The Cleveland Police Museum is honored to tell the stories of our Fallen Officers on the anniversaries of their End of Watch.
William Foulks, originally from Canton, OH, joined the Cleveland Police Department in 1897, working in the 3rd District. In 1899, he was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to detective duty.
On September 29, 1900, fights broke out between striking union molders and non-union men who were brought in to work the strikers’ jobs. While investigating another crime, Detectives Foulks and Park heard the commotion and intervened.
Detective Foulks was described as a big and powerful man and when he reached the crowd, he immediately grappled with Charles Peck and took him to the ground. During the struggle, Foulks’ revolver fell from his holster. Peck grabbed the revolver and shot Foulks.
Police believed that Charles Peck had no way of knowing that Detective Foulks was a police officer since Foulks was in plain clothes. Charles Peck claimed self-defense and was acquitted of murdering Detective Foulks.
On October 3, 1900, a Masonic funeral service was held at the Foulks’ residence on Marcy Avenue (now E. 86th Street) in Cleveland. Detective Foulks’ body was transported to the Village of Moultrie in Columbiana County Ohio, for burial at Moultrie Cemetery. Foulks was survived by his wife, Alpha, and six children, Daisy, Shannon, Lee, Roy, Lucile and William, Jr.