McLean County Sheriff's Office, Illinois
End of Watch: Saturday, October 1, 1881
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 1, 1881
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Lynched
Deputy Sheriff Henry Frank was shot and killed by a prisoner who was being transported within the county jail.
The prisoner, who was incarcerated for horse theft, gained control of Deputy Frank's service weapon, a Colt .38-caliber revolver, from his hip pocket when he was unlocking a doorway at 6:30 pm. Deputy Frank yelled at the prisoner to stop when the first shot was fired, striking Deputy Frank in the shoulder. As Deputy Frank grabbed the prisoner, he fired four more shots, two of which struck Deputy Frank in the chest and exited his back. Despite being mortally wounded, Deputy Frank was able to prevent the prisoner's escape until the sheriff arrived and the prisoner surrendered.
Deputy Frank was able to walk to a nearby cot to lie down where he succumbed to his wounds and died.
Within two hours, a mob of over 5,000 gathered outside of the jail and demanded the prisoner be turned over to them. Despite the efforts of the sheriff and his deputies to keep the mob from entering the jail, entry was gained with two telephone poles used as battering rams. The mob had also brought a keg of gunpowder to blow up the door had they been unable to knock it down. The prisoner was taken across the street by the mob where he was hanged from a tree.
Deputy Frank was a veteran of the Civil War. He was survived by his wife and daughter, and his parents and six siblings. Deputy Frank is buried in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Bloomington, Illinois.