Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, Texas
End of Watch: Friday, July 27, 1928
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 27, 1928
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Pardoned
Dog Sergeant Henry Ward was shot and killed during an escape at the Imperial State Farm Number 2 (modern-day Central Unit) near Sugar Land in Fort Bend County, Texas.
Several prisoners had attacked another guard and disarmed him of his pistol and shotgun. As the guard retreated on horseback, the convicts began firing at him. Hearing the shooting, Sergeant Ward immediately went to the guard's assistance but was struck by a shotgun blast and fell from his horse. He was then shot through the throat with a pistol and died within minutes.
A total of eight inmates escaped from the farm but were apprehended by a posse. Seven of the inmates were charged with murdering Sergeant Ward and wounding two of the deputies in the posse. Two inmates were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. One of the inmates was pardoned on August 12th, 1943, and the other was pardoned on September 30th, 1944.
Deputy Sheriff Frank Bell, one of the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office deputies who was wounded, died in the line of duty on October 10th, 1930, in an unrelated automobile crash.
One of the inmates who participated in the escape had been involved in an escape on July 22th, 1926, in which Guard William Rader was shot and killed at the Ferguson State Farm. The inmate was released on April 5th, 1940.