The Cleveland Police Museum is honored to tell the stories of our Fallen Officers on the anniversary of their End of Watch.
EOW 2/8/1887
William Hulligan was appointed a Patrolman on November 6, 1872. He was promoted to Detective on April 12, 1876.
It was 1887, Cleveland was growing by leaps and bounds and crime was on the rise. To make matters worse, the “Blinky Morgan Gang” had arrived in town, making their presence known through a series of burglaries and safe jobs. Gang member Mat Kennedy was arrested in Pittsburgh was to be transported to Cleveland for questioning in the burglaries.
Captain Henry Hoehn and Detective William Hulligan were detailed to bring back the prisoner by train. The two policemen and their charge boarded the train in Allegheny City at midnight. The prisoner was handcuffed to Hulligan.
In Alliance, three members of the Morgan gang boarded the train and attacked Hoehn and Hulligan, beating the officers into unconsciousness and freeing their friend. Hulligan succumbed to his severe wounds and died on February 8, 1887. Morgan, shot four times by Hoehn during the attack, hid out in Pittsburgh while he recovered. He was later captured and tried for Hulligan’s death. Convicted, Charles “Blinky” Morgan was hanged in the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus.
Hulligan was survived by his wife Fannie and his five children. Services took place at St. John’s Cathedral and he was laid to rest in the Catholic Cemetery on Woodland Avenue.
