Charles Henry Crow: Part 2 (Burglar Shot)

By 1859, Charles had made it to Utah. He brought along with him a former co-worker, Mr Seegmiller whom he had introduced to the church. Together they opened a harness and saddle shop. In 1867 (Jan 2) a newspaper article appeared.

Burglar Shot – On Thursday night, shortly before 12 o’clock, Mr. Charles Crow, firm of Seegmiller and Crow, saddlers on East Temple St., was lying in his store, one of his workmen being with him, when he was awakened from a dozing condition by a noise in the building, and heard some person walking through the front part, evidently carrying some article of saddlery, from the sound of the straps trailing along the floor. He could not see who the burglar was, the night being very dark and no light in the store, but a form of some kind barred the passage of the street door, which had been opened by the burglar, when Mr. Crow fired and hit the thief, who dropped. Mr. Crow immediately went to city hall, reported the circumstance to the police and gave himself into custody. The burglar was carried to City Hall, with a saddle which he was carrying off when so suddenly stopped. He was then known to be “Dutch Charley” a character more notorious than respected, whose thieving proclivities had made him well known to the members of the police force. “Charley” lived until about 4 a.m. He was attended by Dr Ormsby, whose professional services were called for, gave his name as Charles Burs, from Zurich Switzerland, expresses sorrow for the act he was committing when shot, and did not wish his friends to know how he cam by his death. His antecedents in the mining regions pointed to such an end in some place. An inquest was held on Friday Morning and a verdict returned in accordance with the facts, upon which Mr. Crow was discharged.

After this incident Mr. Crow began to appear in more newspaper accounts working for the police, although he may have worked for the police before this as well. The earliest is an 1870 story in which he is described as an officer delivering two mail robbers to the Elko, Nevada police.

Newspaper stories include descriptions of his "closing down" unlicensed saloons and brothels in accordance with court orders. He was sued by the owners of these establishments for alleged police brutality and destruction of property, but never lost a case. George H Crow claimed that his father also served as a body guard to Brigham Young and John Taylor.