In the lobby of the Joplin Police Department, we have a wall honoring fallen officers who gave their lives for the City of Joplin. Nineteen (19) Joplin Police Officers have given the ultimate sacrifice along with an officer from Riverside, Missouri, who was working in Joplin immediately after the 2011 Tornado.
All 20 of these officers have a photo accompanying a plaque with their story, except for one.
Officer Louis S. Wells does not have a photo displayed with his name and story. Multiple attempts in years past to obtain his photo have come and gone.
Officer Louis S. Wells does not have a photo displayed with his name and story. Multiple attempts in years past to obtain his photo have come and gone.
We are now hoping this post reaches a distant family member, historian or other person who has a photo of Officer Wells to complete the memorial. We have renewed hope after obtaining a 1909 picture of another JPD Officer this last fall from a family member.
On June 3, 1916, Reserve Officer Louis S. Wells came upon some men loitering in the Kansas City bottoms. After questioning them, he began to search them.
As he was doing so, one of the men, Wibur Mason, ran away. Officer Louis chased him for about 100 yards when Mason stopped and turned around as if to give up. Instead, Mason pulled a gun and shot Officer Louis who died moments later.
I don't understand. How could an officer shot in the Kansas City bottoms have given his life to Joplin?
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