From the Archives: The Story of the 1915 Police Shooting

Three would-be burglars from Paterson had designs to make off with some suits from the Louis Weinberg store at what was then 181 Ridgewood Avenue late June evening in 1915. 

But the burglars got quite a bit more than they bargained for. One left with a bullet through his face, another a broken hand and all three with a prison sentence, according to a Ridgewood Herald article from the period.

Still, it was a dangerous time for local law enforcement.

Patrolman J.R. Houlihan, known as "Young Jim," responded to the scene after receiving a tip from a nearby business owner and was wounded by three bullets fired from one of the burglars, James Frolli. According to the article, Frolli said he had merely tried to scare Houlihan and did not intend deadly force.

Houlihan, whose father was also a police officer and responded to the scene with him, is said to have recovered from his injuries.

The burglars were charged and convicted in Hackensack. Frolli, the shooter, was sentenced to 10 1/2 to 14 years in state prison; the other two received sentences up to 7 years, a followup article stated.

The police dog, "Cont," also responded to the scene and "pitched in vigorously," according to the article.