When word got out that the Preferencia Cafe at 546 South Main in downtown Memphis was operating as a front for bootleggers, patrolman Edward L. Broadfoot was dispatched to investigate. Broadfoot and his partner visited the restaurant on February 23, 1918, where they spied a trio of suspicious men sitting near the back and what appeared to be a suitcase full of hooch on the floor. As Broadfoot approached the table to question the suspects, one man stood up and opened fire. Broadfoot’s backup returned fire, but it was too late to save Broadfoot. Two of the suspects, including the gunman, escaped and were never knowingly apprehended.
Edward L. Broadfoot
Ghost hunters and ghost-hunting enthusiasts will meet at the Arcade Restaurant at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 15th, where Broadfoot’s case is being opened by the paranormal investigators of Expedition Unknown. Following a workshop covering the basics of paranormal investigation, guests will be invited to bring their curiosity, as well as their cameras, flashlights, and recording equipment into the basement of a nearby gallery where Broadfoot was gunned down. The party will then proceed across the street to Earnestine & Hazel’s to hear stories about the former brothel’s dark side.