PA State Archives

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Office of the Commissioner of State Police

Abstracts of Daily Roll Call, Muster, and Pay Roll, and Quarterly Returns of State Property of Troop C & D.,
1905-1910.
(1 box)

{series #30.1} [Holdings]

Arranged Chronologically.

Muster and pay roll records listing each policeman's name, rank, date of enlistment, amount of pay, and total pay per month, along with the man's signature. Also included are any deductions from pay or fines incurred during the period. Separate records of pay deductions included such fees as mess, barracks, loans, clothing, as well as state tax deductions. Daily roll call sheets show number of days present and absent. Quarterly returns list state property items on hand and accounted for, and those expended, lost, or destroyed for 1998 and 1909. Such items range from barrack maintenance and blacksmithing equipment to clothing, dining, and also include ordinance items of each Troop. At the end of the quarterly assessments are listed any out of the ordinary incidents such as homicides that would help in compiling the annual report of the police commissioner. Also included in these records are receipts for 1906 issues to individual captains of Troop C such as clothing and ration stores.

Administrative Correspondence,
1905-1928.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.2} [Holdings]

Grouped by name of state agency corresponded with, and thereafter arranged chronologically.

Correspondence between the Commissioner of State Police and the following agencies and companies: Auditor General, Bureau of Fire Protection, Fish Commission, Games Commission, The Governor, Jacob Reed's Sons, Inc., Motor Vehicle Division, Dept. of Property and Supplies, State Highway Dept., William H. Horstmann, Co., and the State Health Dept. Correspondence of the Auditor General consists of receipts for the settlement of accounts between 1905-1928, as well as correspondence regarding police payroll increases and possible withholdings. Included are specific references seeking approval for out-of-commonwealth expenditures for such things as traveling to Texas in order to insect police horses for state purchase. Bureau of Fire Protection records, 1919-1927, discuss rules for fire investigations and such things as the legal amount of explosives a civilian could possess. Also included are monthly bulletins titled "Make PA fireproof." Correspondence of the Fish Commission, 1906-1914, touches on the selling of undersized fish and the illegal practice of dynamiting fish in PA rivers, as well as arrest reports to the Commissioner of Fisheries. The PA Games Commission correspondence discusses fines collected and arrests made for breaches of hunting legislation. The Governor's file, 1905-1921, contains requests for the appointment of officers and annual reports of the state police. The correspondence of J.R.S. Inc., a uniform and equipment manufacturer from Philadelphia, 1905-1921, and contains bids for uniform contracts to the police and includes actual swatches of cloth used for uniforms. Motor vehicle correspondence, 1921-1923, discusses applications for driver's licenses and inspection reports for Troop motor columns. Of interest to motorcycle enthusiasts are orders to Harley-Davidson for replacement parts. Three investigated death threat letters to Governor Sproul from 1921-1922 are contained in these folders. The 1906-1923 Department of Property and Supplies records contain telephone bills and office inventories. State Highway correspondence, 1906-1919, contain arrest lists of people violating auto laws and requests for names and addresses of certain plate numbers. Of special interest are letters regarding people impersonating highway police officers and lists of autos stolen. Records for Wm. H. Horstmann Co., a uniform and equipment outfitter, 1906-1928, contain bid offers and individual Troop orders for various articles of clothing. State Health Department correspondence deals with policemen who were commissioned as supplemental health officers to follow up on arrests of prostitutes. Also contained are abstracts of state laws on sex offenses. One letter group commends the services of some state police officers for action in diseased areas during the November 198 influenza epidemic in Philadelphia.

Administrative File on Standard Operating Procedures,
1928-1988.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.3} [Holdings]

Arranged numerically by article number.

Contains correspondence regarding injuries to state police in the line of duty and resulting workman's compensation issues. Standard procedure correspondence concerns such issues as proper filing of vehicle accident reports, enlistment papers, and discharge certificates as well as arrest forms and those dealing with highway hazards.

