Town Marshal William Henry Newberry

William Henry Newberry

Town Marshal William Newberry was shot and killed as he responded to the cries of a woman screaming for help inside her home.

As he entered the home, the woman's husband shot him dead. The suspect escaped and fled to Florida.

The suspect was a preacher, accused of instigating his followers to all sorts of things that made for disorder. Because Marshal Newberry had raided some of his meetings, some citizens felt that the marshal's death was decreed by the followers and the preacher was appointed to kill him. An angry mob, determined to avenge the murder of Marshal Newberry, went on a three day rampage throughout Early County. Three men were killed, several more were whipped, and a dozen churches were burned.