George W. Dilks

George W. Dilks (December 16, 1816 – October 24, 1901) was an American law enforcement officer and police inspector with the New York City Police Department during the mid-to late 19th century. He was a prominent police official during the early years of the Metropolitan Police Department and was one of the senior officers who participated in the Draft Riot of 1863, most notably, by recapturing the Union Steam Works after fierce hand-to-hand fighting.

Dilks was also actively involved in cases concerning counterfeiting, prostitution and missing children. He was an investigating officer during the Cunningham-Burdell "bogus baby" case in 1857, later serving as witness for the prosecution, and the Alexander T. Stewart bodysnatching case in 1878.

Biography

Early life and marriage George W. Dilks was born to English immigrant James Dilks in New York City, New York on December 26, 1816. He was descended from a prominent Revolutionary War family, his grandfather being a British Army colonel who later settled in the United States following the war. He was also a relative of English nobleman Sir Charles Dilks and Admiral Sir Thomas Dilks. He was educated in New Brunswick, New Jersey and returned to New York with his family at age 14. They settled in Manhattan, New York and Dilks worked as a printer during his teenage years. His workplace was located on Duane Street, near Broadway, in the same building where the law office of Aaron Burr was, and the two became close friends.

Police career with the NYPD In 1848, Dilks joined the police force under the administration of then Mayor Fernando Wood and appointed as an assistant captain. In 1860, he was appointed a police inspector. During the Draft Riot of 1863, Dilks led a force of two hundred officers into Second Avenue and recaptured the Union Steam Works, then being used as a headquarters and rallying point for rioters along East Side Manhattan, after fierce hand-to-hand fighting. His force, which included all the reserves of the Eighteenth Precinct, was outnumbered against the nearly five hundred rioters inside.

Shortly after the riots, he was offered the position of Police Superintendent but declined not wanting to take the position from then superintendent John Alexander Kennedy. Remaining an inspector, he held this rank until his retirement in 1888.

Many prominent Odd Fellows were in attendance at the service including the officers of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Grand Master John P. Kellas, Deputy Grand Master Leon Lewin, Grand Secretary John G. Deubert, Grand Treasurer John T. Bullenkamp, Grand Marshal Joseph Fenner and Grand Herald George Williams. Family services were held the following morning and Dilks was interred at Greenwood Cemetery in a private burial.