Annual and Biennial Reports,
1906-1966.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.4} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Reports for State Police, 1906-1966, Bureau of Fire Protection, 1924-1930, and Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, 1927-1930. State police reports were published annually in various formats until 1917 when they became biennial. Reports until ca. 1910 discuss strength and distribution of Troops, morale issues, detailed descriptions of various crimes, as well as crime totals organized by topic. Reports after ca. 1910 provide information about individual bureaus such as the Bureaus of Detectives, Traffic, Training, and Technical Services. Biennial reports of the 1950s and 1960s also include layouts of funding for the department.

Bulletins and Circular Letters,
1905-1943.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.5} [Holdings]

Grouped according to Troop, and thereafter arranged chronologically.

Monthly bulletins for each troop, signed and approved by each Captain. The bulletins list each station name, county, location, phone number, and number of men stationed there and a general summary of events there such as murders, liquor law violations, bribery, and closing of bawdy houses. Also in the section is a detailed index to general orders, bulletins, and circulars, 1905-1921. Multi-weekly bulletins are also present for the governor's office, 1927-1932. Circular letters are from deputy superintendents and the superintendent of Troop Commanders regarding repairs to vehicles, shooting matches, and various meetings.

Consolidated Morning Reports,
1907-1915.
(6 boxes)

{series #30.6} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Daily reports of the Harrisburg Department of State Police along with reports for each individual Troop, listing those present for duty, special duties, and those sick in quarters. Also listed are those absent due to detached service, those with and without leave, and those sick and away from quarters. Number of horses per troop and gains and losses of manpower are also listed. The particulars of those on detached service and their locations are noted.

Criminal Law Manual,
1939.
(1 box)

{series #30.7} [Holdings]

Comprehensive listing of crime details with section, offense, and page notations, as wells as sections regarding the carrying out of summary convictions, habitual criminal acts, and an abstract on the Ludlow Act. Also present is a large question and answer section for trainees concerning criminal law and crimes.

Directory of Retired Pennsylvania State Police,
1986.
(1 box)

{series #30.8} [Holdings]

Published by the Retired Pennsylvania State Police Association, this directory lists the name and address of retired officers from 1905-1985, as well as past presidents and state police superintendents.

General and Special Orders,
1905-1959.
(2 boxes)

{series #30.9} [Holdings]

Grouped by order type and thereafter chronologically.

The General Orders give notice of appointments, troop designations, promotions, honorable discharges, and reduced rank among other things. Also found are policies from the Governor, uniform regulations, and instructions for the proper filing of reports. Training school lectures are provided which touch on physical and mental preparedness, arrests, serving of warrants, and traffic directing. The Special Orders declare personnel transfers and voluntary discharges. Of particular interest are orders for Troop B to take part in the 1907 inaugural ceremony in Harrisburg for Governor Edwin S. Stuart. Notifications of those men not to be re-enlisted after termination of services are also given, as well as troop assignments and results of shooting contests.

General Correspondence,
1905-1946.
(13 boxes)

{series #30.10} [Holdings]

Grouped alphabetically by topic of correspondence, and thereafter chronologically.

A large range of correspondence from the Commissioner to and from the Art Commission, Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Department of Public Welfare, Eastern State Penitentiary, State Alcohol Permit Board, State Board of Medical Education, among others. Of interest is the correspondence relating to the 1922 Coal Strike. Questionnaires are found which were sent to all coal companies concerning whether they were unionized, if there was any cooperation with the local police, the status of explosive dumps, and descriptions of all known radicals operating in the mining area. Also included is a Wartime Activities file, 1917-1918, noting those companies suspected of hoarding coal rations, as well as investigations into the loyalty of those state police officers with Pro-German sentiments. Information is given on World War Two prisoner of war camps in Indiantown Gap, Gettysburg, and Stewartstown. Contained therein is a telegram warning of two escaped German prisoners from the camp at Gettysburg, which housed 284 prisoners.

