Lt. Charles Edward Johnson
(Jan. 6, 1877 -- Nov. 13, 1917)

Charles Edward Johnson was born in Jackson, Michigan, on Jan. 6, 1877, the son of Charles H. and Charlotte Johnson. When the United States entered the Spanish-American War in 1898, Johnson, 21, volunteered for military service, and served as a corporal in the U.S. Army at Fort McDowell, on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, just north of the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.

While at Fort McDowell, Johnson met and married his first wife, Agnes Irene Robins, in Alameda, Calif., on April 14, 1900. Their daughter, Lottie Charlotte Johnson, was born in 1902.

At the end of Johnson's military service, he worked for a time as a Wells Fargo express messenger before the family moved to Los Angeles. Johnson joined the LAPD on Jan. 30, 1904, a few weeks after his 27th birthday, along with 24 other new appointees.

Sadly, Johnson's wife, Agnes, died on Sept. 9, 1908, in Los Angeles, at the age of 28, after a brief illness. She was buried in the Robins family plot at Mountain View Cemetery in Alameda, Calif. After her mother's death, 6-year-old Lottie lived briefly with her mother's parents in Oakland.

With the LAPD, Johnson distinguished himself and quickly rose in the ranks of the department. He was named sergeant on Nov. 15, 1909, and lieutenant on July 7, 1914, after slightly more than 10 years on the force.

On March 23, 1910, Johnson married Clara B. Sherman in Los Angeles, and his daughter, Lottie -- who now went by her middle name of Charlotte, her grandmother's name -- joined her father and step-mother at their home at 3865 Denker Ave., in Los Angeles.

Seven years later, on March 13, 1917, a worker was using gasoline to clean in the basement of a business located in the Wilson Block, which included an assortment of businesses at the southeast corner of First and Spring streets, the current location of LAPD headquarters, across the street from the current location of the Los Angeles City Hall.

The gasoline ignited, burned the worker, and the fire quickly spread in the shared basement area of the businesses, which included the Occidental Hotel, F.W. Woolworth Company, Hoffman Millinery Company, a jewelry store, two confectionery companies, a shoe store, a hat store, several cafes and restaurants, and a barbershop and poolroom. Damage to the Wilson Block was estimated at $150,000 -- more than $4 million today.

Firefighters battled the blaze for more than four hours, from 8:10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., and more than 20 firefighters were injured -- most from smoke inhalation, but also from burns and cuts from broken glass. As the flames were rising from the basement into the Occidental Hotel, where many people were still sleeping, Lt. Johnson, LAPD Sgt. Henry Toomey and Officers Bertrand Lynn, Albert Eaton, Henry Evans and William Smith rushed into the hotel, going from floor to floor, waking and alerting guests and, in some cases, breaking down doors and dragging sleeping guests from their beds. Some of the hotel guests were carried down several flights of stairs to safety by the officers.

Johnson, Toomey and the other officers also secured a gas pipe to prevent the flames from spreading, and removed the iron gratings over basement windows to free restaurant waiters who were asleep and trapped in the basement when the fire broke out. The officers reportedly saved the lives of more than 20 hotel guests and employees. Johnson and the other officers were commended by LAPD Chief John Butler for their bravery.

In addition to his official police work, Johnson also worked as a part-time actor for the Mutual Film Corporation and Majestic Film Company, typically portraying a police officer. Due to his film appearances, the L.A. Times said, "Probably no police officer in the world was photographed more than Lieut. Johnson."

Among his official duties, Johnson was in charge of morning watch, from 2:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the LAPD's Central Station, which was then located downtown, on the south side of West First Street, between Hill Street and Broadway.

Shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 1917, Johnson was sparring with Sgt. Gregory Currie in a makeshift boxing ring set up in the assembly room of the police station. At the same time, a jail inmate was mopping the assembly room floor.

Johnson slipped on the wet floor, fell backwards, and his head hit the concrete floor. Johnson was knocked unconscious, and suffered a basal skull fracture. He was taken to the California Hospital, less than a mile away at 315 W. Sixth St., where he was pronounced dead at 10:20 p.m.

Johnson is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

His memorial sign is located at the southeast corner of Hill and West First streets. The date of his death is incorrect.

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