| Sources |
- [S94] Sevier County, Tennessee Census, 335B, 1880.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 14 Sep 2010.
Upland Chronicles: Twist of fate ends in death of chief
by Robert S. Allen The Mountain Press
Sevierville Police Chief Newt Bogart was fatally shot in 1941. Newt Bogart’s name is included on the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
During the early evening hours of Sunday, July 20, 1941, James Wayland Norton, 25, calmly walked up to Chief of Police Lemuel Newton “Newt” Bogart, 64, at the northwest corner of Main Street and Court Avenue and fatally shot him four times with a .32-caliber revolver. A fifth round hit a bystander, 34-year-old Sevierville resident Ray Romines.
There was no immediate explanation for the slaying. Norton, who lived on the family farm three miles south of Sevierville, had said nothing prior to opening fire. His only comment as he was being taken away by Deputy Sheriff Walter Enloe was, “I stood it as long as I could.”
Chief Bogart had been a police officer for 20 years and chief for the preceding 10 years. Bogart was well liked in the community, and many were confused and upset at his senseless killing.
Soon afterward, however, details explaining Norton’s rage began to unfold. Norton, known to be unstable, had just been released from jail. He had been arrested the night before for public intoxication at Allen’s Café.
When Norton became unruly, the owner and operator of the restaurant, Dick Allen, had called Sevierville police officer Bill Reagan, who came to the restaurant, arrested Norton, and took him to jail.
Upon his release, Norton had been overheard threatening the lives of both Allen and Reagan. When he had been unable to locate either, he came across Chief Bogart on the street and impulsively killed him to vent his anger rather than continue his search for Allen and Reagan.
The whereabouts of Officer Reagan on that Sunday afternoon are unknown; however, Dick Allen, his wife Mildred, and their son Richard, had taken a leisurely drive to the mountains, the favorite Sunday afternoon pleasure of many Sevierville residents of that time.
Upon their return, they drove to the lower end of town and saw a throng of people crowded around a man’s body lying on the sidewalk. Mrs. Allen immediately said, “Oh no, that’s Uncle Newt,” and they learned from those at the murder scene what had happened. Chief Bogart was Dick Allen’s brother-in-law.
Dick Allen’s not being at his restaurant that Sunday afternoon was unusual. Allen’s Café only closed two days out the year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. Only once in a blue moon did Dick Allentake time off. That Sunday was one of those blue moons.
Norton was indicted for Bogart’s murder, but on Aug. 18, 1941, less than a month after the slaying when the case came to trial, Norton was adjudged insane. This judgment came after a Knoxville doctor testified as to Norton’s sanity, and Attorney General Joe Wolfenbarger asked that the charges against Norton be dismissed.
Norton was sentenced to the Tennessee State Prison for the Criminally Insane in Nashville where he remained for 32 years. Upon his release, he returned to Sevier County but moved to Jefferson County where he died in 1998.
The murder of Newt Bogart rather than that of Bill Reagan or Dick Allen — or possibly both — caused a turn in Sevierville’s future. Bill Reagan, who had been a deputy under two different sheriffs and a police officer for several years, became chief of police following Bogart’s slaying and served Sevierville another 15 years. Reagan died in 1966.
Dick Allen would go on to build a new restaurant on Park Road across from the old post office and die at the age of 81 in 1974. More important, however, at least for the author of this story, was another turn that occurred in 1943.
Dick Allen had a second son, Robert.
— Robert S. Allen is a retired federal investigator and Sevierville native who authored two books about Sevier County: “Schoolboy: Jim Tugerson: Ace of the ’53 Smokies” and “The Perry’s Camp Murders” (with Steve O. Watson). The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments, contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or e-mail to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or e-mail to ron@ronraderproperties.com.
- [S112] Census, 1920.
Name: Newton L Bogart
Residence: , Sevier, Tennessee
Estimated Birth Year: 1878
Age: 42
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Film Number: 1821762
Digital Folder Number: 4390948
Image Number: 00180
Sheet Number: 13
Household Gender Age
Newton L Bogart M 42y
Spouse Laura L Bogart F 40y
Child Alvis L Bogart M 18y
Child Arthur N Bogart M 16y
Child Leroy I Bogart M 4y7m
- [S112] Census, 1940.
Name L Newton Bogart
Event Type Census
Event Date 1940
Event Place Sevierville, Civil District 5, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender Male
Age 63
Marital Status Married
Race (Original) White
Race White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Head
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Birthplace Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated) 1877
Last Place of Residence Same House
HOUSEHOLD
ROLE
GENDER
AGE
BIRTHPLACE
L Newton Bogart Head M 63 Tennessee
Laura Bogart Wife F 60 Tennessee
Leroy Bogart Son M 24 Tennessee
Beeda Bogart Daughter-in-law F 24 Tennessee
Wayne Bogart Grandson M 4 Tennessee
Blane Bogart Grandson M 4 Tennessee
Charles Bogart Grandson M 2 Tennessee
"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27883-6878-85?cc=2000219 : accessed 24 March 2016), Tennessee > Sevier > Civil District 5, Sevierville > 78-6 Civil District 5, Sevierville Town, Murphy Collegiate Institute, Pi Beta Phi School (Boarding), Sevier County Jail > image 6 of 34; citing NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012).
- [S73] Rawlings Funeral Home, Book 2, 20 Jul 1941.
Bogart, L.H. Feb 28, 1877 Tn July 20, 1941
Spouse: Allen, Laura
Father: Bogart, Henry Tn
Mother: Schrader, Cassie Tn
Sons: Arthur, Le Roy
Cemetery: Cummings Chapel
Brothers: Will, Jim
Sisters: Mrs. D.F. Umbarger, Mrs. Frank Bowman, Vida
- [S87] Death Certificate.
Name L N Bogart
Event Type Death
Event Date 20 Jul 1941
Event Place Sevierville, Sevier, Tennessee
Gender Male
Marital Status Married
Race White
Age 64
Birth Date 25 Feb 1877
Birthplace Tn
Spouse's Name Laura Allen Bogart
Father's Name Henry Bogart
Father's Birthplace Tn
Mother's Name Cassie Schrader
Mother's Birthplace Tn
Occupation City Policeman
Residence Place Sevierville, Sevier, Tennessee
Cemetery Cummings
Burial Place Sevier
Burial Date 22 Jul 1941
"Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1955," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11578-78893-26?cc=1417505 : accessed 24 March 2016), 004184466 > image 1780 of 2798; State Library and Archives, Nashville.
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), 118.
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