Arthur (Art) Pettit d. 1916

PETTIT, CLEM, COFFMAN

Posted By: Arlene Howke (email)
Date: 11/16/2002 at 23:18:33

From The Pettit Correspondent, Volume 2, Number 1, page 44

This article was submitted by Louise Warner, 1160 S.W. Broadway, Albany, OR 97321. Arthur (Art) Pettit was a son of Henry Grimmell and Louisianna (Robinson) Pettit and grandson of William and Laura Jane (Benjamin) Pettit of Morgan County, Ohio (see pages 6 & 12 in Vol. 1, #1). Art Pettit died in Billings, MT on 21 December 1935.
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Bullet Would Proves Fatal to Patrolman
Arthur Pettit, 61, Succumbs Early Saturday Afternoon

Set Funeral For Monday.

Slightly more than 28 hours after he received an accidental abdominal bullet wound while in the basement of the city jail, Arthur Pettit, 61, Billings police patrolman since 1916, died in a local hospital Saturday at 1:50 p.m.

A blood transfusion administered Friday night seemed to have had a good effect and his family and a host of other friends had hoped that the veteran and popular officer might recover from the wound.

The patrolman's condition grew worse early Saturday morning and at noon all hope for his recovery was abandoned by his attending physicians.

Mayor C.J. Williams and Chief of Police Val Lechner expressed their regrets at Patrolman Pettit's passing and spoke highly of his work while in the service of the police department.

"I am deeply moved by reason of this unfortunate accident," Mayor Williams said, "and it seems that the irony of fate claimed him less than a year from the time for his retirement from the police force."

"He was a fine officer," the city's chief executive pointed out, "and will be greatly missed in the police department. Since I have been mayor I have found Mr. Pettit always willing to cooperate and thought a great deal of him.

"I feel very sorry for Patrolman Pettit's family and am glad to know that they will receive compensation as the accident happened while the officer was on duty. But unfortunately, money cannot replace the loss of a husband and father."

Chief Lechner termed Patrolman Pettit as "an efficient officer" and said that the whole department is sorrowed by his passing. "It is unfortunate that a man who had battled his beat for nearly 20 years should have to die through an accident."

Pettit was shot through the stomach and liver by a bullet which was discharged when a .38 revolver fell to a cement floor from the shoulder holster of Special Officer W.E. (Ed) Wilson.

Pettit had been attempting to screw a liquid container onto a fumigating device in the basement of the city jail. Wilson stooped over to assist him and the gun dropped from the holster, struck the floor and discharged. The bullet went below Pettit's heart. It lodged on the liver wall after passing through his stomach and liver. The officer was rushed to a hospital where an operation was performed to remove the bullet.

Patrolman Pettit was born in Douds, Iowa April 30, 1874, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Pettit. In 1897 young Pettit struck out alone for Montana, coming direct to Billings where he obtained work in the stockyards.

From that time until he was appointed a member of the police department in 1916 Mr. Pettit had a variety of jobs. He drove a hack for Smith's for many years and then went into business with the late C.D. Taylor.

Mr. Pettit also worked in the Cothron & Todd Livery stable, for Yegen's on their ranch and at their ice house, for Tarr's coal company, for the Crystal Ice company and for the Great Western Sugar Company.

He was married to Belle Clem in Billings Jan. 22, 1906. Besides his widow he is survived by three children, Lucille, Henry and Maurice, all of Billings.

He also leaves a sister and three brothers. They are Mrs. Mary Coffman of Douds, Iowa; Alvia Pettit of Milton, Iowa; Silas of Nebraska, and William of Salem, Ore.

That his family was foremost in his mind at all times was evidenced by Patrolman Pettit's request as he was being rushed to the hospital Friday morning. "I guess I'm done for this time," he told Patrolman Gerald Smith. "See the mayor and the chief and make sure that my family is taken care of."

The patrolman was a member of Billings lodge No. 558 Local Order of Moose. Funeral arrangements have been tentatively set for Monday afternoon.