Town Constable Walter Burden

Walter Burden

Town Marshal Walter Burden was shot and killed on the street while attempting to arrest some men for creating a disturbance at 3:00 pm.

Five men were in town, creating a disturbance to attract the attention of Marshal Burden. When he slipped a handcuff on one of the men, the subject drew his revolver and shot Marshal Burden. Marshal Burden returned fire, killing the man. He was taken to the physician's office, where an operation to save him was unsuccessful. He succumbed to his wound at 11 pm.

Marshal Burden had been hired to bring law and order to McHenry, and it is believed that the men sought Marshal Burden to kill him or scare him to leave the area. The four other men were indicted for conspiracy to commit murder but were acquitted.

Marshal Burden had served only two months with the McHenry Police Department and previously served with the Town of Fordsville. He is survived by his wife, mother, and two brothers.

Marshal Burden's brother, Chief of Police William Burden, was killed while serving an arrest warrant on Friday, April 7, 1950.