Detective William J. Hanson

William J. Hanson

Detective William Hanson and Patrolman John Cosgrove were struck and killed by a train while patrolling the Jersey Central lines near the Communipaw Avenue Station in Jersey City, New Jersey. The two officers, and a friend who sometimes accompanied them on patrol, were searching for a gang of thieves.

It is believed they saw a train coming on one track and stepped onto another track to get out of its way. They failed to see a train coming on the second track as well and all three were struck and killed. Their bodies were found a short time later by a train engineer on another train.