On December 18, 1908, a violent confrontation erupted inside the jailhouse in Higbee, Missouri, shattering the quiet of the small town. Three individuals had been arrested on burglary charges and were being held in custody when they launched a desperate bid for freedom. Unbeknownst to the lawmen guarding them, one of the prisoners had managed to conceal a handgun on his person at the time of his arrest, a weapon that would soon turn a routine detention into a deadly tragedy.
Deputy
Marshal Elmer Magruder, a 24-year-old male, was on duty alongside another marshal when the prisoners initiated their escape attempt. As the situation escalated, the armed suspect produced the hidden firearm and opened fire on the officers. In the ensuing chaos, Magruder was struck by the gunfire and mortally wounded. His colleague also sustained a severe injury, taking a bullet through the right lung, but managed to maintain his composure long enough to return fire. The officer's shot found its mark, striking the armed youth in the arm as he fled the building.
While two of the burglary suspects were immediately subdued and taken back into custody at the jail, the wounded gunman managed to escape the scene. A manhunt ensued for the fugitive, who remained at large for over a week. Ten days after the shooting, authorities tracked him down in Mexico, Missouri, where he was finally apprehended and brought to face justice for the killing of the young marshal.
The investigation identified the shooter as Fred Michaels, who was subsequently charged in connection with the death of Marshal Magruder. Following the legal proceedings, Michaels was convicted of murder. Despite the severity of the crime, he received a ten-year sentence in the state penitentiary. Records indicate that he did not serve the full term, as he was granted parole on April 14, 1914, less than six years after the fatal escape attempt.
