Corporal Clarence J. McClary

Clarence J. McClary

Corporal McClary was shot and killed in the mountains south of Leesburg, Virginia, while searching for several men, one who had shot and wounded a federal officer the previous day as he and several other officers raided two liquor still operations. He was a member of a posse of federal, state, and Alexandria officers searching for the men when he was shot and killed. Ten men who were involved in the liquor operation were surrounded and captured. The identity of one of the ten who shot the federal officer was soon determined. Then it was determined he was the same man who killed Corporal McClary.

It was soon discovered after questioning the suspect, age 66, that he had escaped from a Wisconsin prison camp on August 21, 1932. He had been sentenced to 25 years on June 21, 1922, for second degree murder after killing of two fellow moonshiners in Langlade County, Wisconsin. He was convicted of Corporal McClary's murder and sentenced to 20 years.

Corporal McClary had served with the agency for 8 years. He was survived by his wife and four children.

His brother, Sergeant Charles McClary, had been shot and killed in the line of duty on June 20, 1929, while also serving with the Alexandria Police Department.