Jailer Alfred Henry was dragged into a cell and beaten to death by two prisoners. Jailer Henry had gone to the jail at 8:00 am to feed the prisoners. He did not return home at the accustomed time and his wife became anxious and sent a neighbor in search of him. His body was found in a pool of blood on the jail floor at 1:00 pm at the base of the stairs leading to the upper cages. Deputy Henry was found to have sustained several blows to the head including one massive skull fracture to the side of his head. One of the prisoners had broken a hinge on one of the cage doors and laid in wait for Deputy Henry at the top of the jail stairs.

Prisoner, Ed Grady, was captured a short time later. He was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. The second prisoner, Ben Richardson, an escaped convict from the Tennessee Penitentiary, was apprehended four days later in Mammoth Springs, Arkansas. He plead guilty to the murder of Jailer Henry and was sentenced to 91 years in prison on February 8, 1900.