MARSHAL’S SON Shot In Raid On Still
Federal Agent Says Gun Was Discharged Accidentally In Chase For Coal Grove, Ohio Youth
Special Dispatch to the Enquirer – Ironton, Ohio, March 12 – Law enforcement came home to Marshal Jack Dalton, Coal Grove, Ohio, this afternoon. His son, Gene Dalton, 20 years old, was shot and wounded seriously by Clarence Ward, a Federal agent, who, with George Masterson, and another Federal agent, raided a still in Vesuvius Hollow, seven miles north of here.
During prohibition, Marshal Dalton was a Dry crusader
Physicians at the hospital here said Dalton was in serious condition. He was shot in the hip. The bullet, ranging upward, lodged in his lung. Ward’s report to the Cincinnati office said he and Masterson had been working out of Portsmouth, Ohio. Raiding the still, they found two men operating a 100-gallon kettle with copper coils, they said.
As the officers identified themselves, young Dalton and his companion fled, Ward, said. The companion escaped. As Dalton leaped a small creek, Ward drew his gun and gave chase. Because of recent rains, the footing was bad and Ward fell. He reported that his gun was discharged accidentally, wounding Dalton.
Ward and Masterson then drove the boy to Ironton. He walked into the hospital without assistance, leading them to believe that he had received only a superficial wound. The agents confiscated the still and a large quantity of mash and Moonshine liquor, they reported. The Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 March 1935, page 1
FEDERAL AGENT SHOOTS YOUTH – Ironton, March 14 – (AP) A federal revenue agent was brought here today to face a charge of shooting Gene Dalton, 21, at Coal Grove during a raid on a still.
The agent, C. M. Ward, 34, was arrested at Portsmouth last night several hours after the shooting on a warrant signed by A. J. Dalton, marshal of Coal Grove and father of the wounded youth, who was shot in the hip. The Newark Advocate, Newark, Ohio, 13 March 1935, page 11
Ironton – Marshal Jack Dalton of Coal Grove yesterday withdrew a charge of shooting with intent to kill against C.M. Ward, federal liquor inspector. Ward shot Dalton’s son, Eugene [Dalton], on March 12, in a liquor raid. The Journal News, Hamilton, Ohio, 30 March 1935 page 14
Wounded Youth Arraigned
Gene Dalton, 19 years old, Coal Grove, Ohio, son of Marshal “Jack” Dalton of that village, who was shot accidentally by an Internal Revenue officer several weeks ago in a raid on a distillery near Coal Grove, yesterday pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with having possessed a still. Because he still is under the care of a physician sentence was deferred. George Zornes, Coal Grove, indicted with Dalton, entered a plea of not guilty. He is to be tried later. The Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 April 1935, page 17
Marshal’s Son Is Paroled
Gene Dalton, son of the Village Marshal of Coal Grove, Ohio, who was shot by an agent of the Federal Alcohol Tax Unit, Cincinnati, last March, in attempting to escape after a raid on a still near Coal Grove, appeared before Judge Robert R. Kevin in United States District Court yesterday to plead guilty to an indictment charging violations of Internal Revenue laws.
Dalton was Indicted several months ago with George Zornes, 21 years old, Coal Grove. Zornes, who pleaded guilty last spring, has been awaiting sentence since. The sentence was deferred because of Dalton’s injury.
Yesterday Zornes and Dalton both were sentenced to a year and a day in the Federal Reformatory at Chillicothe, Ohio. Dalton later was placed on probation. The Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Oct. 1935, page 9
Liquor Law Violators
Sentences for violations of liquor tax laws to the following:
- Fifteen months to William M. Hughes, Rural Route 2, Ironton, Ohio and Clarence Forbush, Proctorville, Ohio.
- A year and a day to Jake Sowards, Proctorville, Ohio; Thomas Lake, Ironton, Ohio; Carl C. Wooten, Coal Grove, Ohio.
- Jail sentences to four months for Ralph Book and Charles Addington, Portsmouth, Ohio.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 26 October 1935, page 12
Trio Sought in Ohio Slaying
Hills Near Procterville[sic] Are Scoured for Killers of Town Marshal
IRONTON, Ohio, July 24 (AP) – Willard Hamlin, 50, fruit grower, one of three men charged with killing Wilbur (Boss) Bias, 49, Marshal of Proctorville, Ohio, surrendered to county authorities here today.
