Sumter County Sheriff's Office, Alabama
End of Watch: Monday, February 26, 1894
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 26, 1894
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: Lynched
Deputy Sheriff John Cowlett was shot and killed by a 14 year-old boy when he went to the boy's home to levy on a mortgaged cow belonging to the boy's mother.
His mother refused to let the cow go and told her son to shoot the officer if he attempted to take it. As Deputy Cowlett placed a rope around the animal's neck the youth shot him dead. The shooting brought to the scene an angry crowd of citizens which hanged the boy and then riddled his body with bullets.