Hey folks,

I'm curious if anyone has any information on William Schmulbach? Does anyone know when and where he died? I read a book called Uncrowned Champions, by O.L. Beckham, who wrote about a character that appears to have been based on Schmulbach. That character had a brother who was on the Joplin Police force, and so I'm curious if Schmulbach may have had a brother on the Joplin police.

Thank you for your help!

R.B.

Last word I have on him is when he was given a pardon by the Ok gov in 1938. I do not believe he had a brother on the Joplin force...

Joplin Globe Jan 29, 1946



WILLIAM SCHMULBACH FUNERAL TO BE TODAY

Picher, Okla., Jan. 28.—Funeral services for William Schmulbach, 71-year-old former Picher merchant Policeman who died at his home here Saturday night, will be held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Durnill(sp?) funeral home. Burial will be in Fairview cemetery in Joplin.
Schmulbach, a veteran officer, shot and killed five men during his career in public and private life. Between 1936 and until he became ill eight months ago he was employed as a guard at the Eagle-Picher central mill.
He spent virtually his entire career in this district and was known to authorities as a colorful character and expert pistol shot. He is survived by his widow, Beauford Schmulbach. at the home; a sister, Anna L. Hoagland of Kansas
City, a half-brother, Detective Clay Brown of Joplin, several nieces and two nephews.



Couple links to newspaper articles. The first is more detailed. Hope this helps. Dan



http://www.newspaperarchive.co...wer.aspx?img=6220079

http://www.newspaperarchive.co...wer.aspx?img=6220218

First off, thank you both for such swift responses.

Cowboy Dan, you about knocked my socks off. What I didn't in my post was that his brother on the Joplin PD was named Clay. Your obituaries are essentially the keystone linking everything together. Thank you so much for posting them!

If anyone has any further information on Schmulbach, still very interested.

Thank you!

Nice piece of research Cowboy Dan. Do you have any further information of this Det. Clay Brown? Was he a cop at the time of the Officer Will Smith killing in 1909? Saw no mention of it in the Joplin papers at the time. If you ever get to Fairview Cem. please send me a photo of Billy's tombstone, if he has one.......RDM

I've never thought of Billy as a cop in a classic sense, just a company thug or hired muscle for the Eagle-Picher Mining Co, who basically ran the Tri-State Mining District.I suspected the company had thrown him under the bus after he killed the Picher druggist.Strange they would hire him back as a security guard after his parole tho...Even stranger that he had a half-brother on the Joplin PD with his being once charged with murdering one of their officers and wounding another...RDM

quote:

Originally posted by RDMorgan:
Nice piece of research Cowboy Dan. Do you have any further information of this Det. Clay Brown? Was he a cop at the time of the Officer Will Smith killing in 1909? Saw no mention of it in the Joplin papers at the time. If you ever get to Fairview Cem. please send me a photo of Billy's tombstone, if he has one.......RDM

Thanks for the kind words. Here is a little on Clay Brown:


Joplin Globe, June 16, 1953

CLAY BROWN RETIRES FROM POLICE FORCE

Turns in his badge because of his health with reluctance after 20 years of service



Ill health has forced the retirement of veteran Police Sergeant Clay Brown.
Sergeant Brown, who lives at 1114 Michigan Avenue, turned in his badge effective yesterday. With considerable reluctance, his retirement marks the end of 20 years of service with the Joplin police force.

”I’d a heap rather stay on the force in a job that I love”, Brown said, "but my health won't allow it."


Ora Upton Takes His Place.

Police Chief Roy Isgrigg announced that Ora Upton, who has been serving as “Swing Man” will take over Brown's duties as street sergeant. Patrolman Harland Baker will be moved in to take Upton's job as "swing ' man” John W. Eubanks, 1010 Jefferson Avenue, was employed yesterday as a patrolman.
Brown, who will be 65 years old next October 10, has spent most of his adult life in police work. He worked as merchant policeman in South Joplin four years and
as night watchman for the old Keystone Driller Company at Twelfth street and Illinois avenue for 12 years before joining the city police force.
His tour of duty with the police force began September 9, 1929, as a patrolman. A year later he was promoted to the detective force remaining with the "plain clothes'
detachment until 1933. For the next four years, Brown was away from the police department while he and another man operated a small lead mine as partners.
In the fall of 1937 he returned to the police department and had served continuously since then working alternately as street sergeant and detective most of that time. During the early part of his career. Brown served as market officer at the city market. Discussing police work before the institution of the radio. Brown said things were "pretty rough," adding that on the average of six or seven robberies would be "pulled" each night. He recalled that he survived at least five "bad shooting scrapes" during his tenure on the police force.
Suffering from a heart ailment, Brown has been in failing health the last two years. He was hospitalized at Jane Chinn hospital at Webb City for two weeks last
Autumn when his condition became grave. Much of that time was spent in an oxygen tent.


http://www.newspaperarchive.co...wer.aspx?img=6863940

Not my photo, but here is a pic of William Schmulbach's grave:



http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...28673&GRid=39708389&

I checked "Find a Grave" a couple of years ago for Schmulbach's grave but hit a wall... I see the information and photo was added in July 2009 by some kind soul.... For better or worse, "Billy" was an important figure in Oklahoma lawman and outlaw history...RDM

The Cowboy that keeps on giving. Thank you for all the info, Dan!