Charles Hartsell Smelser, a 33-year-old police officer in Hot Springs, North Carolina, tragically died on March 28, 1900. Smelser was attempting to arrest three intoxicated men who had been causing chaos in the town by shooting at citizens. When Smelser confronted one of the men and tried to place him under arrest, another man intervened and held Smelser at bay with a shotgun. During the struggle, the first man seized Smelser's service revolver and shot him in the head.
The incident did not end there; the assailant then fired the shotgun at another officer who arrived at the scene, blinding him in one eye and causing serious damage to the other. The three men continued their rampage, wounding two other citizens, one of whom was critically injured. Eventually, the chief of police shot and wounded one of the attackers. All three men were charged with Smelser's murder.
The 22-year-old who shot Smelser was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. However, one of the other men was acquitted, and a mistrial was declared in the trial of the third suspect. The convicted man was denied a pardon by Governor Robert B. Glenn in 1905 and later escaped from a prison camp in Wilmington in 1907. Smelser was survived by his wife.
This tragic event highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the early 20th century and the challenges of bringing perpetrators to justice. Smelser's sacrifice is remembered and honored by his family, friends, and fellow officers.
