In the rugged terrain of the Suck Creek Mountain range near Chattanooga, Tennessee, a story of duty and sudden violence unfolded. Special Agent William Franklin Berry, a dedicated officer of the Alcohol Tax Unit, met an untimely and tragic end. On March 18, 1938, Berry, along with his fellow agents, moved to arrest George Tatum and three others for the operation of an illegal still at Tatum's home. The male agent was 39 years old at the time of his death.
The attempt to uphold the law was met with gunfire. In the ensuing chaos, George Tatum fired a shotgun, striking and killing Special Agent Berry. In the immediate aftermath, Tatum managed to escape into the dense mountain landscape. The search for the escaped suspect was swift and determined. Aided by the keen senses of bloodhounds, law enforcement officers tracked Tatum for approximately 12 hours before capturing him.
Justice for the death of Special Agent Berry moved through the legal system. George Tatum, who was 31 years old, was convicted of second-degree murder for the killing of the federal agent. He was sentenced to a lengthy prison term, reported as both imprisonment and a sentence of 60 years to life. Prior to his service with the Alcohol Tax Unit, which he joined in 1936, William Berry had a background in the legal field as an attorney and a deputy state prosecutor. He was survived by his wife.
