Louisa Cop Slain, Judge Calls Special Session of the Court!

 

Officer Bert Hampton
Courtesy of Officer Down Memorial Page

June 27, 1937, probably started out just like any other day for Patrolman Bert Hampton of the Louisa Police Department in Louisa, KY.  But sadly, the day would end in tragedy.

Patrolman Hampton attempted to arrest Magoffin County truck driver for drunken driving near the intersection of Perry Street and Jefferson Street, shortly after midnight.

According to reports, Walter Wireman, age 40 of Magoffin County, KY, and the driver of the truck, had gotten stuck on the railroad tracks and was attempting to get unstuck when Patrolman Hampton arrived on the scene.  It was then that Patrolman Hampton determined Wireman and his passenger Lawrence G. Carpenter to be drunk.

Hampton informed the two that they were both under arrest. A few seconds later, Wireman began firing at officer Hampton with a .45 caliber revolver at close range.  On of Wireman's bullets tore away the little finger of the officer's right hand and hit the handle of his pistol.  Another bullet pierced his leg. A third bullet went through his abdomen and a fourth bullet went through the officer's tie.

Hampton, although knocked to the ground by the impact of the large caliber bullets, emptied his revolver at Wireman. One of the officer's bullets grazed Wireman's forehead and another shot off two toes of his left foot.

Carpenter, who had gotten out of the truck at the request of Officer Hampton fled the scene during the exchange of gunfire.  Wireman also left the truck and escaped out of town afoot.

Approximately 40 minutes later, a party of fishermen from Huntington, WV, accompanied by Ed J. Vinson learned of the shooting and stopped at John Pannel's filing station to inquire more details. They were told that just moments before, a stranger had offered $20 to take him to Magoffin County.  

 The party left the filling station and a short time later, took Carpenter into custody near the intersection of Blaine Road and the Mayo Trail on the outskirts of town.  The stranger, Lawrence G. Carpenter, admitted he had been with Wireman at the shooting.  The party then turned him over to officials where he was arrested and held as an accomplice. He was later released under bond.

Meanwhile, posses of officers and citizens alike formed and left Louisa at intervals to search for Wireman.  About 4:00 Sunday Morning, Sheriff G.F. Smith and a posse arrested Wireman as he emerged from a dark hillside and neared the sheriff's car parked with the lights off near the Judge Clayton Lane two miles up the trail.

During the search of Wireman, a .45 caliber revolver, $550.00 and a check were found on his person. Wireman stated that the money and the check were from the sale of a load of lumber.

Police said that Wireman and Carpenter, who were enroute to their homes in Magoffin County, had stopped in Louisa early the evening of the shooting and had visited several beer parlors.

After the shooting, Hampton underwent emergency surgery at a Louisa hospital. It was said that the bullet which entered his stomach also perforated his intestines 21 times. He later died in the hospital.

 

As the result of the shooting, Judge Walt M. Prichard declared a state of emergency and therefore ordered that a special term of the Lawrence Circuit Court be convened in Louisa to deal with the crimes.

Wireman was held without bond in the county jail. Carpenter was charged with aiding and abetting. However, he was released under a $5,000.00 bond after Judge L.D. Fyffe waived an examining trial.

At the examining trial, Carpenter was represented by Attorney Harry H. Ramey of Salyersville.

Wireman denied that he fired the first shot. He was represented by Attorneys Harry Ramey and Walter Prater of Salyersville.


Meanwhile funeral services for Officer Hampton, who had been a veteran of the U.S. military were held at the Louisa Baptist Church.  The large crowd filled the church auditorium, the Sunday School rooms, and a portion of the balcony.  The message was delivered by Rev. J.C. Hager, Rev. H.B. Hewlett, and Rev. S.W. Funk.

After the funeral, Officer Hampton was laid to rest in the Bolt Cemetery with military honors    conducted by the American Legion. Several Louisa dignitaries served as pallbearers.

Officer Hampton was survived by his mother, Anna Hatfield Hampton, his wife, Nora Clay Hampton and six children. He was also survived by two brothers and two half-brothers. He had been preceded in death by his father Will Hampton.

The next week during the special session of the Circuit Court, a packed courtroom gathered to witness the trial.

There were no eyewitnesses to the shooting many in the neighborhood testified of hearing the gunshots and the moaning of Officer Hampton.

The Commonwealth tried to establish that Wireman fired the first shots, and a number of witnesses testified that they heard reports of the big gun first, followed by shots from a smaller gun. Wireman used a .45 caliber Colt and the officer a .38 caliber gun. Both guns were displayed at the trial.

Patrolman Hampton in his death bed statement said that Wireman, after getting out of the truck, followed him around the cab where he was engaged in arresting Carpenter, and opened fire on him. He was shot in the back. Officer Hampton’s death bed statement was introduced as evidence and is as follows:

“Boy’s, I’ll never make it. I’m going to die; I’ll never get out of this bed.  I saw a truck coming down the street. They were first on and then off. They got over on the railroad tracks. I went to them and helped them get off the railroad track.  The driver was drunk, and I told him he was under arrest, that he was too drunk to drive to drive the car and I’d have to take him in.  I opened the door on the driver’s side, and he got out.  Then I went around in front of the car and ordered the other fellow out.  The driver followed me and the first thing I know the driver shot me in the back.  The driver was built like Ed Scott, only smaller, and wore a cap.  The follow at the filling station (Lewis’) can identify him.”

Wireman, taking the stand in his own defense admitted shooting the officer but claimed that when we went back to the cab of the truck to turn off the ignition, the officer jerked him around and menaced him with a pistol.  He quoted the officer as saying “D---- you I’ll blow your brains out.”  He testified that he thought the officer fired the first shot, but was not certain.

Wireman stated he took a truck load of lumber to Kenova that day and that going down he s topped in Louisa and picked up a girl who went with him.  They got back in Louisa about dark and during the interval between their arrival and the shooting they went around to several beer parlors and admitted to being “pretty high” from drinking beer.


The Commonwealth Attorney, E. Poe Harris, sought the death penalty, stating that the killing of Officer Hampton was one of the worst crimes in Lawerence County and deserved the death penalty.


Although he was unsuccessful in getting the death penalty, Attorney Harris and a packed courtroom  witnessed Walter Wireman being found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. The jury consisting of eleven men and one woman deliberated an hour and 15 minutes before rendering the verdict.

Mrs. Hampton and her six small children remained throughout the trial. She was brought to tears on several occasions, especially when the slain officers cap and gun were displayed.

As for Wireman’s accomplice, Lawrence G. Carpenter, I was unable to find an outcome for him. But it was reported at the time of Wireman’s trial that he may not be tried at all.


To make this tragedy even sadder, Officer Hampton’s mother, Annie Henson, passed away just four days after his murder. She had been ill for quite some time.  She passed without even knowing about the murder of her son.