Ptl. Lippincott, I want to take this time to tell you that there is no excuse for what happened to you. I'm sure that most of the people that were living at the time of your death are also gone now. The tragedy of your death not only changed the life of your family, but it changed the life of mine also. You see, I am the Great Grandson of your murderer and I too am a police officer. Neither me nor my immediate family were aware that this happened. I just happened upon it after my father passed away in 1998. I wanted to know who my family was and where they were from. You know the old saying, Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. Well I bet you can imagine my disbelief of what I uncovered.
There is absolutely no excuse for what my Great Grandfather did. Although he was a sick man, after losing his 4 daughters to illness, having to deal with alcoholism and the guilt of being less of a man. I'm sure he never intended to kill anyone, let alone a police officer that he considered a "friend". That is what he referred to you as in a newspaper article.
I know that most people believe that justice was served when he took his own life while in the Monmouth County Jail. Nothing good came out of that fateful December night. Your family suffered great pain as well as mine. I knew my Great Grandmother. She was a great woman. According to my Aunt, my Great Grandmother prayed for your family every night before she retired for the day.
Although this happened many years ago, I relay this story to remind the guys that I work with that you never know what is going on inside ones head, so never drop your guard when dealing with people even if you have known them your whole life. That is what I believe happened to you. For that one instance, you dropped your guard because you were very familiar with the man, but not what he was thinking. I am so sorry that this happened to our families.
I hope that I never get to be on that memorial with you, but I do carry your story on. You are not forgotten even to this day. From what I have read, I see that you were the kind of police officer that I am. Caring, compassionate, and friendly.
I want to apologize to you and your family for what happened.
God bless,
Ptl. James M. Clayton
Neptune City Police Dept.
Officer Name: Charles F. Lippincott
Officer City: Asbury Park, NJ
End of Watch: 12-11-1911
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