In the annals of Birmingham, Alabama's history, the story of Officer William P. Walton's end is a somber one. A dedicated officer of the Birmingham Police Department, he had served his community for fifteen years. On a Tuesday in March of 1902, Officer Walton was at his post on First Avenue when he was approached by a man who claimed to have been assaulted in a home on Morris Avenue.
Responding to the report, Officer Walton made his way to the residence, situated between Eighth and Ninth Streets. Upon his arrival, he knocked on the door and identified himself as a police officer. The door opened, and in a sudden, violent turn of events, the suspect immediately fired two shots. Both bullets struck Officer Walton in the chest. The wounds proved to be fatal, and he was killed in the line of duty on March 18, 1902. He was a male, and he left behind a wife and six children.
The man who had fired the fatal shots was promptly arrested by responding officers at the scene. He was charged with the murder of Officer Walton. The wheels of justice turned, and the suspect was ultimately convicted of the crime. Following his conviction, he was sentenced to death for the murder of the officer. On March 12, 1903, the sentence was carried out, and the man was executed by hanging.
