Deputy Sheriff John Wesley West

John Wesley West

Deputy John West died two days after being shot by another deputy.

On March 5th Deputy West and Deputy Ben Fowler went to public movie showing in a school auditorium in Robbins, Tennessee. Also in the audience that evening was the town physician, Dr. Wylie E. Foust. During the movie it was noted that Deputy Fowler was visibly drunk.

Deputy Fowler became enraged when some children in the movie audience laughed too loudly. He jumped up from his seat in the middle of the audience and shouted threats of arresting the children. At that point, his fellow deputy, Deputy West, and Dr. Foust got up from their own seats and tried to calm Deputy Fowler down which only infuriated him further.

Deputy Fowler then pulled both of his pistols from their holsters, brandished them in the crowded auditorium and opened fire, killing Deputy West and Dr. Foust. He was subsequently convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. He was executed in the Tennessee electric chair on January 25, 1928.