Ralph Marcum, a 30-year-old White male, served as the town marshal of Fallsburg, Kentucky, in the spring of 1902. On April 19th of that year, his duty led him into a fatal confrontation that would cut his life short. The incident began when Marcum attempted to serve a warrant on a man who had been reported for firing a revolver in the town at night.
During the attempt to make the arrest, the suspect, identified as George Cooksey, brandished the same revolver and shot Marshal Marcum. The shots were devastating, striking Marcum in the heart and head, and he was killed instantly at the scene. In the immediate aftermath, another individual who was present, Police Judge Ed. Webb, drew his own weapon and fired at Cooksey five times, striking him with two bullets. Cooksey's wounds, however, were not life-threatening.
Following the shooting, George Cooksey was taken into custody. The legal proceedings that followed culminated on March 10, 1905, when he was convicted of manslaughter for the killing of Town Marshal Ralph Marcum. For his crime, Cooksey was sentenced to serve two years in prison.
