CHAPTER 371

An Act for the relief of W. C. Bickers.
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Approved April 2, 1954

Whereas, on November 38, 1952, W. C. Bickers, Sheriff of Louisa
County, was requested by Trial Justice S. A. Cunningham of Louisa
County, to arrest one James Spradley who was on furlough from Western
State Hospital; and

Whereas, Sheriff Bickers did arrest James Spradley and while holding
him in the Sheriff’s office in Louisa during preparations for returning him
to Western State Hospital, was stabbed and cut by Spradley with a knife
which he had secreted on his person: and while Sheriff Bickers was
attempting to disarm Spradley, the latter secured the sheriff’s gun and
shot him three times;

Whereas, Sheriff Bickers was severely wounded, and was hospitalized
for nineteen days, incurring heavy medical expenses and undergoing
mental and physical suffering; and

ereas, there is no other way by which Sheriff Bickers may be
compensated for the losses sustained by him because of these injuries
received in line of duty; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That there is appropriated from the general fund of the State Trea-
sury the sum of one thousand dollars and the Comptroller is directed to
draw his warrant on the State Treasury in that amount payable to
W. C. Bickers.