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WILLIAM
R. RAMSEY
1903 - 1938
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On May 3, 1938, Special Agent William R. Ramsey
died from wounds he sustained while attempting
to arrest suspects in a Lapel, Indiana, bank burglary
which had taken place the previous December. The
FBI had begun an investigation, and based upon
information received by the Indiana State Police,
Joe Earlywine, John Hulett, and Fred Steffler were
developed as suspects. Through a physical surveillance
of Earlywine's Penfield, Illinois, home, Earlywine
and Hulett were determined to be present at that
house. On May 2, 1938, SA Ramsey, another FBI Agent,
and local officers arrived at the farm, where they
immediately identified John Hulett and took him
into custody. Earlywine was identified in the house
and was advised that he was under arrest. Earlywine
then drew a gun and shot SA Ramsey several times.
The injured Agent returned fire, and a bullet struck
Earlywine in the forehead, killing him instantly.
SA Ramsey was mortally wounded by Earlywine's bullets
and was immediately taken to a local hospital,
where he died the following morning.
SA Ramsey was born in London, Kentucky, in October
of 1903. Several years after graduating from the
University of Colorado at Boulder, in 1933 he entered
on duty as a Special Agent of what was then known
as the United States Bureau of Investigation. SA
Ramsey eventually worked in various field offices
including Oklahoma City, San Francisco, and Peoria.