VARIOUS ARTICLES
JOSEPH WYATT LUNSFORD
SHERIFF'S DEPUTY
1925 - 1931
The Supreme Sacrifice
(Sheriff's monument erected
at Lauderdale County Courthouse, Ripley,
Introduction
Joseph Wyatt "J.
W." Lunsford was the son of Stephen T. Lunsford and Eliza Ann Spain.
He was born
who
preceded him in death in 1902. Emma was
the daughter of George Byrn and Hannah Lunsford Byrn. He married Lillian Bragg Lightfoot in 1908.
J. W. Lunsford was a sheriff's deputy and was shot in the line
of duty on August 2, 1931 and died in
LAUDERDALE
---LOCALS---
Marshall LAWRENCE, and deputy sheriff LUNSFORD arrested Francis
MITCHELL, colored, as he was getting off the train at the depot
Sunday
night with 5 gallons of whiskey. He was tried before Mayor FOLTS, fined $50,
and bound over to Circuit Court.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY ENTERPRISE - RIPLEY, TENNESSEE
Deputy
Sheriffs John S. EVANS, J. W. LUNSFORD and V. T. LIGHTFOOT captured and
destroyed a 50 gallon still and about 200 gallons of mash on Coal Creek above
Davenport Ford Sunday afternoon. The
plant was still warm, showing it had been in operation, but the
"birds" had flown as usual.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY ENTERPRISE -
---- CAPTURED SUNDAY ----
After a long
trip to Island 34, Sheriff COUGHLAND and deputies L. W. LAWRENCE, Jr., J. E.
WILSON, Tom DENNIE, L. E. CRIHFIELD, J. W. LUNSFORD and Henry MURPHY made the
biggest haul of illegal liquor paraphernalia in the history of this
county. As they approached the spot
where corn liquor was being made, the outfit loomed up like a miniature castle. Three negroes were keeping vigil and when
officers approached, they made chase, followed by several shots from the bevy
of officers detailed to the job. In the
raid, 850 gallons of liquor was confiscated, 21, 000 gallons of mash, a 2,000
gallon capacity copper cooker and upright boiler. It is estimated that the outfit was worth at
least $5,000.00, and is believed to be the property of a Memphis bootlegger.
LAUDERDALE
COUNTY ENTERPRISE -
Deputies LUNSFORD and DENNIE, assisted by Press CROSS, of
Island 34, destroyed a still on the island near Butler, Ark., Monday
afternoon. It was a 1500 gallon cooker,
had nine 1000 gallon vats, three of which were full of mash. Officers secured 700 pounds of sugar and two
sacks of meal. Three men were reported
in charge of the still, but were given a tip when the officers were detected
crossing the chute about a half mile below the still so nobody was present to
give the officers the “glad hand” when they arrived.
LAUDERDALE
COUNTY ENTERPRISE -
Deputy Sheriffs John S.EVANS, J.W. LUNSFORD and V.T. LIGHTFOOT
captured and destroyed a 50 gallon still and about 200 gallons of mash on Coal
Creek above Davenport Ford Sunday afternoon. The plant was still warm, showing
it had been in operation, but the “birds” had flown as usual.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY ENTERPRISE -
---- KILLED BY SHOT THROUGH WINDOW ----
Ollie BRATCHER, 26, was shot and instantly killed while he was
seated in his home near Edith Saturday night.
The load from a shotgun, entering through his right side, was fired
through a window at close range.
Deceased in survived by his wife and baby. He lived on the J. T. BEARD farm. Sunday, J. W. LUNSFORD and L. E. CRIHFIELD,
sheriff's deputies, arrested Everette HARRISON, 26 years, and place him in
jail. No charge has been made against
him, but he is being held for questioning.
---- LOCALS ----
Ashley TURNER, who was home on a 30-day furlough and refused to
return to the Veterans’ Hospital at Gulfport, Miss., was carried back to that
institution last week by Mr. J. W. LUNSFORD.
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THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL -
WEDNESDAY MORNING,
IN BAPTIST HOSPITAL - J. W. LUNSFORD of Ripley
===========================================
THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL -
THURSDAY MORNING,
DEPUTY SHERIFF DIES AS RESULT OF WOUND
J. W. LUNSFORD Was Shot Sunday By Hale's Point Man
_____________________________________________
Deputy Sheriff
J. W. Lunsford, 62, who was shot by Clyde ARWOOD at Hale's Point near Ripley,
Tenn. Sunday night, died at 2:30 o'clock last night at Baptist Hospital, after
his left arm had been amputated when gangrene developed.
Mr. LUNSFORD
and Deputy Sheriff C. A. BORDERS went to Hale's Point Sunday night after ARWOOD
had gone to the home of his brother, Cornelius ARWOOD and given his
sister-in-law a severe beating, breaking her arm because she would not give him
a pistol, officers said. ARWOOD was
drunk at the time.
ARWOOD
resisted arrest but he finally agreed to talk to Mr. LUNSFORD. As LUNSFORD approached, ARWOOD fired with a
shotgun.
Deputy
LUNSFORD had been four years in the employ of Sheriff J. T. COUGHLAN. He is married and Mrs. LUNSFORD is at present
teaching school in Arkansas.
ARWOOD is in
jail in Ripley and will be charged with murder this morning.
=================================================================
*************************************************************************************
THE MEMPHIS PRESS SCIMITAR
-
THURSDAY EVENING ,
PLACE MURDER COUNT AGAINST RIPLEY SLAYER
-----------------------------
Drink-Crazed Farmer Kills Deputy, Wounds One
------------------------------
WOMAN SERIOUSLY BEATEN
-------------------------------
Killer Opens Fire When Arrest Attempted
-------------------------------
A deputy sheriff at Ripley, Tenn., is dead, a second is
wounded, and a woman is in a serious condition Thursday as the result of a
beating and shooting at Hale's Point Sunday.
Clyde ARWOOD is in jail at Ripley, formally charged with the
murder of Deputy Sheriff J. W. LUNSFORD, 62, who died here at
bullet wounds.
Deputy Sheriff J. E. WILSON is recovering from a bullet wound
in his right leg. He was with LUNSFORD
at the time ARWOOD opened fire on both of them.
WOMAN BADLY INJURED
________________
Mrs. Clara ARWOOD, sister-in-law of ARWOOD, is in a serious
condition at her home at Hale's Point, suffering from a broken arm and bruises
extending from her feet to her head.
According to Sheriff J. T. COUGHLAN at Ripley, Mrs. ARWOOD was
beaten with a club by her brother-in-law Sunday morning.
Mrs. ARWOOD told deputies, the sheriff says, that ARWOOD came
to her home Sunday morning in a drunken condition and demanded she give him a
pistol. When she refused, she told
deputies, ARWOOD went out and got a club.
"He returned and started beating me. I put up my arm to protect my face and the
club stuck it, breaking it", she told deputies.
SLAYER ARRESTED
______________
Mrs. ARWOOD was beaten unconscious. Neighbors went to Ripley to get a doctor and
called deputies. LUNSFORD and WILSON
went to get ARWOOD.
ARWOOD at first resisted arrest and then consented to talk to
LUNSFORD. As LUNSFORD started toward
him, ARWOOD opened fire with a shotgun.
LUNSFORD fell to the ground.
One of the shots struck WILSON.
The two deputies were taken back to Ripley.
Sunday afternoon Sheriff COUGHLAN went to ARWOOD's home and
arrested him.
_____________________________________________
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