Emmett Goodwin, Chief
Chickasha Police Department
About 9 P.M. on Monday, February 1, 1909, Chief Goodwin and his brother-in-law, Officer Joe Earl, were walking down Chickasha Avenue. In front of People’s Store they met Night Chief of Police Bill Thomas. The discussion soon turned to some critical statements that Thomas had made about “the town running wide open”, indicating it was Chief Goodwin’s fault. Goodwin told Thomas that he had as much authority to correct the situation as Goodwin did. Thomas immediately drew his gun and shot Chief Goodwin three times in the head, one of the bullets penetrating his brain, killing him. Officer Earl and Chief Thomas then began exchanging shots. Officer Earl was wounded three times but survived. Chief Thomas was not injured and surrendered himself at the police station and was charged with Goodwin’s murder. His wife and seven children survived Chief Goodwin.
Sam Scott, Assistant Chief of Police
Chickasha Police Department
Officer Moody and Assistant Chief Scott of the Chickasha Police Department and Grady County Deputy Sheriff Walter Jones on Wednesday, September 29, 1918, at about 6:00 P.M. went to the Rock Island bridge looking for two deserters from the Ft. Sill Army base. When the deserters were spotted, the officers yelled for them to surrender but instead of surrendering they began running away. Deputy Jones was able to capture Fred Woodall, one of the deserters. Woodall was left in the custody of Chief Scott while Moody and Jones pursued the other man. Their efforts were in vain and the other man escaped. When the officers returned, they discovered the other deserter gone and Chief Scott shot through the liver and kidneys. Assistant Chief Scott died from his wounds on October 4th. Fred E. Woodall was captured on October 2nd near Ninnekah. He convinced officers that the other deserter, Virgie Kitson, was the one who shot Chief Scott. Virgie Kitson was tried and convicted of murdering Assistant Chief Sam Scott. He was sentenced to life in prison. Chief Scott had only been on the police force for about two months before he was shot. Chief Scott was survived by his wife and son.
Hershel (Herschel) Smith, Sergeant
Chickasha Police Department
Around midnight on Friday the 13th of March, 1936, Sergeant Smith, 30, was on duty in the Chickasha Police station. Two other law enforcement officers, Jim Sivley, a Chickasha officer, and a federal agent from Lawton, Oliver Cornelius, were checking out a sawed-off double-barrel shotgun while in the communications area. Sivley took the shotgun down from a window sill to show it to Cornelius. When Sivley closed the breech of the shotgun, it accidentally discharged, striking Sgt. Smith, who was standing close by, in the right leg just above the knee. Sgt. Smith was taken to the hospital. Gangrene rapidly set in the wound and Herschel Smith died on the night of March 16th.
Henry Austin “Texas” Tate, Police Officer
Chickasha Police Department
The afternoon of Tuesday, December 16, 1930, Officer Tate and his partner, Rex Bryant, went to the home of George B. Hale to serve a warrant for some stolen clothing. Upon entering the home, Bryant lifted a mattress and revealed a half gallon of whisky. Tate was standing in the door when he was knocked down from behind by a blow on the head with the stock of a shotgun by Hale’s son, Clifford. The younger Hale seized Tate’s weapon, and before Bryant could react, fired three shots into Tate’s chest, heart and abdomen. Bryant then shot Clifford Hale through the chest causing him to drop the gun. George Hale then attempted to pick up the officer’s gun at which time Bryant shot him. Abbie Hale, a daughter, tried to retrieve the gun, but Bryant made her desist. Officer Tate died on the way to the hospital. Both George Hale and Clifford Hale recovered from their wounds and were charged with Tate’s murder. Officer Tate was survived by his wife and a step-son.