alexander R. McKinney
Agency: Kansas City Police Department, MO
Alexander McKinney was born in Mayview, Missouri on August 13, 1838 to parents David and Maria Louisa McKinney. Prior to coming to Kansas City in 1886, Officer McKinney was a cowboy, a cattleman and a U.S. Marshall. Officer McKinney was appointed to the Kansas City Police Department in 1897.
On Thursday morning - January 22, 1903, Officer McKinney was shot in the left temple by Sylvester Swank in the lobby of Police Headquarters. Sylvester Swank, a demented man, entered the office of Frank Snow, property clerk at the police headquarters, and demanded $90 that was taken from him when he was sent to the asylum for the insane in St. Joseph, Missouri one year before. As he left the property room he saw Officer McKinney and hesitated. Officer McKinney extended both hands and said "Come on now." Swank quickly reached inside his coat and withdrew a revolver, firing on Officer McKinney who fell to the floor. Swank stood over his victim for a minute then clerk Snow and jailer Burt Siersdorfer rushed to Officer McKinney's aid. Swank began to fire again but Lieutenant Kennedy was able to run behind Swank and grasp his arms as Swank continued to fire causing the remainder of his bullets to discharge wildly. Swank continued to fight policemen until they clubbed him into submission with revolvers. Officer McKinney died at 12:45 am on January 24, 1903.
Swank was examined, pronounced mentally ill and was taken to the insane asylum in Nevada, Missouri by Marshal Thomas J. Pendergast. Swank previously escaped from a state insane asylum in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Officer McKinney's funeral was held at the family home at 3017 E. 22nd St. Services were were held under the auspices of Masonic Rural Lodge #216.
He was survived by his wife, Emma Cornelison, and three children aged 6 to 15 years of age, Alexander, Francis, and Leonard; his mother and a brother, Wayne.
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