Incident Details
Cause of Death:Deputy Sheriff Harry Smith was shot and killed as he and a constable attempted to arrest two men wanted on warrants.
The two men, who were brothers-in-law, were wanted for assault and battery on two local farmers. Upon arriving at the suspects' farm near Syria, Deputy Sheriff Smith went to the rear door when he was shot at point-blank range and killed. The constable, who was retreating near the front door, was shot and seriously wounded.
Both suspects, 20- and 24-years-old, fled the scene and were apprehended two days later at the mother's home of one of the suspects near Rego. They were later convicted of murder and sentenced to life. One offender was released from prison in 1915, while the other was paroled in 1922.
Deputy Sheriff Smith, from Paoli, was survived by his parents and brother. His uncle was a former sheriff in Lawrence County.