See Grayson County Fallen Officers at bottom of this page. A Tragedy
Taken from Sherman Daily Register,
Thursday, January 15, 1891

Jim Isbell, the bartender, and who is also town marshal, took all the money out of the drawer and laid it upon the counter. A n-gro by the name of John Martin, who lives in Bells, was compelled by the robber to go through all the other persons in the house... as well as can be gathered there were five white men and two n-groes. For a moment the robber took his eyes off Isbell and Isbell improved the opportunity to jerk his pistol and fire at the marauder. The shot was not effective and the man turned and cooly returned the fire with a forty-five calibre pistol.. The shot took effect in the right side of Isbell's face, completely shattering the bones of the jaw and coming out of the back of the neck and producing and ugly wound which will in all probability prove fatal.
A gentleman by the name of Keaner, who was standing very close to the bold intruder on the usual honest quietude of Bells, grabbed him by the arms.. and in a general rush from all sides, he was disarmed, but in the scuffle managed to break loose and run.

Jno (means John ) Martin, the negr- above mentioned, dashed out and being better acquainted with the lay of the land than the man he was purising soon overtook him and brought him back to the saloon where Isbell was lying in a very weak condition. Indignation ran very high and for a while it looked like the crowd was going to avenge the shooting of the town marshal by indulging in a lynching bee, but cooler heads prevailed and the prisoner was placed under guard. He seemed very much excited and did not say anything much, but gave the name of Jim Smith. ( Note, later his name is George Smith?..)
A physician was summoned and Mr. Isbell was taken home, where at last reports he was lying in a very critical condition, and since noon today, has been growing gradually worse and it is not expected he will survive through the night.
There was a semi-official message received on today that an infuriated crowd were threatening to take the prisnor out of the hands of the local authorities and hang him to the first convenient tree. In answer to this, Sheriff McAfee and Deputy-sheriff Creiger took the first convenient train for Bells to assist in the preservation of the law and good order.
After their departure a telephone message exploded this rumor and stated that three witnesses, to wit: Prof. Riley, Paul McDonald and Jim Buchanan had started to Sherman with the prisoner.
Later or probably 1:30 o'clock that afternoon, the three gentlemen mentioned above came in horseback bringing the prisoner well secured.
A reporter saw them at once, and their statements of the affair is virtually the same as that made above, with the additional information that Smith arrived in Bells sometime yesterday afternoon, and hung about Resinburg's saloon all the afternoon. He did not drink, but purchased cigars two or three times. He was seen after dark, and about a half hour before the affair in ...

Morning, however, brought cheering news, and a telephone message received at the police office in this city today, shortly before noon, said: "After passing a night as easily as could be expected, Marshal Isbell is in a much more hopeful condition this morning than any one expected."
Information from a private source confirms this cheering piece of news said it is believed that with this most careful attention, and he will certainly get that at the hands of the appreciatetive people of Bells, the wounded man will recover.
The Register, in common with every one who wants to see the law enforced and its defender protected and unharmed, trusts that Jim Isbell may recover rapidly.
The latest.
Just before going to press a representative of the Register was shown the following by Sheriff McAfee:
Bells, Jan. 16. - R.L. McAfee: Jim is some better today we think. J.H. Isbell.

I, C.J. Hinkle, justice of the peace precinct No. 1, Grayson County, Tex., having examined into the cause, time, manner and place of the death of the deceased, James Isbell, find as follows, to-wit:
That said deceasd was shot at Bells, Texas, in Resinberg's saloon, at Pacific Hotel, in said town on or about the hour of 9 p.m., on the 14th day January, 1981. That the death of the said deceased was caused as follows and in the manner following, to-wit: That on the 14th day off January, AD, 1891, one George Smith, of this malice aforethought, in said county and state, did shoot the said deceased with a pistol inflicting upon the face of the deceased about a half inch from the right nostril penatrating the face and coming out about 3 4 of an inch from the center of the back of neck, a pistol shot wound, from which said wound the deceased died on January 17th, 1891, about 9 o'clock p.m.
Given under my hand and seal of office this 19th day of January, 1891. O.J. Hinkle, J.P.
The funeral of the dead marshal yesterday was a most impressive one. Everybody in the entire town was present, eager to show some last token of respect to the man who had lost his life in defense of the law. I was indeed sad to see the old mother and the two little nieces of the dead man as they stepped up to look for the last time on the face of the poor dead boy, who had been so much to them. But their tears were not all that fell upon the cold silent face. Neither men, women, nor children, white and c-lored, tried to repress the feelings of sorrow that swelled up in their breasts. They all knew James Isbell and loved him; it was not considered a mark of weakness in that sorrowing little town to weep over his dead form.

