HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 2001-385
RESOLUTION NO. ZOOl-SgS-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, CO-NAMING 17ZND STREET,
FROM COLLINS A VENUE TO NORTH BAY ROAD AS "TOWN
MARSHAL RALPH G. LANGWORTHY STREET",
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPEND FUNDS, IN
AN AMOUNT OF UP TO $400.00, FOR THE INST ALLA TION OF
STREET SIGNS AND TO DO ALL OTHER THINGS NECESSARY
TO EFFECTUATE THE INTENT OF THIS RESOLUTION;
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Town Marshall Ralph G. Langworthy was killed in 1928 in the line of duty
in Sunny Isles Beach (formerly known as the Town of Fulford); and
WHEREAS, research has indicated that no suitable memorial was established as a result
of his death; and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate and fitting that no police officer of our City should ever die
in the line of duty without proper recognition; and
WHEREAS, to give one's life for his fellow man is the highest of all sacrifices;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Approval of Street Renaming. The City of Sunny Isles Beach formally approves
and requests the approval of Miami-Dade to co-designate 172nd Street from Collins Avenue
(AlA) to North Bay Road as "Town Marshal Ralph G. Langworthy Street" in honor of Town
Marshal Ralph G. Langworthy.
Section 2. Authorization of City Manager. The City Manager is hereby authorized to
disburse funds to Miami-Dade County for the installation of street signs and to do all other things
necessary to effectuate the intent of this resolution.
Section 3.
Effective Date. This resolution will become effective upon adoption.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 16th day of October, 2001.
Page 1 of 2
Draft R2001- Co-Name Street Town Marshall
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'::,~c~3fd B~own-Mo~lla, City Clerk
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APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
Vote: ~~\:)
Mayor Samson
Vice Mayor Kauffman
Commissioner Edelcup
Commissioner Goodman
Commissioner Iglesias
Street Renaming For Police Ofcr Reso
Moved by:
Seconded by:
/ (Yes)
2(Yes)
----LL(Yes)
~Yes)
~(Yes)
Page 2 of2
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_(No)
_(No)
_(No)
_(No)
(No)
CS/27/01 10:39 FAX 305 593 1901
DADE COUNTY PBA
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RALPH G. LANGWORTHY
Town Marshal of Fulford
Killed in traffic accident on June 10, 1928
THE EVENT
FUlford Town Marshal Ralph G. Langworthy, 36, died on June 10,
1928, of. injuries suffe~ed in a traffic accident on June 7 while on
"bootlegger patrol." He was the only officer ever killed in the
line of duty in FUlford which existed as a town from 1926-1931 (it
was actually founded and named in 1891) and was incorporated into
the newly created N. Miami Beach in 1931. The N. Miami Beach
police Dept. has "adopted" Marshal Langworthy as its only officer
killed in the line of duty (none have been killed in N. Miami Beach
since its creation in 1931). '
Around 11:30PM on Thursday night, June 7, 1928, town marshal'
Langworthy was on patrol riding his motorcycle on the "ocean road"
just "north of Sunny Isles casino" when his motorcycle, collided .
with an automobile occupied by three men working for the "customs
border patrol service. " Both the motorcycle and auto were
"hunting for bootleggers" who were "reported to be landing a boat
north of Sunny Isles. ., Langworthy went to the scene after
receiving a report that liquor would be unloaded from a boat. Both
the motorcycle and auto were traveling without lights.
The driver of the customs vehicle, W.E. Prince, who was an
inspector in charge of the customs border patrol service in Miami,
reported that he was driving north on the ocean road and was
watching the road while the other three men (Inspectors John A.
Hannock, Floyd A. Tucker and Donald E. Yund) were watching the
beach for the reappearance of "flashes" (indicating a bootlegger/
boat) which they had seen earlier. Another report said that the
four men were "trying to trace signal lights which they had seen in
the distance."
Apparently Langworthy was also driving without lights and was
either looking for the same flashes on the beach or came upon the
customs vehicle without seeing it. The two vehicles collided and
Prince, feeling but not seeing the collision, stopped the car.
we jumped out and ran back about 10 feet. There we found
Langworthy's motorcycle still on the road. He was lying a few
feet off the road in a ditch. We rushed him to the hospital
and waited there until X-rays had been taken to determine the
extent of his injuries.
...................
As the customs men took the injured marshal to the
hospi tal, Inspector Prince said Monday, he complained of
injuries to his leg and chaffed the customs men fo~ being in
such a hurry to qet him to the institution that they proceeded
without changing tires after the collision had blown ou~ one
of those in front.
At the, hospital he was found suffering fractures of the
r8/27/01 10:39 FAX 305 593 1901
DADE COUNTY PBA
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left leg and knee cap and possible internal injuries. (Miami
Daily New~, 6/11/1928)
Langworthy's leg was amputated "in an effort to save his life"
early Sunday at Allison Hospital on Miami Beach but he died at
9:00PM.
THE PERPETRATOR
There was no perpetrator in this case. Inspector Prince told
Deputy Sheriff George Bing, "investigator of the state attorney's
off ice," how the accident happened. It appears that Langworthy may
have been driving his motorcycle in the wrong lane as the headlines
in the Miami Daily News noted that the "Fulford Marshal Blamed for
COllision From Which He Died."
