Roll of Honor
William Rader
Incident
Special Deputy William Rader was shot and killed as he and a posse attempted to arrest two men who were wanted on larceny warrants out of Wyoming. The suspects had been involved in a shootout with a posse days earlier but had escaped. When the second posse located them, another shootout ensued in which Special Deputy Rader was wounded. The suspects were again able to escape but were located two days later. Deputy James Mackay was shot and killed during a third shootout. The suspects escaped for a third time. The suspect who was identified as shooting Deputy Mackay was arrested in Needles, California, in 1895. He was returned to Meagher County, convicted of Deputy Mackay's murder, and hung on December 20, 1895. A second suspect was hanged in Helena, Montana June 8, 1896. Special Deputy Rader had also served as Sherriff of Meagher County. He is buried at Mayn Cemetery in White Sulpher Springs, Montana.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-4C4B11C7- 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
133 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Sheriff Rader served with the Meagher County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the White Sulphur Spring community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Deputy Sheriff William Rader 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 65.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Meagher County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Rader's cause is highlighted.
How William Rader Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Rader is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Rader was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Meagher County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
