The Denison Daily Herald
Saturday, December 22, 1906
pg.1

DEATH CAUSED BY ACCIDENT
Deputy Sheriff Lee Burgess Victim of Fatal Fall Yesterday Afternoon

Died Almost Instantly
While Taking a Prisoner to Jail Officer Fell on Sidewalk, Striking His Head
with Considerable Force, Dead Man Was Sufferer from Heart Disease

While in charge of an intoxicated man, Lee D. Burgess, a deputy sheriff working in Denison, fell on Chestnut street near the jail yesterday afternoon, his head struck the sidewalk with force and he died almost instantly.  The exact cause of death is unknown, as Burgess was a sufferer from heart disease.
Burgess arrested a young man for intoxication shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon and started with him to the jail. As they were walking along the south side of Chestnut street in the 300 block they passed the home of the young man.  The prisoner wanted to go in his home and the officer objected.  There was a scuffle and Burgess hit his prisoner with a billy.  The young man dropped on the sidewalk and Burgess leaned over to pick him up.  Eye witnesses say that as he leaned over the prostrate men he pitched forward and struck his head either on the concrete sidewalk or the curbing.  When a number of the witnesses reached him he was dead.
The prisoner got up from the walk and entered his home.  He was taken in charge by Officeman John Crane of the police department, who turned him over to Constable J.R. Duer.
The sudden death of Burgess drew an immense crowd to the place.  A number of officers were quickly on the scene and took charge of the body. A physician was called and after an examination pronounced Burgess dead.  The body was taken into the corridor of the fire ho use and was later removed to the Halton undertaking rooms and from there to the family residence near Fairview cemetery.
Justice J.R. Preston began an inquest immediately after Burgess' death and examined 3 witnesses. The witnesses were Ed Finley and John Cooper of the fire department and Bud McDuffey of Sherman.  All of the witnesses testified to the same thing. In effect their testimony was that Burgess hit the prisoner and knocked him down; that he leaned over him to assist him up and seemed to slip and fall.  The witnesses declared that the prisoner was entirely innocent of blame in the matter and that he did nothing beyond being the cause of his exertions which led to his fall.
Burgess has suffered from heart disease for some time, and by many it is believed that this was what caused his sudden death.  It is very probably that as he leaned  over to help the prisoner he dropped dead, and that the injury on his head was of minor importance.  A close examination of the wound will be made by surgeons.
The dead officer was 36 years of age.  He was born April 4, 1870 at Memphis, Tennessee and had been a resident of Denison almost 30 years.  He served as special officer on the Denison police force, as deputy constable and was a deputy sheriff at the time of his death.
Decedent leaves a wife and daughter 5 years of age.  His mother, Mrs. Mary Murphy, sister, Mrs. B.H.R. Patrick, and brother, Joseph Maier, also survive him.
Funeral services will be held at noon Sunday at the late residence of decedent in Fairview cemetery, under the auspices of the Woodmen of the World.