The Tex Sprague Incident
Written by Justin D. Lamb
“The story reads like a romance in which bold, bad men plot to ruin their neighbors by all sorts of diabolical plots and evil machinations,” reported The Paducah Sun on February 18, 1901 concerning the Tex Sprague incident. Trouble had been brewing between Tex Sprague and Vernon Blewett for quite some time as tensions quickly mounted between the two. Originally from northern Kentucky, Sprague had moved to Little Cypress in the latter part of 1898 and gained a reputation with his neighbors as one of those characters who had the innate ability to instantly arouse the ill will of many.
The fight between Sprague and Blewett began in January 1900 concerning a dispute over hogs. What started as an argument soon became physical when Sprague pulled out a large hunting knife and stabbed Blewett. Blewett survived the attack and Sprague quickly fled the scene.
A young man by the name of Lee Walters witnessed the stabbing and called for help. A posse was organized to track down Sprague with several threatening to lynch him once he was found. Before a vigilante hanging could occur, Sheriff L.E. Wallace arrived in Little Cypress to restore order and Sprague was soon caught. The prisoner was taken to Benton for trial and was fined $500 for the incident and ordered not to get into any more trouble or he would be run out of the county.
Peace seemed to be restored to the Little Cypress community until two weeks later when a shot rang through the window of Lee Walters. The load of buckshot hit the pillow on the bed where Walters usually sleeps, but Walters was not in the bed at the time. Walters soon contacted officials and reported that after the shooting he ran out of his house and spotted Tex Sprague who rode off into the night.
Officials went to the home of Sprague and found him in his bed asleep. Sprague denied the shooting, but he was arrested and taken to the courthouse in Benton. The following morning, Sprague was brought before Judge Shemwell, fined $75, and told to leave the county.
Soon after, both Walters and Sprague moved to Paducah where Walters filed suit in civil court against Sprague requesting money for mental strain he had endured as result of the shooting. Walter was rewarded $175 for damages.
It seemed the matter was settled until December 1900 when John Foley, a former neighbor of both Sprague and Walters, let it slip to Paducah Attorney Will Bradshaw that his brother, Henry Foley, was hired by Walters to shoot into the window.
A few days later, Henry Foley came to Paducah and was questioned by Bradshaw. Foley subsequently confessed to taking money from Lee Walters and shooting into Walters’ window in order to frame Sprague. Foley said that Walters and several others in Little Cypress wanted to get rid of the deviant Sprague once and for all.
Judge Shemwell was notified in Benton and McCracken County Sheriff I.H. Rogers arrested Lee Walters for giving false information and brought him to Benton. Walters posted a $700 bond and was released to await trial which began in June 1901. After a three day trial, the jury reached a not guilty verdict at 2:30pm on June 28.
Following his acquittal, Walters filed suit against McCracken County Sheriff I.H. Rogers for $10,000 worth of damages for alleged false arrest and damages to his reputation. However, papers were never served on the sheriff because according to Kentucky law the only official who can serve papers and arrest the Sheriff is the County Coroner, and at the time, McCracken County Coroner George Phelps had been confined to his bed for several months due to a chronic illness.
The twisted saga of Tex Sprague and Lee Walters had finally come to an end.