Don Coleman McDonald

Male 1920 - 1948  (27 years)


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  • Name Don Coleman McDonald 
    Born 12 Mar 1920  Fordyce, Dallas County, Arkansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 14 Feb 1948  Springhill, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Springhill Cemetery - Springhill, Louisiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I2394  Cody LeBlanc's Family Tree
    Last Modified 18 Feb 2021 

    Family Maggie Evelyn Cochran,   b. 29 Oct 1921, Sarepta, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Nov 2006, Sarepta, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Married 23 May 1940  Springhill, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. J.M. McDonald
    +2. M.D. McDonald
    Last Modified 18 Feb 2021 
    Family ID F927  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 12 Mar 1920 - Fordyce, Dallas County, Arkansas, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 23 May 1940 - Springhill, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 14 Feb 1948 - Springhill, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Springhill Cemetery - Springhill, Louisiana, USA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Documents
    Birth Certificate for Don Coleman McDonald
    Birth Certificate for Don Coleman McDonald
    Name: Don Coleman McDonald
    Gender: Male
    Birth Date: 12 Mar 1920
    Birth Place: Jackson Township, Dallas, Arkansas, USA
    Father: Barney McDonald
    Mother: Ova Jones
    Certificate Number: 465
    Marriage Announcement of Don Coleman McDonald and Maggie Evelyn Cochran
    Marriage Announcement of Don Coleman McDonald and Maggie Evelyn Cochran
    Published in The Shreveport Journal on May 27, 1940
    U.S. World War II Draft Card - Don Coleman McDonald
    U.S. World War II Draft Card - Don Coleman McDonald
    Name: Don Coleman McDonald
    Race: White
    Age: 21
    Birth Date: 21 Mar 1920
    Birth Place: Fordyce, Arkansas
    Residence Place: Springhill, Webster, Louisiana, USA
    Registration Date: 1 Jul 1941
    Registration Place: Natchitoches, Natchitoches, Louisiana, USA
    Employer: Southern Craft Corp., Springhill, Louisiana
    Weight: 170 lbs.
    Complexion: Light
    Eye Color: Blue
    Hair Color: Brown
    Height: 5' 11"
    Next of Kin: B. W. McDonald
    U.S. Headstone Application for Military Veterans - Don Coleman McDonald
    U.S. Headstone Application for Military Veterans - Don Coleman McDonald
    Name: Don Coleman McDonald
    Birth Date: 12 Mar 1920
    Service Number: 645 3596
    Unit: NTS, Great Lakes, Ill. USMC
    Company: USNR
    Enlistment Date: 2 Nov 1942
    Discharge Date: 9 Nov 1942
    Death Date: 14 Feb 1948
    Cemetery: Springhill Cemetery
    Cemetery Location: Springhill, Louisiana, USA
    Surrenders After Slaying Officer
    Surrenders After Slaying Officer
    Published in The Shreveport Journal on February 14, 1948
    Shot By Escaping Prisoner
    Shot By Escaping Prisoner
    Published in The Shreveport Journal on February 14, 1948
    Two Men Murdered in 36-Hour Period
    Two Men Murdered in 36-Hour Period
    Published in The Webster Review the Signal-Tribune on February 17, 1948
    Springhill Death Count To Be Filed
    Springhill Death Count To Be Filed
    Published in The Shreveport Times on February 17, 1948
    Springhill Officer Slain In Gun Fight; Killer Is In Prison
    Springhill Officer Slain In Gun Fight; Killer Is In Prison
    Published in The Bossier City Planters Press on February 19, 1948
    Fleeing Prisoner Slays Springhill Officer Saturday
    Fleeing Prisoner Slays Springhill Officer Saturday
    Published in The Minden Herald on February 20, 1948
    2 Murder Indictments Returned by Grand Jury
    2 Murder Indictments Returned by Grand Jury
    Published in The Minden Herald on March 5, 1948
    Murderer of Policeman Enters Insanity Plea
    Murderer of Policeman Enters Insanity Plea
    Published in The Bastrop Daily Enterprise on April 20, 1948

    Headstones
    Headstone of Don Coleman McDonald
    Headstone of Don Coleman McDonald
    Springhill Cemetery - Springhill, Louisiana, USA
    Plot: 3S
    Headstone of Don Coleman McDonald
    Headstone of Don Coleman McDonald
    Springhill Cemetery - Springhill, Louisiana, USA
    Plot: 3S

  • Notes 
    • Death Notice:

      Shot By Escaping Prisoner

      Killer Surrenders To Special Deputy On Trolley Here

      A former Coast Guardsman who shot and killed a Springhill policeman after being arrested in the little Webster parish town early Saturday morning boarded a trolley in Shreveport a few hours later, sat down by a special deputy of the Caddo parish sheriff's office and announced that he was ready to surrender.

