Prologue: In September 1932, 18-year old Paul Viljevac and 18-year old Arthur Taubenheim were found asleep in a car at McKinley Beach. They had a revolver with them, and when questioned, admitted to four holdups: Hinz’s Pharmacy, New York Coffee Pot, West Side Fruit Market and an A&P on Keefe Avenue. The total stolen was $182. Viljevac also had a bullet wound in his shoulder – he had been shot by West Allis police while breaking into a car the previous spring, and let it heal without seeing a doctor. Viljevac was sentenced o ten years for armed robbery. He applied for clemency in November 1939, assisted by John Viljevac.
Is this Paul Viljevac the Paul John Viljevac who was the father of our subect? If my records are correct, our Paul Sr would have been 26, not 18. Also, our subject was born in August 1934. Assuming a 9-month pregnancy, Paul Sr would have had to be out of jail/prison around December 1933. I don’t know how long the trial dragged on, so it’s not impossible. The name is uncommon enough that I’m leaving it here, but be aware this could be a coincidence until further information is received.
Our subject is Paul Steven Viljevac, born in Wauwatosa on August 12, 1934. His mother was Mary Magdalene Klamik, who would have been 20 at the time of the birth.
Paul Viljevac was hired by the Milwaukee Police Department on January 8, 1960.
May 1962, responding officer to the Bruce P. Fieber child abuse case. Fieber was reported by his wife to repeatedly punch their 20-month daughter, Bonnie Marie, in the face when she would not stop crying. (Bonnie does not seem to have suffered long-term from this, going on to graduate from Marquette and living a full life before succumbing to cancer at age 50.)
1964, he was reprimanded for conduct unbecoming an officer (I don’t know why).
August 1965, was part of the dive team that searched for a strongbox in the water at Lincoln Park. The box, said to hold belongings valued at $1,440 had been stolen from the home of Andrew Fischer by a burglary ring.
On March 21, 1966, at 2:15am, Elvin E. Purdiman, 29, armed with a 9mm automatic pistol, entered a rooming house located on West Galena Street by forcing open the front door, robbed the landlady of $28 and fled the scene. Police were called and a description of the suspect was broadcast. At 2:40am, information was received that the suspect arrived at the home of his half-sister and that he had fired two shots from the 9mm during an unsuccessful attempt to enter the home.
Patrolman James J. Rivers, 26, was among numerous officers dispatched to search for the suspect, and at approximately 3:00am, he observed a man answering the description of the suspect about to enter a taxicab parked in front of 1120 West Burleigh Street. Patrolman Rivers immediately ordered Elvin Purdiman away from the taxicab apparently realizing that the cab driver’s life was endangered. As the suspect turned and advanced towards Patrolman Rivers, he suddenly pulled the 9mm and fired at close range, inflicting a mortal wound to the Officer’s head. Before succumbing to the wound, however, Patrolman Rivers fired his service revolver and struck the assailant in the left chest. As a result, his fellow officers (including Paul Viljevac) were able to effect the gunman’s arrest a few minutes later in the alley at the rear of 1116 West Burleigh Street. Rivers was the first police fatality since 1959, but was the fourth policeman to be shot in just the past three months. Rivers had a son, a daughter and a pregnant wife. On May 16, his wife gave birth to a daughter who died almost instantly. His brother Robert Rivers was also a Milwaukee policeman.
Purdiman was charged with first-degree murder and held at the hospital. A bullet lodged near his heart was in such a location it could not be immediately removed without further injury. At trial, Purdiman testified about being beaten by the police and called racist names. Regardless of this, the testimony from police, the rooming house owner and a taxi driver witness was enough to convict.
June 1966, was part of a dive team that salvaged parts from the Prins Willem V, which had sunk in Lake Michigan in 1954 after colliding with an oil barge. The wreck was off the coast of Milwaukee, around 60-70 feet underwater. Objects recovered included a fuse box and winch operator’s chair. Head of the team, Burton Mason, received permission to do the dives and then sold off the items recovered. He said he had explored 27 ships, including a German U-boat. (Today, with the passing of the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987, this well-known wreck diving destination is owned by the State of Wisconsin and managed by Wisconsin Historical Society for all to enjoy.)
February 14, 1967, Viljevac was honored at a police luncheon for his actions following the death of Patrolman James Rivers.
1970, Viljevac was promoted to a detective role
On March 14, 1975, Milwaukee police officer Paul Viljevac turned over a photo of a man named Thomas Sack to Max Adonnis, who was working at AFL Motors. Adonnis gave him some chrome-plated motorcycle parts —the two men knew each other conversationally through the business. This exchange was witnessed by a man named Mark Gary, also known as Ray Stoekle. The photo was requested by Herbert Holland, who intended to “blow the guy away”, and Adonnis was able to secure it under false pretenses that he wanted to turn Sack in for drug trafficking. (One article suggested that Sack was a member of the Outlaws MC… he died of a drug overdose in Colorado one year later, 1976.)
Viljevac was fired on June 12, 1975 by Chief Breier when his actions with Adonnis came to light. He was seen as being untruthful in his explanation to the chief, and was neglecting his duties as a police officer. Oddly, the Milwaukee Journal asked Adonnis for comment and he said, “This is a terrible injustice to a damn good cop.” Viljevac appealed his firing to the police commission (which took several months).
Dismissed Detective Paul S. Viljevac went before the Milwaukee County Fire and Police Commission on February 17, 1976 to appeal his dismissal (he had provided confidential information to Max Adonnis, including a photo of drug dealer Thomas Sack). Viljevac told the commission, “Max had approached me and told me he had an informer that wanted to put down a big drug dealer.” Viljevac denied being aware of Adonnis’ criminal record, and denied that he received any motorcycle parts that he had not paid for.
Robert Kliemet, secretary-treasurer of the police union, testified that “ambitious officers” often gave photographs to people they wanted to develop as sources. Kliesmet said that he personally had given out 100 such photos when he was a patrolman.
Herbert Holland testified, “I told Adonnis we wanted the photograph because we wanted to blow this guy away.” When asked to clarify, Holland confirmed he meant that he was going to shoot the man. He added that the photograph they received was for the wrong man (Thomas Saxe) – the person they wanted spelled his name Thomas Sack. Holland said Viljevac supplied the correct photo soon after. Inspector Kenneth Hagopian admitted that he had called Viljevac a “traitor,” a “snake” and “a cancer in our midst.” He clarified, “I had positive information that he had supplied confidential information to people who weren’t supposed to get it. I told him that if I were in his place, I would get off the department.” Hagopian said that it was “not good police procedure” to be giving out photographs to people.
At the request of the assistant city attorney, a special agent testified at the hearing and the dismissal was upheld.
March 1976, Viljevac appealed his firing and the case was assigned to Judge Harvey Neelen. The firing was upheld.
Following his departure from the police department, Viljevac became an independent contractor along with his friend Clinton Lovelace. They trained people, including police officers, on how to scuba dive.
A third Paul Viljevac joined the Milwaukee Police Department in 2006. He is the right age to be the son of our Paul Viljevac.