The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-12-04
Shot in Back While Standing at
Desk in Police Headquar-
ters Last Evening.
Murderer Hurried Out Of City on First Train
TO Avoid Possible Popular vengeance-Had
been Arrested Several Times for Bad Con-
duct---Fired Three Shots

Night Sergeant Wilfred " French
of the Cairo police force. was shot
and killed yesterday afternoon at
5:l5 O'Clock by Shern A. G.. Bankson
of Mound City. The murder was COM
mitted at police headquarters In the
presence OF Street Supervisor John
Sneehan and Officer H. II. Paul,
Chief of Police Cowell and Jailor Lutz
We're in heir private office when the
shooting occurred, but rushed out on
hearing the shots and assisted in
oyerpowering the murderer.
Three shots nad been fired in
quick succession, one Of them taking
effect in the region of the heart. It
is thought that the first SHOT was the
one that struck French, as ii was
noticed that he started TO fall to the
floor when the first shot had been
fired Only one snot entered French's
body, the others missed the mark.
the revolver used by Bankson was a
1Uil , special, 90 CdlPuft.
'Eankson had bee, at police head
quarters only 10 or IL minutes before
he fred the fatal sho;. He came into
headquarters having In his nand q
pair of hand cuffs. He asked Jailol
Lutz II he had key that would un.
lock the handouts. Lutz told him no
that they were a new kind, and sug
sfsts.i ttftat- ire - w fai iTreE aifd
have key fitted for them
Bankson sat down in chail
against the wall and when Sargean
French came in to get ready 10 go OF
duty for the night he stood before 8
desk which stands against the sortf
wall Of the room near the front anC
began to pin his star uDon his coat
While he was doing this Banksor
asked him if he mad key that would
unlock the pair OF handouts he he'll
in his hand. French answered "Nc
haven't" Bankscn then got VI
from his chair and started towap
the front, wheeled around and white
French was still In the act Of pinnins
on his star and his back was towar;
Bankson, the shots were fired, one
shot entering the middle OF Frenc1''
back and reaching the region of tlt
heart, as stated
Officer Paul. when the FIRST sho
snot was fired, made e alb for th'
pistol and finally succeeded In wrest
ing 1t from the murderer's grasp, afte
he had fred two more shots. Frencl
| fell to the floor and within a few
minutes expired
The cause Of the shooting is said Z
have been pistol which had beef
taken from Bankson when he was al
lrested some days ago = disorderll
house. He insisted on having th'
weapon returned to him which wa!
refused and he became angry at Sar
geant French because Of this refusal
| The Murderer,
Bankson's term as sheriff Of u
laski county expires Monday, and M
successor, Fred Wehrenberg, takei
the office. Bankson has been sheriI
of the county the past four years AM
at the last primary election his son
| Mannon, was the Republican nom
nee, but was defeated at the genera
election by the Independent cand
date, Wehrenberg. Bankson, accord
ling to number OF his constituents
has frequently disgraced the Office b
shooting affrays. drunkenness an
association with bad women. He ha
been frequent visitor at Cairo, NOR
so lately since he brought a dsssol'it
woman here from Mounds and estat
llisned her In a house at 2l2 Thil
1 teenth street.
1t has been necessary several uhe
to place him in the city jail here oi
| account of drunkenness or because 2
creating disturbances. He made
gun play recently at the disorderl
house referred to and was arrested Y
Sergeant French and officer kenned
The woman's name Is Myrtle Stevens
Bankson is said to have taken seV
eral shots at her wnen she lived 2
Mounts.
He went about town yesterday w
iting a number OF saloons and takin
drinks at most Of them. When o
entered rolice headquarters / wa
not noticed that he had been drini
ing very heavily. 10 his short tai
with those at headquarters he SCENE
to be in fairly sood humor, an
while asking IL anyone had a key tina
would fit the handouts he held
n. NIL