Roll of Honor
Incident
City Marshal Henry Cook succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained the previous day while walking a prisoner to jail.
He had chased and arrested the man after seeing him fire a gun in town. He let the man keep the gun and was walking him to jail when the subject tried to walk away from him. As Marshal Cook grabbed onto his arm the man drew his pistol and shot Marshal Cook in the side before fleeing.
The suspect was apprehended in Orange County, Texas, on September 20, 1891. He was returned to Baxley and jailed for murder. On October 14, 1891, he was tried and acquitted.
Marshal Cook had previously served as the Appling County sheriff for eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-8DB56CE3- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
136 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
City Marshal Cook gave the Baxley Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baxley community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
City Marshal Instance Henry Cook is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Baxley Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Instance Henry Cook's cause is highlighted.
How Instance Henry Cook Compares
Offender Outcome
Acquitted
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Instance Henry Cook is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Instance Henry Cook was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Baxley Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
