'Lest We Forget'
	Police Officers Who Have Made The Ultimate Sacrifice While Serving The Yonkers Police Department

Police Officer Martin Geary
Appointed: April 29, 1871
Date of Incident: Winter 1871
End of Watch: December 25, 1872

Not much is known about the early years of Martin Geary's life, but we know that he was born about 1847 and served in the Union Army in the Civil War in Company "I", 19th U.S. Infantry. He served in the southern states almost entirely during the term of his enlistment. Following his discharge, he came to live with friends in Yonkers and gained employment with the Waring Hat Factory in Yonkers.

Upon the organization of the Yonkers Police Department, Martin Geary made application and, along with six others on April 29, 1871, was appointed as one of our new patrolmen. He had previously worked as a hatter in Yonkers the lure of the uniform and the authority that came with it helped him decide to change employment. He was 24 years of age, surely energetic, and had what he believed to be an exciting career ahead of him.

But fate can be cruel. It was reported in the local newspaper that one evening in the winter of 1871 at about midnight, while on duty on his foot post and searching for a suspicious person possibly hiding in any number of boats in the area of the docks along the Hudson River, Patrolman Geary lost his footing at the river's edge and fell into the frigid water. There are no reports available on what followed but one could assume that Patrolman Geary had great difficulty getting out of the freezing water. Being winter, Patrolman Geary would have been wearing heavy winter clothing along with his wool police overcoat and being soaked with water would have made him extremely heavy. Due to the freezing water temperature, and the unknown amount of time he was in the water, Patrolman Geary was said to have quickly developed a severe cold and lung problems (penicillin had not yet been discovered.) Although today, he might have been diagnosed with pneumonia; but x-rays and other diagnosing techniques were not yet available. Lacking a clear diagnosis, the police surgeon simply chose a lung condition known from the Civil War era as "Consumption."

The report indicated that Patrolman Geary had never fully recovered from his fall into the river and remained in a weakened state. In fact, at a Police Board meeting on Sept 13, 1872, while Patrolman Geary was still at home sick, the police board of police commissioners resolved that, since the officer was unable to perform his police duties, a board motion was made and passed that Patrolman Geary be allowed a leave of absence, subject to order and advice of Police Surgeon J. Foster Jenkins, and that said time off be allowed at half pay. Though not able to work, Patrolman Geary was still on the rolls of the department and being paid.

Despite remaining out of work sick, Patrolman Geary's physical health continued to decline and, never having been able to return to work since his fall into the river, on Christmas morning December 25th of 1872, Patrolman Martin Geary succumbed to his illness and died in his residence on Riverdale Avenue at the age of only 25 years. Although he was a police officer for only just over a year, as a clear sign of respect, Captain Mangin authorized the police headquarters at 9 Dock Street to be draped in black mourning cloth. It was apparent that Patrolman Geary was considered a faithful and efficient officer.

When a superior officer was asked to comment he stated that, "Geary was a sober and industrious citizen. And during the short period he was on the police force he exhibited his ability for the position in a most marked manner." As a gesture to their brother officer, the funeral, which was held at Sant Mary's Church, was for by his fellow officers. Two years following his death, at a meeting of the Police Board held in March of 1874 his widow was approved to receive $25.00 every year from the Yonkers Police Department's Widows and Orphans fund.

Patrolman Martin Geary had the unfortunate distinction of being the very first active duty Yonkers police officer to die as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Death Notice copied from - "The Statesman," Yonkers, December 26th, 1872:

"DEATH of AN OFFICER - Martin Geary, a member of our police force, died on Christmas morning. About one year ago at midnight, as he was looking for a suspicious person in the neighborhood of the gas house dock, he fell into the water, from which he took cold and was thrown into consumption. He was in his twenty-fifth year, leaves a widow, was a faithful and efficient officer. Funeral services at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, on Friday afternoon."

"Lest We Forget"