Deputy Sheriff Charles E. Smith
First NH Law Enforcement Officer
Slain in the Line of Duty
the research into Deputy Smith’s
line-of-duty death being conducted
by the editors Knight Stick and
the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office.
Knight Stick wishes to extend
its appreciation to the following
persons and agencies for their assistance in this ongoing research effort:
Special Agent “Chip” Houle,
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
Strafford County Sheriff Wayne
M. Estes
Captain Kerry Lee Clement, Strafford County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Paul Rowe, Strafford
County Sheriff’s Office
Chief of Police Richard P. Conway, Barrington Police Department
Chief of Police Scott Young,
Strafford Police Department
Amy Richards, Librarian for the
Town of Barrington
Denise Lafrance, Reference Librarian, City of Dover Public Library
The New Hampshire State Library, Concord, NH
Barrington NH Historical Society
Pat Rowe and Janet Pohl
eputy Charles E. Smith, Strafford County Sheriff's Office, died on May 23, 1891 as a result of gunshot wounds received while perfecting an arrest
for horse thievery in the Town of Strafford on the "Sodum Road," known also as the "Johnsonboro Road," located at the foot of "Mile Hill" near a point
where the Mohawk River crosses Route 202A and intersects with the Sloper Road.
What follows is an excerpt taken from A History of Barrington, N.H. written by Morton H. Wiggin (3rd Printing 1991, by permission of the Barrington Historical
Society; printed by Cadorette Printing Company, Rochester, New Hampshire) pp. 129 and 130.
ince horses were so valuable, horse
stealing was common but a very serious
crime. Late in April 1891 the salesman
for "Kendall’s Spavin Cure" arrived
at Calef’s in a very attractive wagon drawn by a pair of beautiful black horses.
He engaged board for himself and stabling for his horses for a few days.
While he was there a good looking and apparently well
educated young man, who gave the name of McArthur, also engaged room and board at Calef’s. He helped the Calef
boys, Austin and Albert, with their studies
and went out of his way to be well
liked. On Monday or Tuesday of the following
week, after everyone had retired,
McArthur quietly stole out to the stable,
hitched one of the Kendall horses to Josiah
Calef’s new top buggy and, leading
the other Kendall horse behind the buggy,
he started away from the stables. To throw
off his pursuers he turned left at the parsonage
and followed the back roads to
Strafford Corner. Then he went to
è
