In the small community of Boise City, Oklahoma, a dedicated lawman's life was tragically cut short, leaving a void in the hearts of those he served and the family he cherished. Deputy Sheriff Benjamin F. Milligan, a 61-year-old male, had only been with the Cimarron County Sheriff's Office for a brief six months before his untimely death.
On January 7, 1909, Deputy Milligan had apprehended a man wanted on a warrant out of Texas.
In an act of decency, he allowed the suspect to use the restroom before transporting him. As Milligan waited patiently outside, the suspect emerged, not with hands ready for cuffs, but with a gun. In a shocking turn of events, the man fired at Deputy Milligan, fatally wounding him.
The suspect managed to escape and was never apprehended, leaving a lingering sense of injustice over the senseless killing. Deputy Milligan was survived by his wife and three children, who were left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a husband and father. His dedicated service and the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty remain a somber chapter in the history of Cimarron County.
