John Sydney Dugan, a 48-year-old white male, died on November 29, 1905, in Jefferson, Texas. He was a Deputy Sheriff for the Marion County Sheriff's Department. On November 27, 1905, Dugan and his colleague, Deputy Sheriff John W. Wilson, went to arrest a suspect. During the arrest attempt, the suspect fired multiple shots at the deputies. In the ensuing crossfire, Deputy Wilson accidentally shot Deputy Dugan. Although the initial reports suggested that the wound was not necessarily fatal, Dugan succumbed to his injuries two days later on November 29, 1905.
Following Dugan's death, Deputy Wilson was charged with murder, as was customary at the time, despite the shooting being accidental. Wilson posted bond and was released. The suspect involved in the initial incident was arrested, but details about his identity and the disposition of his case remain unknown.
Deputy Dugan was survived by his wife, Alice Thacker Dugan, and seven children, three of whom had died as infants. He was buried in Kellyville Cemetery in Marion County, Texas, next to his mother, Mary Ann Dugan, and his three infant children.
The case took another tragic turn when Deputy Wilson was shot and beaten to death in his home on March 24, 1906. Wilson and his family were tenants on the farm of John Coffman. A dispute arose between the Coffman family and Wilson's family after one of Coffman's sons married and subsequently left Wilson's daughter. John Coffman and his son, Ben, were convicted of Wilson's murder. John Coffman received a 20-year prison sentence, while Ben Coffman was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
