William Kelly

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC

Felonious

End of Watch January 17, 1887

The Vigil Panel 9 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal Kelly, Deputy Marshal Mark Kuykendall and Deputy Marshal Henry Smith were killed after being assaulted by a prisoner. The three deputy marshals along with Marshal John Phillips, had gone into Indian Territory to execute several arrest warrants. They arrested an 18-year-old Indian and then setup camp near current day Stidham, Oklahoma, about 20 miles from Eufaula. Marshal Phillips then went into Eufaula on business. When he returned he found all men dead. The prisoner had attacked the three with a camp axe and put the bodies of Deputy Marshal Smith and Deputy Marshal Kuykendall in the campfire. Deputy Marshal Kelly had also been shot in the back. Marshal Phillips buried the three men and then tracked the suspect down and rearrested him. The man was tried and convicted on July 13th, and hung on October 7, 1887. Marshal John Phillips was shot and killed the following June along with Deputy Marshal William Whitson.

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Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

139 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Marshal Kelly served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 17, 1887

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Axe

Offender Executed in 1887

Special Deputy Marshal William Kelly 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.

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service

251

of 313 officers

80.2% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious