Obituary
From the San Francisco Examiner, Saturday, January 4, 1941, page 11:
"RITTER - In this city, Jan. 3, 1941, (Serg.) Thomas R. Ritter, dearly beloved husband of Emily Ritter, devoted father of Ralph T. and Dorothy E. Ritter, brother of Mrs. Lena Dunn; aged 51 years. A member of the S.F.P.D. and Widows and Orphans' Mutual Aid Assn., S.F.P.D. Funeral Saturday at 2:30, from Gantner, Felder, Kenny Chapel. 1965 Market Street at Duboce Ave. Interment, Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Pacific Parlor No. 10. N.S.G.W. - Officers and members are requested to attend the funeral of our late brother, Thomas R. Ritter today at 2:30 p.m. from Gantner, Gelder, Kenny Chapel, 1965 Market St., J.Emmett Chapman, President; J. Henry Bastein, Secretary
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From Member Records [email protected]
My query to CA Bar Association: My grandfather is Thomas Raoul Ritter, graduated from San Francisco Law School in 1923. I would like to find out when he took the bar exam and became an official CA attorney and and other information you may have on record including perhaps a copy of his application. Thank you very much.
"Records show THOMAS R. RITTER #3368 was admitted 3/16/23 and died 1/03/41...last address of record was 2557 23rd Ave, San Francisco CA w/no tel # ;born 9/12/1889 in San Bernardino CA ;no list
of undergrad or law school....that's all we show on this member."
====================
E-mail from Nancy Posey to the San Francisco Law School on, Sunday, February 20, 2000 , writes
"My grandfather Thomas Raoul RITTER graduated about 1928 from the SFL. According to a newspaper article, he studied law at night for 4 years. He was a policeman by day.
Would you have any historical information about the SFL during the 1920's that you can send me? Also please check your records and see if you have a file on him. If you do, how may I obtain a copy of his file? "
Received February 2000 a packet from the San Francisco Law School. Letter from Mark Owens, Jr., Dean, states, "This is in response to your email regarding your late grandfather, Thomas R. Ritter. I regret that our records are sketchy from the era of his attendance at the school.
I ..enclose a copy of Mr. Ritter's Credit Record, his original application and material from the 1922 and 1923 year books. One of Mr. Ritter's classmates was Fred Watkins who I knew well as a fellow member of the Board of Directors of the school. Another classmate, who took the Bar after his third year and did not return to graduate, was Jake Ehrlich. Mr. Ehrlich was a colorful San Francisco criminal defense lawyer. Coincidentally, his son and grandson both attended the school."
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Application for Enrollment, San Francisco Law School, dated September 1, 1920
Thomas R. Ritter, DOB September 12, 1889 and lives at 1959 - 10th Ave, San Francisco.
Occupation: Police Officer and works at the traffic squad station. Signed: Thomas R. Ritter
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OFFICER WINS PLACE ON BAR
Thos. Ritter Successful in Examination
Policeman Thos. Ritter, after four years' service, stepped down from his little stand at Fourth and Market St and bade good-bye to his duties as traffic policeman.
For today he became Att'y Thos. Ritter.
Ritter has been studying law at night in the San Francisco Law school. He was notified today that he successfully passed his examination to enter the bar.
Ernest Chas. Crowley, graduate of the University of California, did not find blindness a handicap to his success in study and today was among those who found they had passed the bar examination.
One hundred and five passed the test.
====================
OFFICER RITTER NOW ATTORNEY RITTER
By Leslie C. Gillen
Just about two weeks ago at 6 o'clock one evening, Traffic Officer Thomas R. Ritter blew a farewell note on his whistle to the traffic at Fourth and Market streets, threw up his arms and stepped off the box.
Next day, for the first time in six years,the smiling face of "Tommy" Ritter was missing from that corner and many was the motorist who stopped and inquired for him.
That same day, Tommy Ritter was in the office of Chief of Police Dan O'Brien
From my mother as a final note:
One thing not important by now is what happened when he didn't quit the police department but took a years leave of absence from being a traffic cop starting at 5th and Market and later in the Bayview district at night.
He tried for 1 year to make a living as an attorney but he couldn't. Maybe he gave too much advise without charge, I don't know but he tried to get a another year but the department refused and that's when he went back to work " booking prisoners " at the Hall of Justice in China Town until illness made him leave for good.
