Wyatt Luther Nugent
Encyclopedia
Wyatt Luther Nugent, also known as W. L. Nugent (October 30, 1891–April 21, 1936), was a sheriff
of Grant Parish
in north central Louisiana
, who with a deputy, Delmer Lee Brunson, was slain in the line of duty. The crime, stemming from a dispute over the enforcement of the state's tick
eradication law, is still considered the worst in Grant Parish history. Nugent, a Democrat
, had been elected to a third term in the general election
held on the day he was slain.
A former clerk of court in Grant Parish, Sheriff Nugent was the son of Matthew Columbus Nugent (1868-1955) and the former Lucy E. Walker (1873-1909). He was married to the former Lydia Ann Rosier (1895-1976), daughter of Dan E. Rosier. The couple had eleven children.
. Sam Johnson, Walter Johnson's 84-year-old father, was taken from Colfax
, the parish seat, to an undisclosed place of incarceration and held under a $1,900 appearance bond as a material witness in the case. Louisiana state police and local law enforcement officers, armed with guns, tear gas, bombs, and bloodhound
s, combed the wooded area where Walter Johnson fled.
The two Johnsons claimed that dipping cattle causes the animals to become ill. Sheriff Nugent came to serve an order from the 8th Judicial District Court upon Walter Johnson to compel him to have his animals dipped. Nugent and two other officers then began loading some of Johnson's cattle onto a truck to transport them to the dipping vat. Perched in a wooded area, Walter Johnson fired on the officers with a rifle. Brunson and Nugent were found an hour later. The Grant Parish coroner
, Dr. J. H. Sandifer, determined that the pair was killed by No. 6 buckshot slugs fired from a shotgun
. Walter Johnson was thought to have used a .30-.30 calibre rifle. It was then believed that Johnson had two weapons.
Bloodhounds brought from the Louisiana State Penitentiary
at Angola failed to pursue Johnson's trail because of heavy rains the previous night. The search was directed by Brigadier-General Louis F. Guerre, the commander of the Louisiana state police. Johnson was taken to a jail outside Grant Parish because of the fear that a mob might try to kill him. Several sheriffs, including Henderson Jordan
, who had two years earlier participated in the capture of the bank bandits and murderers Bonnie and Clyde
in his own Bienville Parish
, headed several posses of local citizens in searches of the region. The men found Johnson's truck near the scene of the shooting. The crime occurred after months of controversy between certain cattlemen and officers over enforcement of the tick eradication law.
Nugent died of two shots to the head; Brunson, of three shots to the body. A joint funeral was held for the officers at the First Baptist
Church of Colfax, with the pastor, the Reverend D. L. Goodman officiating. The funeral party then traveled to Bethel Chapel Cemetery where Brunson, who was a deputy throughout Nugent's tenure as sheriff, was buried. Nugent was then interred at the Liberty Chapel Cemetery in the Williana community in Grant Parish.
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Grant Parish
Grant Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,698 people, 7,073 households, and 5,276 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 8,531 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
in north central Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who with a deputy, Delmer Lee Brunson, was slain in the line of duty. The crime, stemming from a dispute over the enforcement of the state's tick
Tick
Ticks are small arachnids in the order Ixodida, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites , living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians...
eradication law, is still considered the worst in Grant Parish history. Nugent, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, had been elected to a third term in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
held on the day he was slain.
A former clerk of court in Grant Parish, Sheriff Nugent was the son of Matthew Columbus Nugent (1868-1955) and the former Lucy E. Walker (1873-1909). He was married to the former Lydia Ann Rosier (1895-1976), daughter of Dan E. Rosier. The couple had eleven children.
Details of the slaying
Nugent and Brunson were killed by Walter Johnson (born ca. 1894), a farmer from the Aloha community, who was charged with double murder in the slaying. After the murders, Johnson fled into the dense Lake Iatt swampSwamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
. Sam Johnson, Walter Johnson's 84-year-old father, was taken from Colfax
Colfax, Louisiana
Colfax is a town in and the parish seat of Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town, founded in 1869, is named for the vice president of the United States, Schuyler M. Colfax , who served in the first term of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, for whom the parish is named. Colfax is part of...
, the parish seat, to an undisclosed place of incarceration and held under a $1,900 appearance bond as a material witness in the case. Louisiana state police and local law enforcement officers, armed with guns, tear gas, bombs, and bloodhound
Bloodhound
The Bloodhound is a large breed of dog which, while originally bred to hunt deer and wild boar, was later bred specifically to track human beings. It is a scenthound, tracking by smell, as opposed to a sighthound, which tracks using vision. It is famed for its ability to discern human odors even...
s, combed the wooded area where Walter Johnson fled.
The two Johnsons claimed that dipping cattle causes the animals to become ill. Sheriff Nugent came to serve an order from the 8th Judicial District Court upon Walter Johnson to compel him to have his animals dipped. Nugent and two other officers then began loading some of Johnson's cattle onto a truck to transport them to the dipping vat. Perched in a wooded area, Walter Johnson fired on the officers with a rifle. Brunson and Nugent were found an hour later. The Grant Parish coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, Dr. J. H. Sandifer, determined that the pair was killed by No. 6 buckshot slugs fired from a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. Walter Johnson was thought to have used a .30-.30 calibre rifle. It was then believed that Johnson had two weapons.
Bloodhounds brought from the Louisiana State Penitentiary
Louisiana State Penitentiary
The Louisiana State Penitentiary is a prison farm in Louisiana operated by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. It is the largest maximum security prison in the United States with 5,000 offenders and 1,800 staff...
at Angola failed to pursue Johnson's trail because of heavy rains the previous night. The search was directed by Brigadier-General Louis F. Guerre, the commander of the Louisiana state police. Johnson was taken to a jail outside Grant Parish because of the fear that a mob might try to kill him. Several sheriffs, including Henderson Jordan
Henderson Jordan (Louisiana sheriff)
Henderson Jordan , as sheriff of Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, was one of six law enforcement officers who on May 23, 1934, ambushed the fugitives Bonnie and Clyde in a deadly encounter on Louisiana Highway 154 between Gibsland and Sailes to the south.-Background:According to his grave...
, who had two years earlier participated in the capture of the bank bandits and murderers Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
in his own Bienville Parish
Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Bienville Parish is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Arcadia and as of the 2000 census, the population is 15,752....
, headed several posses of local citizens in searches of the region. The men found Johnson's truck near the scene of the shooting. The crime occurred after months of controversy between certain cattlemen and officers over enforcement of the tick eradication law.
Nugent died of two shots to the head; Brunson, of three shots to the body. A joint funeral was held for the officers at the First Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Colfax, with the pastor, the Reverend D. L. Goodman officiating. The funeral party then traveled to Bethel Chapel Cemetery where Brunson, who was a deputy throughout Nugent's tenure as sheriff, was buried. Nugent was then interred at the Liberty Chapel Cemetery in the Williana community in Grant Parish.