New York City Department of Correction, New York
End of Watch: Monday, October 29, 1900
Age: 51
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: October 29, 1900
Weapon Used: Blunt object; Pipe
Suspect Info: Executed in 1903
Keeper McGovern was killed during an escape attempt at the 7th District Prison attached to the old Police/Magistrates Court on West 54th Street in Manhattan. The suspects had cut themselves free from their cell with a saw that one of the suspect's girlfriends smuggled into the jail inside a sweet potato pie.
After getting free the suspects struck Keeper McGovern over the head with the cut away piece of bar, killing him. The suspects then climbed down a makeshift rope. The first inmate made it down the rope but the the rope broke as the second man climbed down and he fell to his death.
The prisoner who escaped was later captured in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was sentenced to death for Keeper McGovern's murder and executed at Sing Sing Prison on June 8, 1903.
Keeper McGovern had been with the agency for 20 years.