Roll of Honor
Incident
Town Marshal William Bagget was shot and killed when he attempted to arrest a man for speeding in his automobile through Claxton.
He had stopped the man near the intersection of Railroad Street and South Newton Street. When he grabbed the man's arm, the man turned and shot him four times.
On January 17, 1911, the 20-year-old subject, who had fled to another state, voluntarily surrendered to the Tattnall County Sheriff in Savannah. The suspect was charged with murder and released in lieu of a $25,000 bond. The suspect, from a prominent and wealthy family, claimed self-defense. He was represented at his trial by four attorneys. On April 12, 1912, he was acquitted.
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BO-US-GA-4560F413- Stewardship
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- 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.
Town Marshal Bagget served with the Claxton Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Claxton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Bagget.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Town Marshal William Bagget 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Bagget's cause is highlighted.
How William Bagget Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Bagget is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.