HISTORY OF PASCO COUNTY

Sheriffs of Pasco County

The following list is under construction. There may be errors. Some dates may be approximate.

Note: Grady and Phillips were appointed officials.

History

James Grady was the first Sheriff, appointed by the governor in 1888, and was succeeded in 1891 by the first elected Sheriff, S. J. O'Dell.

The first Pasco County jail was built in 1892 in Dade City, and consisted of two cells plus an isolation cell and a wing used for the Sheriff's living quarters. This was replaced in 1909 by the Court House Square jail, providing 16 two-man cells, two female and two juvenile cells, and a large bull pen holding cell which could hold 20 inmates.

In 1966, new jails were built on both sides of the county. Dade City was the official county seat and the east side of the county had the higher population. This jail facility accommodated 124 inmates and served as the Sheriff's Office and East Side Communication Center. The New Port Richey facility, which included a court house, had a pair of two-man cells and a 16-man holding cell.

In 1981, as the population boom shifted to the west side of the county, a new Sheriff's Office facility was built in the Government Center in New Port Richey. Attached to the Sheriff's Office Administration Center was the West Side Jail, designed to house 106 male, female and juvenile inmates. In 1985, due to overcrowding, an additional wing was built and capacity was increased to 163 inmates.

In 1991, the Pasco County Detention Center opened as a state-of-the-art correctional facility in Land O' Lakes. The capacity is 352 inmates, with expansion capability for 1,100 prisoners.

In 1998, the Dade City jail reverted to a holding facility for records and property evidence. The New Port Richey jail was renamed the Detention West Facility and transformed to provide secure housing for the more unmanageable inmates in custody.

Second Legal Hanging Was Carried Out

The second legal hanging to be carried out in Pasco county was performed Friday afternoon in the jail yard, when Edgar London, a negro convicted of murdering his wife, was hanged by Sheriff I. W. Hudson. The execution took place at ten minutes past one in the presence of a large crowd of whites and blacks who had come in for miles around to witness the affair.

The negro was led to the platform by Sheriff Hudson and Deputy Osburn. He was accompanied by Rev. Father Francis, who had been with him all during the day, preparing him for his death. While the noose was being adjusted about his neck by Deputy Osburn, the negro displayed the utmost composure, never flinching once during the nerve-racking ordeal. He had the side of his face to the crowd and his lips could be seen moving in prayer. He never offered to say anything to the crowd, but kep his head well up and an erect position to the last, exhibiting a wonderful nerve. The black cap was placed over his head and the trap was sprung by Sheriff Hudson at 1:10. His neck was broken by the fall, and in six minutes he was pronounced dead by Dr. E. L. Reigle, the attending physician.

The body was prepared for shipment and sent to his mother at Hawthorne.

It will be remembered that London killed his wife at Ehren sometime last summer. He was tried and convicted in the October term of Circuit court and sentenced by Judge Reaves to be hung. The first legal hanging ever to take place in this county was performed by Sheriff Sturkie in 1913, when a negro named Tom Bush was hung for a similar crime.

Fallen Lawmen in Pasco County

Deputy WILLIAM HENRY NIX O'BERRY (1889-1926). On Jan. 1, 1926, the New Port Richey Press reported in an article titled "Elfers Deputy Shot by Negro" that Deputy Sheriff Henry O'Berry was shot and killed near Dade City by Charles Davis, whom he was attempting to arrest. Davis was later seriously wounded and captured near Ocala. A Dade City Banner article of Apr. 30, 1926, reported that Davis was believed to have been lynched when he was being transferred from the Ocala jail to Brooksville for trial. The article said that O'Berry had attempted to arrest Davis at Richloam on a charge of stealing a dog. It reported, "Henry O'Berry, of whose murder Davis was accused, was a member of one of the best known pioneer families in Hernando and Pasco counties." According to information provided by Linda D. Hill and Charles Blankenship, W. Henry O'Berry was the fourth child of Daniel M. O'Berry and Mary Ann Nicks. He was born Jan. 17, 1889, in Spring Lake. Daniel was one of four brothers who came from Ga. Mary Ann was the daughter of William R. Nicks and Sophronia (Mitchell). William was a brother to Henry Robert Nicks.

Constable JOHN HERBERT MCCABE died in a Tampa hospital on June 26, 1948 at age 24. He is listed as a deputy sheriff or a constable or a "sheriff's constable." He was killed in an auto accident on his way to investigate a theft of heaters in an orange grove in Drexel. A truck smashed into the deputy's car on U. S. 41.

Florida Highway Patrol Trooper JAMES "BRAD" CROOKS and Tampa police detectives Randy Bell and Ricky Childers were murdered by Hank Earl Carr on the State Road 54 exit ramp off of I-75 on May 19, 1998. The section of road and the Gowers Corner highway patrol station now bear Crooks' name. Carr had earlier fatally shot his girlfriend's 4- year-old son in Tampa. He later killed himself in a Hernando County gas station. Crooks was 23 and in his first year as a law enforcement officer.

