Detective Patrick A. Carr

Patrick Andrew Carr was born in 1870 in West Virginia. He was a detective on the Fort Smith Police Department when he was shot and killed. Andy Carr and his wife, Della James, lived at 601 South 17 th Street in Fort Smith and had five children: Pansy Romaine, Della Mae, Jack Meek, Margaret Stanhope, and James Andrew.

On Saturday night, March 23, 1912, Fort Smith Police Detective Andy Carr was shot and killed while helping other officers capture an escaping prisoner. Another Fort Smith Police detective, Cathey Pitcock, had observed a 24 year old black male, Sanford Lewis, engaged in a loud verbal confrontation with a black female on Garrison Avenue. Detective Pitcock arrested Sanford Lewis and began escorting him to jail. The prisoner pulled away from the detective and fled. Detective Carr observed Sanford Lewis making his escape and joined with others in pursuing the escapee. During the pursuit and recapture of the prisoner, shots were fired and Detective Carr was struck above the right eye by a bullet. The officer died nine days later in St. Edward Hospital without ever knowing what had happened to him. He was laid to rest in the Oak Cemetery. Detective Carr was 42 years old.