The following was reported in the Western News, Thursday, May 8, 1924.
Entire Community Attends Funeral Of Libby's Late Chief of Police.
Wonderful Tribute Paid to Officer Bockman, Who died in Discharge of Duty--City Council Adopts Resolution Of Condolence.
Undoubtedly the largest attendance of any funeral ever held in Libby was present at the funeral services of the late Ferd Bockman, Libby's Chief of Police who was shot and killed Monday night of last week while making an arrest. The Catholic church was filled to capacity and a large crowd who could not gain admittance stood outside with uncovered heads during the solemn and impressive funeral services of the Catholic church. It was a wonderful tribute paid by fellow citizens to the sterling manhood and high esteem held for one who had died in the faithful discharge of duty. Services were held from St. Joseph's Catholic church Friday morning at 10 o'clock with Mass said by the Rev. Fr. McRory. Mass was sung by Mrs. C. E. Hamilton, Mrs. J. F. Fennessy and Mrs. Lester Burke, with Mrs. John Erickson accompanist.
A guard of honor composed of the members of the Austin Reedy Post of the American Legion accompanied the hearse, six members of the Legion acting as pall bearers. These were George Bryant, Ira Miller, Al Lovick, Walter Botchek, W. Guttenberg and Walter Zollors. The guard of honor took position on each side of the church entrance and the casket was carried between two lines of soldiers with rifles at salute and beneath two flags, into the church. Following came the sorrowing relatives and the city officials of Libby consisting of Mayor Joughin, Mayor-elect Gay and Aldermen Kienitz, Miller, Pival, Richards, Neils and Switzer. At the conclusion of the church services the casket was taken from the church through ranks of Boy Scouts in uniform and the Legion guard of honor. The hearse was followed to the cemetery by the American Legion, the Boy Scouts, a fire truck from the Libby volunteer fire department of which the deceased was a member and which was loaded with flowers, and with fully 150 autos carrying friends of the deceased. As the procession passed the Libby schools the scholars stood at attention taking position along the street sidewalk. Brief services at the grave were conducted by Rev. Father McRory and concluding services by the American Legion in which the Rev. S. C. Williams delivered a brief prayer, a three volley salute was fired and taps sounded by a bugle.
All business houses of Libby and the J. Neils Lumber company sawmill and offices were closed all Friday morning as a mark of respect.
One outstanding feature of the funeral and a splendid indication of the high regard in which the deceased was held was the unusual number of beautiful floral pieces from friends and relatives. These were so numerous, so large and beautiful that they were the cause of a news article in the Spokane press. They consisted of a large American flag, a beautiful white cross and many handsome wreaths and other designs. Besides flowers from many individuals, the following organizations were represented by floral offerings: The men at the camps and sawmill of the J. Neils Lumber Company, First State Bank, Libby Volunteer Fire Department, Libby Water & electric company, City Garage, Libby Pioneer Society, Presbyterian Aid Society, '06 Club, W.C.T.U., office force of the J. Neils Lumber Company, City Council, Camp Fire Girls, the music pupils of Mrs. Bockman, public school children, Lincoln County officials, Austin Reedy Post No.97 American Legion, and from old friends of the deceased who formerly lived in Libby but who are now located at Longview, Washington, with the Long Bell Lumber Company.
John Ferdinand Bockman was born in Oconto, Neb., on Oct. 31, 1891, and was 32 years, 5 months and 27 days old at the time of his death. When a small child his parents moved to Libby and he grew to manhood here. He was a veteran of the World War having begun his service in May, 1918, at Camp Lewis Wash. On July 5, 1918, he was married to Miss Albie Sladek at Tacoma, Wash., Miss Sladek having been teacher of music and art in the Libby Schools. From Camp Lewis he was sent Camp Freemont, Calif., and to Camp Mills and Camp Merritt, N.Y., where he was stationed for several months as a member of the military police. He was discharged on June 10, 1919.
The deceased is survived by the widow and two small sons, one three and the other 11 months old; also by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Bockman, Sr., of Libby; Frank Bockman of Bend, Or.; Herman, Jr., and Lee Bockman of Longview, Wash.; Harry Bockman, Mrs. B. J. Lamey, Miss Marie Bockman, Montana Bockman and Bernadine Bockman, all of Libby.
