In the early 1900s, the town of Lancaster, Kentucky, grappled with a section known as the 'Chute,' an area rife with illegal activities like bootlegging and gambling. Patrolling this challenging environment was Policeman George Pollard, a man dedicated to upholding the law alongside Police Chief Beazley. On Monday, April 23, 1906, Officer Pollard's commitment to his duty would cost him his life.
The fatal encounter began when Pollard arrested a white man named William Humber for
violating the local option law. Humber, influenced by the rhetoric of the whiskey element that claimed officers were overstepping their authority, resisted arrest and was verbally abusive. After being taken to the police court and giving bond, Humber did not let the matter rest. He returned to a crime-ridden area known as Battle Row, and upon seeing Pollard, he opened fire.
Mortally wounded, Officer Pollard managed to draw his own pistol and fire at Humber, striking him in the breast. An officer who was with Pollard also returned fire, wounding Humber before arresting him. Pollard was carried to a nearby doctor's office, but his injuries were too severe, and he died within minutes. The community was shocked and outraged, with public sentiment leaning towards a much harsher punishment than what was ultimately delivered.
William Humber was subsequently sentenced to twenty-one years in prison. In the wake of the tragedy, the citizens of Lancaster rallied around Pollard's family, raising a significant amount of money to support his wife, Mittie Jane, and their seven children. The business community showed their respect by closing their doors during his funeral, which was attended by a large portion of the town's residents. The profound loss was further compounded for the Pollard family when one of George's daughters, Maud, died of typhoid fever in August of the same year, followed by his wife, Mittie Jane, who passed away after a long illness in January 1908.
