Constable Hamilton Perry Dalton

Constable
Hamilton Perry Dalton
Vigo County Sheriff's Department
Tuesday, August 2, 1927

Age: 60
Served:
Badge #:

Not Included
Indiana Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters Memorial

Not Included

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Tuesday, August 2, 1927
10:15 am
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
531 South 6th Street, West Terre Haute
Incident County:
Vigo
Incident Township:
Sugar Creek
Weapon Used:
.38-caliber handgun
Suspect Disposition:
Sentenced to 2 to 21 years
Burial Place:
Bethesda Cemetery, West Terre Haute

Constable Hamilton Dalton was shot and killed while attempting to serve a writ of execution at a home in West Terre Haute.

After speaking to the man's wife at the front door of the residence, he approached the subject to advise him about the writ. When the man stated he could not pay his $38 grocery bill, Constable Dalton inquired about the ownership of a vehicle in the garage.

The man demanded he leave his property before producing a revolver and shooting Constable Dalton in the right jaw. A passer-by saw the wounded constable in the front yard and transported him to Union Hospital in Terre Haute where he died.

The 35-year-old offender was indicted for first-degree murder and was later sentenced to 2 to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. The man had previously served a prison term for manslaughter of a man near Fontanet.

Constable Dalton, from Larimer Hill, was the Sugar Creek Township constable elected to a four-year term in office. He was widowed and survived by his two sons and two daughters.

Historical Note

Constables were created during the Indiana Territory and continued to exist after statehood in 1816. Depending on the time period, they were either appointed or elected to their positions at the township level with one- or four-year terms in office. Constables had police powers to make arrests with countywide jurisdiction. Since 2004, constables are only authorized by state law in Marion County townships having a small claims court where they are elected to four-year terms in office.

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This officer, discovered in 2019, has not been submitted for consideration as an eligible line of duty death to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund by the Vigo County Sheriff's Department.

This officer, discovered in 2019, has not been submitted for consideration as an eligible line of duty death to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund by the Vigo County Sheriff's Department.

Read more on our research on Remembering Our Fallen Township Constables in our News Release.