Irvin Burgin Gossett, Chief

Duncan Police Department

Just after midnight on Tuesday, May 13, 1930, Stephens County Sheriff Waldo A. Williams, Undersheriff Ed Sumrill, Duncan Chief Gossett, Assistant Chief Charles Coker and Night Policeman W. F. McKinzey had stopped a black Buick that “looked brand new” south bound on Highway 81 about 4 miles north of Duncan. The lawmen were looking for a Buick of this description containing four men wanted in connection with several armed robberies in the area in recent months including one at a service station in Lawton a few hours before. The men in the Buick were the Cunningham brothers, Forrest “Doc”, 27, John B., 25, Emanuel “Skinney”, 23, and Jess “Jake”, 18. As the officers approached the Buick and it’s occupants were getting out, a gunfight broke out. When it was over Sheriff Williams was wounded in the stomach, chest and leg, and died at 2:30 P.M. that afternoon. Chief Gossett was wounded in the stomach. Forrest Cunningham was dead, John was wounded in the arm and stomach, Emanuel was shot in the spine and paralyzed for life and Jess had escaped. Jess was captured later in Colorado and all three surviving brothers pled guilty to the Sheriff’s murder and were given life sentences. Chief Gossett was given a direct blood transfusion and eventually recovered enough to return to work but he was never well and died Saturday, October 7, 1939 from the effects of his wound. His wife, Angie, and two sons survived Chief Gossett.