St. Paul Police Department, Minnesota
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 3, 1902
Age: 49
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: 18
Cause of Death: Animal related
Date of Incident: June 2, 1902
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer James Finn was killed when his horse fell at Lynhurst Avenue and University Avenue as he returned to the Prior Avenue substation.
He stopped at a watering trough where he saw an acquaintance and leaned slightly to talk to him. At the same time, his horse slipped on a smooth stone, and Officer Finn was thrown forward with the horse on top of him. He struck his head on the curb in the fall. The horse then rolled onto him as it struggled to get back up. Officer Finn was taken to Cobb Sanitarium but never regained consciousness and succumbed to the injuries the following afternoon.
Officer Finn had been with the St. Paul Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife and twelve children.
He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, St Paul, Minnesota.