Queens County Sheriff's Office, New York
End of Watch: Friday, June 25, 1897
Age: 51
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: June 24, 1897
Weapon Used: Blunt object; Bat
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 18 years
Deputy Wendelstorf died of wounds he received the previous day when he was beaten with a baseball bat while attempting to make an arrest.
Deputy Wendelstorf responded to a farm after it was reported to him that two brother slashed a farmer with a razor after he caught them stealing cherries. When Deputy Wendelstorf attempted to arrest the brothers, one of them struck him in the head several times with a bat, fracturing his skull.
Deputy Wendelstorf was taken to Flushing Hospital where he died the next day from his injuries.
The two brothers were arrested. One was sentenced to 18 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter. The other brother was not charged in the death of Deputy Wendelstorf, but was charged with assaulting the farmer. He was sentenced to one year.
Deputy Wendelstorf was survived by his wife and four children.