Deputy Sheriff Hugh Craft was born in Madison County, Alabama on 6-Feb-1875. He would live in the area for the remainder of his lifetime. He worked more than 25 years as a deputy in Madison County. He had been working the last years of his life searching out and prosecuting violators of liquor laws. It is largely believed that this led to his murder.
Deputy Craft along with Deputy G. Lilley were supposed to testify against a Bart Anderson in a Huntsville court on the morning of 12-June-1929. Deputy Craft left his home near Owens Crossroads around 06:20. It is believed that no one was with him when he left home. No witnesses saw him pick up anyone along his way either. He traveled along on the road to Esslinger Mountain. This section of road was flanked by dense woods on both sides. Unaware that two assassins waited in ambush behind a bush on the crest of the mountain. Deputy Craft’s vehicle approached the bush when one of the murderers blasted the vehicle with a shotgun. The wounded Deputy drew his service revolver as the car careened through the woods some 50 yards before striking a tree. His revolver fell to the floor of his Chevrolet. The murderers then walked up to the vehicle and shot the wounded Deputy Craft point blank in the head. Their cowardly deed finished they fled in a car that was hid just up from the ambush site. Upon investigation it was determined there was two areas where men waited in ambush. If the first had missed the second would have finished the deed. Farmers working in a nearby field said they heard two shots one from a shotgun then another shortly after from a pistol or rifle. They also claimed to have seen a strange vehicle pass by after hearing the shots. Deputy Hugh Craft was discovered with his head slumped resting in his left hand. The shotgun pellets had entered the back of his head just behind the right ear. Bloodhounds were brought in from Chattanooga to search the area. The coroner J.R. Poole immediately formed a jury, the verdict being that Deputy Craft had been murdered by parties unknown to the jury. On a warm June morning in the mountains of North Alabama death found Deputy Hugh Craft murdered in his car by two cowardly assailants. The murder of Deputy Hugh Craft remains unsolved to this day 84 years later!
Deputy Hugh Craft age 54 years of the Madison County, Alabama Sheriffs Department End of watch was 12-June-1929 just before 07:00. He was survived by his wife, Cornelia, son, Earl, daughter, Gertrude, Sister Judge Carter of Guntersville, family, and friends. May Deputy Hugh Craft RIP!
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