Police Officer Joseph J. Baumann

Joseph J. Baumann

Police Officer Joseph Baumann succumbed to stab wounds sustained 15 days earlier when he was stabbed as he attempted to remove an unruly passenger from a city bus.

The passenger had been abusing other passengers and the bus driver told the man to get off of the bus. The man refused to get off of the bus and Officer Baumann, who was on his way home from work, took the man by the arm to remove him from the bus.

As the two stepped off of the bus, at Norfolk Street and South Orange Avenue, the man pulled out a knife and suddenly stabbed Officer Baumann. Another off duty officer and several citizens then chased the suspect but did not catch him. The man was apprehended several days later. Officer Baumann was transported to City Hospital where he died 15 days later. The suspect was charged with murder after Officer Baumann's death.

The suspect, 23, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life.

Officer Baumann was a U.S. Army veteran and WWI and had served with the Newark Police Department for 17-1/2 years. He was assigned to the Emergency Squad. He was survived by his wife and two children.