Written in Blood: The History of Fort Worth's Fallen Lawmen, Volume 2, 1910-1928

Chapter 11: Deputy Constable Bob Poe (December 23, 1925)

305 11 Deputy Constable Bob Poe (DECEMBER 23, 1925) “Square and unafraid” 1 THE AUTOMOBILE PUT POLICEMEN on wheels, but it also created new fields of criminal enterprise: the fast getaway, drive-by shootings, selling stolen vehicles and their parts. There was, for instance, a highly profitable black market for automotive parts. Criminals follow the money and lawmen follow the criminals . And when confronted, the new breed of criminals were just as disinclined to being arrested as their horse-stealing ancestors, a fact Constable Bob Poe discovered to his misfortune in 1925. Robert Franklin Poe was the Tarrant County Constable for Precinct No. 1, the same office held by some distinguished men before him. He was born in Alabama on January 9, 1883, and after marrying Lela Rigney, they moved to Fort Worth in 1906. She had been married before and brought two children into the marriage. By 1925, they had three children of their own, all boys ranging in age from eighteen to seven. He also had two brothers and two sisters who all lived within a day’s journey of Fort Worth. His father, G. A. Poe, lived with Bob and the family at 2265 Evans Avenue.2 The only known image of Bob Poe is the poor-quality photograph that appeared in the Fort Worth Record-Telegram at the time of his death—a studio shot contributed by the family.This artistic representation is taken from that picture. (Courtesy Robert A. Smith) 306 Written in Blood Poe fit easily into the social fabric of Fort Worth. Nobody called him “Robert”; he was just “Bob” to his many friends and fellow officers. Like most men of his generation, he was a joiner who belonged to Masonic Lodge no. 1140 as well as the Odd Fellows and the Shriners. He also faithfully attended First Methodist Church. Before coming to law enforcement, he had worked several years as a motorman on the Interurban line between Fort Worth and Dallas. His first law enforcement job was as a deputy sheriff under Carl Smith. From there he moved over to the Fort Worth Police Department where he became an “emergency officer” (i.e., reserve officer) while waiting for a full-time position to open up. In 1922, he was one of five officers riding in a squad car racing to answer a call when it collided with another vehicle. He suffered bruises and cuts, none of them life-threatening, but this was his first taste of just how dangerous law enforcement could be. While recuperating, he ran for the office of constable, Precinct 1, and won. Politicking aside, constable was historically a safer job than policeman and paid better. He ran successfully for re-election in 1924. Constable Poe was not the only member of his family in law enforcement. Brother Tom was a member of the FWPD. During three years as constable, Bob Poe forged an admirable record, mostly on Prohibition cases. No other officer in the county put as many bootleggers out of business as he did. His badge gave him authority anywhere in the county, and there was no shortage of moonshiners. He was dedicated, fearless, and incorruptible. Many times he faced down gun-toting perps, always bringing them in without resort to gunplay . The only time he used his pistol was as a club when it was necessary to take the fight out of a man before arresting him. He dealt mildly with those who tried to resist arrest, but he was the mailed fist of God against those who cursed or took the Lord’s name in vain. Several times, the District Attorney had to chastise him for using his fists too freely on the wicked. In the summer of 1925, he was charged with aggravated assault for slapping a black woman who did not take to being arrested. He was represented by Deputy Constable Bob Poe (December 23, 1925) 307 one of the best law firms in the city and was acquitted, but popular opinion was divided over whether Bob Poe was “hardboiled” or “tender-hearted.”3 Physically, Poe was a bear of a man, which may have saved his life in that 1922 car accident. It was also an advantage in police work for the sheer intimidation value in situations where a punier fellow might have had to pull his gun to make his point. Few criminals wanted to mix it up with...