LAW AND ORDER/COUNTY GOVERNMENT

LAW AND ORDER
Sheriff John McDermett was unarmed when he arrested D.L. "Poppin" Payne after the double murder on the courthouse steps in May, 1923.  Can you imagine how Payne acquired the nickname "Poppin"?  Dick Ripy's cowardly escape and the ironic twist of justice that left Payne to die in prison whets the appetite of murder mystery affecionadoes.  The graphic painting and news release with details that led to the shooting spree are "the stuff that novels and modern LAW AND ORDER movies are made of".

Crosby County was named for Stephen Crosby, the first land commissioner in the state of Texas.  A Quaker colony founded in 1879 led to the organization of the county government in 1886.  Estacado was the first count seat.  Nine other counties were attached to the Crosby County Land District, until the population increased sufficiently for them to organize their own county government.  They were Bailey, Cochran, Dickens, Floyd, Hale, Hockley, Lubbock, Lamb and Motley counties.

In 1891 a county seat election was with a vote of 109 to 103.  The county seat was moved to Emma where it remained for 19 years.  In 1910 a third county seat election was held.  The vote was 198 to 120 to move the county seat to Crosbyton, its present location.  The present courthouse was completed in November 1914.  It is a classical revival brick masonry building.  S. Goodrum of Sweetwater, Texas was the contractor.   M.H. Waller and Co., Fort Worth, Tx. was the architectural firm.  IF BUILDINGS COULD TALK, THIS ONE WOULD HAVE PLENTY TO SAY.