James W. Brooks
Cut, Stabbed, and Killed in the Line of Duty, July 19, 1905 On Wednesday, July 19, 1905, at approximately 12:00 noon Collinsville
City Marshall James W. Brooks arrested Z.T. Trice for failure to
pay court fines issued six weeks earlier. Trice was in his buggy
with his wife, and on his way to Fort Worth to have his foot treated.
After making the arrest, Brooks had Trice sit down in a chair. Brooks
was apologizing to Trice's wife when Trice came up behind Brooks and cut
him across the abdomen and to the heart. Brooks fell to the sidewalk
and was pronounced dead by a doctor within two minutes. Daily Times Herald
Researched by Terry Baker
James
W. Brooks, born in November 1841, was a pioneer peace officer and
operator of the first drug store after the city of Collinsville was
moved to its present site. Mr. Books was postmaster in 1886 and
was city marshal of Collinsville, serving five years, until his death
in 1905. He was secretary of the Knights and Ladies Lodge of
Collinsville. City Marshall James W. Brooks was survived by his
wife Nannie, had seven children, with four surviving him. No
death certificate or cemetery records for James W. Brooks have been. Z.T. Trice was arrested and charged with the murder of Collinsville
City Marshall James W. Brooks. Grayson County District Clerk records
show that Cause #9863, The State of Texas vx. Z.T. Trice, charge - murder,
was tried and on October 26, 1906, the jury gave the following ruling.
"We the jury find the defendant not guilty."
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