On Aug. 12, 1906, Pueblo Mounted Police Officer William Shellman, 45, died at St. Mary’s Hospital - a week after surviving a lightning strike atop his horse. Shellman was patrolling his beat in the Bessemer district during an electrical storm when he was struck, knocking him off his four-legged partner. "He complained of feeling unwell all week and on Saturday night called police headquarters to advise them that he was on his way to the hospital," according to police history. "He died there several hours later, early Sunday morning."
Shellman immigrated from Doderhult, Kalmar, Sweden in 1875, and joined the Pueblo Police Department in May 1905. He was survived by his wife and six children, Bertha, 20, Pearl, 14, Winnie, 12, Frances, 11, Myron, 8, and Allida, 3.
The man was a no-nonsense cop, the Colorado Daily Chieftain reported on June 25, 1905.
"Shellman has been establishing a good record for the last few weeks in making several arrests as well as looking after stray cattle. When he finds a victim Shellman does not walk him along by the arm to the call box, but sits his horse and drives his man in front of him," the Chieftain said.
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