In the early hours of a New Year's Eve in Joplin, Missouri, a dedicated police officer named Claude Brice was making his rounds. On December 31, 1904, Officer Brice, a male, had received a tip about a potential burglary at a business on the 100 block of Main Street. As he approached the area to investigate, his attention was drawn to a pair of suspicious men lurking in the shadows at the corner of 1st and Main.
As Officer Brice moved in to question them, one of the individuals suddenly
broke into a run. Reacting swiftly, the officer ordered the fleeing man to halt. In the tense moments that followed, the quiet street was shattered by the sound of gunfire. A gun battle erupted between the officer and the suspects. Tragically, Officer Brice was struck by a bullet and died almost instantly at the scene.
The investigation into the officer's murder led to the arrest of three men: Estile Butler, Teddy Daley, and John Franklin. All three were subsequently tried and convicted for their roles in the crime, each receiving lengthy prison sentences for the death of Officer Claude Brice. However, the story did not end there, as both Daley and Franklin later managed to escape from custody.
