[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 70 (Friday, May 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E981-E982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMEMORATING THE INCLUSION OF SHERIFF JOSEPH GIBSON AND SHERIFF
EVERETT GIBSON OF WAYNE COUNTY, KENTUCKY, ON THE NATIONAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL
______
HON. HAROLD ROGERS
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Friday, May 14, 1999
Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, this week in the Nation's Capital we all
stand humbled by the sacrifice of 312 brave Americans. The names of
these Americans will be added to thousands of others engraved on the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The panels of the memorial
wall contain the names of officers killed in the line of duty, some
dating back to the 1800's. The new names will be added this week at
ceremonies here in Washington--a commemoration which traditionally
attracts more than 10,000 police officers and survivors of fallen
officers from across the country.
On the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial there are stories
of gallantry, bravery, sacrifice, honor and duty. There is also the
tragic story of Wayne County, Kentucky, whose citizens I represent here
in the United States Congress. The families of Wayne County have the
sad distinction of losing their county sheriff to violence in late
1946, only to see his successor also shot down in cold blood over two
years later. It's a tragedy made even more difficult with the knowledge
that these two fine public servants, these two brave law officers, were
also brothers.
Joseph Gibson was elected Wayne County Sheriff in 1945 by one of the
largest majorities ever bestowed on a county official at that time.
Elected while in his early 60's, Sheriff Joseph Gibson was noted for
his fairness and determination. It was this determination which led
Sheriff Joseph Gibson to his death: a dogged search for a fugitive
ultimately led him into the path of a waiting sniper. His death on
December 22, 1946, marked the first time a sheriff had been killed in
the line of duty in the 146 year history of Wayne County.
Joseph Gibson's younger brother, Everett, took up the responsibility
of chief law officer for Wayne County. Right after being sworn into
office, Sheriff Everett Gibson continued his brother's work of seeking
out bootleggers and destroying their stills. On July 25, 1949, Sheriff
Everett Gibson and Deputy Bill Sexton were investigating reports of an
illegal still when they were ambushed. Sheriff Everett Gibson was shot
dead on the spot, but Deputy Sexton, although wounded, escaped. He
recovered from his injuries and testified at the trial that convicted
the killer and his accomplices.
Reporter Mitchell Gregory told the story of Sheriff Joseph Gibson and
Sheriff Everett Gibson this past Wednesday, May 12th, in the Wayne
County Outlook newspaper of Monticello, Kentucky. I have been
encouraged by Outlook editor Melodie Phelps to include the full text of
that article in the Record and ask for it to be printed at the
conclusion of these remarks.
I want to extend my congratulations to retired police officer Mark
Byers, whose determination resulted in the names of Sheriff Joseph
Gibson and Sheriff Everett Gibson being included among the names of the
other brave men and women listed on the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial.
[Wayne County (KY) Outlook, May 12, 1999]
Former Gibson Brother Sheriffs To Be Honored
(By Mitchell Gregory)
Editor's Note.--Names of the men accused in these deaths
have been omitted and are only identified by initials. These
events happened nearly half a century ago, and we did not
write this article with the intention of dredging up hurtful
memories for family members who may still reside in Wayne
County. This article was written in honor of the two sheriffs
who will receive recognition this week.
The late 1940's were trying times for law-abiding citizens
in Wayne County. It was sorrowful times for the Gibson
family, who lost two brothers who were slain while honoring
[[Page E982]]
their oath to uphold the law and provide security for the
county they served.
This week in Washington, D.C. those brothers, Joseph and
Everett Gibson, will be commemorated for their service to
their profession and the stance they made which ultimately
cost them their lives. The two will be included on the Police
Memorial Wall in the nation's capitol during a ceremony on
Saturday, May 15.
The Outlook was contacted several weeks ago by Mark Byers,
a retired police officer who is a relative of the Gibson
family. Byers was the one who noticed the omission of the
Gibson brothers on the Memorial Wall and set the wheels in
motion for their inclusion.
Joseph and Everett were sons of John and Belle Frogge
Gibson. They both attended local schools and lived in Wayne
County most all of their lives. Joseph was the oldest of the
two, a poultry and fur business man. Everett was a farmer
most of his life before finishing the term of his elder
brother.
According to a 1946 Wayne County Outlook article, ``he
(Joseph) was elected Sheriff of the county at the November
election in 1945 by one of the largest majorities ever given
a county official (at that point.)''
It seemed Gibson, who was in his early 60's, was a very
well-liked politician in the county, even by the man who took
his life on December 22, 1946. In fact, according to
testimony from the murder trial, the accused had gone on a
fugitive search with the sheriff prior to the shooting
incident.
The accused was D.M., who was 28 years old at the time. He
would eventually spend the rest of his life behind bars,
though it took quite some time for this decision to be
rendered. Court proceedings were held at the Monticello
National Guard Armory where a jury sentenced him to death by
the electric chair at Eddyville.
