In the small town of Donalsonville, Georgia, William Berry Freeman, a 41-year-old white male, served as the Town Marshal, a position he had held for only about three months. On February 25, 1901, while on duty, Marshal Freeman attempted to arrest a man who had an outstanding warrant for violating a town ordinance four months prior. The attempt to bring the man to justice would prove to be fatal for the lawman.
As Marshal Freeman tried to make the arrest, the suspect opened fire with a shotgun, striking Freeman in the head. The assailant also shot and wounded another man who was with the marshal. In the chaotic aftermath, the shooter managed to escape, beginning a long period as a fugitive from the law. For years, he evaded capture, leaving the community to mourn the loss of their marshal.
The case remained unresolved for five years until the suspect unexpectedly walked into the Seminole County Jail and surrendered to the authorities. He was subsequently tried for the murder of Marshal Freeman. On June 2, 1906, a jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to 99 years in prison. However, in a surprising turn of events, the convicted murderer was pardoned in 1909, after serving only three years of his lengthy sentence. At the time of his death, Marshal Freeman was survived by his son.
