Roll of Honor
William H. Anderson
Incident
William Collins was a member of the Sam Bass gang. On April 10, 1878 he took part in the robbery of the train station at Mesquite, Texas in Dallas County. Collins was arrested later that month and taken to Austin to stand trial. In June he was transferred to Dallas and housed in the county jail under a $15,000 bond. A landowner named John Cole posted the bond. Collins immediately fled Texas and a bench warrant was issued. William H. Anderson was appointed a deputy U.S. Marshal in 1872. He began tracking the movements of Collins. Anderson learned that Collins was working as a bartender in Pembina, North Dakota. Anderson staked out the post office. Collins entered the post office while Anderson was seated inside. Anderson ordered Collins to throw up his hands. Collins started talking and lowering his hands. Anderson grabbed his left arm and asked a bystander to grab the other. Collins pulled away and reached for his pistol and Anderson fired at Collins. The slug tore through Collins right thumb, then passed through his coat and shoulder holster before lodging in his left shoulder. Collins fired and missed as Anderson took cover behind a stove. Anderson started to fire again when Collins shot him in the chest. Collins and Anderson both died at the scene. Anderson was survived by his wife and two children. He was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Dallas.
Survivors
Anderson was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-9252F5BA- 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
148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Anderson gave the United States Department of Justice 6 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 U.S. Marshal William H. Anderson 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service, 251 of 313 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William H. Anderson's cause is highlighted.
How William H. Anderson Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William H. Anderson is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William H. Anderson was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
312 officers from United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
