In the winter of 1900, a young White / Caucasian man named Marvin H. Durham, at the age of 21, served as a Deputy Constable in Lauderdale County, Tennessee. On January 9th, he was tasked with assisting Constable W. D. Turner in transporting an inmate from the town jail in Durhamville to the county jail in Ripley. The inmate had been taken into custody earlier that day for his refusal to comply with a county health ordinance mandating vaccination.
The situation escalated when the inmate
refused to pay the fine imposed by a city judge for his non-compliance. Following the judge's orders, Deputy Constable Durham and Constable Turner began the process of moving the prisoner. About a mile outside of Durhamville, their journey was violently interrupted. Two of the inmate's brothers ambushed the lawmen, opening fire on them.
Both Marvin Durham and Constable W. D. Turner were shot and killed in the sudden attack. Their bodies were later discovered lying in the street by Constable Turner's wife. In the ensuing chaos, the inmate they were transporting was also shot. Subsequently, a mob formed and lynched the wounded inmate along with another of his brothers. The two brothers who perpetrated the ambush and were responsible for the deaths of the constables managed to escape. They fled the area and were never apprehended or brought to justice for their crimes.
