City Marshal Jesse Offut

Jesse Offut

City Marshal Jesse Offut was shot and killed as he and the city's deputy marshal accompanied a 20-year-old prisoner to a local saloon.

They had arrested the man for drunkenness and agreed to let him go to the saloon to secure a bondsman. As they walked along the street the prisoner fell back a few steps before pulling out a gun and opening fire on the south side of the public square. Marshal Offut was struck three times in the back and fatally wounded.

The deputy marshal returned fire and wounded the suspect before taking him into custody.

City Marshal Offcut was survived by his wife. He was a Confederate Civil War Veteran who served as a private with the 18th Tennessee Infantry, Company K.