Deputy Sheriff Tom Stewart

Tom Stewart

Deputy Tom Stewart was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man at Four Mile. The man, who had previously been arrested by Deputy Stewart, fired a shot into the ground then warned the deputy he would be killed if he attempted to arrest him again.

The man then shot Deputy Stewart as he tried to arrest him. The suspect was apprehended several days later. In 1901 he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life but he was granted a new trial and acquitted. On May 28, 1904 he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years. He was paroled on April 1, 1910. A few days later he was sent back to prison for violating his parole. He was again released from prison in 1913 and became the leader of a band of criminals committing several crimes throughout Bell County. On December 26, 1913 at Four Mile, he and his gang were involved in a shootout with several Bell County deputies, other men, and members of the Kentucky State Guard. Deputy Stewart's brother who was a Bell County Deputy exchanged several shots with the suspect. When it was over the suspect had killed a man and wounded a Bell County Deputy. On June 10, 1914, he was apprehended in West Virginia. He was returned to Bell County and convicted of the man's murder and sentenced to life on February 10, 1915.