      Don McDonald, 25, a member of the Springhill police force for the past nine months and father of two children, was killed instantly when struck by a bullet as he and another officer engaged in a running gun battle with the prisoner in an alley near the town's jail at about 2:30 a. m., according to Springhill's Chief of Police Vol Eubanks.

      The fleeing prisoner, Thomas H. Markham, 35, then went to the home of a friend, C. H. Dyer, a meat cuter, and forced Dyer at gun point to drive him to Shreveport, Chief Eubanks said.

      Markham then parted company with Dyer, boarded a trolley on Texas avenue, and sat down by Special Deputy Clyde McAdoo, a construction foreman for the city waterworks department.

      "How do you think you'd feel if you'd killed a man last night?" Markham told officers that he asked of McAdoo.

      "Did you kill a man?" Markham said McAdoo asked him.

      Markham said he replied in the affirmative, declaring that he had decided to telephone the Webster parish sheriff's office and surrender.

      McAdoo then told him, the prisoner said, that it would be better if he would surrender as quickly as possible.

      Sheriff J. Howell Flournoy of Caddo parish and McAdoo took Markham into custody and brought him to the sheriff's office where Markham surrendered to Deputies W. T. Prudhomme and Charles Kneipp.

      Sheriff Oscar H. Haynes of Webster parish came to Shreveport within a few hours, as did Chief Eubanks, and other officers, and Markham was taken to the Webster jail in Minden to await disposition of his case.

      (Published in The Shreveport Journal on February 14, 1948)

    • Death Notice:

      TWO MEN MURDERED IN 36-HOUR PERIOD

      Feeling Prisoner Slays Springhill Officer Saturday

      Killer Surrenders Voluntarily After Using Gun for Ride

      Saying "Like ---- you'll lock me up," Thomas Markham, 35-year-old Springhill man taken into custody on a charge of being drunk, broke loose from two arresting officers early Saturday morning in Springhill and engaged in a running gun battle in which he killed Officer Don C. McDonald, 28, almost instantly as one bullet entered back of the victim's left shoulder; emerging from the right side of his chest, and the second entered the lower palm of his right hand, according to R. M. Gailbraith, second officer present, in eye-witness testimony given to Deputy Coroner T. A. Richardson.

      Both Springhill officers were seated in the Owl cafe at 2:20 a.m. when Markham and another man entered together, Gailbraith told the coroner, and when the two were told to leave, Markham's companion left. Markham, however, said he had no cab and McDonald told him, "You are too drunk to be in here - there's a cab outside," the officer said.

      The 35-year-old former Coast Guardsman made no move to leave, however, and McDonald was said to have asked him what he was going to do. When no answer was given, McDonald said, "You'll have to go or we'll carry you to jail," according to the witness, and Markham got up and left in custody of the two officers. The group went through the rear of the cafe, as the Springhill jail is located in the alley immediately behind the Owl cafe. McDonald was in the lead followed by Markham and Gailbraith in that order, according to the officer, and as they were walking toward the jail Markham is reported to have said he would have walked home if they had let him alone.

      As McDonald straddled a small puddle of water and was getting the jail key from his pocket, Markham whipped out the .32 revolver from his pocket of the heavy mackinaw he was wearing and said, "Like ---- you'll lock me up," according to Gailbraith. Firing one shot, the prisoner broke into a run, and he and McDonald travelled in a zig-zag path up the alley for approximately 50 feet, both shooting, before McDonald fell on his back, wounded fatally, the witnessing officer said. The fleeing prisoner made good his escape as Gailbraith stopped to give assistance to McDonald.

      Officers throughout North Louisiana were alterted within a few minutes to be on the lookout for the escaped man. an armed search throughout the Springhill area was conducted by officers of the Webster sheriff's office state police, and Springhill and Cotton Valley police departments.

      However, the fleeing man went to the home of C. H. Dyer and forced him, at the point of a gun, to carry him to Shreveport, according to Dr. Richardson. The gun later proved to be empty.

      Letting Markham out of his car on Texas avenue in Shreveport, Dyer then went to the police and told how he had been forced to drive the prisoner to Shreveport. Police, upon notifying the sheriff's office that they were holding Dyer in custody, were told that Markham had arrived in custody of Special Deputy Clyde McAdoo and had surrendered.

      Markham is reported to have boarded a Shreveport trolley, sat down by the special deputy of the Caddo sheriff's office, and announced that he was ready to surrender, and that he had decided to telephone the sheriff's office here to give himself up.

      Sheriff O. H. Haynes went to Shreveport as soon as he learned that Markham had surrendered there, and returned the prisoner to the Webster parish jail where he is now being held on a charge of murder awaiting action of the grand jury which is scheduled to convene in March.

      McDonald is survived by his wife and two small children, and had been on the Springhill police force approximately 15 months.

      (Published in The Webster Review the Signal-Tribune on February 17, 1948)