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Night Marshal James Basham and City Marshal James Ryan were shot and killed, and another officer was wounded, while attempting to disarm a deranged man at the Hotel Estes. A man, F.O. Hawes, who had been walking up and down the Pleasant Hill to Warrensburg train flourishing a pistol, got off of the train in Warrensburg still displaying the pistol. He went to a telephone at the old Hotel Estes, located diagonal from city hall, and was noticed by Night Marshal Basham who tried to get Hawes to give up the gun. Hawes refused stating that he believed they were attempting to get his money. As this event unfolded Marshal Ryan and Night Marshal Pollack approached. An attempt to disarm Hawes failed and he pulled away from the officers and fired. The first shot struck Marshal Ryan in the bowels and as Marshal Ryan fell he was shot twice more in the shoulder and forehead. Night Marshal Basham was then struck, the bullet penetrating his liver and passing through his body. Night Marshal Pollock then sustained a gunshot wound to the leg but survived. Marshal Ryan died nearly instantly and Night Marshal Basham died the next day.
Hawes was shot by hotel porter, L. Little, before he could leave the scene. Hawes staggered up into a hotel stairwell when another gunshot was heard. He was discovered in the stairwell where he apparently shot himself in the heart.
Night Marshal Basham and Marshal Ryan were both interred side by side in Sunset Hill Cemetery, Warrensburg, Missouri 100 feet north of the Confederate Memorial.
Night Marshal Basham was survived by his wife, Julia Isabelle.
Article by Brent Marchant
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