Purse A. Wansley Charleston Police Department Tuesday, July 14, 1936

Detective Wansley was shot and killed at 0100 hours when he attempted to arrest a man for threatening to kill another person. During the arrest the man produced a pistol and shot Detective Wansley five times. A week later the suspect was found hiding under a house on Duncan Street just one block from police headquarters. The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. He was executed in the electric chair on April 29, 1938. Purse A. Wansley's photograph is currently unavailable. If you can provide a photograph, please send a scanned image by [ EMAIL ] to the webmaster or mail a copy of the photograph to the state lodge's address. Purse A. Wansley's name has been engraved at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC. His name can be located on panel 64, W -12. A plaque bearing Purse A. Wansley's name is displayed at the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame in Columbia. Views: 1,226

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