Roll of Honor
George Wise
Incident
Location: Texas Weapon: Edged weapon; Dagger Offender: escaped
Deputy Marshal George Wise of the Western District of Texas, stationed at Laredo, Webb County, Texas, was advised that a smuggler named Francisco Flores would pass at a certain place with smuggled goods from Mexico. At about 2:00 a.m. on Friday, October 31, 1891, Wise summoned Calixto Garcia and Fernando Salazer and stationed them at different points near a house one block northeast of School House Plaza. At 4:30 a.m. Flores approached the house leisurely from the direction of the School House Plaza. Deputy Marshal Wise drew his pistol and ordered him to stop. Flores stated, “I will.”
He stopped and laid down his bundles of goods. On rising, he stabbed Wise in the stomach with a large dagger. Wise fired two shots at Flores [one account said Wise missed and another later reported Flores was wounded]. Wise called out to Garcia that he was killed and called upon Garcia to catch his murderer. Wise staggered towards Salazar and said, “Help me, I am wounded.” Garcia gave chase and as he closed the distance, Flores stabbed Garcia about one inch below the left nipple, and Garcia died instantly. Garcia’s body was carried to his home. Wise was conscious until he died about 8:00 a.m. that same morning. Flores, a naturalized U.S. citizen and a native of Nueva Laredo, Mexico, fled into Mexico. The bundles were found to contain ten gallons of mescal. Deputy Marshal Wise was survived by his wife and two children. His place of burial in Laredo has been replaced by a building. Wise was one of the first members of the Laredo Fire Department in April 1883. He was a Laredo city policeman as of May 1890 and a Webb County deputy sheriff as of November 1890.
He stopped and laid down his bundles of goods. On rising, he stabbed Wise in the stomach with a large dagger. Wise fired two shots at Flores [one account said Wise missed and another later reported Flores was wounded]. Wise called out to Garcia that he was killed and called upon Garcia to catch his murderer. Wise staggered towards Salazar and said, “Help me, I am wounded.” Garcia gave chase and as he closed the distance, Flores stabbed Garcia about one inch below the left nipple, and Garcia died instantly. Garcia’s body was carried to his home. Wise was conscious until he died about 8:00 a.m. that same morning. Flores, a naturalized U.S. citizen and a native of Nueva Laredo, Mexico, fled into Mexico. The bundles were found to contain ten gallons of mescal.
Deputy Marshal Wise was survived by his wife and two children. His place of burial in Laredo has been replaced by a building. Wise was one of the first members of the Laredo Fire Department in April 1883. He was a Laredo city policeman as of May 1890 and a Webb County deputy sheriff as of November 1890.
Survivors
Deputy Marshal Wise was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
135 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Wise gave the United States Department of Justice 2 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 George Wise 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
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. George Wise's cause is highlighted.
How George Wise Compares
Offender Outcome
escaped
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George Wise is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George Wise was killed by edged weapon; dagger.
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.
