Patrolman Thomas Redden

Thomas Redden

Patrolman Thomas Redden succumbed to injuries received two weeks earlier.

Patrolman Redden was one of many officers detailed to disperse protesters near Haymarket Square on May 4, 1886. Suddenly, a bomb exploded and a gun battle ensued. Patrolman Redden suffered several gunshot wounds during the gun battle, as well as serious injuries from the bomb blast. Patrolman Redden was the sixth of eight officers to die in this incident.

Patrolman Redden had served with the Chicago Police Department for 12 years and was assigned to the 3rd Precinct. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Eight men were arrested and charged with the officer's murders. Seven were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The other one was sentenced to 15 years. On November 11, 1887, four of them were executed by hanging. The day before one of the suspects killed himself in his cell with a smuggled dynamite cap which he detonated in his mouth. The other three were pardoned by Governor Altgeld in 1893.

Patrolman Redden was born at sea during a voyage with his family from England to America in 1836. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Eight police officers were killed during the Haymarket Riot labor dispute. The officers were at the scene of a civil disorder when the rioters opened fire and threw a bomb into the crowd. Eight police officers suffered fatal wounds and 70 other people were injured by the gunfire and explosion.

The officers who were killed included Patrolman Mathias Degan, Patrolman John Barrett, Patrolman George Miller, Patrolman Timothy Flavin, Patrolman Thomas Redden, Patrolman Nels Hansen and Patrolman Michael Sheehan. Patrolman Timothy Sullivan succumbed to his wounds two years later, on June 13, 1888.