Roll of Honor

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Village Marshal

James Weiss

East Alton Police Department — East Alton, IL

Felonious

End of Watch July 6, 1898

Age 37

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 15 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Marshal James Weiss was shot and killed while investigating several men who were trespassing in the Big Four rail yard.

As Marshal Weiss spoke to the men, one of them produced a handgun and shot him in the chest, killing him. The shooting was witnessed by a local tramp and heard by a railroad worker. The worker immediately ran to the scene, but Marshal Weiss had already succumbed to his wound.

Nine suspects were eventually arrested in connection with the murder, but the tramp was unable to positively identify them as the trespassers.

Marshal Weiss had served with the East Alton Police Department for just over one year.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-A674DAAD
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

128 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Village Marshal Weiss gave the East Alton Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the East Alton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department East Alton Police Department

Type Police Department

Location East Alton, Madison County, IL

Platform Identity eapd.madison.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 6, 1898

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Village Marshal James Weiss is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

East Alton Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Weiss's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How James Weiss Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

1.2

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Weiss is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Weiss was killed by handgun.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from East Alton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.