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Sheriff Lewis F. Webb | Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Virginia
Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Virginia

Sheriff

Lewis F. Webb

Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Virginia

End of Watch: Thursday, March 14, 1912

Biographical Info

Age: 64
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 14, 1912
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: Executed in 1913

Sheriff Lewis Webb was shot and killed in the Carroll County Courthouse by a band of approximately 20 mountaineers who were attempting to free a prisoner.

The mountaineers, led by two brothers of the prisoner, had attended the court hearing armed with rifles and handguns.

As the judge read the sentence of one year at hard labor, the group opened fire on the courtroom, killing the judge, the prosecuting attorney, Sheriff Webb, one juror, and one witness. Several jurors and observers were also wounded, as well as two suspects. Although the suspects fled back into the mountains, the prisoner they were attempting to free remained in custody after being wounded in the gunfire.

The prisoner and his son were convicted of Sheriff Webb's murder and were both executed in 1913. Seven additional suspects were apprehended: three were acquitted; two were pardoned in 1922; two were pardoned in 1926.

Sheriff Webb had previously served with the honor guard during the Civil War and was survived by his wife and three children. He is buried in Louis Webb Cemetery in Carroll County, Virginia.