First Deputy Chief Schuettler

Labeled “the greatest police chief ever had,” First Deputy Chief Schuettler left an impact on Chicago. His dedication to the city started in his early days on the force—showing that he would go above and beyond, by any means necessary. After tracking down Louis Ling, the one responsible for making the bombs used at the Haymarket Riot, he found himself in a brawl. Nearly overtaken by Ling, Schuettler “bit off one of Ling’s fingers to save himself from being shot.” (Chicago Cop).

In his testimony of the event, Schuettler was matter-of-fact: “At last he began to get it cocked again, and the only way I could do then, I got his thumb into my mouth and bit it, and he hollered.” (Chicago History Resources).

His work in solving the “Cronin Case” also gained him notoriety. On May 4, 1889, Dr. Patrick Cronin failed to return home one evening, prompting concern from his family and friends. For days, only snippets of clues appeared—a bloodsplattered trunk with human hair inside, “eyewitness” accounts that claimed to see the doctor at various places in the city. Weeks later, Cronin’s body was found in a sewer, nearly unrecognizable and the cause of death not readily apparent. 

Schuettler’s investigations led him to a cottage, one of Cronin’s last seen locations, the residence of Patrick O’Sullivan, a member of the United Brotherhood (an organization in favor of Ireland’s independence from the British). Cronin had been a longtime opponent to “The Triangle,” a subgroup of the United Brotherhood, and accused them of extorting money. 

By the time Schuettler arrived at the murder scene, there had been hasty attempts to disguise signs of a struggle, such as a weak coat of paint barely hiding fresh blood. The key to the trunk that contained Cronin’s hair was found at the scene.

Though it seemed obvious at first that O’Sullivan was responsible for Cronin’s death, attempts to arrest him remained fruitless, as direct evidence remained unsubstantial. For a while, it seemed every turn was a dead-end, until attention settled on United Brotherhood member Martin Burke.

Burke frequently expressed his dislike of Cronin, and was seen traveling to the O’Sullivan house before Cronin’s disappearance. Schuettler demanded all Eastern and Canadian police departments to render a portrait and description of Burke. Chief McRae of Winnipeg cornered an agitated-looking man matching Burke’s description at a depot, and Burke was taken to Chicago for questioning.

After a lengthy trial, Burke, O’Sullivan, and other criminals were charged with Cronin’s murder, finally putting to rest the question of what really occurred on May 4, 1889. (Historical Crime Detective). 

The Kanye West Connection

In his 2005 song “Crack Music,” Kanye West references Chief Herman F. Schuettler: from early 20th-century Chicago Police history:

“We don’t need no more heroes
We just need the ghetto to stay black and be proud
‘Cause they’ll put the squeeze on you
Like Herman Schuettler in Chicago.”

Schuettler was deeply involved in several controversial policing tactics of the era, especially surrounding the Department’s use of coercive interrogations — what some today would call torture — during the infamous 1913 “Torture Scandal.”

Though largely forgotten in mainstream history, Schuettler’s aggressive style and the public backlash it sparked were pivotal moments in Chicago’s evolving relationship with law enforcement — so much so that they made their way into a Kanye lyric nearly a century later. (We’ll let you do an online search for the song yourself.)