The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-13
ROY THORNTON
SHOT To DEATH
LAST NIGHT
WAS MEMBER OF DALLAS POLICE
FORCE AT THE TIME - FOR
MERLY RESIDED HERE AND
WAS WELL KNOWN.

Roy Thornton, who resided in this
city for several years, and formerly
was a member of the Ardmore fire
department, and later a member of
the police department, was shot to
death in Dallas last night. He was
a member of Ardmore Camp, Wood
men of the World, and Clerk ]. f.
Gait of that order says the remains
will be brought to Provence for bur
ial tomorrow.
Today's Dallas News says:
The long list of Dallas police of
| ficers killed and wounded in the dis
charge of their duty was increased
by two last night when Patrolman
/ w. r. Thornton was killed and Motor
cycle Officer c. C. Booth was so
badly wounded that he will have
crippled right hand the rest of his
| life.
The shooting took place in an alley
running north from Main street, be-
tween Lloyd and Pryor streets, about
o'clock, following the arrest of a
young man by officer Thornton on
misdemeanor charge. Officer Booth,
who was nearby at the time, heard
loud remarks being exchanged be-
tween Thornton and the man he had
-, l.. IN
and inquired if he needed any as
sistance Thornton told him no. but
asked him to call the patrol wagon.
Both turned and walked a few steps
down the alley toward Main street
when he heard the roar of a shotgun
short distance behind him. There
was instantly another binding nash
and loud report, and Booth, upon
attempting to reach for his pistol,
found he was unable to use his right
hand.
Booth heard Thornton cry out to
him: Call the ambulance" and saw
the forms of two men emerge from
the alley and, finding himself unable
to stand on his feet without suffering
pain, he leaned against a telephone
post A passing automobile, occupied
by c. Mitchell and Tom Finn Of 1922
Crockett street, stopped and picked
up the wounded officer.
Drive me to the Emergency hos
pital, I am wounded" Booth told the
men, and as the car sped toward the
city hall he informed them that "an-
other officer is wounded in the alley
near where you found me-"
At the Emergency hospital it was
soon ascertained that Booth was SER
iously hurt, and he was cent TO st. |
Paul's sanitarium. Mitchell and Finn
then accompanied the emergency |
squad from police heldiuarters TO |
where Thornton lay wounded and
bleeding in the darkness. lie was
still alive when his fellow officers |
bent over his PROSTATE body, to hear
him hoarsely whisper, Boys, I'm
going to die"
He was picked up and placed in
the squad car and driven directly 10
St. Pauls sanitarium, but as the big !
machine drew up at the entrance to
the sanitarium, Thornton breathed
his last, and was pronounced dead by
DIR. w. w. Samuel moment later.
The body was taken in charge by
the George A. Brewer company. Ex-
animation OF the body showed that
Thornton had been shot from the
right side. A charge Of buckshot had
struck him in the right arm, COM
pletely shattering that member. Sew
eral shot entered the pleural cavity,
severing two large arteries and en-
tering the heart.
Thornton was 81 years of age and
entered the service of the police de-
partment July %, 1913. His record
since that date was perfect and the
only notation made on the record
book was that entered at 9 o'clock '
asst night by Police Captain Turley, '
Killed on the night of Jan. u, 1916" /
Thornton came to Dallas from Ard {
more, Okla. Police Commissioner
and Superintendent Ryan
laid they deplored his untimely end,
Is he was rated a fearless and ef- I
icient officer. Commissioner Winfrey I
lirected that everything possible be {
lone for the comfort and coincidence S
f Mrs. Thornton. l