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THE
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE |
Private John Garscia
Pennsylvania State Police
Troop "B" |
1874-1909 |
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Incident Details
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John Garscia was born January 11, 1874, at
Brody, Galicia County, Austria.
He enlisted with Company C, 9th U. S. Infantry, June 5, 1893, and served with that unit
until his honorable discharge June 9, 1900. Private Garscia was enlisted by Captain Frank
D. Beary, Troop B, Wilkes-Barre, December 15, 1905. He resided at 508 Elm Street,
Scranton. He was a laborer at the Mt. Pleasant Colliery in Scranton. He was 30 years old
and 5'6" tall.
Private Garscia and Private Frederick Carlton were serving warrants in Inkerman, Luzerne
County, on Saturday night, February 13, 1909. When Private Carlton drew his revolver, the
weapon accidentally fired wounding Private Garscia. The bullet penetrated Private
Garscia's liver. He underwent surgery at Pittston Hospital, where he died on February 21.
Private Garscia confirmed the affair as an accident and on his deathbed he so advised his
parish priest.
A funeral band and a procession of Troop personnel accompanied his body to the Wyoming
railroad station. His pallbearers were Privates Chalkley Booth, Joseph Carroll, Walter
Henning, Jasper Oftedall, Thomas Parkinson, and Robert Tipton. The sum of $100 was
approved for burial expenses.
Private Garscia was buried at Sacred Heart Polish Cemetery in Scranton on February 24,
1909. Private Garscia was survived by his wife and son, who moved to Warsaw, Poland. The
U. S. Consulate was notified that the widow was a hardship case. The Troop offered to help
from personal funds if her situation included a need for food and clothing. (The State's
Workmen's Compensation Act was not approved until June 2, 1915.) At 35, Private Garcia had
completed three years and three months of Constabulary service. Grieved by this accidental
shooting and the death of his comrade, Private Carlton threatened to take his own life. He
was relieved of his gun as a safeguard. |
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