Great ca 1939 Sheriff of Lamb County Texas Badge Named to Sam Hutson Sheriff from 1939 to 1944

ARTIFACT:

This is a Great circa 1939 Sheriff of Lamb County Texas Badge Named to Sam Hutson Sheriff from 1939 to 1944. 

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When a Lamb County x000D Sheriff was murdered:

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Christena Stephens For A-G Media:

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Caprock x000D Chronicles is edited each week by Paul Carlson, emeritus professor of history x000D at Texas Tech. This week's essay is by Christena Stephens, a writer and fine x000D art photographer who lives in Sundown. It examines the 1937 murder of Lamb x000D County Sheriff Franklin Loyd.

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In 1937, Littlefield residents kept their doors unlocked. x000D Children played out on the streets away from mothers' watchful eyes. For x000D residents at the time, life was idyllic. All that changed on a March Saturday x000D night when the Lamb County sheriff was gunned down near the town's railway x000D depot.

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It became a case where limited early forensics were used to x000D convict the alleged murderer, who was the 150th man to meet his end in "Old x000D Sparky", the electric chair in Huntsville, Texas.

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"Hell no, I won't drop the gun. I will kill both x000D you damn laws!" The words rang into the ears of Lamb County Sheriff Franklin x000D Loyd right before three bullets struck his body and knocked him to the ground x000D while trying to arrest a man for public drunkenness.

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On that  March 20, 1937, evening, Loyd and his deputy, Sam x000D Hutson, were unaware trouble was brewing in Littlefield.

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Three boys told Loyd and Hutson that Leroy x000D Kelley, a 32-year-old black man, was raising a ruckus with a gun and cursing at x000D everyone. As they drove toward the Littlefield depot they spotted Kelley in the x000D car headlights. "It was like he was zigzagging and walked like he had stumped x000D his toe," remarked Hutson.

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Loyd stopped the car and got out and yelled for Kelley to stop. x000D When Kelley did not stop, Loyd picked up his pace advancing toward him. As he x000D neared Kelley, Loyd reached out toward Kelley and encountered four bursts of x000D gunfire.

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Hutson grabbed at Kelley, and but lost his hold x000D during the scuffle. He ran back to the sheriff, grabbed Loyd's gun, and fired x000D at Kelley at least four times.

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Loyd had no law enforcement experience when the x000D county commissioners appointed him sheriff of Lamb County on June 11, 193A x000D humble Amherst druggist, dry goods merchant and Mason, Loyd replaced Sheriff x000D Len Irvin who was serving a two-year federal sentence for fraud. Loyd soon x000D became a vigorous law enforcement officer and was hated among the lawless x000D crowd.

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Lubbock Dr. Julian Krueger did his best to save the sheriff, but x000D the internal damages caused by the bullets were too extensive.

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Krueger removed the bullet that severed Loyd's spinal column. As x000D minutes turned into hours, it became evident Loyd would never awake from his x000D surgery. The 48-year-old sheriff died a little over 24 hours after he was shot.

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Charges were filed against Kelley after Loyd's funeral. The x000D trial was quick in the small town wanting expeditious justice for its beloved x000D sheriff. On April 5, the Lamb County Grand Jury returned an indictment of x000D murder.

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Sixty jurors were selected on April 6 and trial was set for x000D April 8 with Judge Clarence Russell presiding. Kelley's two attorneys were x000D appointed the day of the trial. On April 10 the jury came back with a death x000D verdict, the first death penalty by a Lamb County jury.

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The swift trial included testimony from Dr. Kreuger, who x000D explained the extensive details of Loyd's wounds. He even came into the x000D courtroom with the fatal bullet and introduced it as evidence.

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Following court procedures for a death verdict, x000D Kelley's attorneys filed for a motion for a new trial. Judge Russell overruled x000D that motion, and the defense attorneys gave immediate notice of appeal. Kelley x000D signed the documents with his "X".

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He was remanded to jail with his sentence suspended until the x000D appeal court decision.

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Kelley's trial was the first murder trial in Lamb County to go x000D all the way to the Appeals Court. The Court of Criminal Appeals failed to save x000D Kelley's life. On Feb.

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10, 1938, Judge Russell pronounced Kelley's x000D sentence and set his execution date.

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Kelley's life was ended in less than a year after the drunken x000D shooting. As he stepped into the execution chamber Kelley was asked if he had x000D anything to say and he mumbled, "I'm ready to go." On March 15, 1938, Leroy x000D Kelley became the 150th man to die in the infamous "Old Sparky".

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Grace Loyd completed her husband's term as Lamb County's x000D sheriff, serving from 1937 - 1939. She was named sheriff in line with the x000D traditional Texas custom where the wife was first offered the position in which x000D her husband, acting in his official capacity as sheriff, gives up his life.

2. VINTAGE:

Circa 1939 - 1944.

3. SIZE:

Approximately 2-1/4" in height x 1-15/16" in width.

4. CONSTRUCTION / MATERIALS:

Gold Plated Brass, mostly worn off. No Catch.

ATTACHMENT:

Vertical kick pin. No Catch.

6. MARKINGS:

7. ITEM NOTES:

This is from a police and law enforcement badge collection that we will be listing more of over the next few months. KEIBM21 LAGGEX11/29/21 S&TVAGJJX-TREJJX&KABJJX07/22

8. CONDITION:

6.5 - 7 (Fine - Very Fine): The badge shows moderate to heavy wear. Tongue type C catch broken and missing. Some enamel damage. This badge was worn hard in the line if duty by an "in-the-field" Sheriff.

GUARANTEE:

As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.