The Miami Daily News reported on June 12 that the customs
vehicle was not at fault in the tragedy indicating that Langworthy'
alone was at fault. The initial article about the accid~nt in the
June 11 Miami Herald had suggested that the customs vehicle may
have been at fault as it reported that the auto "swerved from the
right side of the road to the left and into the lane where
Langworthy was riding." Neither newspaper reported the result of
the investigation by Deputy Sheriff Bing and neither mentioned a
coroner's inquest. It appears that no one was charged in the
accident.
.
THE OFFICER
Ralph George Langworthy was born on Oct. 9, 1891, in Lawrence,
MA, to George A. and Lucy E. LaBin Langworthy.
,/
Little is kno~ of the young Lan~orthy until he enlisted in
the U.S. Army on Aug. 16, 1917, at the age of 26. He listed his
prior occupation as machinist. Ralph served with Company E, 101st
Engineers and served in France during World War I. His military
record indicates that he served in France for most ot 1918 and
participated in the "Argonne Offensive" from Sept 26 througb Nov.
11 of that year. A Miami newspaper reported that Langworthy
..served 18 months with the 26th Di vision overseas. It He was
honorably disCharged in MA as a Sgt. on April 28, 1919.
Ralph G. Langworthy, 29, married Elizabeth Woodbury Eaton, 20,
on Oct. 8, 1920, at Beverly, MA. After the marriage Ralph worked
as a vendor on the Boardwalk at Salisbury Beach, MA. The couple's
son, Peter Eaton Langworthy was born on Salisbury Beach on Sept.
28, 1924.
The family moved to "Fulford by the Sea" (now N. Miami Beach)
in 1926. Ralph Langworthy was one of the thousands 'who Game to
Miami during the boom years of the'mid-1920's. He became marshal
(or city Police Chief) of Fulford in 1927 and had been in that
08/27/01 10:39 FAX 305 593 1901
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position for one year at the time of his death. The family lived
at "Seaboard Park. II A second son, David A. Langworthy, was born at
Allison Hospital in Miami Beach on Oct. 28, 1928, four months after
the death his father.
The funeral for Marshal Langworthy was held at the Ahern
Funeran Home chapel on Wednesday, June 13. The "Atnerican Legion
was in charge of services at the grave at Miami Memorial Park. II
The Amemrican Legion ceremony included a "firing squad." Records
at the Ahern Funeral Home indicate that the bill for the funeral
was sent to the Mayor of Fulford.
In 1997 the gravesite of Marshal Langworthy is easily found at
Miami Memorial Park adjacent to the Palmetto Expressway between
Miller and Sunset Roads. His grave is in section B within 25 yards
of the road running parallel with the Expressway and about 50 yards
south of the mausoleum. A flat stone marker reads:
RALPH G. LANGWORTHY
1891-1928
No other family member is buried by Marshal Langworthy. His
widow, Elizabeth E. Langworthy, worked several years for the City
of N. Miami and died in Dade County in 1966 at the age of 66. She
was buried in Southern Memorial Park. peter Langworthy died on
Nov. 13, 1964, at the age of 40, and his wife died on July 25,
1980. Both are buried at Southern Memorial Park.
In 1997 Marshal Langworthy was survived by one son, David A.
Langworthy, 68, of Lake Placid, FL, and several grandc~ildren and
great grandchildren through his two sons. The descendants of
. Marshal Langworthy include Ralph A. and Norma Helen Epps
Langworthy's daughter, Kathleen D. Langworthy (Mrs. Charles)
Browning, 39, of Ft. LaUderdale, and her three childrenl Jennife~/
Lynn, 16, Heather Leigh, 15, and David, 12; and their son, David
Scot Langworthy, 26, of Columbus, OH (the strength coach at Ohio
State U.).
, The marshall s oldest son I Peter Eaton Langworthy, married
Carolyn Ann pasneker in 1945 and had four children: JUlie Ann,
Peter Oalel Mark, and Garry. In 1997, Julie Ann Cochran, 39, and
her two sons, John Harley and Alan Clarence Cochran lived in Bryson
City, HC. His descendants also include Peter Dale Shomers, a Miami
Beach fireman, and Mark Shomers, who works for the city of N.
Miami.
The name of Ralph G. Langworthy is inscribed (West Wall, Panel
15, Line 18) on the National Law Enforcement Me.orial in
Washington, D.C. His son, David, contacted tAe memorial (but not
Dade County) and requested that his father's name be inscribed.
David A. Langworthy and his daughter attended the ceremonies in
WaShington, D.C., in May of 1991 when the memorial was dedicated.
The name of Ralph G. I,i:lngworthy was added to the Dade county
OS/27/01 10:40 FAX 305 593,1901
DADE COUNTY PBA
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Honor Roll of Slain Officers in 1997 after his name was
"discovered" on the national lQemorial. The name of Ralph G.
~angworthy was read for the first time at the Dade County Police
me.orial on May 8, 1997. His name was also added in 1997 to the
Hall of Honor at the Dade Police Academy on the campus of Hiami-
Dade community college, North campus.
The story of the life and death of Ralph G. Langworthy should
have been included in Forgotten Heroes: Police Officers Killed in
Dade County. FL, :t895-199~, but his name was not "discovered" by
the author, Dr. Wm. Wilbanks, until after the book was published.
His Ilstory" will be included in any future edition of the book.
SOURCES: KiaJlli Herald, June 11,12,13, 1928; Miami D~ily News, June
11, 1928: Death certificate of Ralph G. Langworthy; grave marker at
Miami Memorial Park; Funeral records of Ahern-Plummer Funeral Home:
and interview with David A. Langworthy.
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