Officer Lemuel Boyce was shot and killed while attempting to arrest burglary suspects.

Officer Boyce had resigned earlier in the day with the intent to take care of his small child. He was finishing out his shift on his last day of work on March 30-31, 1907 and starting a job with the McKinney Bread Company. Officer Boyce remained on duty even though, unknown to him, his resignation had already taken effect several hours earlier. Officer Boyce heard a call of a burglary in a saloon at Cardinal and Chouteau Streets and responded to the call outside of his beat to chase the suspects. Officer Boyce caught and scuffled with two burglars. One of the suspects shot Officer Boyce twice in the face and once in the chest killing him instantly. The two suspects escaped with the loot from the burglary totaling $2.00. Officer Boyce was shot three times, one bullet entering his side and piercing his heart, another entered above his left eye, shattered his jaw and exited his neck, the third bullet entered his right eye and entered his brain causing instant death.

Officer Boyce joined the department on October 8, 1906. He was a widower and was survived by a small child. Interred: New Bloomfield Cemetery, New Bloomfield, MO.