Wiley Foust

Dr. Wiley W. Foust (1872-1927) was a physician from Scott County who was murdered at Robbins High School in Robbins by deputy sheriff Ben Fowler.

Biography

Born July 3, 1872, Wiley W. Foust was originally from Campbell County, Tenn. He was the son of George Washington Foust (born about 1846) and Elizabeth Jane “Bettie” Black. His siblings included Leroy, Alvis, and Mary Ollie. Two more, Laney Bell and Martha Jane, died in infancy.

Wiley married Kisia Byrd in Campbell County on Sept. 3, 1899. She was the daughter of Oliver Perry Byrd (1849-1912) and Hannah Sharp (1853-1930) of Scott County. She and Wiley had three children: Beatrice, Wiley Jr., and George. She died on Nov. 26, 1919, at age 41, and was buried at Hutson Cemetery in Scott County.

Wiley remarried to Ernie Kline (1902-1924) of Robbins. She was the daughter of George Washington Kline (1848-1921) and Ella Jeanette Thompson (1871-1919). She was a sister to Charles Lawrence Kline, and an aunt to Dr. George Kline. She died on July 19, 1924, at age 21, and was buried at Robbins Cemetery. Little is known about this second marriage. When the 1920 census was taken, Foust was living in Morgan County and his marital status was “widowed.” He was living with his brother-in-law, Archie Byrd.

Foust apparently remarried a third time, as newspaper accounts of his death in 1927 noted that his wife was in the audience when he was shot and killed.

Professional Life

Foust was a medical doctor who attended high school at Walnut Grove in Campbell County before later graduating from Lincoln Memorial University’s Tennessee Medical College in Knoxville in 1895. He practiced in Robbins, Oneida, and Oakdale, Tenn.

Death

Foust was murdered on March 5, 1927, while attending a motion picture show at Robbins High School. Deputy sheriff Ben Fowler was in attendance, reportedly to serve an arrest warrant, and was said to be intoxicated. When he threatened to arrest some children in the high school auditorium for laughing at the movie, that reportedly caused Foust to also laugh. When Fowler threatened to arrest him, Foust is said to have said, “Ben, you would not do that.” In response, Fowler beat him with a .44 pistol and shot him five times. Foust died instantly.

Another man, deputy sheriff John Wesley West, was also shot and killed, and a bystander was wounded.

Newspaper accounts at the time said that Foust’s wife and adult son — Wiley Foust Jr. — were in attendance. The son fired five shots at Fowler, striking him four times in a bulletproof vest and wounding him in the arm.

Fowler was arrested at the scene and indicted by a grand jury two days later. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death on March 14, 1927. His argument was that he was too drunk to know what he was doing. He became the first person from Scott County executed by electric chair in January 1928.

See Also: Deputy sheriff was first from Scott County to ride the lightning – Murders in the Heartland

Aftermath

Dr. Foust was buried at Robbins Cemetery, beside his second wife, Ernie Kline.

If Foust was married a third time, there is no record of it. However, the basis for this third marriage is only newspaper accounts of his death that stated his wife was in attendance at the movie. Another newspaper account of Fowler’s trial told a slightly different story: That Foust and some children near him were laughing, causing Fowler to come up and remark that there must be order and add to Foust, “That means you, big boy.” Foust smiled and said, “No, I guess not,” after which Foust struck him, then shot him in the face and arm, and fired at Wiley Foust Jr. There was no mention of a wife being in attendance.

Wiley Foust Jr. moved to Saginaw, Michigan, where he married Maxine E. Howell.