Case Number: 9705
Conley, John L. - Age 41 - Patrolman - Deceased, Patrolman Herbert Hagberg and a citizen, John Chorazek, were shot to death at 2:10 PM, 5/31/29, in passageway of 2431 Thomas St., with a shotgun by Ferdinand Preuss, who, drink crazed, ran amuck and shot at everyone on sight. The officers were sent to the Thomas St. address to investigate a reported shooting. As they peered into the darkened flat Preuss fired his pump shotgun thru the window. Patrolman Joseph J. Murphy, the third of the squad, and two other citizens were also dangerously wounded. Preuss escaped and the next day was found a suicide on the C&NW R.R. tracks in front of 4245 Kinzie St., decapitated by a railroad train. 30 Dist.
Circumstances
| Date of Offense | May 31, 1929 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | May 31, 1929 |
| Time Between Offense and Death | Immediate - death occurred at the crime scene |
| Address | 2431 Thomas st |
| Type of Location | Street, or other non-commercial public place/alley |
| Type of Public Place | Street, sidewalk or alley |
| Location Description | passageway of address |
| Type of Death | Homicide |
| Type of Homicide | Other murder, felony murder |
| Characteristics | ran a muck and shot everybody in sight |
| Method of Killing | Other gun, gun unspecified |
| Weapon | shot to death |
| Motive | def was drunk, crazed and ran a muck shooting ever |
| Victim Initiated Events Leading to Homicide | No |
| Description | Other |
| Total Number of Victims | 3 |
| Excessive Violence | Multiple victims |
| Location | passageway of address |
| Related to Organized Crime |
Victim
| Name | Conley, John L |
|---|---|
| Age | 41 years |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | White |
| Employed | Yes |
| VictimEmploymentType | Employed, professional (incl. police and military) |
| Ethnicity | English-Anglo |
| Occupation/ Skill | Other, professional |
Defendant
| Name | Preuss, Ferdinand |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Ethnicity | Other, eastern european |
| Race | White |
Police
| Precinct | 30 |
|---|---|
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
| Victim Employed by Law Enforcement | Patrolman on duty, on street, beat |
Legal
| Charges Against Defendant | No |
|---|---|
| Type of Legal Decision Recorded | None |
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
