled in 1912. Married and the father of four children, Officer Strong is buried in Provo City Cemetery. His bronze name plaque is sponsored by Provo P.D. Local #129/Police Mutual Aid Association.

Murder Hearing Now In Progress at Provo

Provo, Sept. 26 - Court opened this morning at 10 o'clock, and the Connors murder trial was resumed. Mrs. Strong, the widow of William Strong, the murdered man, accompanied by her daughter, Mrs. Cummings, appeared within the court railing dressed in mourning.

Many citizens of Provo, both male and female, were in attendance at court.

Connors appeared in court wearing his usual half smiling countenance, but showing evidences of his incarceration in the jail.

The state is represented by S.A. King, district attorney, and Attorney Grant C,. Bagley, associate counsel. Connors is defended by Attorneys M.M. Warner and George R. Lund.

The defense objected to the state making any statement to the jury unless all its witnesses be excluded, but this was overruled, and the state, through Attorney King, then gave the following statement of the case.

William Strong, a Provo City special policeman, was killed on June 27, on one of the streets of Provo, on the night in question. Strong was on duty at the R.G.W. depot and was seen by three tramp0s to arrest one of several men who had been put off a freight train which came in about midnight, and proceeding with him to the county jail, when he broke away from the officer and made his escape. The prisoner wore a black slouch hat and carried a telescope valise, besides a dark bundle which he held under his arm. The theory of the prosecution is that this man was Morris, Connors' partner, who was subsequently apprehended and placed in the county jail, but later succeeded in making his escape and has not been heard of since.

Furthermore, that on the same night Strong arrested another man who wore a slouch hat and carried a bundle under his arm, with whom he was seen proceeding in the direction of the county prison, and that scarcely five minutes after having been seen together the fatal shot was fired which resulted in the officer's death. The state proposes to establish that the defendant, Connors, is this same man, and guilty of the crime charged.

During Attorney King's entire recital, Mrs. Strong's face was buried in her hands and her sobs were plainly heard in the court room. Having obtained a permission from the court, Attorney Warner, for the defense, then proceeded with a statement. The defense will endeavor to proved that the man with valise and bundle seen in the custody of Policeman Strong on the night of June 27, was no other than Morris, that he escaped from the officer, was re apprehended and killed the officer while on the way to the county jail.

The state's witnesses were then sworn and instructed by the court to absent themselves from the room and to have no communication with one another concerning the case.

Charles DeMoisy, the first witness, was given a map of the R.G.W. depot grounds and their vicinity, which he thought to be a correct one. The map was admitted in evidence.

Joseph Strong, brother of William Strong, deceased, was present to testify as to life, death and description of the deceased, but was not called to the stand.

Newal Knight, city marshal of Provo, who was acting marshal at the time the tragedy occurred, when called to the stand testified that William Strong was a special policeman on June 27, it being his third night on duty. He saw Strong at 11 o'clock on the night in question, and he was on duty near the O.S.L. depot.

The next witness was James Hansen, Z.C.M.I. night watchman, who saw Strong on the night of the 27th, and was sitting with him in front of Smith's lumber yard about 12 o'clock, and that while they were there a freight train came in from the east on the R.G.W., and Strong left him and went over to the depot. He saw him no more that night.

Court adjourned until 2 o'clock. At the afternoon session W.E. Hopkins was placed on the stand and gave testimony to the effect that he was in the employ of the R.G.W. railway, and while at work on the night of June 27, he saw Strong at the depot. This was about ten minutes after 12 o'clock.

J.H. Brady said he came into Provo from Springville and 12 o'clock on the night of June 27 in charge of a freight train.

At this point the jury was withdrawn pending argument as to stenographer's certifications being affixed to depositions of absent witnesses to be introduced as evidence. The depositions were introduced, but were objected to by defense on the grounds of incompetency. The court ordered certification to be made.

