In the waning days of November 1898, the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was shaken by the violent death of one of its prominent citizens. Robert Warnock, a 40-year-old male who served as the Chief Deputy Sheriff, was killed in the line of duty on November 27, 1898. A man of considerable standing in the community, Warnock had previously held influential city positions and was once a candidate for mayor, making his sudden demise all the more impactful.
The fatal encounter occurred when
Warnock, accompanied by two other deputies, attempted to apprehend a fugitive named Will Goldston. Goldston was an escaped murderer from Autauga County, and the deputies had tracked him to a house in the lower part of the city. As the lawmen approached and demanded his surrender, Goldston, who was inside with his wife, opened fire through the door without warning.
In the ensuing chaos, Chief Deputy Warnock was struck by multiple bullets and fell, his life tragically cut short on the steps of the house. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the suspect, Will Goldston, managed to flee the scene and make his escape. The brazen killing of a high-ranking law enforcement officer sent ripples of shock and outrage through Birmingham.
Following an intensive manhunt, the noted desperado Will Goldston was eventually captured. Faced with the evidence and the gravity of his crime, Goldston confessed to the murder of Chief Deputy Sheriff Robert Warnock. He admitted to shooting Warnock through the door as the officer attempted to perform his duty. Goldston's confession brought a close to the search for the man who had gunned down a respected figure in the city's history.
