William W. Paul, Deputy Sheriff
William W. Paul, Deputy Sheriff
Garvin County Sheriffs Office
On Wednesday, February 12, 1947, Deputy Paul and his partner, Deputy Sheriff Lon Pearson, were alerted by officers in Duncan, Oklahoma, to arrest a local resident, J.W. Beasley, for a forgery that occurred in Stephens County. The deputies picked up Clarence Mays, a retired farmer from Maysville, who knew Beasley to help them identify the man.
About 3:30 p.m., they saw Beasley riding a motorcycle on Highway 19 near Meridian Road west of Pauls Valley. When they stopped Beasley, he pretended to have engine trouble and asked them for a pair of pliers. Having distracted the officers, Beasley then opened fire on them, wounding both officers as well as Mr. Mays before escaping.
Deputy Pearson died at the scene while Deputy Paul and Mr. Mays were rushed to the hospital. Paul was shot through the jaw and Mays was shot behind one ear. Over the next few days officers learned more about the fugitive Beasley. Beasley has been dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Navy during World War II at the age of 17 and was convicted of armed robbery in California. He was currently an escapee from the Correctional Institute for Men in Chino, California.
Beasley was later shot and killed by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Howard Hill after a lengthy foot chase when Beasley pulled a sawed-off shotgun on the trooper. Clarence Mays survived his wounds but Deputy Paul died on Saturday, February 15, 1947. He was survived by his wife and two sons.
Alfred Alonzo “Lon” Pearson, Deputy Sheriff
Garvin County Sheriffs Office
On Wednesday, February 12, 1947, Deputy Sheriff Lon Pearson and his partner, Deputy Sheriff Bill Paul, were alerted by officers in Duncan, Oklahoma, to arrest a local resident, J.W. Beasley, for a forgery that occurred in Stephens County. The deputies picked up Clarence Mays, a retired farmer from Maysville, who knew Beasley to help them identify the man.
About 3:30 p.m., they saw Beasley riding a motorcycle on Highway 19 near Meridian Road west of Pauls Valley. When the stopped Beasley, he pretended to have engine trouble and asked them for a pair of pliers. Having distracted the officers, Beasley then opened fire on them, wounding both officers as well as Mr. Mays before escaping.
Deputy Pearson died at the scene while Deputy Paul and Mr. Mays were rushed to the hospital. Paul was shot through the jaw and Mays was shot behind one ear. Over the next few days officers learned more about the fugitive Beasley. Beasley has been dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Navy during World War II at the age of 17 and was convicted of armed robbery in California. He was currently an escapee from the Correctional Institute for Men in Chino, California.
Beasley was later shot and killed by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Howard Hill after a lengthy foot chase when Beasley pulled a sawed-off shotgun on the trooper. Clarence Mays survived his wounds but Deputy Paul died on Saturday, February 15, 1947. Deputy Sheriff Lon Pearson was survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters.