On Saturday, February 2, 1936, Officer Claude Washington Whyles came to the assistance of business owner Charlie Fower, who was being beaten by three men in front of Fower's Grease House. The assault resulted during the aftermath of a separate disturbance in neighboring Finney's restaurant on Weed Street. Officer Whyles pulled one of the men off of Fower when he was shot by Ernest Finney, the proprietor of Finney's restaurant. During a subsequent exchange of gunfire between Officer Whyles and Finney, Finney again fired his .38 caliber revolver at Officer Whyles, striking Whyles a second time. In his dying declaration, Officer Whyles stated he then ran toward a fire station for assistance. Newspaper reports indicated that Missouri Highway Patrolman Victor Kelso arrived on the scene and assisted in restoring order. Finney was later arrested. Officer Whyles died at Samaritan Hospital on Monday, February 3rd at 12:15 a.m. The death certificate showed Officer Whyles to have sustained gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen at 10:30 p.m. on February 1, 1936. Finney was convicted of 2nd degree murder in a trial by jury and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Officer Whyles was survived by his wife, Mary E. Whyles; a six year-old daughter, Frances; a mother, Mary Price (Graves) Whyles; and three brothers. Officer Whyles was an Army Veteran who served in WWI. Interred: Bethlehem Cemetery, Macon, Missouri.