William A "Tab" Ford, Deputy Sheriff

Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office

On Sunday morning, August 10, 1941, Deputy Ford was off duty but lounging around the Sheriff’s Office, keeping company with on duty Deputy Bill Alexander, a former prison guard. About 11 A.M., a call for assistance came in from the guards at the nearby State Penitentiary. Four prisoners were attempting to escape using Warden Jess Dunn and a communications engineer as hostages. The prisoners were armed with rifles and handguns taken from the prison’s tower guards. The convicts and hostages had gotten in a car and were leaving the prison. Deputies Alexander and Ford quickly intercepted the getaway car about three blocks north of the prison. When the deputies blocked the road with their car and refused to let the other car by the convicts opened fire. The warden was immediately shot twice in the back of the head and Deputy Ford was shot in the head by a rifle shot from the convicts. Deputy Alexander continued to return fire. When the shooting was over, two convicts, Roy McGee, 37, and Claude Beaver, 39, were dead along with Warden Dunn. Deputy Ford died in the hospital about 2 P.M. and convict Bill Anderson, 36, died from his wounds two days later. Convict Hiram Prather, 33, survived the shootout but died in the Oklahoma electric chair on July 14, 1943.

Anderson Lewis, Sheriff

Gains (Pittsburg) County 

On Monday night November 13, 1905, Sheriff Lewis was attending a Knights of Pythias oyster supper near Kiowa. A little before midnight two brothers, Henry and Robert Thompson, were drunk and became disorderly. When Sheriff Lewis attempted to arrest them Henry struck him in the face with his bridle reins. Sheriff Lewis drew his gun and at the same time Robert Thompson drew his gun and shot the 32 year old Choctaw Sheriff four times killing him. Henry was arrested but Robert escaped. Sheriff Lewis was serving his first term as Sheriff and was survived by a wife and two children.

Howard Edmond Murray, Deputy Sheriff

Pittsburg County Sheriffs Office

In early January 1910, Deputy Murray had served a search warrant on a man named Irvin Morrow. The Deputy found a quantity of homemade “choc” (for Choctaw) beer and destroyed it, infuriating Morrow.

Around 10 A.M. the morning of Tuesday, January 25, 1910, Morrow was observed drunk on the streets of the town of Adamson by Deputy Murray. As the deputy approached, Morrow drew his gun and fired a shot at him. The deputy drew his gun and returned fire, both men missing. They both fired another shot almost at the same time. Each was mortally wounded. Morrow was shot in the heart and killed. Deputy Murray was shot in the head but lived until 8:30 P.M. that night. Deputy Murray was survived by his wife and two children.