In the early hours of a cold winter night in Laurens, South Carolina, a dedicated police officer’s life was tragically cut short. Patrolman McDuffie Hampton Stone, a 32-year-old male, had been with the Laurens Police Department for two years, a tenure that came to a violent end on January 28, 1909.
Patrolman Stone and his partner began their patrol at midnight, their rounds taking them to the railroad freight depot. It was there they encountered a trespasser.
As Patrolman Stone moved to arrest the individual, the situation escalated with deadly speed. The suspect, armed with a. 45 caliber handgun, fired multiple shots at the officer, striking him in the abdomen, legs, and face.
In the ensuing moments, Patrolman Stone's partner returned fire, killing the suspect at the scene. Despite the immediate response and subsequent medical attention, Patrolman Stone succumbed to his injuries the following afternoon. He was survived by his wife and two young children.
