Police Officer

S. B. McLemore

Fort Scott Police Department, Kansas

End of Watch: Saturday, January 23, 1892

Biographical Info

Age: 47
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 23, 1892
Weapon Used: Handgun; .44 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed

Officer S.B. McLemore was shot and killed as he attempted to question two men suspected of being involved in a train robbery earlier in the morning.

A telegram had been sent to the Fort Scott train station notifying Officer McLemore that the suspects were likely headed to the city on a freight train. Officer McLemore remained on duty after his shift ended in order to meet the train, which was running late.

He observed two men matching the description in the telegram step from the train's caboose and followed them into the depot. The two men sat for a moment and then got up and walked out of the depot, with Officer McLemore and a ticket agent following them. When the officer called out for them to stop, one of the men suddenly turned and opened fire, striking him once in the head.

The two men fled the scene but were chased a short distance by a deputy United States marshal who was at the station. They were able to elude him and eventually hopped a freight train. A Gulf railroad detective, an officer from the Fort Scott Police Department, and the deputy marshal were able to get onto an express train, which overtook the freight train at Miama Station.

A crewman on the freight train told the officers which car the suspects were in. When the train arrived at Pleasanton a posse was formed and surrounded the boxcar. The suspects were ordered to surrender and were then fired upon by the posse. One of the men was killed and the other severely wounded. The deceased suspect was a member of the Slythe-Wilson train Robber gang; another member of this gang had killed officer James Harvey of Syracuse, New York.

Officer McLemore had served with the Fort Scott Police Department for several years. He was survived by his wife and two children and is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Scott, Kansas.