In the small town of Waldron, Arkansas, a brave lawman met a tragic end on a summer day in 1879. Sheriff Samuel Leming, a 44-year-old male, was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, August 17th. The events that led to his untimely death began with a domestic dispute. A local man had assaulted his wife and locked her inside their home. The terrified woman managed to escape through a window and quickly alerted a neighbor, who in turn summoned Sheriff Leming for help.
Responding to the call, Sheriff Leming encountered the husband as he was walking back towards his residence. The two men walked together, seemingly in conversation, as they approached the man's property. However, the moment the husband stepped onto his own land, he abruptly drew a handgun and shot Sheriff Leming in the abdomen. The wound proved to be fatal.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the suspect fled the scene. A group of citizens gave chase, pursuing him as he attempted to escape. When the man resisted their attempts to apprehend him, he was shot and wounded by the pursuing townspeople. Sheriff Leming was survived by his wife and five children, leaving a void in his family and the community he served.