General Correspondence of Troop C,
1907-1910.
(5 boxes)

{series #30.11} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Correspondence on a wide range of subjects such as the use of consideration towards prisoners, the giving of depositions, request for leaves of absence, and shipments of uniform and equipment. The letters give the date and subject on the back top left corner for easy indexing and reference.

General Order Handbooks,
1957.
(1 box)

{series #30.12} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Containing general orders issued to Troops by the Commissioner of State Police. The State Police Handbook was published 1 August 1957 and the Motor Police Handbook on 1 May 1942. Also found are a notebook and commission card for John L. Coates of Lawrence Park, 16 March 1954.

Historical File,
1905-1972.
(4 boxes)

{series #30.13} [Holdings]

Grouped alphabetically by topic of correspondence, report, or document.

Varying documents, reports, and correspondence on such topics as rules of criminal procedure, fingerprint cards, Highway Patrol rosters, honorable discharges, substation inspection reports, warrants, 50th anniversary of the state police, and training calendars of the state police academy, Harrisburg. Of interest is a 1920 character card for applicants showing name, address, occupation, marital status, reputation, military experience, general experience, three persons interviewed, and signature of person investigating. Criminal writing samples for handwriting analysis are also included. Reports on state police substations show when established, discipline and morale of troops, inspections, number of horses, conditions of barracks, arrests made, and various murder details. Summaries of motor vehicle violation arrests, 1937-1938, are organized by section violation and then by number of relevant arrests and convictions made.

Historical Publications,
1911-1980.
(2 boxes)

{series #30.14} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically according to publication date.

Contains such publications as U.S. Army manuals on cavalry drill regulations and physical training, as well as handbooks on probation and parole. A 1916 'History of the Pennsylvania State Police" and a similar publication a year later, 'Justice to All,' is also provided.

Index to General Orders, Special Orders, Bulletins, and Circular Letters
1905-1921.
(1 folder)

{series #30.15} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Index to series 30.5 and series 30.9.

Ku Klux Klan General Accounts,
1925-1940.
(2 boxes)

{series #30.16} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

This series contains Baldric purchase reports for clan supplies, as well as bills, checks, and receipts for food and uniforms. Details of members' financial accounts also provided, as well as scratch paper used for accounting purposes.

Ku Klux Klan General Correspondence,
1922-1929, 1932, 1934-1940.
(5 boxes)

{series #30.17} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically

Official documents, such as Imperial Kligrapp appointments, applications for reinstatement of former Klansmen, as well as appeals for admission, are provided in this series. Numerous handwritten general interest letters from the public are also included. Official decrees for those Klansmen who had been banished are given, as well as obituaries for prominent members of the KKK. A large portion of the correspondence concerns the Grand Dragon, Samuel G. Stouch, and his letters concerning the establishment of Klan contacts in neighboring states. Kligrapp quarterly reports and requests for the establishment of Klan chapters are also given.

Ku Klux Klan General Files,
1923-1940.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.18} [Holdings]

Grouped by subject and thereafter chronologically.

Various papers, election returns, rosters, publications, and applications detailing Klan operations are contained in this series. The rosters and election returns were sent to the headquarters in Philadelphia, listing new Klan personnel and elected leaders. Each quarterly roster (present for the years 1933-1938) details the number of new members received, those suspended or deceased, the total number of members, losses and/or gains, as well as the province number, Klan number, and official Klan name and address. Election returns, or 'Report of Officers Elect,' provide names, numbers, location of Klan, date of klonklave and location of klavern in question. The names of the various officer positions up for election included: Exalted Cyclops, Klaliff, Klokard, Kludd, Kligrapp, Klabee, Klad, Klarogo, Klexter, Nighthawk, Klikann Chief, and Klokan numbers 1 and 2.

Among the various papers are counter signs giving code and password cyphers once a Klan met necessary requirements and all memberships were paid up. National and Imperial countersigns were given and consisted primarily of state names. All were signed by Stouch, the Imperial authority of the KKK in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The bottom half of the counter sign sheet consisted of a pledge of undertaking the proper instructions for guarding the passwords.

