William Davis "Dave" Allison

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association — Fort Worth, TX

Felonious

End of Watch April 1, 1923

Age 61

The Vigil Panel 45 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Field Inspector William Allison and Field Inspector Horace Roberson were shot and killed by two suspects that they were scheduled to testify against the following morning.

The inspectors were sitting in the lobby of a hotel in Seminole, Texas when the two suspected cattle thieves entered and immediately opened fire with a pistol and a shotgun. Inspector Allison was fatally wounded by a pistol shot and Inspector Roberson was fatally wounded by a shotgun blast.

Inspector Roberson's wife came downstairs and returned fire using her husband's backup pistol, wounding both suspects. The two men fled but were later apprehended. One of the suspects was sentenced to 55 years and the other was sentenced to 51 years.

Both men escaped from prison. One of them later committed suicide but the other was recaptured and eventually pardoned by the Texas governor.

Field Inspectors for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association are commissioned as Special Texas Rangers and posses full law enforcement authority; Inspector Allison had previously served as Sheriff of Midland County, Texas, as an Arizona Ranger, and as Chief of Police for Roswell, New Mexico.

Survivors

Inspector Allison was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-6D953CAD
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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.
Field Inspector Allison served with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Worth community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Field Inspector Allison.

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

Agency

Department Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Location Fort Worth, TX

Platform Identity tscra.tarrant.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 1, 1923

Age 61

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender 1 committed suicide; 1 pardoned

Field Inspector William Davis "Dave" Allison 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

of 4 officers

100% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious