Alexander Callahan: The “Demon” Sheriff of Whatcom County Part I
The Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham, Washington, tells the story of a pioneer city steeped in history. Walking underneath large, shaded trees hearing the trickle of the creek meander by, it is obvious why early settlers chose this spot to honor and remember their ancestors. Elaborate headstones, many dating back to the nineteenth century, now stand as testaments to those early pioneers who forged a new city in a wild and untamed part of the country. Names like Peabody, Roeder, and Donovan stand as celebrated figures in the history of this region and are remembered in the cemetery as such. While this extravagant memorialization is well founded, there is an ever-growing list of people whose memories have been all but forgotten, and who deserve recognition for their contributions to the area.
Sitting in the farthest north part of the cemetery, overlooking a mature flock of Douglas Firs is a Whatcom County pioneer whose memory has faded to little more than a footnote. For an unknown number of years, it was even believed that there was no stone at this site to honor Alexander L. Callahan buried below. However, upon inquiring as to the status of the gravesite, it was discovered by cemetery staff that the small stone installed after Callahan’s untimely death had simply been covered by grass and dirt presumably for decades. Compared to the ornate and imposing markers of many other pioneers, Alexander Callahan’s stone does not compare. More likely than not this stone was all his family could afford at the time of his death, and when no one was left to tend to it, the earth took over. A casual passerby would not give a second thought to a stone this small and unassuming among a sea of pioneers. In spite of this, for decades it was the colorful Alexander Callahan who kept those pioneers, and their descendants safe. A man who served his city, his county, and his country is worth remembering, and his life story is a colorful one worth telling. The story of Callahan is one that came to this historian by accident but snowballed into much more.
Historian’s Note: The story of how I came to be acquainted with the life of Alexander L. Callahan started in the most unlikely of places, eBay. A portrait of Callahan was suggested to me based off previous purchases (eBay has me figured out). The picture itself did not pique my interest really. It looked like any other man from the 1920s; however, the inscription on the back left me mystified. In shaky handwriting the back of the photo read “A.L. Callahan- the demon sheriff of Whatcom County.” This kicked off a month's long quest to understand just who the demon sheriff was, and what he did to earn that nickname. As you’ll see, what I found out didn’t exactly answer my questions, but it introduced me to a colorful, dedicated, and enigmatic man whose imprint on Whatcom County is still visible today, nearly a century after his death.
Farmer Callahan
Alexander Lewis Callahan was born on January 25, 1870 (some sources list his birth year as 1873), in Scotch Grove Iowa to parents of Scottish and Irish descent. His father, John Callahan fought for the Union during the Civil War, and sustained an injury that plagued him for years after and ultimately led to his death in 1882. Upon the death of her husband, Callahan’s mother, Anna, moved her family to a small farm in Nebraska where she continued to raise her children. After finishing school in Nebraska, Alexander Callahan left the state in 1891 to become an Assistant to the Deputy U.S. Marshall in the Indian Territory. During this time outlaws ran rampant, and raids of mail trains were common as people began to move west. The U.S. Marshalls were charged with combating this crime and keeping the outlaws of “the west” at bay. This was Callahan’s first participation in law enforcement, and while he left the business for a time after, it can be speculated that this experience in the Indian Territory sparked a fervor in him for the profession. For the next two years Callahan tried his hand at the family business, farming. While farming he also took up carpentry and found it much more appealing and lucrative. In February of 1900, he took the carpentry skills and moved west to Bellingham and opened his own business as a carpenter.
Callahan had much success in Bellingham as a carpenter. During this time, he oversaw the remodeling of the First National Bank Building and was the Foreman for the Carnegie Library construction in Fairhaven. Both buildings are still standing and are testaments to the work Callahan performed for the community before his time in law enforcement. In June of 1905 Callahan once again sought out a career change, but this time he returned to the profession of his younger days, law enforcement. Through his carpentry career, and now into his position as a Bellingham Police Officer, it did not take long for Alexander Callahan to become a well-respected member of the community.
Captain Callahan
In early 1908, not two years after joining the Bellingham Police Department, Callahan was promoted to the rank of Captain by new mayor James deMottis. The department had two captains at the time, Callahan and A.L. Crosslin, who reported directly to the Chief of Police and shared the duties of overseeing a police force of twenty officers. The appointments of Callahan and Crosslin were both temporary and contingent on them passing the civil service examination with a seventy-five percent or better. Between January and July of that year the examinations were administered, and on July 24th, Mayor deMottis permanently promoted Callahan to the rank of Captain as he had passed the examination with an eighty-two percent. The other Captain, A.L. Crosslin, did not reach the minimum score in his examination; however, instead of demoting him back to patrolman, Mayor deMottis reappointed him as a temporary Captain for sixty days while he retook the test.
By all accounts Callahan was an exemplary officer, and a highly competent Captain. So much so that two years later, in early 1910 when A.L. Crosslin retired from the police department, instead of replacing him, Police Chief Herman Cade recommended the city council reorganize the department to only have one police captain. The mayor and council agreed, and on January 4, 1910, Alexander Callahan became the sole Police Captain in the city of Bellingham. He continued to excel in this leadership position, and won praise from his fellow officers, city leaders, citizens, and the press. In the August 23, 1911, edition of The Bellingham Herald, Callahan is described as the “the most peaceable of police officers and with a reputation of standing all manner of abuse heaped upon him while in the line of duty.” If this was not confidence enough, that same year Callahan received the most votes of any officer in the department when elections were held for the new Police Pensions Committee. Captain Callahan had earned the confidence of his community, and looking at his record of service, it was not misplaced.
There are numerous accounts throughout his time as a police captain of Callahan going above and beyond the call of duty. These stories range from helping a drunk man off railroad tracks moments before a train passed by, to allowing a distraught mother to see her husband who was locked up in the city jail and then giving her money for a meal. Callahan was also tasked with several projects that city leaders wanted special attention paid to including extra surveillance at saloons, automobile speed enforcement, and ensuring that no cows in the city limits wore bells around their necks. After the passage of Bellingham’s “local option” law that outlawed the sale of alcohol, Callahan took a special interest in its enforcement, an interest that would continue into his time as Sheriff. This time was not marked without controversy though. In November 1910, eight Bellingham police officers attempted to enter the Bellingham Theatre without paying for their tickets. When one late arrival was turned away and chaos ensued it was revealed that Callahan had given the officers permission to accept the free tickets, an action that received blowback from Police Chief John Likins and Mayor deMattos. Regardless, Alexander Callahan was proving himself to be the right person for the job, and in 1912 he was again recognized for this.
Chief Callahan
In January 1912 political change came to Bellingham City Hall with the election of new Mayor Edward Cleary. Upon taking office, Cleary announced he would be appointing City Attorney Thomas McFadden as Police Chief. In succeeding Chief Likins, McFadden did not make any drastic changes, and kept all officers in their positions. Tragically, not two weeks into his service as Police Chief, McFadden’s brother, a fruit farmer in California, was killed in a car accident. Initially McFadden traveled to California to tend to the estate of his brother but realized that he needed to stay and run the farm. On January 31, 1912, McFadden transmitted his resignation effective a month later on March 1. For the entire month of February Mayor Cleary searched for a suitable replacement, coming up empty at every turn. Whether it was high standards, or lack of applicants, this led Cleary to look within the department itself, and by the end of the month he had made up his mind. Effective March 2, 1912, Mayor Cleary appointed Alexander Callahan as Acting Police Chief. In a statement he expressed his frustration with the process but was sure Captain Callahan would run the department smoothly while he continued the search. The search never continued for one reason or another, and the role turned from a temporary job to a permanent one later that year.
Chief Callahan had high expectations for his officers, and he made that clear from the start. In fact, within his first week one officer resigned, and another officer was placed on a ten-day suspension for insubordination. Callahan was in charge, and he was making that known. This extended beyond the police department as well. In November, the Chief responded to a disturbance call at the Catholic Church Christmas bazaar. When he arrived, he discovered the two men causing chaos were Mayor Edward Cleary and J.J. Donovan, local railroad and timber tycoon. When Callahan attempted to de-escalate the situation, Mayor Clearly curtly asked, “Who is the chief of police in this town?” to which Callahan replied, “I am, and while it is in your power to discharge me, you will have to go to the city hall to do so.” Either impressed by his courage, or intimidated by the situation, Mayor Cleary backed down and he, along with J.J. Donovan, agreed to leave the bazaar and Callahan kept his job. In fact, he kept his job for the entirety of Mayor Cleary’s term, which unfortunately for Callahan would end sooner than anticipated.