Deputies said they understood Melf Neff, former Marshal, and Thomas Nottingham, 25, the other two suspects, would surrender at Proctorville, Ohio, later in the day.
IRONTON, Ohio, July 24 (AP)- Posses of deputy sheriffs, heavily armed, searched the hills near Proctorville today for three men wanted in connection with the killing of Wilbur “Boss” Bias, 49, Proctorville town Marshal.
The fugitives are Willard Hamlin, 50, operator of an orchard; Mel Neff 35, former Marshal, and Thomas Nottingham, 25, officers said.
Sheriff Bernard Montes was told that Hamlin and the other two men, all intoxicated, returned from the market last evening to Hamlin’s home, where he obtained a gun. Mrs. Hamlin phoned Marshal Bias.
Meeting the three men, riding in a truck, Marshal Bias blocked the load with his car. One of the three-shot him over the left eye, and another, seizing the Marshal’s own pistol, fired again, two witnesses, working in a nearby field reported. The three men then fled. The Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 24 July 1935, page 19
Hunt Three in Ohio Slaying
Search Hills Near Proctorville for Men Alleged to Have Killed Marshal Wilbur Bias – Ironton, Ohio, July 24. (AP)—Deputy sheriffs searched the hills near Proctorville, Ohio, today for three men accused of slaying Marshal Wilbur “Bess” Bias, 49.
Deputy Sheriff Milt Rucker named the men sought as Willard Hamlin, 50, Thomas Nottingham, 25, and Mel Neff, 35, a former Marshal. He said Frank Daniels, a farmer, witnessed the slaying late Tuesday from a field where he was working with Fred Halleck.
Rucker said he learned the three men had been drinking. Hamlin, the operator of a large orchard, returned from the market, with the other two men. Rucker said Mrs. Hamlin summoned Bias and that the Marshal parked his automobile in front of a truck in which the three men rode. Rucker asserted [that] one of the trio shot Bias over the eye and another then took Bias’ pistol and shot him again. The Evening Independent, Massillon, Ohio, 24 July 1935, page 8
WHO SLEW MARSHAL? IT’S STILL AN ENIGMA
Coroner Hears 13 Witnesses In Ironton Case; Verdict Still Absent
Ironton, Ohio, Aug. 1 (AP) The fatal shooting of Marshal Wilbur “Boss” Bias of Proctorville, Ohio, still lacked a coroner’s verdict today despite the testimony of 13 witnesses in an inquest.
Coroner W. Wilson Lynd ordered one witness jailed and rebuked attorneys who attempted to question other witnesses while Lynn conducted the inquest yesterday. Afterward, he reserved his decision.
The witness ordered locked up was Fred Hallick of Proctorville, an employee on the orchard of Willard Hamlin, 50, who pleaded innocent to a charge of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting last Tuesday. Hallic [sic] was accused by Dr. Lynd of changing his story.
The rebuke administered by the coroner came when attorneys for Hamlin and Mal Neff, 35, who also pleaded innocent, attempted to question some of the witnesses. “This is an inquest, not a trial,” Dr. Lynd told them. S
ix of the witnesses were employees in Hamlin’s orchard, about 300 yards from the scene of the shooting. They testified they could not see who fired the shots. The Akron Beacon, Akron, Ohio 1 Aug. 1935, page 25
MARSHAL SLAYER CONVICTED IRONTON. O., Nov. 22—(AP) — A jury convicted Mel Neff yesterday of manslaughter in the slaying of Wilbur (Boss) Bias, Proctorville town marshal when the officer sought to arrest him. Neff pleaded self-defense. The Logan Daily News, Logan, Ohio, 22 Nov. 1935, page 2
Slayer Of Marshal Gets Manslaughter
Ironton, Ohio, Feb. 15 (AP) — The trial of Willard Hamlin for the slaying of Marshal Wilbur Bias of Proctorville, which was marked by charges of jury tampering and bribery, ended today in a manslaughter verdict.
Mel Neff previously had been convicted of manslaughter in the same case. The penalty is 10 to 20 years in prison. Both were accused of first-degree murder. Neff pleaded self-defense and Hamlin was not guilty. The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio, 16 Feb. 1936, page 1
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