Sheriff Storrs testified that Thomas Suddock, John Blockyou and Joseph Bock were bound over to appear as witnesses in this case, but could not furnish proper surety, but demanded their release, which was given them.

The depositions of Suddock and Blockyou were read before the jury as evidence which says they were at the Rio Grande Western depot on the night of June 27 about 12 o'clock, and saw Officer Strong there at the time. A freight train was standing on the track. They expected to get a ride out west on the train. While looking around for a chance to board it they saw trainmen. Officer Strong had a man under arrest. The man under arrest was a smooth-faced person. He broke away and ran east back of the east end of the train, and the officer followed him a number of car lengths east along the south side of the train and then passed through the train to the north side. Saw him a few minutes later going west on the north side of the train, the side next to Provo, in company with a man. The man with the officer at this time was about the size of the man he had under arrest first. Witnesses testified that they were beating their way through the country.

On cross-examination they say the officer had a red beard. The man tht ran away from the officer passed around the east end of the train to the north side. Saw no bundle with the man under arrest. Might not have seen it if he had had one. thought the man with the officer on the south side of the train was about the same build as the man with office on the north side.

Re-direct. - Did not pay much attention to the size of the man arrested; were paying more attention to the size of the officer.

Court adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

The Salt Lake herald., September 27, 1899, Page 5

Birth

name: William Strong gender: Male baptism/christening date: 23 Feb 1840 baptism/christening place: Kendal, Westmorland, England birth date: 25 Jan 1840 father's name: John Strong mother's name: Agnes indexing project (batch) number: C01893-8 system origin: England-EASy source film number: 1471686 reference number: item 1 p 200

Census

name: Wm Strong residence: , Utah, Utah ward: Provo age: 20 years estimated birth year: 1840 birthplace: England gender: Male page: 324 family number: 2228 film number: 805314 dgs number: 4297342 image number: 00387 nara number: M653 1860 United States Census

name: William Strong estimated birth year: 1850 gender: Male age in 1870: 20y color (white, black, mulatto, chinese, indian): White birthplace: England home in 1870: Utah, United States Household Gender Age Birthplace William Strong M 20y England Celestia Strong F 17y Utah Agnes Strong F 3m Utah 1870 United States Census

name : William Strong event: Census event date: 1880 event place: Provo, Utah, Utah, United States gender: Male age: 40 marital status : Married occupation : Farmer race or color (original) : ethnicity (standardized) : American relationship to head : Self birthplace : England birthdate : 1840 spouse's name : Celestia Strong spouse's birthplace : Utah, United States father's name : father's birthplace : England mother's name : mother's birthplace : England page : 125 page character : A entry number : 591 nara film number : T9-1338 gs film number : 1255338 digital folder number: 004244810 image number: 00477 Household Gender Age Birthplace self William Strong M 40 England wife Celestia Strong F 26 Utah, United States daughter Agnes Strong F 10 Utah, United States son Baby Strong M 0 Utah, United States other Joseph Vance M 18 Utah, United States niece Laura Young F 20 Utah, United States 1880 United States Census

Death

Burial: Provo City Cemetery 66689881

Burial Information: Strong, William Birth: 1/25/1840 Death: 6/29/1899 Burial: 6/29/1899 Place of Birth: Westmorland, England Place of Death: Provo, Utah Grave Location: Provo City Cemetery , Block 4 Lot 31 Source: Sexton Comments: Relatives: John & Agnes Miller Strong (Father)

name: William Strong event: Burial event date: 1899 event place: Provo, Utah, Utah, United States cemetery: Provo City Cemetery birth date: 25 Jan 1840 marriage date: death date: 27 Jun 1899 maiden name: cemetery latitude: 40.2249984741211 cemetery longitude: -111.644439697266 billion graves image id: 23081 billion graves created timestamp: 2011-06-24 00:00:29

Sources

Source S00261

Title: Utah Burials

NOTEUtah Burials.