Capt. CHARLES "BO" HARRISON was shot and killed June 1, 2003, while sitting in his patrol car outside Rumors nightclub in Lacoochee. Harrison graduated from Mickens High School in in 1965. He spent more than two years in Vietnam as a paratrooper. Harrison became Pasco County's first black patrol deputy. Alfredie Steele Jr. was convicted of the murder on April 26, 2007. Authorities said Steele confessed to the crime, and that Harrison was not the target. Steele was angry at law enforcement because of the May 10, 2003, death of Michael Anthony Reed, 23, killed in a crash while being pursued by a deputy.

(?) SHELDON NICKS (1886-1909) was shot to death at Fivay on May 8, 1909, by a man he was trying to arrest. Nicks is is identified in Tampa Morning Tribune articles as a Hernando County sheriff's deputy. However, on July 24, 1909, the Gainesville Daily Sun identified him as a Pasco County deputy.

Three Counties Pay Respect to Dead Officer

Pasco, Hernando and Pinellas counties joined hands Sunday afternoon in paying respect to the memory of Henry O'Berry, who was killed Friday morning by Charlie Davis, colored, while resisting arrest at Richloam. An audience of more than a thousand people were present at the funeral services which were held in Townsend House cemetery, one of the oldest burying grounds in this part of the State, and where the remains of several generations of the forbears of the murdered man lie in their last, long sleep.

Mr. O'Berry was a member of one of the oldest of the pioneer families in Hernando and Pasco counties and had hundreds of friends in all sections, all of whom apparently were sat the obsequies.

The services were in charge of the Masonic lodge of Elfers, of which he was a member, and large delegations from the lodges of Dade City, Tarpon Springs and Brooksville were present to pay respects to their deceased brother. Former State Senator Rev. J. M. Mitchell of Elfers delivered the funeral address and in a feeling manner called attention to the manly virtues of the deceased, and endeavored to comfort his sorrowing parents and relatives with the hope of meeting him in a better land "where sorrow and weeping are no more." The floral offering were most magnificent, and attested the great love borne by all to the deceased. A delegation from the Dade City Post of the American Legion attended in uniform as a mark of respect to their departed comrade.

Henry O'Berry was a deputy of Sheriff Hudson and at the time of his death was living in Lacoochee. Sheriff Cobb of Hernando county authorized him to arrest a negro, Charlie Davis, who was visiting at a turpentine still at Richloam in Hernando county, and who was wanted on a charge of forgery.

In furtherance of this duty, Mr. O'Berry drove to Richloam Friday morning and stopped at the house where Davis was staying. He resisted the attempts of the officer to arrest him and a scuffle ensued, during which Mr. O'Berry succeeded in locking his handcuffs about one of the negro's wrists. The negro finally managed to break away from the officer and ran around the house, pursued by Mr. O'Berry. When back of the house, and out of sight of anyone, two shots were heard, and the officer fell with a bullet wound through his neck.

Following the killing Davis took the dead man's car and drove to several houses in the neighborhood, finally returning to the scene of the killing and, stopping the car on the dead body. He then abandoned it and made his escape into the swamps close by.

Murderer Shot in Marion County

Sheriff Hudson of Pasco and Sheriff Cobb of Hernando county were immediately notified and hastened to the scene. A large posse was sworn in and for twenty-four hours the entire country was searched without finding any trace of the killer. At the end of that time the tired watchers were relieved and another group of angry citizens took their places.

Saturday afternoon Sheriff Cobb was notified at Brooksville that the murderer had been caught in Marion county and was in jail at Ocala. He immediately drove to that city, only to learn that he had been wounded so seriously that he could not be moved, and probably would not recover. According to the statements of the Marion county officers Davis had managed to elude his pursuers and cross the Little Withlacoochee river, and secreted himself until night, when he slipped on board the night Seaboard train.

He was first seen by a policeman when he climbed down from between the tender and baggage car of this train in Ocala. The police officer gave chase, but lost him, and immediately notified the sheriff. A posse was organized and Davis was finally located about five miles from Ocala. When ordered to halt he started to run, and was shot through the shoulder with a high power rifle carrying a soft nosed bullet, which it is believed entered his lung.

Negro Believed to Have Been Lynched

On Monday night, while returning from Ocala with Charlie Davis, colored, charged with the killing of Deputy Sheriff Henry O'Berry at Richloam January 1, Sheriff Cobb of Hernando county was held up by a mob of twenty or more men at a point between Istachatta and Brooksville, and his prisoner taken from him. No information as to the fate of Davis has been obtained, and although the officers have scoured the surrounding country, no trace of him has been found up to Thursday morning. It is believed that the negro was lynched and his body hidden in the Withlacoochee river, which is being dragged in an effort to recover it.

Henry O'Berry, of whose murder Davis was accused, was a member of one of the best known pioneer families in Hernando and Pasco counties. The killing occurred when the officer attempted to arrest the negro on a charge of stealing a dog. The murderer made his escape, but was later seriously wounded and captured near Ocala. He was kept in jail there for safe keeping and was being removed to Brooksville for trial when taken from Sheriff Cobb.