Guard Benjamin Franklin LaRue

Benjamin Franklin LaRue

Guard Ben LaRue was beaten to death with a hammer by two inmates inside an employee's apartment, across the street from the state prison in Huntsville.

The two men had gone to the apartment to repair a telephone. After beating Guard LaRue, the two were changing clothes in the apartment when they were interrupted by a juvenile trusty. The two inmates tied the boy up and then fled with Guard LaRue's service revolver.

The boy was able to free himself after about 30 minutes and called for help. A posse of over 1,000 men was sent out in search for the two suspects. The two suspects were finally stopped when they got into a fight with a 72-year-old farmer in Rosebud. The farmer, who weighed 140 pounds, shot and killed one , 23, during the altercation and shot and critically wounded the other who was 26. The wounded inmate recovered and was charged with murder.

On September 25, 1947, the inmate was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on October 25, 1961.

Guard LaRue had served with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for 7 years. He was survived by his wife and six sons. He was buried at Center Hill Cemetery near Crockett, Texas.