In the winter of 1907, a simmering resentment held by a former town marshal would tragically culminate in the death of his replacement, 40-year-old Albert Clutterbuck. A farmer by trade, Clutterbuck had taken on the role of Town Marshal in Florence, Kentucky, following the dismissal of John Meeks about a year prior. Meeks, however, harbored ill feelings, blaming Clutterbuck for his removal from the position.
This animosity festered until their paths crossed on Main Street on Saturday, December 14, 1907.
The encounter quickly escalated as Meeks began to taunt Clutterbuck, demanding to know why he had been ousted from his job. Clutterbuck denied any involvement in the decision, but Meeks refused to accept this, calling him a liar. The tension mounted, and Clutterbuck, attempting to de-escalate the situation, stepped away, remarking, "John, you know that is hard to take." His words, however, did not quell Meeks's anger. Instead, Meeks drew a. 38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver and fired three shots.
The first two bullets missed their mark, but as Clutterbuck turned to move away, the third and final shot found its target. The bullet struck him at the navel, the close proximity of the shot leaving powder burns on his shirt. The projectile tore through his intestines, inflicting a mortal wound. The gravely injured Clutterbuck was then carried to a nearby home for care.
Town Marshal Springer Carpenter swiftly arrested Meeks and transported him to the Boone County Jail. In his initial statement to a deputy sheriff, Meeks claimed he had acted in self-defense. Meanwhile, despite the efforts to save him, Albert Clutterbuck succumbed to his injuries the following day, on December 15, 1907. In the wake of his death, and with a mob gathering at the Boone County jail intending to lynch Meeks, the prisoner was moved to the Kenton County Jail for his own safety. John Meeks was later tried for the murder of Albert Clutterbuck.
