Village Marshal George Williams

End of Watch : July 29, 1922

VILLAGE MARSHAL GEORGE H. WILLIAMS
Todd County Sheriff's Office
Died July 29, 1922

At 3:00 a.m. Saturday, July 29th, Frank Reardon, Bernard Lewis and William Joseph Hughes attempted to rob the First State Bank of Hewitt. They entered the bank shortly after midnight, cut all the telephone and telegraph wires leading out of town except the long distance line going south. With them, they had two acetylene gas tanks and a torch, electrical equipment and a gunnysack full of tools, including files and saws, a pick ax and a shovel. As they began to break into the vault, they were interrupted by some young males who waved at the lookout person who was across the street from the bank. He became frightened and ran to the bank, warning the others. They quickly loaded up their equipment and left the bank going south.

A call was made to Deputy Sheriff S. H. Adams who called Village Marshal George H. Williams to assist. They were told that the suspects were headed south, so the officers went to the river bridge to intercept them. Within minutes, the suspect vehicle, a seven passenger Buick with two different plates (possibly stolen) arrived on the long grade leading up to the west end of the bridge. The officers blocked the road with their car and stood next to it at the east end. As the suspects slowed down crossing the railroad tracks, a hundred feet east of the bridge, Williams jumped on the suspects' vehicle running board, shoved his .32 revolver into the face of the driver and ordered him to stop. They exchanged words and then one of the suspects shot three times from the back seat. Officer Williams was hit in the left lung, missing his badge by a half an inch. As he fell from the car fatally wounded, he emptied his gun into it.

Deputy Adams, who had been following, jumped behind the suspect car and opened fire with his .30-30 Winchester rifle. He fired about seven times with one shot hitting and disabling the engine. The suspects returned fire. In the 18-20 shots exchanged, one suspect was hit once. The gun battle was so furious that two bullets were later found lodged in homes a half block away and two more in a house two blocks away. As Deputy Adams went to the Perry Knapp home to "sound the alarm," the robbers abandoned their car and left on foot, leaving a Winchester rifle inside the vehicle.

A posse was formed to look for the robbers, but since no one saw which way they went, it took an hour to locate evidence. A loaded shotgun was found near the river and some shells a short distance away indicating they had gone northeast. Several hundred men and the National Guard searched all day Saturday and Sunday while friends of the suspects tried to help them escape.

At one of the roadblocks, a Mr. Hinnenkamp became so frightened that he sped up instead of stopping. Officers opened fire, hitting his wife. Fortunately, her injuries were not life-threatening.

At 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, the three suspects were finally located in the woods seven miles east of Sauk Centre. The men had gone to the lake to get a drink when Sauk Centre guardsmen spotted them and fired on them. The suspects all put their hands up and surrendered. Frank Reardon of Minneapolis, a machinist who was out on strike, was found guilty of third degree murder. Bernard Lewis, 37, (AKA: Birney McTague) was also found guilty and was sent to Stillwater for 7-30 years. William Joseph Hughes (AKA: M'Hugh), 43, severely wounded in the gun battle, was found guilty and sentenced to life in Stillwater.

Officer Williams was born October 8th, 1869. He was survived by his wife, Kathryn. His funeral was held Tuesday afternoon, August 1st, at the Methodist Church in Long Prairie.

Sourced from: The book "We Will Remember"
With permission from Lisa Lovering, Author and Board of Director
MN Law Enforcement Memorial Association
L.E.M.A. 2009

John C Nugent Jr

Wilbert McMicken