Past officers recalled in Jackson County ceremony

By Kate McCardell

Published: May 20, 2008

One by one, their names were called and black balloons representing each fallen officer were released into the sky. As the balloons rose high above the crowd, their shadows still touched the grass, symbolic of the love and legend each officer left behind.

It was a somber moment at the seventh annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day outside the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, where living officers were celebrated for their work and lost officers where honored. 

Sheriff John McDaniel, flowered wreath in hand, made his last walk to the fallen officer memorial in front of the sheriff’s office that he has served for more than a quarter of a century.

It would be the last time McDaniel would perform the wreath ceremony at the appreciation day as sheriff, leaving his post to run in the election for House of Representatives, District 5.

As bagpipes streamed out “Amazing Grace,” McDaniel stoicly gazed at the stone fixture that memorialized those who died in the line of duty, including one of his deputies, and his wife.

On the other side of the memorial, a row of empty chairs held seven black balloons.

The first balloon was released in honor of deputy sheriff John Ivey, who died in 1921.

According to JCSO records, the 30-year-old Ivey went to a moonshine whisky raid and was shot during that raid by a man named Talmage Schuller. He left behind a wife and one son who was 3 years old.

The next balloon was for deputy sheriff Dave Hamm, who died in 1934. Hamm and his sheriff were en route to deliver three convicted bank robbers to the Washington County Jail, according to JCSO records.

While en route, one of the bank robbers pulled a gun and started shooting in the vehicle.

One of the bank robbers, Robert McKinney, and Deputy Hamm both died of gunshot wounds in the Washington County Hospital.

The next balloon to rise was for the third Jackson County officer to fall. Deputy sheriff William D. Thomas died in 1940. According to JCSO records, he was on routine patrol when he was advised of a drunken driver on Highway 231. Deputy Thomas spotted the suspect vehicle and gave chase. He lost control of his vehicle at a high rate of speed and wrecked, and died as a result of his injuries, according to JCSO records.

Balloons four and five were for deputies Allen Heldon Finch and Aaron Lee Creel, who were both killed in 1963.

JCSO records say that in the early morning hours of the July 4, 1963, three convicted inmates in the Jackson County Jail set fire to their cotton mattresses in an attempt to escape.

According to the records, “The jailer called the local fire department and the inmates were taken out of their cells. The inmates were overcome by the toxic fumes of the burning mattresses, but revived in the street in front of the jail.

The inmates were taken to Jackson Hospital for treatment. Deputies Creel and Finch were to guard the prisoners. One inmate, Weaver expressed a need to go to the bathroom. The deputies escorted him to the bathroom. Inmate Weaver (being a big man) jumped one of the deputies and managed to get his gun. Inmate Weaver shot and killed both deputies. They both died as a result of their wounds that morning.”

Creel was married and had four children. Finch was married and had one child.

Sgt. James A. Bevis was honored with the sixth balloon. He was killed in 1985.

“On the night of April 4, 1985, Sgt James Bevis responded to an armed robbery which had just occurred in a small town in Jackson County. Deputy Bevis spotted a vehicle which matched the description of the vehicle used in the armed robbery. He began to follow, then stopped the vehicle. He got the suspects out of the vehicle and advised the station that he was okay, that he had the suspects and a gun and purse that had been taken in the robbery,” said JCSO records.

But, according to those records, one of the suspects jumped Deputy Bevis, took his gun and then the two suspects shot Deputy Bevis three times with his own gun. He was married and had two children.

A balloon marked by a stuffed German shepherd toy marked the loss of the canine Lighter, who was struck by a car at 3 years old.

Most Jackson County residents know the story behind balloons number eight and nine.

McDaniel’s wife Mellie was killed in her driveway last year, along with Deputy Harold Michael Altman.

Though she was not a sheriff’s deputy, Mellie McDaniel had strong ties to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office “family.”

Raised in Calhoun County, Mellie eventually came to work with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in September of 1997 as a victim’s advocate. In 2006, she transferred from Domestic Violence work to assisting the Department of Children and Families on child abuse cases.

She was murdered on Jan.  30, 2007, in the driveway of her home by a man who was suspected of killing his own wife back in 2001, and his accomplice, according to JCSO records.

She left behind two daughters, one son, five grandchildren, and her husband of 13 years, Sheriff John McDaniel.

Deputy Altman was also killed during the incident.

He was fatally shot while responding to a call for help at the McDaniel residence.

According to JCSO records, he was the first unit to arrive and found the sheriff’s wife had been shot. The two armed men, Lionel Sands and Daniel Brown, opened fire on Altman and killed him.

The sheriff and two deputies arrived at the scene moments later and became involved in a gun fight with the two men, killing both of them.

Altman was married and had two children.

Nine members of his family were at the Appreciation Day event and accepted roses from event sponsors, the Optimist Club and Crime Stoppers.

Many organizations and volunteers took part in the event, including American Legion Post 241 of Sneads, who offered the Colors and a gun salute.