Tue Feb 09 2010
By JACK PALMER
The newly restored tombstone of a Hicksville night marshal murdered in the line of duty in 1899 will be rededicated this weekend at a rural Defiance County cemetery.
The ceremony will be held rain or shine on Sunday at 4 p.m. in McCauley Cemetery, located at Evansport and Kammeyer roads. The public is invited.
Officer Enos Rath was beaten to death while performing his duties as night marshal in Hicksville on Nov. 25, 1899. Three Antwerp men were charged and convicted by juries in three separate trials, but they were later pardoned by then Ohio Gov. Andrew Harris.
Over the years, Rath's tombstone has fallen into disrepair. Through the efforts of concerned individuals and police officers, the marker has been restored and will be unveiled and rededicated during the ceremony.
The story of how Rath's tombstone first garnered attention is an interesting saga itself.
"It all began in late 2005 when the Hicksville Police Department made a request for old court records," said Rhonda Casler, who works at the county records center. "During my search, I came across the transcript of one of the Enos Rath murder trials."
The trials, held in early 1900, resulted in guilty findings of first-degree murder against Edward Johnson and Frank Zuber, and manslaughter against Floyd Rumbaugh.
"They were arrested on circumstantial evidence," reported Casler. "They were known at the time as the bad boys of Antwerp. Their alibi was that they were at a house of ill repute in Nineville (now a Paulding County ghost town located in Harrison Township, about a mile east of the Indiana line)."
Casler said the men were picked up and taken to the scene of the crime where they were identified at night by some of the eyewitnesses.
Johnson received life in prison without parole, but died in prison two years later. Zuber received life in prison and served seven years before being pardoned. Rumbaugh received 25 years for manslaughter and served eight years until being pardoned.
"When I discovered that one of Officer Rath's relatives married one of my relatives, I began taking a more personal interest," said Casler. "When I found his grave, I was shocked to see that it was in such bad shape."
Casler contacted Tanya Brunner of the county veterans service office, who mounted a fund-raising effort to restore the tombstone. Donations were received from the Hicksville Police Department, Defiance Police Officers Association and Defiance County Law Enforcement Association, as well as several individuals. Homier's Monumental completed the restoration of the marker.
"Enos Rath was the only law enforcement officer to be murdered in the line of duty in the history of Defiance County," said Casler.
Hicksville Village Council president Mick Pocratsky will serve as guest speaker at Sunday's ceremony and a prayer will be said for all past and present law enforcement officers. The Defiance City Police Honor Guard will accord special police honors and Jeremy Taylor, one of Rath's great-great-grandsons, will also participate.
For more information about the event, contact Casler at 419-782-4707 or Brunner at 419-782-6861.
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