Sheriff McAfee was present and was in charge of the pall bearers. all the town and precinct officers were present and also several officers from the neighboring towns and precincts and the dead officer was laid away with the most befitting tokens of respect.

Court adjourned for the night, and on the morning of the 7th, speeches were made for the defense by Capt. J.D. Woods, Nat Decker and Lucius D*ls and argument was closed by Judge R.R. Hazlewood, who spoke for the prosecution. The case was given to the jury at 2:30 o'clock on the 7th and no verdict was reached until 11 o'clock on the 8th, when the jury filled into the court room. Foreman Reddick handed in the verdict and the clerk read: "We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree and access his punishment at death.
For the first time since his arrest the defendant gave evidence of emotion. The muscles of his face quivered and he ground his teeth together. He then said to Jailer McKinney: "Well, I guess they are satisfied now, the d--n Nigg--," and turning to Sheriff McAfee, he said: "I guess you are satisfied, too; you got on the stand and swore a d--n lie."

George Smith was hanged here this afternoon in the county jail before a limited number of spectators for the murder of James Isbell. Several ministers and ladies visited Smith in his cell this morning to talk of his spiritual welfare, and Dr. George Gibbs rector of St. Stephens Church was with him to the last.
At 2:08 p.m., Drs. King and Wynn injected one-fourth grain of morphine into his arm. At 2:18p.m. Sheriff McAfee accompanied by newspaper reporters, went tot he cell, where the death warrant was read and when completed he said, "All Right," as he wiped the cold presperation from his flushed brow. At 2:23 the condemned man was lead to the iron trap. He scanned the spectators and seemed almost as calm as anyone. His legs were pinioned and when the arms were being tied he asked if they could be tied in front, but being refused, he said, "All right" asking that they be tight. As the black cap was being placed over his head he said "A fellow can't breathe much in this," and as the knot was being drawn about his neck he said: "That's Pretty Tight."

These were the last words spoken by Smith, for at 2:28 the trap was sprung and he shot through the opening, bounding a little. His neck was found to be broken and death ensued in fifteen minutes. Friends took charge of the remains for burial.
Smith had joined the church and said he felt prepared for the change. He was furnished a suit of clothes of his own choice, and someone pinned a yellow rose in the lapel of this coat which went with him to the coffin.
A cigar offered him was refused this morning, as he had never used tobacco. His dinner was heartily eaten and several delicacies served which he appreciated. He was about thirty years of age. Of his people he would say nothing.

The crime for which George Smith today paid the death penalty was committed at Bells, Grayson County, Tex., January 11, 1891. He had been seen in the town a few hours before and it was thought he had a confederate who has never been apprehended.
Smith surprised a crowd of about seven men at almost 9:00 p.m. at night in a saloon. With pistol in hand, he ordered everybody to throw up their hands, which they all complied with. He proceeded to go through each one for money and valuables with good success, and was about to leave when James Isbell, a young man who was town marshal, shot at Smith, but missed him. Smith returned the fire and the wound proved fatal the following day. Smith got out of the house and ran to make his escape, but was caught by a N-gro boy, thrown down and held until help came.
A strong guard brought Smith to jail here the next day (Sherman). He was tried at the fall term of district court, 1891, and the defense was insanity.
Smith claims that the crime was his maiden effort at outlawry, and being in hard straits for money he made the desperate attempt, and failed; that he did not want to kill. He has been on a farm and the reading of yellow back novels ruined him. It is believed that Smith came of a good family, and that he was convicted under an assumed name, and that he died with the secret of his past life and real identity.

