Who says Rockwall women arent tough? Well, nobody weve heard lately. But if they did, we have the story to prove them wrong. And it goes all the way back to 1939, when our town was a lot smaller and a little wilder.
On June 9 of that year, three inmates in the Rockwall jail decided they could overpower their jailer, Sheriff Gene Eagle, as he brought them breakfast and make their escape. They managed to dish out a few blows to Eagles head and bolt to the stairway leading to the Sheriffs downstairs living quarters and out to the street, where the path to freedom awaited them.
The sheriff, who retained the presence of mind to call down to his wife, shouted for her to “Get the gun. Get the gun.” In an instant, Mrs. Eagle had a cocked and loaded .45 in her hand and fired two shots across the stairway. Their daughter Dona was right behind her with another gun ready just in case. The prisoners froze and Mrs. Eagle handed the gun to her husband, who fired another warning shot above their heads. Escape foiled.
The full story as reported by the Rockwall Texas Success can be read in the video above and appears courtesy of the Rockwall County Historical Foundation. Be sure to have your mouse ready on the “pause” button as you read the article in its entirety.
The jail at the time was located at the corner of Washington and San Jacinto Streets. It was built in the style of the courthouse which immediately predated the one now occupying the downtown square. The jail and that courthouse were torn down in the 1940s. The jail was moved to the top floor of the new building until the late 1980s when the current jail was built on Townsend Drive just south of downtown.
