Marshal Manes was shot and killed by an army deserter.

Marshal Manes was notified that a man from Richland had deserted from the army at the Jefferson Barracks and may be headed toward Richland. Marshal Manes captured the man on July 24, but when the man was granted permission to say goodbye to his grandparents he ran out of the back door and escaped. Marshal Manes found the suspect three days later working in a hay field north of Richland and arrested him cuffing the suspect to the Marshal's own wrist. Walking back to Richland, they came within 200 yards of the Richland city limits the deserter suddenly struck Marshal Manes, knocking him to the ground. The suspect struggled with Marshal Manes who called to a nearby woman to go for help as the man was going to kill him. The suspect disarmed Marshal Manes and shot him in the head. The Marshal died instantly and the suspect, James C. Pritchett, warned the woman to go home or he would kill her, then escaped into the woods. Pritchett later surrendered himself to police at nearby Stoutland, Missouri. He had deserted from the Army nine days after reporting for basic training.

Pritchett was charged with second degree murder and tried twice, the first time resulting in a hung jury, then sentenced to 10 years in prison. Subsequent appeals resulted in the case being reviewed by the Missouri Supreme Court. The contention that Marshal Manes, a city marshal and Pulaski County deputy sheriff, was acting outside his authority when he arrested Pritchett in neighboring Camden County. The resulting ruling of the court was that in 1898 the U.S. Congress had passed legislation empowering any civil officer to arrest a deserter and return him to military authorities. The court decision stated that Marshal Manes acted not in his position of a marshal but that of an agent of the United States Government when he arrested Pritchett and could have done so anywhere within the State of Missouri. This decision remains the guide for law enforcement arresting deserters in Missouri to this datein Missouri vs. Pritchett. Pritchett's sentence was commuted May 8, 1914.

Marshal Manes was survived by his wife, Myra. Interred: Oaklawn Cemetery, Richland, MO.

Article by Brent Marchant