Fallen Peace Officer. On Saturday, June 3, 1882 at about 11:00 a.m., Rico Town Marshal George L. Smith attempted to arrest two suspects who had been charged with stealing saddles. He had the arrest warrants and was accompanied by Dolores County Sheriff W. H. Dawson. The wanted men, Thomas Wall, 18, and "Trinidad Charlie" Cummings, 23, were in a house in Rico and had just received word that the Marshal was looking for them. They were preparing to leave when the officers arrived and entered the house without knocking. As the officers entered, Cummings drew his gun and opened fire. Marshal Smith was shot in the leg, side and head. Wall and Cummings both then ran from the house with Sheriff Dawson firing 5-6 rounds, all of which missed the two suspects. Marshal Smith died within minutes from his wounds. Wall and Cummings stole two animals from some packers just outside of town and a few minutes later stole a horse from a wagon to make their escape.
A posse began the pursuit which ultimately led to their capture a week later by La Plata County Sheriff Watson and Deputy Bacon about 120 miles SE of Rico near the San Juan River on the Navajo reservation. The prisoners were transported to Durango by Sheriff Watson who then went to Rico to collect the $1,500 reward offered for Wall and Cummings. Dolores County Undersheriff Misch then travelled to Durango and brought the prisoners back to Rico. On Thursday, June 14th, Wall and Cummings were interviewed by the local newspaper where Trinidad Charlie admitted that he did the shooting and that Wall never had a gun in the house when Marshal Smith was shot. Late that night, or early Friday morning, a group of Rico citizens got past the four guards at the jail and took the prisoners out and hung (lynched) them in the stable behind the jail. Marshal George L. Smith was buried in the Rico Cemetery on June 4, 1882. Newspaper accounts state that about 1,000 people attended the funeral and "the largest procession ever seen in Rico" followed him to his final resting place. Marshal Smith is memorialized on the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial at Camp George West in Golden.
A posse began the pursuit which ultimately led to their capture a week later by La Plata County Sheriff Watson and Deputy Bacon about 120 miles SE of Rico near the San Juan River on the Navajo reservation. The prisoners were transported to Durango by Sheriff Watson who then went to Rico to collect the $1,500 reward offered for Wall and Cummings. Dolores County Undersheriff Misch then travelled to Durango and brought the prisoners back to Rico. On Thursday, June 14th, Wall and Cummings were interviewed by the local newspaper where Trinidad Charlie admitted that he did the shooting and that Wall never had a gun in the house when Marshal Smith was shot. Late that night, or early Friday morning, a group of Rico citizens got past the four guards at the jail and took the prisoners out and hung (lynched) them in the stable behind the jail. Marshal George L. Smith was buried in the Rico Cemetery on June 4, 1882. Newspaper accounts state that about 1,000 people attended the funeral and "the largest procession ever seen in Rico" followed him to his final resting place. Marshal Smith is memorialized on the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial at Camp George West in Golden.
Fallen Peace Officer. On Saturday, June 3, 1882 at about 11:00 a.m., Rico Town Marshal George L. Smith attempted to arrest two suspects who had been charged with stealing saddles. He had the arrest warrants and was accompanied by Dolores County Sheriff W. H. Dawson. The wanted men, Thomas Wall, 18, and "Trinidad Charlie" Cummings, 23, were in a house in Rico and had just received word that the Marshal was looking for them. They were preparing to leave when the officers arrived and entered the house without knocking. As the officers entered, Cummings drew his gun and opened fire. Marshal Smith was shot in the leg, side and head. Wall and Cummings both then ran from the house with Sheriff Dawson firing 5-6 rounds, all of which missed the two suspects. Marshal Smith died within minutes from his wounds. Wall and Cummings stole two animals from some packers just outside of town and a few minutes later stole a horse from a wagon to make their escape.
A posse began the pursuit which ultimately led to their capture a week later by La Plata County Sheriff Watson and Deputy Bacon about 120 miles SE of Rico near the San Juan River on the Navajo reservation. The prisoners were transported to Durango by Sheriff Watson who then went to Rico to collect the $1,500 reward offered for Wall and Cummings. Dolores County Undersheriff Misch then travelled to Durango and brought the prisoners back to Rico. On Thursday, June 14th, Wall and Cummings were interviewed by the local newspaper where Trinidad Charlie admitted that he did the shooting and that Wall never had a gun in the house when Marshal Smith was shot. Late that night, or early Friday morning, a group of Rico citizens got past the four guards at the jail and took the prisoners out and hung (lynched) them in the stable behind the jail. Marshal George L. Smith was buried in the Rico Cemetery on June 4, 1882. Newspaper accounts state that about 1,000 people attended the funeral and "the largest procession ever seen in Rico" followed him to his final resting place. Marshal Smith is memorialized on the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial at Camp George West in Golden.
A posse began the pursuit which ultimately led to their capture a week later by La Plata County Sheriff Watson and Deputy Bacon about 120 miles SE of Rico near the San Juan River on the Navajo reservation. The prisoners were transported to Durango by Sheriff Watson who then went to Rico to collect the $1,500 reward offered for Wall and Cummings. Dolores County Undersheriff Misch then travelled to Durango and brought the prisoners back to Rico. On Thursday, June 14th, Wall and Cummings were interviewed by the local newspaper where Trinidad Charlie admitted that he did the shooting and that Wall never had a gun in the house when Marshal Smith was shot. Late that night, or early Friday morning, a group of Rico citizens got past the four guards at the jail and took the prisoners out and hung (lynched) them in the stable behind the jail. Marshal George L. Smith was buried in the Rico Cemetery on June 4, 1882. Newspaper accounts state that about 1,000 people attended the funeral and "the largest procession ever seen in Rico" followed him to his final resting place. Marshal Smith is memorialized on the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial at Camp George West in Golden.
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