DEATH OF "PAT" HUNT.
Member of Police Force for Many
Years Dies Suddenly.
"Pat" Hunt, for thirty-five years a member of the Kansas City police force and accounted one of the bravest men who ever wore the star of the department, died yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock at his home, 3272 Oak street. He died in harness, being at the time of his death jailer at the Walnut street police station. Only a few days before his death he was actively attending to his duties.
Patrick H. Hunt was born at Ballylangford, County Kerry, Ireland, and came to this country when a boy. For several years he lived near Corning, N. Y., but about forty years ago came to this city and was one of the grading contractors who helped to construct the Hannibal bridge.
He was made a member of the police force in 1874 and assigned to a beat in "Hell's Half Acre," the toughest district in the city. This hole in the Bottoms was a refuge of thugs, crooks, gamblers and negro bad men. Patrolman Hunt made a record for bravery in this position which has been handed down as a tradition among the class of people with whom he worked. In his declining years every negro who had been brought up in the city doffed his hat to "Pat" Hunt when he entered the Walnut street police station.
Hunt was taken off his beat and made a city detective after six years of service and served in that capacity for twenty years. Former Chief of Police John Hayes, George Bryant and Con O'Hare are some of the men who formerly "worked" with Hunt. When Hunt decided to retire from active work as a detective he was made jailor at the Flora avenue police station, and about five years ago was transferred to No. 4.
He married Miss Madge Sheehan thirty-eight years ago. One child, Henry, was born. Both wife and son are now dead. For thirty-five years, until a year ago, Mr. Hunt lived at 1122 Missouri avenue. A sister, Mrs. Mary Hunt, lives at the Oak street address. No other relatives survive. Funeral arrangements have not been made. Captain Thomas P. Flahive, under whom Mr. Hunt worked for the last five years, said last night:
"I have been intimately associated with 'Pat' Hunt for twenty-seven years, and in my mind there was never a braver or more straightforward man on the Kansas City police force. He was no less beloved for his gentleness and generosity than he was feared for his justness and courage. The police force in Kansas City has lost one of its real heroes.
