Roll of Honor
Stephen D. Mather
Incident
Deputy Collector Mather, Revenue Agent Creed Cardwell, and Chief Deputy Revenue Collector Joe Spurrier were shot and killed in an ambush in Lincoln County, Tennessee, while en route to investigate reports of an illegal liquor still. They were ambushed as they were riding their horses down a remote trail. The agents were able to return fire, and one of the suspects was also shot and killed. Deputy Collector Mather was killed at the scene. Other agents were able to take the two wounded agents to a local doctor, where Agent Cardwell died later in the day. Chief Deputy Spurrier was taken to his home in Nashville, where he succumbed to his wounds three weeks later.
Survivors
Deputy Collector Mather had served with the United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue for ten years and was survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-5E8A66F0- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
134 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Collector Mather gave the United States Department of the Treasury 10 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Collector Stephen D. Mather is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, 25 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 92.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Stephen D. Mather's cause is highlighted.
How Stephen D. Mather Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Stephen D. Mather is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Stephen D. Mather was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
26 officers from United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
