Lawman: The Story of Clay White – A Life of Service

by Orval Allbritton

This 270 page softcover book tells Clay White’s remarkable story. Clay traveled far in his lifetime—from a small town in Oklahoma to the battlefields of Europe, from the gambling dens of Hot Springs and the byways of Garland County, Arkansas, to a position of power in the state capital. He played many roles: World War II infantryman at the Battle of the Bulge and in Germany, Resident FBI agent in Hot Springs for twenty-three years (1954-1977), first Arkansas State Crime Lab Director, and six-term Sheriff of Garland County, Arkansas (1981-1992).

This book tells the story of a brave, honest man who arrived in Hot Springs when it was a wide-open, illegal Mecca for gamblers and crooks. Bringing that era to vivid life, the book shows how Clay White served the Hot Springs/Garland County community as Hot Springs evolved into a family-friendly resort destination. He was a crucial part of that evolution, and this book reveals how Clay White’s lifetime of service helped shape the life of a community.