Detective Patrick Andrew Carr, a 42-year-old law enforcement officer from Fort Smith, Arkansas, tragically lost his life on March 12, 1912, while in the line of duty. Born in Webster County, West Virginia, in October 1869, Carr had dedicated his career to public service, working as a city policeman, a Frisco detective, and later as a deputy sheriff. In 1908, he was elected as a constable for the Fort Smith District and was subsequently appointed to the city detective force.
On the evening of March 12, 1912, Detective Carr was assisting fellow officers in the pursuit of an escaped prisoner. Earlier that day, a Fort Smith police detective had observed a 24-year-old male engaged in a loud verbal confrontation with a female on Garrison Avenue. The officer arrested the male, but during the escort to jail, the prisoner managed to flee. Detective Carr, upon hearing of the escape, joined the pursuit. During the chase, shots were fired, and Detective Carr was struck above the right eye by a bullet. He was transported to St. Edward Hospital, where he remained unconscious and succumbed to his injuries nine days later, on April 1, 1912.
The suspect, identified as Sanford Lewis, was later captured. In the wake of Detective Carr's death, an angry mob formed and broke into the jail, dragging Lewis from his cell. The mob lynched him on Garrison Avenue, delivering their own form of justice.
Detective Carr was survived by his wife, Della James Meek, whom he had married on December 18, 1891, and their five children: two sons and three daughters. He was laid to rest in Oak Cemetery in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