Attorneys for the accused, however, requested a change of
venue. The trial was moved to Fayette County but the jury
there issued the same sentence.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals, however, disagreed and said
that the proceedings in Fayette County were too far away
from Wayne County. Finally, the lasting decision came from
a Pulaski County jury which ordered D.M. to life in
prison.
It was Sunday night in December when the shooting occurred.
Joseph Gibson and his family were getting ready for church,
recalled Brook Gibson, son of the late sheriff. D.M.'s mother
came to their home and said her son was drunk.
Brook Gibson, who was 28 years old at the time, offered to
go with his father to investigate, but Joseph Gibson told his
son to go on to church. By the time the service was over,
news was spreading around town that the sheriff had been
killed.
Following is part of The Outloook's account of that night.
Gibson and Chief of Police Charles Back responded to the
call which led them to what was known as the Sheep Lot area
of Monticello. Back arrested M.T. and took him to jail.
Sheriff Gibson captured J.T. and the two proceeded to look
for D.M. when they heard a voice say, ``Is that you, Joe?''
According to testimony, Gibson replied ``Yes, is that you.
(D.M.)?'' A shot was then fired from the home.
Chief Back went back to Sheep Lot to aid Gibson, whom he
could not find. ``So he returned to town and picked up
Policeman Wiley Gregory and returned and soon located Mr.
Gibson's body lying in an alleyway,'' the news article
stated.
The two police officers pursued D.M. who later fired at
them from horseback. ``The charge struck the ground between
the men,'' The Outlook reported.
The accused was apprehended, taken to jail, and
interrogated the rest of the day. When apprehended, he was in
possession of a box of .22 caliber cartridges.
The Outlook article continued, ``Investigating officers
reported they found a discharged .22 caliber cartridge shell
inside the home near the window from which J.T. said the
fatal shot was fired. A .22 caliber bolt action rifle
believed to have been the murder weapon was found at the home
of (the accused's brother-in-law) who resided next door, the
brother-in-law told the officers the gun belonged to him, but
D.M. had borrowed it several times recently and that he had
seen it in D.M.'s home earlier in the day.''
On the stand, D.M. responded to his accusations. The
Outlook paraphrased the testimony as so: ``He said he carried
a shotgun because he had helped the sheriff search for L.C.,
whom he identified as an escaped convict, and who, he said,
had been hiding in nearby woods. He said he had been told
that L.C. was mad at him. He said he didn't know the sheriff
had been killed until he was removed from the City Jail to
the County Jail. Several .22 rifle shells found in his
pockets were explained by D.M. his business as a hog-
killer. He said he started borrowing a rifle from his
brother-in-law last November.''
The defense had anticipated testimony that would provide
D.M. with an alibi. J.C. was going to testify that he and
D.M. ``were together at the time of the shooting, several
hundred yards from where it took place,'' according to an old
newspaper article report.
J.C. did not show up in court. A state witness later
testified that D.M. had said he ``took a crack at Joe
Gibson.'' There were over 100 witnesses in the trial.
In the 146 year history of Wayne County, this marked the
first time a sheriff had been killed in the line of duty. But
it would not be the last. Joseph's younger brother, Everett,
took on the responsibility of Wayne County Sheriff and served
the people until he was killed on July 25, 1949.
``Everett came in and took dad's place,'' said Brook
Gibson.
Everett continued the term as his brother had before,
seeking out and apprehending bootleggers and crushing stills.
In the February 24, 1949 Outlook, an article reported,
Sheriff E.M. Gibson and Chief of Police Russell Hill made a
raid on the Shady Nook Service Station and arrested two men.
The officers confiscated 17 cases of beer, one case of
whiskey, and an automobile. A previous raid there the month
before had netted 37 cases of beer and ten pints of whiskey.
On July 25, Sheriff Everett Gibson and Deputy Bill Sexton
traveled toward Murl to investigate reports of a still.
``When they entered a clearing where the still was located,
they were fired on,'' reported The Outlook.
Gibson was hit three times, dying instantly, according to
the article. Sexton was also hit three times but, ``made his
escape and got to the road where he was picked up and brought
to town and then taken to the Somerset Hospital,'' the
newspaper stated. Sexton recovered from his injuries.
Three men were indicted by Wayne Circuit Court and charged
with murder, according to an August 1949 article.
The men pled not guilty and asked for a change of venue,
which they were granted. The trial was moved to Lincoln
County. In Stanford, H. R. was convicted of murder and
sentenced to life in prison. The other two were convicted of
manslaughter.
Brook Gibson said he was not aware that this father and
uncle were omitted from the police memorial, until he was
contacted by Byers several months ago. Byers sent Gibson
paperwork that needed to be completed to include the brothers
in the memorial.
``It's a nice gesture,'' said Gibson. ``I think they
deserve recognition the same as any veterans that were
serving their countries.''