All members of the family were present at the funeral as was also Mrs. Bockman's father, V. Sladek from Chicago.
Nothing further need be said in tribute to Ferd Bockman. The acts of the community speak with greater significance than any words. The unprecedented attendance at the funeral, the closing of all business establishments, the unusually numerous gifts, all bear witness that Ferd Bockman was a man honored and respected and held in highest esteem by his fellowmen. His was an honorable life. Authentic instances are being related in which Officer Bockman had been approached more than once by certain lawless elements with offers of monitary gain to himself if he would remain blind to the deeds of those who would bribe him and debauch his office. It is not necessary to say these despicable offers were indignantly refused. Ferd Bockman possessed a high conception of duty and honor and he held that conception without swerving.
These words pay tribute to him as a man and officer. Equally as much can be said of his home life. He was a worthy husband and father beloved by his family; a son and brother loved and appreciated for his real worth. His loss will be bitterly mourned by those nearest to him and these have the sincere and warm sympathy of the entire community. His taking away is a loss to Libby, a loss that is sincerely regretted by all and a loss that has touched men, women and children alike with a feeling of sorrow.
The city council in session last Monday evening adopted the following resolution regarding the death of former Chief of Police Bockman: "Ferd Bockman became an officer in the City of Libby by appointment as Chief of Police on the 1st day of March, 1921. He brought to the city a character of service that was unique. his earnest and thoughtful diligence, his exacting care and attention to every detail of duty devolving upon him marked him at once as an unusual officer. He grew with his experience in ability and willingness to serve the city. For several years he has acted in the dual capacity as chief of police and street commissioner and as street commissioner he has practically done the bigger part of the work required to be done on the streets of Libby. Never in the history of Libby was our city so well policed; and never in the history of Libby were our streets so well cared for and so economically cared for as under the administration of Ferd Bockman. It will be hard indeed, if not quite impossible, to secure any one man to take his place and do so efficiently all of the work which he did for the city in the police and street departments. He was fearless and tireless. It was never too early in the day, never too late at night, never too cold, never too hot for him to render, promptly and well, a full 100% service in any matter where he could serve the city's interest."
"It has been a matter of common report now for several years that Libby has been the best policed city of its size in this part of the Northwest; that illicit traffic in liquor has been better suppressed than in any other similar city; that lawlessness in all forms has been rigorously abated and kept down by the vigorous activities of Ferd Bockman. By his official services he won marked distinction as a police officer all over the Northwest and any successor of his in office here can have no higher aim in the way of making an official record than to equal the record made by Ferd Bockman.
"On the night of April 28, 1924, near midnight with his usual alacrity he responded to an emergency call from the depot telling of a desperate character there in the railroad yards who had shot at a passer-by. Proceeding up the railroad yards in advance of his guide, the young man who had been shot at and who went fearlessly to take the officer to his assailant, Ferd Bockman walked into the face of the desperado who had done the shooting, demanding that he throw up his hands and submit to arrest. The answer from the desperado was a bullet point blank. Bockman's gun answered, but the desperado was able to shoot the second time and our fearless officer met his death with the second bullet of the desperado through the brain. Bockman's single shot was deadly, but, unhappily, did not instantly put his assailant out of commission. And so on duty within a short pistol shot of the home, where his loved ones were and where he has grown up from childhood through the twenty-five years or more that he has lived in Libby, Ferd Bockman fell and the loss is irreparable."
"NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LIBBY AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED: That the loss of our late Chief of Police, John Ferdinand Bockman, the City of Libby and all the citizens thereof have sustained a terrible loss; that his services to the City of Libby were of an excellence which distinguished him among all the officers which the city has had since its beginning; that his fearless and untiring devotion to duty wherever the needs of the city called him were matchless; that his probity and integrity could not be questioned and that his zeal for doing excellently well whatever services or duty he had to do in an official capacity was ardent."
"And be it further resolved that we do hereby extend to his bereaved wife and father and mother and all his family the heart felt grief and sympathies of this body. And that a copy of this resolution be engrossed upon the minuets of this meeting and that other copies hereof, under official seal of the city, be tendered his bereaved wife and mother."
