Herbert D. Long
ELY DAILY TIMES
January 11, 1932
POLICE OFFICER SLAIN
Bart Smithson Held for Slaying of H.D. Long Verdict Returned by Coroner’s Jury After Hearing this Morning
An inquiry into the death of City Police Officer Herbert D. Long, who died early yesterday morning from a gunshot wound alleged to have been inflicted in the Palace club, was held in the justice courtroom this morning, by Coroner J.A. Johnson, with a jury consisting of Walter Webb, foreman William B Ririe and C.F. Green.
Testimony of eye-witnesses to the shooting was taken and the jury returned the following verdict: “That the deceased, Herbert D. Long, came to his death at or near the Palace club, by a gunshot wound in the left chest, inflicted by B.J. Smithson.”
City Police Officer H.D. “Burt” Long, while in pursuance of his duties and in uniform, was shot dead by Bart Smithson, proprietor of the Palace club, in that resort, shortly before 5:00 o’clock yesterday morning. Long died instantly, a bullet from a 25-35 rifle having pierced his heart and lodged in his back.
Smithson was arrested by Sheriff H.C. Nicholson and City Marshal Jack Monahan shortly after the killing, the officers breaking into his rooms over the club. He made no statement when taken into custody and he was immediately lodged in the county jail. Ed Preston is being held in jail as a material witness. Other eyewitnesses to the shooting include John Waldy and George Lewis, of Ely, and Jack Maguire, of McGill. Actions leading up to and including the shooting and the arrest, as reconstructed by city and county officers, from their investigations and the statement of witnesses as follows:
Hear Shots – Officer Long and Carl Feutach were sitting in the lobby of the Northern Hotel at approximately 4:30 a.m. yesterday morning, when they both heard what they believed to be shots. Long, who was on duty as night officer, left the hotel to investigate and walked down and across Aultman street to the Palace club, which he entered. There, it is reported, he found Smithson shooting with a .38 special Smith and Wesson pistol at a target said to be a silver dollar, placed on one of chairs in the resort. The shooting must have been continued for some time as officers latter counted 27 holes in the rear of the building, where bullets had struck and entered the wall.
Long, on entering the room and seeing what was going on, is reported to have said, “Bart, you can’t pull that stuff here.” He then took the pistol away from Smithson, broke it open and started to walk toward the front door. Just as he reached it, Smithson called him and the following conversation, or words to the same effect is said to have taken place:
Smithson: “What are you going to do with the gun?”
Long: “I’m going to give it to the district attorney tomorrow morning.”
Smithson then said, “The district attorney will give it back to me.” Long replied, “Like hell he will.” and these were the last words he spoke on earth. While statements of some witnesses vary slightly regarding minor happenings they generally agree that Smithson, who was walking up behind the bar that joins on the soda fountain in the club room as the last conversation took place, snatched a 25-35 rifle from an opening between the two fixtures, pumped a shell into the barrel and fired at the police officer, who had turned and who was walking toward him, about four or five feet away.
Long slumped down on to his knees and then fell backward on to the floor, shot squarely through the heart.
Plaque Location & Image
Center Wall Column 7 Row C View The Plaque