In December 1913 Mayor Edward Cleary resigned his office, and former Mayor James deMatto was appointed to the post by the city council. It is unknown what Alexander Callahan thought of this turn of events but given the good relationship between the two men during deMatto’s last term, it is likely he was pleased with the appointment. It became clear in the first few weeks however, that deMatto intended to clean house and relieved all of Mayor Cleary’s appointees of their positions, including Callahan. Mayor deMatto then appointed Horace Byron to the position of police chief, a local grocer who had no law enforcement experience. Of all deMatto’s appointments for his second term, Byron’s was the only one that received negative votes from the city council, even though his appointment was eventually confirmed. Upon Byron’s appointment, Callahan returned to his prior position as police captain. Regardless of Callahan’s feelings on the matter, the arrangement did not last long. Six months later in June of 1914 Horace Byron died of an unknown stomach issue. Mayor deMatto once again named Alexander Callahan Acting Chief. After a brief respite, Callahan was back at the helm.
An issue that occupied Chief Callahan after his reappointment was that of automobiles. Automobiles were very new to Bellingham in 1914, and the laws had not caught up with the times, meaning cars were going as fast as they liked, and on whichever side of the road they wanted. The city council charged Callahan with enforcing speed laws, parking laws, and general driving laws during this time. However, as the laws began to become relevant with regard to cars, Callahan’s frustration grew, as laws were being updated so often that he and his officers could not keep up. At one point when the city judge asked Callahan why traffic laws were not being enforced, he said, “there is no use arresting em… nearly every time we caution a machine owner for violating a traffic law the individual at once get busy with a petition or otherwise asking that the ordinance be amended so as to not affect him.”
Captain Callahan (again)
By the end of 1915, the political tides had once again turned, and the mayor’s office was now occupied by George Raymond, who had defeated James deMatto in the November election. Raymond believed it was foolish for Callahan to be serving as Acting Police Chief and Police Captain, something that many in the community had supported for years. In response to this, Raymond appointed James Dorr as Police Chief in January 1916, returning Callahan to his singular Captain’s post. This turn of events would signal the beginning of the end for Callahan at the Bellingham Police Department, as his relationship with the new chief worsened and he was put in the hot seat over two minor incidents. The first of these incidents occurred in June of that year when Callahan arrested two criminals who came across the border from Canada. When the federal government caught wind of this, they sent federal agents to Bellingham to apprehend the suspects. When they arrived, Callahan released the prisoners to the agents without issue. This enraged Chief Dorr, who believed Callahan should have gotten his permission before releasing any prisoners. Mayor Raymond and City Judge H.C. Beach were also critical of Callahan, the latter calling into question his judgment, stating, “After the experience in police work Captain A.L. Callahan has had I should think he would have his eye teeth cut.” This would not be the last run-in Callahan had with these three men, and it would not be the worst.
Later that summer, Alexander Callahan’s world collided with that of Whatcom County Prosecutor Frank Bixby over an issue all too familiar to Callahan, automobiles. That August Bixby was arrested for driving on the wrong side of the road down North Street. When Callahan realized the lack of severity of the issue, and the fact that it was the county prosecutor, he made the decision to release Bixby. When Chief Dorr got word of this, he became irate, accusing Callahan of rotten police work, and ordered Bixby be brought back to face charges. The next day Bixby was brought before Judge Beach, who took time to also reprimand Callahan for his actions. After the court had adjourned, Chief Dorr stated that he agreed with the judge’s comments relating to Callahan. This was the last straw for Callahan. Later that year Will Wallace was re-elected to another term as Whatcom County Sheriff, and he chose Alexander Callahan as his deputy. It is unknown if Callahan went out in search of this new job, or if it came to him, but the timing seemed to be perfect. On December 30, 1916, Callahan officially resigned from the Bellingham Police Department after seven years.