The enlistment papers, 1924-1926, provide a plethora of information relative to new Klan recruits. Data such as the company, troop number, rank, serial number, name, address (street, city, county), enlistment period, age, height, weight, complexion, eye color, hair color, distinguishing marks, marital status, military service, education, qualifications, character, occupation, enlistment date, and signature of the recruit is provided. Enlistment papers are only available for the following counties: Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Carbon, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Northumberland, Venango, Washington, and Westmoreland.

An information file regarding the acquisition of the KKK records is present, attributing the 'find' to Private R. Roth, Pennsylvania State Police 4th Squadron Intelligence, on 3 June 1940. Mailing lists, 1924-1938, give province number, county seat, population, square mileage, name, street address, city, and county. There is a list for the Women of Unity Klan #17, New Jersey. Official Bulletins, 1936-1937, declare provincial tax reports, Imperial Klonvocations, lunch committees, presidential elections, Halloween parties, and Ham and Egg suppers.

Various publications which beloned to Samuel Stouch are also present, including Facts in Review, published by the German Library of Information in NYC (which listed daily news broadcasts from Berlin) and a book written by fifty-four leading American writers, We Hold These Truths, which provides statements on anti-Semitism and contains lists of anti-Semitic publishers, organizations, and individuals in America. Quarterly reports list all members in good standing, the number of members naturalized, those reinstated and transferred, those died or banished, as well as those suspended for various reasons.

Ku Klux Klan Kleagle Robe Reports,
1924, 1925.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.19} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Reports listing kleagle ordered, address, date, location of Klan, quantity of Klansman's and Terror's robes and helmets ordered, as well as those for the Exalted Cyclops robe and helmet sets. The name, number, and hat size for each Klansman is also stated.

Lists of Requests for Assistance
1915-1936.
(1 box)

{series #30.20} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of request

A double entry record of amounts debited and credited to the various accounts of the Pennsylvania State Police. Entries from this journal are posted in the fiscal Division's Ledgers, 1905-1915,1919-1945. Each dated entry provides the names of the accounts to be debited and credited; the related ledger page number; the purpose of the receipt or expenditure; and the amount.

Miscellaneous Reports and Printed Materials
1905-1959.
(2 boxes)

{series #30.21} [Holdings]

Grouped by Topic

Reports, transcripts, correspondence, and publications prepared by, or relating to activities of the Pennsylvania Sate Police. Included is a public relations pamphlet, ca. 1915, entitled "Reply to the American Cossack," prepared by John C. Groome, Superintendent of the Pennsylvania State Police, which supports legislation to increase the numerical strength and efficiency of the State Police force. Other materials found include a top secret plan for traffic control for a civilian evacuation of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, 1941, the War Security Plan of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1942; a hearing transcript, report, and correspondence relating to an investigation of the State Police in 1933 by the Legislative Committee on Finances, also known as the Sterling Committee; and the Proposed Vehicle Code of 1959 which was a staff memorandum prepared by the Joint State Government Commission. Also included is an organizational chart and a listing of personnel relating to the Department's reorganization in 1937.

Monthly Reports,
1905-1906, 1908-191.
(9 boxes)

{series #30.22} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically, grouped by Troop thereafter.

Reports from Troop Captains to the Harrisburg Superintendent of the State Police, reporting conditions of each Troop's area for the month. This includes strike information, number of arrests, and significant events. These include robberies, homicides, and other crimes. Any changes in Troop substations are noted along with reports of work performed there. Substation inspection reports list numbers of troop personnel, fire drills, troop schools, and number of horses. Arrest case reports give number, charge, sex, nationality, fines collected, and resulting dispositions. Motorized troop operations give number of vehicle patrols, arrests, and mileage.

News Clippings,
1905-1989.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.23} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Various police related newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and ephemera. Some issues touched on include the 1906 Dedication of the newly rebuilt State Capitol at Harrisburg, scrapbooks of various troops, obituaries for slain policemen, especially concerning the November 1957 killing of State Trooper Philip C. Melley by a 16 year old from Douglass Township. Others mark the 50th Anniversary of Police Training School as well as the funeral of assassinated President John F. Kennedy. The most recent clipping are from the Mount Joy gunman standoff on 8 December 1989.