List of Grayson County peace officers killed in the line of duty, revised to Jan. 28, 2002, researched and recorded by Terry Baker, assistant chief deputy (retired), Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

1. John Stark - Deputy constable, Pct. No. 5, Grayson County, Texas. Shot and killed 2-20-1873, while riding with a possee attempting to arrest horse thieves and "gin burners."
2. John Shannon Day - Police officer, Denison, Texas. Shot and killed 2-5-1874 while attempting to make an arrest for disorderly conduct near the Eldorado Saloon on Skiddy Street.
3. Charles Patman - Police Officer, Denison, Texas. Shot and killed 5-2-1875 while assisting another officer arresting another man for carrying a postol.
4. Kirkland C. Ayers, City Marshal, Whitesboro, Texas - Hit in the head with a chair and killed on March 2, 1879, while attempting to arrest three men involved in a disturbance in a store/saloon.
5. James A. Nelms - constable, Pct. No. 2 Grayson County, Texas. Shot and killed 7-4-1879 while attempting to arrest a man who was drunk and creating a distrubance in the Bank Exchange Saloon in Denison.
6. Joseph E. Johnson - Police officer, Denison, Texas, Shot and killed 10-30-1879 while attempting to arrest a man for stealing a coat.
7. Samuel D. Ball - City marshal, Sherman, Texas. Shot and killed 2-2-1880 while ejecting an intoxicated man from a business establishment in the Sherman red light district.
8. Dallas Hodges - Constable, Pct. No. 7, Gordonville, Grayson County, Texas. Shot and killed 5-5-1881 while attempting to arrest two men who were drunk and disorderly while riding their horses through Gordonville.
9. Reuben D. Coleman - Deputy sheriff, Grayson County, Texas. Shot and killed 7-8-1881 in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) while with a posse and attempting to arrest the killers of Grayson County Constable Dallas Hodges.
10. Robert L. "Bob" May - Sheriff, Grayson County, Texas. Shot and killed 5-26-1889 near Howe, Texas, while attempting to arrest a man wanted on a warrant for carrying a pistol.
11. James Isbell - Town marshal, Bells, Texas. shot and killed 1-17-1891 attempting to arrest a man during a robbery in progress at Resinburg's Saloon in the Pacific Hotel, in Bells, Texas.
12.Albert Jordan - Deputy city marshal, Howe, Texas. Shot and killed 3-20-1903 attempting to arrest a man with a shotgun in the street near a restaurant. The man was threatening to kill the city marshal and his deputy.
13. James W. Brooks, City Marshal, Collinsville, Texas, Cut stabbed and killed on July 19, 1905, while attempting to arrest a man for failure to pay a court fine.
14. Lee D. Burgess, Deputy Sheriff, Grayson County, Texas, Died from a heart attack on December 21, 1906, after fighting a prisoner he had arrested and was taking him to jail in Denison, Texas. Deputy Burgess was thirty-six years old.
15. Thomas Frederick "Fred" Mounger - Deputy constable, Pct. no. 1, Grayson County, Texas. shot and killed 9-27-1911 at the railroad yards in Sherman while attempting to arrest a man for trespassing. The man was an escapee from the Dallas County Jail.
16. W. L. "Will" Echols - Chief of police, Van Alstyne, Texas. Shot and killed 3-23-1929 by four men who were attempting to break into two banks in the Van Alstyne business district.
17. Howard Gunter, Special Deputy Sheriff, Grayson County, Texas - Killed in an auto accident on April 25, 1934 while assisting Grayson County deputies during the capture of the notorious Raymond Hamilton.
18. Ches H. Estes - City marshal, Whitesboto, Texas. Shot and killed 2-4-1935 while attempting to arrest a man who had raped a woman minutes earlier in Whitesboto.
19. Donald Clark Arnold - Sergeant/police officer, Sherman, Texas. Shot and killed 12-23-1969 when he walked in and interrupted an armed robbery at a service station in Sherman. The robbers also killed the service station attendant.
20. James Arvil Lamance

- Corporal/police officer, Whitewright, Texas. Shot and killed 12-23-2000 while attempting to stop a driver suspected of driving while drunk....

ARCHER, Jack B.
Special Deputy Constable, Pct. # 1, Grayson Co. Tx
Shot and killed after arresting a man for carrying deadly weapons.

CRANE, John A.
Police Officer, Denison, Texas
Shot and wounded on November 10, 1907, while coming to
the aid of other officers. Crane never fully recovered from
the wound and died on September 12, 1907.