Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, June 30, 1890
Age: 58
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 30, 1890
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: sentenced to 6 years in prison
In the early morning hours, Guard Riley Williamson took a squad of six convicts out on a work detail at the Butterfield Coal Camp (managed by Texas prison System as a work camp) about 16 miles south of Rusk in Cherokee County. Williamson was found with several bullet wounds to his head. The convicts had fled with his weapon. The convicts released other squads and the convicts secured more weapons from guards and civilians. Walter Freeman, a former guard at the prison who was fired for negligence, furnished firearms to the convicts who killed Williamson. Freeman was charged with the murder of Williamson, and for inciting a riot. He fled but was arrested shortly afterward at Little Rock, Arkansas. He was taken back to Texas where he posted bond and immediately fled the state. He was arrested again on June 30, 1891 near Princeton, Kentucky, and transported back to Texas to face charges. In July 1891, Freeman was convicted of inciting an insurrection and sentenced to six years in prison. On June 27, 1892, Freeman attempted to escape and was shot and seriously wounded by a guard. He was released October 7, 1896.
Virtually nothing is known about Williamson. He was buried in the Arnold Cemetery in Forest in Cherokee County. He had 10 children in the 1880 census.