McKenzie city marshal slain in 1898 to be honored on national monument

McKENZIE, Tenn. — A.D. Bryant was the city marshal for McKenzie in the late 1800s. Bryant was born in Carroll County, fought in the Civil War, and returned after the war.

But in 1898, his life was cut short while working in the telegraph office.

McKenzie Chief of Police Craig Moates describes what happened all those years ago.

“He went in there, he sat down to eat his dinner. The gentlemen who he had arrested had come back and actually assaulted him with a weapon, shot and killed him,” Chief Moates said.

Bryant’s murderer committed suicide later that same day.

For over 100 years, there was little done to remember Bryant, until Moates received information about the story.

“We put together a package and submitted it to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, and he was accepted and will be put on the wall,” Moates said.

Thanks to the research at the local museum, Bryant’s name will be inducted May 13 onto the memorial in Washington, D.C. The memorial is dedicated to officers killed in the line of duty.

Moates said the city of McKenzie will also hold their own ceremony.

“May the 13th for example, we plan on laying a wreath or something, having a ceremony for him at the gravesite on that day,” Moates said.

Now, Bryant’s story will be part of a larger national story. Moates is thankful for the opportunity to lead the effort.

“It’s remembering. It’s not forgetting. We want to do our part to make sure any fallen officer is remembered,” Chief Moates said.