Escambia County, Florida Sheriff’s Office
End of Watch Tuesday, September 25, 1923
From the book, “Some Gave All,” available on Amazon or signed from the author.
Cary Ellis was a railroad engineer in Pensacola. He gained popularity among the citizens. Ellis, his wife, and three daughters – Louise, Cary, and Denise – lived in the middle of town, 815 N. Davis Street. He ran unsuccessfully for Sheriff in 1908, but he won in 1912. He served from 1913-1917.
In 1918, the City of Pensacola appointed Ellis as Police Chief. He leaned heavily on his two captains, William O’Connell and Ernest Harper. Then, in 1921, he was re-elected as sheriff – back in the saddle!
Susie McLane was mentally unbalanced, according to most of the officers and deputies who knew her. She has a lengthy arrest record, including the time she cut a man with a knife. The 50-year-old woman didn’t live at 2009 West Petterson Street (later named Cypress Street) inside the City of Pensacola – along the shore of Bayou Chico. She was staying there illegally – again. Sheriff Ellis had had to forcibly evict her before. Hurley Cobb, the owner of the house, never gave her permission to stay there, but she did anyway.
On September 25, 1923, Mr. Cobb complained to the sheriff that Ms. McLane was still at his house, and he wanted her out! She had to go – now was the time. The sheriff didn’t want to do it, but Mr. Cobb had obtained a court order to put her out. The sheriff said that he wanted to put her out “without hurting the poor old soul.”
Ellis, O’Connell, and Harper arrived at the Petterson Street address at about 4:30 PM and yelled a greeting to the woman, who had closed the doors and pulled the shades. Ellis tried to talk her into leaving. With no option, he tried to force the door. McLane shot twice at the door with a .32 revolver, missing the sheriff. As he forced the door open, McLane fired a third time, striking him in the chin and breaking his neck. He died within moments. The deputies who were with Ellis opened fire on the woman. She was dead before she hit the floor.
Suddenly…the chief law officer, the community leader, the rock that everyone leaned on, was dead. No one was ready for it.
Good job, Sheriff.