City Marshal James A. Jett, aged 43, was shot and killed on May 12, 1902, in Orange, Texas. Jett, who served with the Orange Police Department, was ambushed and murdered by a relative of a man whom he had shot and killed while performing his duties. Several months earlier, Jett had shot and killed a prisoner who was attempting to escape custody. In retaliation, the relative of the deceased prisoner ambushed Jett as he made his rounds.
The incident occurred during a personal dispute
between Jett and George H. Poole, along with his brothers Claude and Grover Poole. The confrontation escalated into a downtown gun battle, resulting in Jett's death. The shooter, who was later identified as a relative of the prisoner Jett had killed, was himself murdered while out on bond.
Jett was survived by his wife and seven children. His death was a significant event in Orange, Texas, and he is remembered for his service and sacrifice. The case did not lead to any further arrests or litigations, as the shooter was killed before he could be brought to justice.
Jett's ethnicity is not explicitly mentioned in the sources, but he was a male of Caucasian descent, as indicated by historical records and his burial location in Evergreen Cemetery, Orange, Texas.
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