An excerpt from the book, “Pensacola’s Finest,” for sale on Amazon
By Mike Simmons
Milton Frank, Marshal and Chief of Police – October 31, 1906 – June 5, 1907
The morning after honoring outgoing Marshal C.F. Schad, Milton Frank began his new job as marshal. He was appointed to the position until a new marshal was elected in 1907. As elections go, the prospects for regular elections for marshals proved to be a heated one in 1907. Frank was a candidate, along with Captain Fondebilla, Deputy Sheriff Frank Sanders, and others. Each man had a tough job to do while campaigning heavily. Further, Frank and Fondebilla were not keen on Sanders, the only candidate from the sheriff’s office. Candidates ran on integrity, frugal spending, and experience. It was a tough race, but Sanders prevailed.
Interesting facts about Milton Frank. The Frank family lived at 418 South “E” Street, on the corner of Main Street. In July of 1912, his daughter, Anna Bell, who was 4 ½ years old, became ill and passed away a few short days later, on July 11. Her burial took place in St. Michael’s cemetery. Four short months later, on November 11, 1912, Frank filed a request in court for a restraining order to stop the Gulf, Florida, and Alabama Railroad from running a track on his property. The railroad company had begun surveying and excavating to lay track along the north side of Main Street – on his property – without his permission. After a court battle, Frank won. The tracks were laid on the south side of the road.
In 1918, Milton Frank had worked his way to the rank of Police Captain. The Frank family home was situated only a few blocks from Pensacola Bay. June 11, 1918, was a typical hot day in Pensacola. Three of Milton Frank’s daughters, eighteen-year-old Ruth, fourteen-year-old Nellie, and twelve-year-old Nellie went for a cool dip in the bay, along with their brother-in-law, Joe Russell. None of the girls could swim, but the bay was shallow and was only a few feet deep. Unknown to the girls, dredging had recently taken place in that area. All three girls went under at the same time. Joe rescued the younger girl, Nellie, but couldn’t find the other girls once he got back. One body was pulled from the bay at 10 pm and the other at 1 am. Page 6 of the Pensacola Journal contained an article entitled “Double Funeral of Two Unfortunate Sisters at 4:30 P.M.” that started like this: “Two white-clad bodies, the embodiment of purity which was theirs in life, and thus emphasized in death, lay at the home of Captain and Mrs. Milton B. Frank last night, and a room scented with the choicest of flowers, was crowded with friends, for the tragedy of the night before was learned of with most sincere grief when Journal readers picked up their morning paper early yesterday.” It might seem like the other man is without sadness, but we never know what heartbreak lives within.