The Buffalo (N.Y.) Police Reports (1 volume, 410 pages) pertain to criminal activity, missing or escaped persons, and police department affairs in Buffalo, New York, from January 10, 1887-June 29, 1887.
Each entry contains a brief description of a complaint, usually with information about the location and nature of the crime, the name of the complainant, and a description of the suspect(s). Most reports concern missing persons, missing animals, and stolen items. The missing persons reports often list common haunts, possible travel plans, place of origin if not Buffalo, and distinguishing characteristics. On January 18, two young women were to be sought among the city's brothels; on April 4, a woman was wanted for abandoning her husband and children. A few persons had escaped from prisons or asylums, and others were runaways. Some records pertain to crimes such as begging, peddling, and counterfeiting, and to the police department's administrative affairs.
The volume also records suspects accused of crimes including rape and assault; on February 5, for example, Hiram Aaronson was sought and arrested for the rape of a seven-year-old girl. Some entries contain additional notes about resolutions, often through the arrest of perpetrators and the repossession of stolen goods.
