Constable Hamilton Perry Dalton

Hamilton Perry Dalton

Constable Hamilton Perry was shot and killed while attempting to serve a writ execution upon a man for an unpaid grocery bill.

He had met the man at his home in West Terre Haute and read him the writ that had been issued by a judge. The man claimed he had nothing of value to satisfy the writ, prompting Constable Perry to inquire about the ownership of an automobile in the man's garage.

The man then produced a .38 caliber revolver and demanded that Constable Perry leave his property. He then shot Constable Perry in the head when he refused to leave. Constable Perry was able to stumble to the front of the home where a passerby found him and took him to a local hospital. He died a short time later.

The man who shot him was out on parole as the result of a previous manslaughter conviction. He was arrested and charged with Constable Perry's murder.

Constable Perry was a widower.