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John James Arthur Cobain

Case from Montesano, WA dated Sep 08, 1938

Victim Details

Name

John James Arthur Cobain

Gender

Male

Race

White / Caucasian

City

Montesano

State

WA

Date Of Death

1938-09-08

Age At Death

49

First Name

John

Last Name

James Arthur Cobain

Last Updated

07/08/2026

Case Description

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In the late summer of 1938, a tragic and unforeseen event cut short the life of John James Arthur Cobain, a 49-year-old White male and veteran peace officer in Grays Harbor County, Washington. On the evening of September 8th, the deputy sheriff was seated on a stool at the beer counter of a store in Markham. As he reached into his pocket, likely for a cigarette, his own automatic pistol fell from its hip pocket holster.

The firearm struck the floor and discharged a single, fatal shot. The ...

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Links to Additional Sources (4)

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Arthur James “Art” Cobain (1888-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Arthur James “Art” Cobain (1888-1938) - M?morial Find a Grave

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Forum Posts (3)

I've been thinking a lot about the safety protocols for law enforcement officers back in the 1930s, ... ...Read More
04/11/2024

I’ve been thinking a lot about the tragic passing of John James Arthur Cobain, and I keep coming b... ...Read More
03/26/2023

I recently stumbled upon the story of Deputy John James Arthur Cobain, and it really touched me. Wha... ...Read More
03/11/2023

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