The following was reported in the The Western News, Thursday, May 1, 1924:

CHIEF OF POLICE BOCKMAN SHOT AND INSTANTLY KILLED WHILE MAKING ARREST

Shooting Occurred Monday Night in Great Northern Railway Yards--Officer Wounds Assailant Who Dies Tuesday Night--Known Here as J. E. Clark, But Was An Assumed Name.

ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS SHOCKED BY TRAGEDY

Dead Officer Was Popular and Highly Respected and Counted His Friends by the Score--Clark Believed to Have Criminal Record.

Chief of Police Ferd Bockman was shot through the head and instantly killed about 11:30 o'clock Monday evening while attempting the arrest of a bootlegger using the name of J. E. Clark. Clark was shot through the base of the neck by the officer and died Tuesday night at 12:30 o'clock as a result of his wound. The tragedy that has keenly shocked the entire community and sent it into mourning happened in the Great Northern railway company's yards a short distance from the water tank.

Warren Hill, employed by the Great Northern as one of the signal service crew and who has sleeping quarters in the east end of the yards, was on his way home Monday evening about 11 o'clock walking along the track east of the water tank. He noticed a man approaching him in the dark, the man halting when within a few yards of him. Young Hill states that he was somewhat alarmed by the fellows sudden stop and wondered if he was to be treated to a hold-up. Hill spoke up remarking, "What do you want?" whereupon the stranger who turned out to be Clark replied, "Well, what do you want?" Hill answered, "Why, nothing." Clark then replied, "Well, I'll show you what I want," and pulled a revolver and fired. Fortunately Hill wasn't hit and he immediately dodged down into a slight depression along the track, circled around and made his way back to town stopping at the Grill Cafe and telling his experience to Al Lovick, the proprietor. Lovick at once called up Officer Bockman at his home and he came down immediately.

Getting into an automobile with Hill the two drove over to the G. N. yards and as they drove down the street along the track the light from the car fell upon Clark a short distance east of the water tank. Hill pointed out the fellow to Bockman, who got out of the car, directly approached the man calling upon him to throw up his hands. Clark refused to comply, in the meantime backing out of the rays of the car's lights, the officer repeatedly ordering him to throw up his hands. Suddenly, so Hill reports, three shots were fired in quick succession and one man dropped, who it was he could not tell in the dark. The other man could be seen making his way slowly down the track. Hill called out Bockman's name several times and receiving no answer hurried into the depot and secured a flashlight and returned to the scene of the shooting. He found the officer lying dead between the tracks almost directly north of the water tank.

Hill then started to search for Clark around the old baseball grandstand but finally concluded that was dangerous business, he being unarmed, hurried back up town and reported the affair to the Sheriff's office and the men in the pool halls. Under Sheriff Sperry was soon in charge of a large number of men who took up the search for the murderer, Sheriff Baney being out of town. After considerable searching in the vicinity of the depot another shot rang out and Clark was found lying beside a pile of ties just west of Mineral avenue and about 200 yards from where the shooting occurred. Under Sheriff Sperry found him lying on his face, with his arms outstretched, one hand still grasping his gun. He was bleeding badly at the mouth and the wounds. He was taken to Kootenai Valley hospital and removed to the jail the next morning where he died Tuesday night.

Bockman was found to have been shot twice. One bullet had pierced his left ear and grazed the skull; the other struck him just above the right eye and came out the back of his head. The shot from the officer's gun pierced Clark's body just to the right of and below his neck, ranged downward and came out under his left shoulder blade, probably piercing the left lung.

When picked up Clark at first refused to talk but after considerable urging finally stated that the officer had told him to throw up his hands and that he "would throw up his hands for no man." "He," Clark them said "began to shoot and I shot back." This is not believed to be true. Officer Bockman was known to be very slow in using extreme methods while making an arrest. Many are convinced that Clark shot first, wounding the officer, who, realizing that he was dealing with a desperate character, shot to kill but not until Clark had had time to get in a second and fatal shot. Clark had a .38 Smith and Wessen revolver, with an eight inch barrel. It contained four empty shells, one having been fired at young Hill, two at Bockman and the fourth when the posse was searching for him. This last shot he said he fired when a horse crossing the road frightened him. Bockman's gun had one empty shell.

Clark, who also used the names of Burke and Murphy, died refusing to the last to tell who he was or where he came from*. When told that he had only a short time to live and urged by Sheriff Baney to tell where his folks could be found he stated that he was giving no information and that his people would hear of the affair. He has been around these parts since last winter, working for a time in one of the logging camps of the J. Neil's Lumber Company. Lately he has been hanging around town apparently doing nothing but having the reputation of bootlegging. When taken up Under Sheriff Sperry found four pints of moonshine on him.

He was a man about 40 years old, apparently of American descent, and extremely vicious in appearance. He was surly and would talk but little with anyone. At the coroner's inquest held Tuesday afternoon Cecil Jackson testified that Clark had boasted while working at the camp that he had killed a man in Louisiana with an axe. One or two other transient workers have said they knew him in the south. While it was not brought out at the inquest, nevertheless Prosecuting Attorney Gray stated he had a Libby man who would testify that Clark had said that if Ferd Bockman ever crossed his path he would "get" him, and that he had been also heard to remark that every "bull" ought to have a bullet sent into him. From the man's vicious appearance and his record here, it is believed that he has a criminal record back of him.

Tuesday afternoon Coroner Gompf held an inquest at which Warren Hill, Archie Thompson, Under Sheriff Sperry, John H. Geiger, Dr. B.L. Phillips and Cecil Jackson testified to the facts as related above. The jury was composed of Harry Bolyard, Ole Nygaard, A. N. Richard, Guy Walker, J. W. Weeks and D. A. Coffin. Their verdict was to the effect that the deceased had come to his death by a gun shot wound fired by one known as J. E. Clark alias Burke alias Murphy.

This terrible tragedy has cast a feeling of tension and gloom over the entire community. Ferd Bockman was a universal favorite and the friend of everyone. He was a stalwart, upstanding man, clean living mentally and morally and unflinching in the performance of his duty as he saw it. A kind father and husband, he was a fine example of the highest type of true, rugged American citizenship. A perfect specimen of physical manhood and young in years. He had long years of honorable life ahead of him had it not been for the dastardly act of a worthless, vicious, bootlegging criminal. His tragical taking away is a real loss to the community.

The deceased was 32 years old. He is survived by his widow and two small sons, one three years, the other one year old, also by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Bockman, Sr., of Libby; Frank Bockman of Bend, Or.; Herman Bockman, Jr., and Leo Bockman of Longview, Wash.; Harry Bockman, Mrs. B. J. Lamey, Miss Marie Bockman, Montana Bockman and Bernadine Bockman, all of Libby.

Funeral services will be held Friday morning at 10 o'clock from the Catholic church. Business houses will be closed all Friday morning out of respect to the deceased and his sorrowing relatives.

* J. E. Clark's true identity was not revealed until 50 years later, when G. L. Chote of Bellville, Illinois wrote to The Western News requesting copies of the articles about Ferd Bockman's murder. Clark's true identity was George Menees York from Robertson County, Tennessee.