In the autumn of 1911, Francis M. Blair, a 36-year-old male serving as a Special Patrolman for the Whitesburg Police Department, met a violent end. His death unfolded on what was tragically his own birthday, November 15th, in the line of duty. A former member of the United States Marshals Service, Blair was known as a cool, quiet, and honest citizen, a man who had earned the respect of his community and was seen as a friend to the industrial and business interests of Letcher County.
On that fateful day, Blair, accompanied by a deputy sheriff, ventured into Perry County to apprehend a man named Wash Morgan. Morgan was wanted for the shooting of a police officer in Wise County, Virginia. The officers located Morgan at his family's home and entered to speak with him. The situation quickly escalated, and Morgan opened fire. A bullet from Morgan's revolver struck Blair in the chest, mortally wounding him. As he staggered out of the house, he collapsed on the grass, his life slipping away.
The gunfire continued, and the deputy sheriff with Blair was also struck, sustaining a severe wound to his knee. Despite his injury, the deputy managed to return fire until Morgan's weapon was empty, at which point Morgan fled the scene. The wounded deputy, unable to assist his fallen comrade, crawled for half a mile to the nearest house to summon help. A posse was quickly formed in Whitesburg, led by a family friend, which returned to the scene and brought Blair's body home.
Following the shooting, a manhunt for Wash Morgan ensued. He was eventually captured and brought to trial for the murder of Special Patrolman Blair. The trial, however, was held in Perry County, where the crime occurred. According to accounts from Blair's family, the trial was fraught with injustice. With only the wounded deputy as an eyewitness for the prosecution, the testimony of Morgan's family members, who were not all present at the time of the shooting, swayed the proceedings. In the end, Wash Morgan was convicted and sentenced to just two years in prison.
