In the spring of 1881, a palpable sense of duty hung heavy in the air for William Fountain Beattie, the sheriff of Crittenden County, Arkansas. A man of standing in the community, he had moved to the area and established himself as a cotton planter before taking on the mantle of law enforcement. His tenure as sheriff began in early 1878, first by appointment from the governor to fill a vacancy, and later that same year, affirmed by the vote of the people.
On a fateful day in April, specifically the 21st, Sheriff Beattie was engaged in the perilous work of pursuing an escaped fugitive near Marion. The individual had been apprehended for burglary but had managed to slip from custody while being transported to jail. It was during this pursuit that the sheriff's life was abruptly ended. He was shot and died instantly. The man responsible for his death was later apprehended.
The community's anger over the murder of their sheriff was immediate and intense. Public sentiment ran high, with many calling for swift and severe retribution. However, in a remarkable display of composure and respect for the law, William's brother, George Beattie, addressed the impassioned crowds. He urged them to allow the legal process to unfold and for the accused to receive a fair trial.
His plea for adherence to the law was heeded. The man accused of killing Sheriff Beattie was tried, and ultimately convicted of the crime. In early June, before a crowd of two thousand people, the sentence was carried out, and the convicted man was hanged. Following his death, Sheriff William Fountain Beattie's body was transported back to his home state of Virginia, where he was laid to rest in the Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County.
