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Marshal

William Smiley

Providence Police Department — Providence, KY

Felonious

End of Watch February 4, 1896

Age 30

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 13 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Marshal Smiley was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two men for being drunk in public. The men had been harassing Marshal Smiley for a previous arrest of one of their relatives. When the marshal informed them they would be arrested too one of the men produced a gun and shot Marshal Smiley, killing him. The two men fled the area after the shooting.

Both men, brothers, were apprehended. On December 16, 1896, after three trials, both were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 6 years hard labor.

Marshal Smiley had been elected as marshal only two weeks earlier.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-3D388F34
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

130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Marshal Smiley served with the Providence Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Providence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Providence Police Department

Location Providence, KY

Platform Identity ppd.trimble.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 4, 1896

Tour of Duty

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to 6 years

Marshal William Smiley 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Providence Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

KY — Statewide

755

of 983 officers

76.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Smiley's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How William Smiley Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 6 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Smiley is highlighted in Feb.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Smiley was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518