Patrolman Ebert Crout

Ebert Crout

Patrolman Crout and Patrolman Harold Roth were shot and mortally wounded by a man they surprised operating a liquor still in a gravel pit.

As the officers were attempting to take the suspect into custody, he grabbed Patrolman Crout's service revolver and shot both of them. The suspect was captured a short time later, along with his father and another man who were with him at the time of the shooting. Both officers died from their wounds hours later.

The suspect was transported to a jail in a neighboring county because of fear of being lynched. The next day officers were on their way back with the suspect when he suddenly jumped from the vehicle and ran. He was shot three times after he ignored orders to halt. The next day the suspect was shot and killed by a police officer in his hospital room when he tried to take the officer's service revolver away from him.

Patrolman Crout had served with the Middletown Police Department for 2.5 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.