City Marshal William J. Talbott

William J. Talbott

City Marshal William Talbott was shot and killed by a local merchant he was attempting to arrest for public drunkenness. After the shooting the suspect gave himself up and was lodged in the Rush County Jail.

A week later the suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. On April 12, 1913, the suspect was working at his machine at the Kansas Penitentiary twine factory when the machine exploded causing a fire. He tried his best to put the fire out but was burned badly. Guards and other inmates worked to control the fire and saved many inmates and prison employees. But the building along with three others were destroyed because other inmates did all they could to cause the fire to spread faster. All inmates who did their part to help either had their sentences reduced, were paroled, or pardoned.

City Marshal Talbott was survived by his wife and four children. He was a soldier for the north during the last year of the Civil War.