Deputy Sheriff Tom Holmes, Perry County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas

Deputy Sheriff Tom Holmes

Perry County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas

End of Watch Saturday, May 21, 1892

Tom Holmes

Deputy Sheriff Tom Holmes was beaten to death by a prisoner he was guarding inside the Perry County Jail.

The Perry County Sheriff discovered Deputy Holmes' lifeless body when he entered the jail at an early morning hour. Because the jail had no cage, Deputy Holmes had been locked inside with the prisoner. The prisoner had managed to slip out of his shackles and crushed Deputy Holmes' skull with a piece of wood. As soon as Perryville citizens learned of the murder, a mob of armed men forced their way into the jail, seized the suspect, and hanged him from the nearest tree.

Bio

Age Not available
Tour Not available
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Assault
Weapon Blunt object; Lumber
Offender Lynched

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Thomas Isom Holmes - 1849-1892 - Son of William Holmes from St. Genevieve County, MO.

Thomas is my 3rd great grandfather. His son Edd L. Holmes, my 2nd great grandfather, shows on Census Records to have also been a Perry County Deputy like his father. To the best of my knowledge I am the only one since in the direct family to follow in LE. Despite being raised in Alabama, I ended up being a deputy sheriff just 170 miles away in Northeast Arkansas.

Detective William Holmes
Poinsett County Sheriff Department

January 8, 2018