On January 30, 1908, in Palestine, Texas, 31-year-old Constable Dave Pierce, a white male, accompanied Mr. D.W. Hart to the residence of Sam Tubbs, also known as Sam Tubb. Mr. Hart had previously sold Tubbs a gas engine and sawmill equipment, for which Tubbs had failed to make payment. Constable Pierce carried civil papers to serve on Tubbs, including a writ of sequestration for the equipment.
Upon their arrival, Tubbs was not present, but his son permitted Pierce and Hart to enter the house.
When Sam Tubbs returned home carrying a shotgun, he became enraged upon seeing the two men. Without warning, Tubbs shot Constable Pierce, who succumbed to his injuries within minutes. The motive behind Tubbs' violent reaction remains unclear, but it is evident that the confrontation escalated rapidly, leading to the fatal shooting.
Following the incident, authorities apprehended Sam Tubbs. In June 1908, he was tried and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Constable Dave Pierce. This swift legal action underscored the community's condemnation of the crime and its commitment to justice.
Constable Dave Pierce was laid to rest in Olive Branch Cemetery, located in the Brushy Creek community of Anderson County, Texas. Reports from the time indicate that a significant number of relatives and friends attended his funeral, paying their respects to the fallen officer. His untimely death was a profound loss to the community he served.
