CALLED FROM DUTY
Sudden and Sad Death of Policeman
Robert S. Frazee
He Retires in His Usual Health, But Dies Quietly in Bed—An
Honorable Career.
The sudden death yesterday of Police Officer Robert S. Frazee was
a great surprise, as well as the cause of sorrow, to thousands of people in
this community, where he
had lived and enjoyed their respect for nearly twenty years.
Deceased had performed his usual duty as an officer up to 8
o'clock on the preceding evening, and retired in his usual health an hour or so
later, occupying a room by himself, as was his custom. Mrs. Frazee called him
shortly before 7 o'clock in the morning, and receiving no response sent one of
the children to the room.
The latter reported to his mother that he received no answer to
his knock on the door of his father's room, which fact alarmed Mrs. Frazee and
she hastened thither herself, only to find her husband dead, although his body
was yet warm. The grief of the stricken family was heartrending, and neighbors
and friends hurried to the house and did all in their power to comfort Mrs.
Frazee and her children.
Robert Frazee was recognized as one of the most industrious,
high-minded and faithful officers the city has ever had. He had been a
policeman here for many years —in fact, during most of his residence here —and
was always a gentleman, a good citizen and kind husband and father. While it was generally supposed he was a man
of ordinarily robust health, the fact was known to several of his fellow
officers that he at times complained of trouble with his heart; and only a few weeks
ago he asked permission of Captain Lee to go off duty a little earlier than
usual on that account. On Sunday he had quite a severe tussle with a couple of
peace-disturbers at Snowflake Park. and became considerably excited while
ejecting them from the place.
Deceased was one of the first young men to respond to President
Lincoln's call for troops to put down the Confederates. He enlisted in Company
G, Twenty-Seventh New York Infantry in April, 1861, and served until the close
of the war. He was a brave soldier, and was wearing a First Lieutenant's
stripes when peace was restored.
The family of deceased consists of his wife and six children, two
of whom are grown, and living in the East. Mr. Frazee was prominent in Masonic
circles, having been a member of Union Lodge. Hle was also a member of the
Workmen's Order, the Druids, and the Hussars,
RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT
The Board of Police Commissioners met yesterday noon and appointed
a committee, consisting of Chief of Police Drew, Captain Lee and City Attorney
Hart, to draft resolutions of respect to the character of the deceased officer,
to be submitted at a meeting to be held in the evening.
The board met again last evening, when the committee submitted the
following report, which was unanimously adopted. An engrossed copy thereof will
be presented to the widow and children of the deceased:
Whereas, The death-reaper, obeying the
inexorable order of the Great Judge of the Universe entered upon the records of
Heaven, has caused to be taken from our midst, in the prime of his manhood. R.
S. Frazee, for many years one of our much-respected companions and associates
in citizenship, and during a period of upward of fifteen an honest and capable
public official, discharging duties as such upon the police force of this city;
therefore be it
Resolved, By the
Board Of Police Commissioners of the City of Sacramento, that while in the
enforcement by the All-Wise Providence of His Immutable laws, we at all times
recognize acts which, though bringing sorrow to the hearts of many, are for the
best, for “He doeth all things well." yet, we cannot but deplore that it
should seem best in His great and infinite judgment to take from our midst and
transport to the home of eternal peace and happiness the spirit of one who was just
in those years to enjoy the splendid fruits of a life well spent, full of
honor, full of love for his country, for which he fought upon the field of
battle, and full of acts and deeds of kindness and goodness to humanity"—a
life, in short, which could not but be accepted as a bright example of
conscientious regard for that duty which one owes to his God, to truth and to
his fellow-man.
Resolved, That in
the death of R. S. Frazee the City of Sacramento suffers the loss of a faithful,
honest and efficient public officer courageous and vigilant, yet unostentatious
in the discharge of his public functions; a good and honorable citizen,
kind-hearted, generous, charitable and upright; the sorrowing family have been
deprived of a devoted, loving and indulgent husband and father.
Resolved, That the
members of the Board of Police Commissioners, of which the deceased has so long
been a good and faithful servant, to the bereaved family their heartfelt
sympathy and condolence in this their hour of sore affliction.
Resolved, That
these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of the records of this board, and
that an engrossed copy be presented to the family of deceased.
