Town Marshal Gilbert Burleigh

Gilbert Burleigh

Town Marshal Gilbert Burleigh was shot and killed while serving a warrant on a man for stealing an automobile.

He had located the man at a country store in Cankton but allowed him to go to an outhouse in the rear of the building. After waiting several minutes, Marshal Burleigh called out to the man to come out. The man instead fired a pistol from the outhouse, striking Marshal Burleigh in the head.

On January 5, 1940, the suspect, 28, was found in a home near Newton, Texas, by the Jefferson County, Texas, Sheriff. As several Newton County deputies surrounded the home, the sheriff entered, and was forced to shoot and kill the suspect when he attacked him with a hammer.

Marshal Burleigh was survived by his wife and six children.