Eastland County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch Wednesday, November 20, 1929
Add to My HeroesThomas Alexander Jones
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jones succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day during an escape attempt by a suspect who was in jail for the murder of two police officers, Officer George Carmichael and Chief George Bedford of the Cisco Police Department, in 1927.
The suspect had been sentenced to death for the previous murders but his conviction was returned to the county court from an appeals court for a sanity hearing. While in jail he had been faking paralysis. Deputy Jones and another deputy had left his cell door open as they completed serving meals. The suspect took the opportunity to run out of his cell, grab a gun from the jailer's office, and then shot Deputy Jones.
A group of 200 townspeople came to the jail, overpowered the other guard, and lynched the suspect.
Deputy Jones was a former police officer who was volunteering at the jail. He was survived by his wife and is buried at Eastland City Cemtery in Eastland, Texas.
Bio
- Age 56
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Incident Date Tuesday, November 19, 1929
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Lynched
Most Recent Reflection
View all 7 ReflectionsI currently live on the property where the perpetrator was lynched, just across the street from where Mr. Jones was shot, so I think about him often. I visited his grave today to pay my respects.
John, Eastland, Texas
April 27, 2021
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