Samuel Calvin Long, Sheriff
Love County Sheriffs Office
Shortly afternoon on Wednesday, January 25, 1928, Sheriff Long, 55, responded to a “trouble” call at the Love County National Bank in Marietta. The ”trouble” was a bank robbery in progress by two men. One man was in the vault while the other held everyone at bay. When the Sheriff walked into the bank the man holding everyone at bay got the drop on the sheriff and told him to join the others against the wall. The sheriff instead drew his gun and shot the man dead. At the same time the other robber was coming out of the vault and shot Sheriff Long three times before fleeing town with citizens shooting at him along the way. Initially Sheriff Long’s health improved but he developed pneumonia and died five days later on Monday, January 30th. He was survived by his second wife and nine of the ten children from his first marriage.
Sam Houston Randolph,
Sheriff
Love County Sheriff’s Office
About 6 P.M. on Friday, May 25, 1934, Sheriff Randolph and Deputy Sheriff Lovell Green went to Thackerville in connection with Randolph’s current campaign for re-election. Green was putting up campaign signs outside of Pinkston’s Store while the sheriff went inside. Randolph has left his gun in the car and was unarmed. Constable John Smith, who over the years had developed some bad feelings toward his former partner Randolph, came along a few minutes later and also went inside Pinkston’s. Inside, the two officers exchanged words and Sheriff Randolph was seen to laugh at Smith, apparently not taking whatever Smith said seriously. Smith started to walk away, then returned to Randolph and told him he was serious. Randolph then slapped Smith in the face. Smith drew his gun and shot Sheriff Randolph through the heart. Sheriff Green rushed inside but was disarmed at gunpoint by Constable Smith who then left the scene.
Sheriff Randolph, 51, died before Deputy Green was able to transport him to an Ardmore hospital. Sam Randolph was survived by his wife Jessie and seven children. Constable Smith later surrendered himself to Ardmore officers. He was charged with and convicted of the sheriff’s murder.
Walter Tate, Deputy Sheriff
Love County Sheriff’s Office
About 10 o’clock the evening of Monday,
September 17, 1917, Deputy Tate, 34, along with Scott Knight, Andy Rambo and
Luther Simmons, went to the home of Hugh Allison for the purpose of arresting
Ben Canty on a bench warrant for obtaining money under false pretenses. Allison
came to the door and Tate asked him if Ben Canty was there. Allison stated he
had been but didn’t know where he was then. Tate told Allison to light a lamp
and open the door. When the lamp was lit, Tate saw Canty crouched down behind a
bed. Tate told Canty to get up and immediately shots were fired. Tate had
returned fire hitting Canty in the hands. Tate walked out of the house and
stated, “He shot me.”