Special Deputy Sheriff Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee

Special Deputy Lee and Special Deputy Jim Daniels were shot and killed in a gun battle with local miners during a strike at the Black Mountain Coal Company.

From Febuary to June in 1931 numerous confrontations erupted between coal miners, mine guards and law enforcement at the Black Mountain Coal Company in Evart. On April 17, during one of these confrontations, Special Deputy Jessie J. Pace of the Harland County Sheriff's Department was shot and killed. On May 5th several deputies were sent to the area to disperse the strikers who were clashing with non-union workers. No one knows who fired the first shot, but when the smoke cleared Deputy Daniels, Deputy Lee, a miner, and another man lay dead. An undetermined number of miners that were left dead and dying were carried off into the mountains. Governor Flem D. Sampson sent 370 national guardsmen to restore order. By mid June the strike had collapsed.

Six men were eventually arrested and charged with Deputy Daniels' and Deputy Lee's murder. All six were found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.