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Inspector

John S. H. Howard

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch February 12, 1913
Age 41
Tour of Duty 12 yrs 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 27 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

In February 1913 mounted Customs Inspector Jack Howard and Inspector Joe Sitter, along with a brand inspector with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, were scouting along the Rio Grande near the settlement of Pilares. They found Francisco "Chico" Cano, one of a band of Mexicans who had been smuggling horses and mules. The officers arrested Cano and left the next morning to take their prisoner to Marfa to appear before the United States commissioner. They had gone about a mile and a half and were riding single file through a deep canyon. Hidden behind the boulders were five or six Mexicans, members of the gang of smugglers, two of them brothers of the prisoner. When Inspector Howard reached a point directly below them, the men opened fire at a range of about fifty yards. Inspector Howard was hit in the chest and his horse was killed. Inspector Sitter and the brand inspector were shot off their horses. The brand inspector was shot through the left thigh while Inspector Sitter took a grazing bullet that entered above his left temple and exited behind the ear. Despite their wounds, the officers drew their weapons. Inspector Howard retrieved his rifle from his dead horse but was too badly injured to use it. Inspector Sitter and the brand inspector were able to return fire, although they couldn't spot their attackers among the boulders. The battle lasted for about 30 minutes before the attackers finally left along with Cano. The three wounded lawmen lay in the mountains for 15 hours until they were transported to a general store in Pilares. A posse and a doctor arrived the next day. Inspector Howard died on the night of February 12th, 1913. Inspector Sitter and the brand inspector survived. Inspector Howard was survived by his wife. He was buried in the Howard Cemetery in Boerne, Kendall County, Texas. On May 24th, 1915, Customs Agent Joe Sitter and Private Eugene Hulen, of the Texas Rangers, were shot and killed in the same area by the same bandits led

Survivors

Inspector Howard was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Inspector Howard gave the United States Department of the Treasury 12 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Howard.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 12, 1913
Tour of Duty 12 yrs 1 mo
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1913, 133 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 33rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 41. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 12.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector John S. H. Howard

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch February 12, 1913

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 33-E

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