The History Trail of a S&W Regulation Police Revolver
Hello
Many Months ago, I was at a Local Gun show, I came across a Private seller that had many older S&W revolver's for sale. He had a decent looking Nickel plated Smith & Wesson Pre-War Regulation Police revolver that caught my eye. I handeled it, looked at his price of $395.00 and asked if he had any room to move on it. He said he felt the price was right, but he appreciated me looking at it. I politely Thanked him for allowing me to look at it & set it back down. I did notice while Looking at it that it locked up tight, Looked Little fired and had a Chief of Police from Evansville, Indiana engraved in the side plate of it by the name of Harry Anderson along with the Date of 1927. I came back towards the end of the next day, and the same guy was Packing up his stuff. He handed it to me again and asked if I needed it. I said not for the Price you have marked on the tag, but if you would work with me I may take it off your Hands. He asked if $210.00 was all right, and I promptly Paid him and walked home with this new Find. It is in .32 S&W Long Caliber and Looked to be pretty original. I came home and got Busy by contacting the Evansville, Indiana Police department and asked them what they could tell me about this past Police Chief by the name of Harry Anderson.I also sent them a bunch of Pictures as shown so they would Not think this was a prank. I was Very surprised at the E-mail I had returned by a Sergeant Hubbard that worked for the Police department. Here is what I learned about my Guns former owner in a copy and paste version of the E-mail I received..
Here is the historical information on Harry Anderson with the Evansville Police Department. He served as Chief from 1926 to 1928.
If I can be of any other assistance, please let me know.
Sgt.Richard Hubbard
In March 1926, Nolte was hospitalized with a nervous breakdown and voluntarily took a demotion to detective, stepping down as chief in favor of Harry Anderson on March 29, 1926. Nolte continued as a member of the department until his retirement in 1931. Nolte died in 1933. Nolte's 3-month term as chief was the shortest in the history of the police department.
Harry Anderson
Harry Anderson, the 23rd chief of police, was born in Warrick County. He became active in the Republican Party. He joined the department on November 24, 1916. Prior to joining the department, Anderson worked as a bartender. He was promoted to motorcycleman on January 7, 1918. Anderson was a member of the Evansville Police Relief Association committee that published the book "A Souvenir History of the Evansville Police Department" in 1918.
In 1919, Anderson resigned and became a car salesman. In January 1921, County Clerk Frank Grange appointed Anderson a deputy in the county clerk's office. When the Republicans took control of city hall in January 1926 Mayor Herbert Males appointed William Nolte as his choice to replace Democrat-appointed Ira Wiltshire in the chief's position. After 3 months in the chief's office, Nolte suffered a nervous breakdown and took a voluntary demotion to detective. Anderson returned to the police department after an absence of 7 years as Mayor Males's choice to replace Nolte in the chief's position. Anderson remained Chief of Police for 33 months. The City Council launched impeachment proceedings against Chief Anderson, License Inspector Benjamin Bartlett, and members of the Board of Public Safety in September 1928. In the 1928 county elections, he was elected county clerk. In late December 1928, Anderson submitted his resignation as chief. The text of Chief Anderson's letter of resignation read as follows:
"Honorable Herbert Males and Board of Safety. Having been elected Clerk of the Vanderburgh Circuit Court the past election and as this term of office begins January first, I hereby tender my resignation as superintendent of the police department to take effect January 1, 1929."Chief of Detectives Edward Sutheimer was appointed to fill the chief's position for the remaining year of Mayor Males' administration.
I Then asked a few More questions and wanted to know if he could find out any more for me, and he sent this second E-mail along with an Official Evansville, Indiana Police Uniform Patch as shown and the Evansville, Indiana Police Tie Tac as a nice Momento. It all made sense to me when I read what Chief Anderson's main role was Being in Charge of the experimental Motorcycle Brigade back then, as this revolver has an Odd Barrel length of 3-1/4" and it occured to me he ordered this length barrel as he wore it strong side in a Flap Holster while riding Motorcycle Patrol Back then. Late Yesterday I was Contacted by the Public Library in Evansville, Indiana and a very Nice woman there who has been helping me research the past Police Chief Harry Anderson, as she found this original police Photo of him and sent it to me. She is still looking for more information and is supposed to get back with me when she finds more. I was very happy to get all this Valuable History on this person and it has been the most interesting Gun I have ever come across in over 25 Years of collecting S&W Revolvers... Hammerdown [This should help you out some more.
When Anderson resigned, he had served a total of 6 years as a member of the police department. The department's 8-year experiment with a mounted patrol began in 1927 during Chief Anderson's administration. Anderson ran for county clerk again in the election of 1932. The Roosevelt-Democratic landslide of 1932 buried Anderson, like his fellow Republicans. After losing the election, he returned to the trade that he had practiced before joining the police department in 1916, working as a bartender. In 1935, Anderson became a milkman. Later in life, he bought a dairy farm in Warrick County. After failing to make that enterprise profitable, he sold it. Anderson then moved back to Evansville, living at 209 First Avenue. He was appointed a Vanderburgh County deputy sheriff. He served as a guard at the Evansville Waterworks during World War II. In 1945 he moved to 26 East Chandler. He died on December 12, 1946. His wife’s name was Bertha and he had one brother whom lived in California.
Last edited by Hammer Down; 10-19-2007 at 08:18 PM.
Hey Fella's
Can you Imagine back then, Only having a .32 S&W Long Caliber revolver for Protection against Bad guys who had .45's, shotguns and the Famous Tommy Guns ? No wonder S&W came out with the .357 Magnum in the late 1930's.Hammerdown
Hello
I appreciate the Kind word's. Here is Two Pictures I Just received from The Evnasville, Indiana Librian. She has been looking for more Information on Harry Anderson and came across these Older Newspaper clippings on him..What amazed me is there is Only 20 Short years between when he Became the Chief of Police, Until he died at 55 Years old. Hammerdown
The History Trail of a S&W Regulation Police Revolver 
Late Yesterday I was Contacted by the Public Library in Evansville, Indiana and a very Nice woman there who has been helping me research the past Police Chief Harry Anderson, as she found this original police Photo of him and sent it to me. She is still looking for more information and is supposed to get back with me when she finds more. I was very happy to get all this Valuable History on this person and it has been the most interesting Gun I have ever come across in over 25 Years of collecting S&W Revolvers... Hammerdown
Hammerdown
