In the late summer of 1907, City Marshal Eugene Cargell of Cairo, Georgia, found himself in a determined pursuit of justice that would ultimately cost him his life. On August 27, 1907, while leading a posse, Marshal Cargell was shot and killed. The events leading to his death began with the murder of Grady County Sheriff D.W. Tyus.
Marshal Cargell and his posse tracked the suspect in Sheriff Tyus's murder to the home of the suspect's uncle, located near Tallahassee, Florida. In an attempt to apprehend the fugitive, the lawmen stormed the residence. During this raid, the suspect's uncle opened fire, and Marshal Cargell was fatally wounded.
Following the shooting, the man who killed Marshal Cargell, the murder suspect's uncle, surrendered to Florida authorities a few hours later and was taken into custody. However, the original fugitive, the man responsible for the death of Sheriff Tyus, managed to evade capture during the confrontation. He escaped and was never apprehended for his crime.
