Guard Felix Smith

Felix Smith

Guard Felix Smith was shot and killed during a prison escape from the Retrieve Prison Farm in Brazoria County.

One of the suspects dismounted from his mule, as the other prisoners plowed fields, and hid in some tall grass. As one of the trailing guards passed the location, the inmate attacked him, and with the help of another inmate, disarmed him.

One of the inmates took the guard's pistol and the other took the guard's shotgun and horse. As the inmate on the horse raced along the line of prisoners, he fired a shotgun blast into the back of Guard Smith, who was on a horse on the front of the line. The inmate then took Guard Smith's two pistols and the two escaped.

The two escapees were captured two weeks later and tried for Guard Smith's murder. The inmate who shot him was found guilty and sentenced to death. He was executed in the electric chair on August 20, 1937.

The second inmate was sentenced to 60 years for the murder.
On October 3, 1937, he was shot and mortally wounded by a prison guard when he attempted to escape from the Eastham Prison Farm. He died two weeks later.

The inmate who was executed was originally in prison for the murder of Deputy John H. Lamkin, of the Nolan County Sheriff's Department, in June 1933.