Circumstances of Death

Prohibition Agent Lamar Watson York left the Treasury Department garage in Washington, DC, at about 1:00 a.m.  He soon observed a suspicious vehicle and when he attempted to stop it, a chase ensued.  Agent York followed the vehicle into Brooks Court, NW, where two male occupants jumped out and ran off.  A crowd quickly gathered around the vehicle.  During an inspection of the vehicle, Agent York did not locate any liquor, but did find that the vehicle was equipped with a "smoke screen," a device often used by bootleggers to evade capture when hauling liquor.

Agent York enlisted the aid of a passer-by and asked him to summon the police.  Sometime thereafter, prior to the police arriving, the two suspects returned to the scene, shot and killed Agent York, then fled in their vehicle.  A massive investigation by Prohibition Agents and police led to the identity and arrest of three suspects: John Logan, Johnnie Borum and Martin Guy.

All three men were subsequently convicted of the murder of Agent York and sentenced to death by electrocution.  The conviction of Martin Guy was later overturned on appeal due to a lack of sufficient evidence showing his actual involvement in the murder.  According to one news account of the day, Borum had attempted to offer Agent York a bribe to release the vehicle, but when he refused, Borum killed him.

Background

Agent York joined the Bureau of Prohibition on October 24, 1927, with an annual salary of $1,860.

Personal

Agent York was born in Tennessee.  He was survived by his wife, Helen.