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Historic Crimes and Justice in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington Police Department detective Jeff Beerworth explores the nature of crime and justice in the Queen City. As Burlington grew into a city out of wilderness, more citizens meant more opportunities for crime. Horse thefts, murders and drunken brawls swamped the young and prosperous city. Those misdeeds inspired the first officers of what would become the Burlington Police Department to serve and protect. Step behind the scenes of the Griwold murder case, the Mad Riot of 1898 and the murder of Officer James McGrath. Glimpse the dangers of police work and the shared human experiences of the city's officers and the citizens they serve.
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2015
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May 7, 2017
I loved this book about the history of the Burlington police department and some of their cases in Burlington, Vermont. I must admit to being biased as Burlington is my hometown and I love anything about the history of the city.
Though there were “police” in the Burlington area since the city was incorporated, the official “birthdate” of the Burlington Police Department was in February 1865. The stories in the book show how underfunded the department has been, as well as how the department heads have been under some control and exploitation on Burlington Mayors, who saw it as a means to extending and maintaining their power. Along the way, the city grew and became more difficult to keep safe, yet somehow the police department did a good job doing just that. Similar to today, they were subjected to criticism of the people they protect and the politicians that like to use situations to further their political career, all the while not being afforded the tools necessary to do their job.
Besides the difficulty experienced by the Burlington, Vermont police department from the citizens and politicians, they also responded to crimes, which grew more complicated as time passed. Some of the crimes discussed in the book are:
- The Griswold murder case, in which a man’s mother-in-law was murdered and he was suspected in hiring someone to kill her.
- Molly Matches, a pickpocket who over his criminal time is suspected of stealing over $500,000.00
- Dr. Henry H. Holmes who was America’s first serial killer
- The mad riot of 1898, where the police department was pitted against US soldiers who were trying to lynch African-American workers on the steamship Reindeer
- Peeping Henry Bedard who peeped into windows at Mount Saint Mary’s Academy
- An attempted murder-suicide on Church Street
- How the Ku Klux Klan broke into the Church of Immaculate Conception
- The murder of Francis Racicot, the escape of the killers and the manhunt to find them
- The Houdini of Vermont, Wayne Carlson, who kept escaping from jail
Included in the stories were pictures of Burlington in the 19th and early 20th centuries. I found this to be very interesting, to see roads and areas as they were 60, 70, 80+ years ago and how much the city has changed. It was very intriguing to see the area where I live in the 1930’s and to see how the Pine Street was almost empty, especially compared to it now.
I loved this book, though admittedly it would have a limited audience as it is a history of Burlington, Vermont. With that said, I think this is a fascinating book about the my hometown and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes history, and especially people who live in, or are moving to, the city.
Though there were “police” in the Burlington area since the city was incorporated, the official “birthdate” of the Burlington Police Department was in February 1865. The stories in the book show how underfunded the department has been, as well as how the department heads have been under some control and exploitation on Burlington Mayors, who saw it as a means to extending and maintaining their power. Along the way, the city grew and became more difficult to keep safe, yet somehow the police department did a good job doing just that. Similar to today, they were subjected to criticism of the people they protect and the politicians that like to use situations to further their political career, all the while not being afforded the tools necessary to do their job.
Besides the difficulty experienced by the Burlington, Vermont police department from the citizens and politicians, they also responded to crimes, which grew more complicated as time passed. Some of the crimes discussed in the book are:
- The Griswold murder case, in which a man’s mother-in-law was murdered and he was suspected in hiring someone to kill her.
- Molly Matches, a pickpocket who over his criminal time is suspected of stealing over $500,000.00
- Dr. Henry H. Holmes who was America’s first serial killer
- The mad riot of 1898, where the police department was pitted against US soldiers who were trying to lynch African-American workers on the steamship Reindeer
- Peeping Henry Bedard who peeped into windows at Mount Saint Mary’s Academy
- An attempted murder-suicide on Church Street
- How the Ku Klux Klan broke into the Church of Immaculate Conception
- The murder of Francis Racicot, the escape of the killers and the manhunt to find them
- The Houdini of Vermont, Wayne Carlson, who kept escaping from jail
Included in the stories were pictures of Burlington in the 19th and early 20th centuries. I found this to be very interesting, to see roads and areas as they were 60, 70, 80+ years ago and how much the city has changed. It was very intriguing to see the area where I live in the 1930’s and to see how the Pine Street was almost empty, especially compared to it now.
I loved this book, though admittedly it would have a limited audience as it is a history of Burlington, Vermont. With that said, I think this is a fascinating book about the my hometown and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes history, and especially people who live in, or are moving to, the city.
Displaying 1 of 1 review