Newsletters and Bulletins,
1935-1939.
(1 box)

{series #30.24} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Mainly concerning Troop A, the newsletters and monthly bulletins contain an assortment of information concerning troop personnel and activities, along with many cartoon-style illustrations done by officers. There is much information regarding the Stramare case, the stealing of 70+ automobiles and vehicles, at which many Troop A officers gave testimony. The Bulletins of the PA motor police contain notes from Governor Earle. Also included is a diploma blank for Basic Training at the Motor Police Training School for a Private, 2nd Class.

Photographs,
ca. 1930s.
(2 boxes, 3 folders, 1 bundle)

{series #30.25} [Holdings]

Grouped randomly.

Various prints with negatives on subjects ranging from State Police Association pistol matches to the fingerprints of Victor Andreoli and Horace Bowers. A section includes photos of Pennsylvania police emblems and signs, along with a 'copy of a diagram of a drug abuser.' Also included is a series of 18 train and car wrecks from the 1930s.

Procedural Manuals and Retirement Directory,
1909-1986.
(1 box)

{series #30.26} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Various publications on subjects such as horse training, drill manuals, State Defense Force, Bombe threats, and criminal procedure. A 1909 Pocket Digest of Criminal Laws and Procedure by John S. Van Voorhis lists information pertaining to various crimes, from abortion, arson, cockfighting, carrying a red flag in marches, to liquor laws, opium, and throwing acid with an intent to maim. There are extensive citations on criminal procedure detailing crime laboratory workings a well as chapters on document analysis, ballistics, polygraph tests, and transmitting evidence.

Records of Arrests of Troop D, stationed at Punxsutawney
1906-1909.
(1 volume)

{series #30.27} [Holdings]

Indexed alphabetically by last name.

Lists date of arrest, name, charge, sentence, fines imposed, costs imposed, fines paled, costs paid, officer arrested by, time of arrest, color, sex, age, marital status, nationality, occupation, drunk or sober at arrest, when arrested, prosecutor, date released on payment of fine, remarks. The crimes arrested for primarily include drunk and disorderedly conduct, murder, larceny, and assault and battery.

Records of Special Duty and investigations,
1930-1950.
(4 boxes)

{series #30.28} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Correspondence and police reports on various special assignments. Of interest are the 1934 investigation into the operations of Eastern State Penitentiary pertaining to rioting; Report on the conditions at White Hill Industrial School, 1948; World's Fair correspondence and traffic files, 1938-1940; and Guard Duty performed at the York Commissary, 1933.

Records of Special Duty at Gubernatorial Inaugurations,
1915-1919.
(3 boxes)

{series #30.29} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Official instructions for troop commanders on inauguration day, as well as a program for formation of police units in the inaugural parade at the Capitol. Also included are receipts for horse feed, meal cards, and various applications for passes for policemen. There are PRR train receipts for the movement of Company B to and from Harrisburg, as well as PRR prepaid freight bills for the transportation of 22 horses.

Records of Special Duty at the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg,
1938.
(1 box)

{series #30.30} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically.

Correspondence between Gettysburg Motor Police and their headquarters in Harrisburg. Detailing operation orders regarding escort details and zone details. There is a large grouping of radiograms on the subject of proposed guards for the governor's visit. Part of the special duty was organizing a guard detail for the visit of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 3 July 1938 during the lighting of the Eternal Flame Peace Memorial. Also included is a file of newspaper clippings, one concerning the arrest of 10 pickpockets during the anniversary weekend. A special photographic service was provided for the anniversary, but no photos are included in the files, just correspondence relating to its establishment. The subsequent bulletin for the PA motor police is included, showing photographs of the police participation in the event. A map of the Gettysburg National Military Park is given also.

PA State Archives

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Research Topics

Finding Aids for Collections

Land Records