City Marshal John C. Coomer

John C. Coomer

Marshal John Coomer succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained six weeks earlier when he was shot in the back of the neck after arresting a drunk man at the railroad station.

The man, a friend of Marshal Coomer, had arrived on a train drunk and was taken by the marshal to the city jail to sober up. As they walked into the jail, the suspect produced a small caliber handgun and shot the marshal.

The suspect fled the scene and was pursued by a posse. As he attempted to cross the river, he exchanged shots with the posse, killing one of the members. He was able to escape but was eventually apprehended. He was convicted of killing the posse member and sentenced to five years, but was not charged with murdering Marshal Coomer as the result of a request the marshal made on his deathbed.

Marshal Coomer had served as city marshal for 18 years. He was survived by his wife and eight children.