Obituary
From the San Francisco Examiner, Saturday, January 4, 1941, page 11:
"RITTER - In this city, Jan. 3, 1941, (Serg.) Thomas R. Ritter, dearly beloved husband of Emily Ritter, devoted father of Ralph T. and Dorothy E. Ritter, brother of Mrs. Lena Dunn; aged 51 years. A member of the S.F.P.D. and Widows and Orphans' Mutual Aid Assn., S.F.P.D. Funeral Saturday at 2:30, from Gantner, Felder, Kenny Chapel. 1965 Market Street at Duboce Ave. Interment, Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Pacific Parlor No. 10. N.S.G.W. - Officers and members are requested to attend the funeral of our late brother, Thomas R. Ritter today at 2:30 p.m. from Gantner, Gelder, Kenny Chapel, 1965 Market St., J.Emmett Chapman, President; J. Henry Bastein, Secretary
====================
From Member Records [email protected]
My query to CA Bar Association: My grandfather is Thomas Raoul Ritter, graduated from San Francisco Law School in 1923. I would like to find out when he took the bar exam and became an official CA attorney and and other information you may have on record including perhaps a copy of his application. Thank you very much.
"Records show THOMAS R. RITTER #3368 was admitted 3/16/23 and died 1/03/41...last address of record was 2557 23rd Ave, San Francisco CA w/no tel # ;born 9/12/1889 in San Bernardino CA ;no list
of undergrad or law school....that's all we show on this member."
====================
E-mail from Nancy Posey to the San Francisco Law School on, Sunday, February 20, 2000 , writes
"My grandfather Thomas Raoul RITTER graduated about 1928 from the SFL. According to a newspaper article, he studied law at night for 4 years. He was a policeman by day.
Would you have any historical information about the SFL during the 1920's that you can send me? Also please check your records and see if you have a file on him. If you do, how may I obtain a copy of his file? "
Received February 2000 a packet from the San Francisco Law School. Letter from Mark Owens, Jr., Dean, states, "This is in response to your email regarding your late grandfather, Thomas R. Ritter. I regret that our records are sketchy from the era of his attendance at the school.
I ..enclose a copy of Mr. Ritter's Credit Record, his original application and material from the 1922 and 1923 year books. One of Mr. Ritter's classmates was Fred Watkins who I knew well as a fellow member of the Board of Directors of the school. Another classmate, who took the Bar after his third year and did not return to graduate, was Jake Ehrlich. Mr. Ehrlich was a colorful San Francisco criminal defense lawyer. Coincidentally, his son and grandson both attended the school."
====================
Application for Enrollment, San Francisco Law School, dated September 1, 1920
Thomas R. Ritter, DOB September 12, 1889 and lives at 1959 - 10th Ave, San Francisco.
Occupation: Police Officer and works at the traffic squad station. Signed: Thomas R. Ritter
====================
OFFICER WINS PLACE ON BAR
Thos. Ritter Successful in Examination
Policeman Thos. Ritter, after four years' service, stepped down from his little stand at Fourth and Market St and bade good-bye to his duties as traffic policeman.
For today he became Att'y Thos. Ritter.
Ritter has been studying law at night in the San Francisco Law school. He was notified today that he successfully passed his examination to enter the bar.
Ernest Chas. Crowley, graduate of the University of California, did not find blindness a handicap to his success in study and today was among those who found they had passed the bar examination.
One hundred and five passed the test.
====================
OFFICER RITTER NOW ATTORNEY RITTER
By Leslie C. Gillen
Just about two weeks ago at 6 o'clock one evening, Traffic Officer Thomas R. Ritter blew a farewell note on his whistle to the traffic at Fourth and Market streets, threw up his arms and stepped off the box.
Next day, for the first time in six years,the smiling face of "Tommy" Ritter was missing from that corner and many was the motorist who stopped and inquired for him.
That same day, Tommy Ritter was in the office of Chief of Police Dan O'Brien
From my mother as a final note:
One thing not important by now is what happened when he didn't quit the police department but took a years leave of absence from being a traffic cop starting at 5th and Market and later in the Bayview district at night.
He tried for 1 year to make a living as an attorney but he couldn't. Maybe he gave too much advise without charge, I don't know but he tried to get a another year but the department refused and that's when he went back to work " booking prisoners " at the Hall of Justice in China Town until illness made him leave for good.