Sergeant Callahan
Callahan continued to serve diligently as Deputy Sheriff through 1917, but the United States involvement in the First World War overshadowed this period of his life and acted as an intermission to the career of an otherwise rising star in Whatcom County politics. In June of 1918, nearly a year into the U.S. involvement in the war, at age 45 Alexander Callahan volunteered for service. Initially, the Selective Service Act of 1917 required all men 21 to 31 to register for the draft; however, as the situation became increasingly dire in Western Europe, that age range was expanded to 18 to 45, making Callahan barely eligible. Callahan’s son Walter, who would become an important figure in his own right when his father became Sheriff, was also sent to the front lines that year. The senior Callahan left Bellingham in June, and was initially sent to Fort Lawton in Seattle, for training. Later that summer Callahan was moved across the country to Camp Humphreys in Virginia where he was trained to join the Engineering Corps. In August, after being offered multiple jobs in the military, including one with the Washington D.C. Police Department, he was sent to the front lines of France. For the next six months no one would hear a word from the former Deputy Sheriff even as the war came to a close in November of that year. It wouldn’t be until February 1, 1919, that The Bellingham Herald reported his letter back home updating his status saying:
“A letter arrived this morning from Al Callahan formerly Chief of Police and also Deputy Sheriff in which he says he is still as ‘hard as nails’ and can ‘lick his weight in wildcats.’ Callahan does not know when he will return but thinks it hardly likely that he can get back within three or four months. He says that the 566th engineers are in the northern part of France. Even though he is with men fifteen to twenty years younger than himself, Callahan still holds his own and a little better in all the tests to which the men are put.”
In June of 1919, almost exactly one year since leaving for Fort Lawton, Alexander Callahan, returned to Bellingham by way of Newport News, Virginia. Callahan’s had risen to the rank of First Sergeant, leading an all-black regiment in the engineering corps who stayed behind for many months after the war. The primary duty of Callahan’s regiment after the war was to watch over the German prisoners of war and he would later recount horrific stories of how the black soldiers in the engineering corps were treated by the Germans. Upon his return he got involved with local veterans' groups that had recently been established, like the American Legion. That summer, at the request of the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce, Callahan recounted his year of service at a meeting of the club’s membership. During this presentation Callahan recalled his thirty-two days on the front lines in the trenches, his experience with poison gas, and the injuries he sustained. In typical fashion he also reported that as of that time he was in “good physical condition.”
Sheriff Callahan
Without missing a beat, Callahan returned to his post as Deputy Sheriff that fall. The biggest issue facing him, and the department, was the I.W.W. workers that were now common throughout Bellingham and the region. He continued in his old position into 1920, and in the summer of that year Sheriff Will Wallace announced his intention not to seek another term in office. Callahan, Wallace’s right hand for the majority of his last term, announced shortly after that he would run to succeed his boss in the November election. Running as a Republican, he first had to defeat five challengers in the primary election that September before even making it to the November ballot. Of the five Republicans, Callahan’s biggest competitor for the nomination was W.E. Powell, Bellingham Police Chief and former colleague. Many in the press speculated that it would be a close race, but when the votes were tallied, Callahan ran away with the election winning thirty-seven percent in the six-way race, with Powell in a distant second at twenty-seven percent. Callahan was the Republican nominee for Sheriff and would face E.J. Harlington in the November election.
Throughout the fall of 1920 candidates for Sheriff made the standard campaign stops and amassed various supporters throughout the county. What made the race for Sheriff unique that year was the lack of a Democrat. The party had failed to put forward any candidate for the position, and E.J. Harlington was running on the Farmer-Labor ticket. This made for odd bedfellows, and in October the Whatcom County Democratic Committee announced its support of Callahan and encouraged all Democrats to support the Republican candidate for Sheriff. Whether or not Callahan needed that boost, it seemed to help his campaign, and in the November election he received sixty-one percent of the vote, a clear mandate from the voters. They wanted Callahan.
In January of 1921 Alexander Callahan was sworn in as the 30th Whatcom County Sheriff. He came to the position with unmatched experience, and overwhelming support from the community. As his tenure went on, he achieved major victories, while facing unique challenges and embarrassing scandals. One of the biggest challenges would be his son Walter, who had also become a police officer. How Callahan dealt with these problems, and how his nickname came to fruition, will be detailed in part two of this series Alexander Callahan: The “Demon” Sheriff of Whatcom County.
