Sheriff William D. Preston

William D. Preston

Sheriff William Preston and Deputy Sheriff Barney Stiel, of the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office, were shot and killed by two brothers they were attempting to arrest near Dumas.

As Sheriff Preston and several of his deputies approached the suspect's cabin one of the brothers opened fire killing the sheriff instantly. As Deputy Stiel returned fire killing his sheriff's murderer the other suspect opened fire killing him. The other deputies shot and killed his killer and shot and seriously wounded their father as he arrived on the scene firing his rifle at them.

The next morning the suspect's father was seized from the local jail by a mob and hanged from a water tank just outside of town on the Iron Mountain Railroad.