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Special Deputy Sheriff

William Rader

Meagher County Sheriff's Department — White Sulphur Spring, MT

Felonious

End of Watch May 9, 1893

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 12 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 2

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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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

Department Meagher County Sheriff's Department

Location White Sulphur Spring, MT

Platform Identity mcso.meagher.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 9, 1893

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1895

Special Deputy Sheriff William Rader 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 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 11.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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.

Meagher County Sheriff's Department

of 3 officers

66.7% Felonious

MT — Statewide

of 142 officers

65.5% 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 Rader'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 Rader Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Executed in 1895

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Rader is highlighted in May.

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 Rader 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

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Meagher County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.