Sergeant Wade Hull

Wade Hull

Sergeant Wade Hull was shot and killed while he and several officers conducted a raid of a dice game at a suspect's home.

Numerous complaints had been made by citizens reporting that gambling games were in progress at the Anderson Street address. Lieutenant Cox, Sergeant Hull, and Patrolmen Nagelson and Hare were sent to the address on the evening of September 10 to conduct a raid. The men divided after arriving at the house, with Lieutenant Cox and Patrolman Nagelson going to the rear door and Sergeant Hull and Patrolman Hare going to the front door.

Sergeant Hull pushed open the front door and rushed into the middle room of the house where the game was in progress. Patrolman Hare followed, but stopped in the darkened front room to take two of the players into custody. While there, Patrolman Hare heard the shot fired. Sergeant Hull fell in the doorway. Lieutenant Cox and Patrolman Nagelson also heard the shot and broke in the rear door, reaching Sergeant Hull just minutes before he died.

The players of the dice game scattered when they heard the police arrive, many jumped through a side window into a narrow courtway at the side of the house. The men were rounded up by police squads scouring the city immediately after the shooting. After an investigation and interviews with the players of the game it was determined who shot Sergeant Hull and the suspect was arrested and indicted on the charge of murder. The suspects first trial ended with a hung-jury; after a retrial the suspect was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was denied parole in 1938. In 1941 his sentence was commuted to 22 years and he was told he would be released in 1942.

Sergeant Hull had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for 22 years. He was survived by his mother, two brothers and two sisters, and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery.