Thomas C. Logan
Incident
Location: Illinois Weapon: Handgun Offender: Shot and killed
Chief Special Agent Thomas Logan was shot and killed near Cairo, Illinois, while leading a posse of special agents from several railroads who were searching for copper thieves.
The group encountered a man and a boy sitting next to a fire on the railroad right-of-way just north of Cairo. Chief Logan approached them and began to search them. The man suddenly produced a handgun and shot him several times, including a fatal shot to his head. The man was overpowered and taken into custody by the other two special agents.
He was convicted of Chief Logan's murder and sentenced to death, but escaped from jail with several other inmates three weeks before his execution date. On May 14th, 1915, the subject fatally shot Sheriff John Kearby, of the Butler County, Missouri, Sheriff's Office, when the sheriff and a constable attempted to question him when they encountered him trespassing in the railroad yards in Poplar Bluff. The man was shot and killed by return gunfire.
Chief Special Agent Logan was survived by his wife and son.
Survivors
Chief Special Agent Logan was survived by his wife and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-A88DF6E6- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief Special Agent Logan served with the Mobile and Ohio Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Mobile community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief Special Agent Logan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief Special Agent Thomas C. Logan 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Mobile and Ohio Railroad Police Department, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas C. Logan's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas C. Logan Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas C. Logan is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Thomas C. Logan was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Mobile and Ohio Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw.