W.L. Steele

On a spring morning in Decatur, Alabama, what began as a routine duty for Sanitary Officer W.L. Steele would tragically become his final one. The date was April 28, 1905, and Officer Steele, a male responsible for enforcing the city's health codes, had arrested a man named Will Jackson for a minor infraction. The time was approximately 11:15 a.m. as Steele began the walk to escort his prisoner to the local jail, a task he had likely performed countless times before.

The journey, however, ...

Sanitary Officer W. L. Steele