Sheriff John C Nugent Jr
End of Watch : July 22, 1922
Wright County Sheriff's Office
| Sheriff John C Nugent JrEnd of Watch : July 22, 1922Wright County Sheriff's Office |
| SHERIFF JOHN C. NUGENT Wright County Sheriff's Office Died July 22, 1922 Five miles south of Buffalo on the Soo Railroad, R. O. Crawford, owner of a cream shipping station, had reported some petty thefts. Over the next six weeks, the thieves had gotten bolder and had been stealing on a regular basis. Wednesday night, Sheriff Nugent watched all night but found nothing. He told Crawford he was not sure if he would return Thursday or Friday, but if he did, he would notify him by knocking a certain way on the door. He did not return Thursday, but he did on Friday around 11:00 p.m. That night Crawford, his son Lawrence, and a Mr. Boehlke went to the creamery. Lawrence was waiting outside and around 11:00 he heard a noise near a woodpile. He alerted his father who also heard someone. It was Sheriff Nugent and Deputy Carl Anderson who had heard the others inside the creamery. At 1:30 a.m. Mr. Crawford announced that he was going home since he didn't believe the thieves were coming. He grabbed his shotgun, cocked it and walked out the front door. Sheriff Nugent turned his flashlight on Crawford and told him to "Stick 'em up." Crawford randomly fired with number four shot and struck Nugent in the chest, killing him instantly. The sheriff fell on the tracks. Crawford could see a man, but didn't know who it was. Anderson returned fire and then went for help. When Crawford found out the man was dead, he went to Gilbert's Store to call the sheriff and a doctor but the phone wouldn't work. As he returned to the creamery, he was met by Anderson who told him, "You've shot the sheriff." That was the first he knew the sheriff had been at the creamery and that he killed his best friend. Anderson immediately arrested him. Crawford was never charged in the shooting, which was ruled accidental. Sheriff Nugent had been in law enforcement more than20 years. His father had been the sheriff for 27 years and he was his deputy for six of those years. He was born September 11, 1975. His wife, Bessie, survived. They had no children. His funeral was held July 22nd in the west front of the courthouse in Buffalo and he was buried in a cemetery south of Buffalo. 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 |
| Joseph E Kreager | George Williams |