Lexington Police Department, Kentucky
End of Watch: Saturday, July 10, 1858
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: July 10, 1858
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Lynched by mob
Marshal Beard was stabbed to death after arresting a street brawler. The suspect threw Marshal Beard to the ground and then stabbed him in the chest, puncturing his lung and heart. He succumbed to his wounds at the scene.
Several bystanders were able to subdue the man and took him to the Fayette County Jail. A short time later an angry mob stormed the jail, removed the prisoner, and attempted to hang him from the second floor of the nearby courthouse. The rope broke when they pushed him from the window and his head was crushed on the pavement below. Another rope was located and his body was then hung from the window for several hours.
Marshal Beard was survived by his wife and four children.