Deputy Sheriff Charles Clifton Monaghan

Charles Clifton Monaghan

Deputy Sheriff Charles Monaghan succumbed to injuries sustained less than two years earlier when he was assaulted outside his home in Olive Branch due to retaliation for breaking up a fight earlier in the evening.

A group of local youths had been kicked out of a local restaurant for causing a disturbance. The group of youths, after leaving the restaurant, went to a filling station across the street when one of the youths broke a car window with three passengers, causing a fight in the parking lot that resulted in more damage being done to the vehicle. Once Deputy Sheriff Monaghan arrived at the scene, he used his gas gun to disperse the youths from the scene. Once the youths fled the scene, the second group demanded that the youths be arrested for damaging the vehicle and assaulting them. Deputy Monaghan, who was also employed as a Telephone Office Manager, had the group follow him to his home so he could telephone the Sheriff and request more deputies to assist in making arrests. While inside his house with the second group, the first group of youths appeared in front of his home, shouting and demanding to see him. When Deputy Monaghan told the group they were under arrest and more deputies were on their way, one of the youths struck Deputy Monaghan in the forehead with an iron pipe, causing a skull fracture, rendering him unconscious. A neighbor who heard the commotion rendered aid and rushed Deputy Monaghan to Saint Mary's Hospital in Cairo.

The six youths were arrested shortly after the incident by the responding deputies, whom Deputy Monaghan requested. The youth, who was the ring leader, admitted to deputies after bragging about what he had done that he had struck Deputy Monaghan and was charged with assault. The five other youths were charged with being implicated in the assault on Deputy Monaghan, including the fight and damaged vehicle at the filling station.

The ring leader pleaded guilty to assault and intention to kill and was sentenced to 1-14 years in prison at the Illinois State Penitentiary in Menard. It is unknown if any additional charges were filed related to the death of Deputy Monaghan. According to the 1940 census, the suspect was still incarcerated at the Illinois State Penitentiary in Menard. On June 24, 1956, the suspect was killed in a murder-suicide with his estranged wife in Saint Louis, Missouri.

After the incident, Deputy Monaghan remained an invalid and died due to complications of his injury at Saint Mary's Hospital in Cairo on April 27, 1936.

Deputy Sheriff Monaghan served with the Alexander County Sheriff's Office for five years. He was survived by his wife and seven children.

He is buried at Beechwood Cemetery in Mounds, Illinois.