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Inspector

Thomas Sampson Morriss

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch December 23, 1928
Age 40
The Vigil Panel 56 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

About 5:00 a.m. U.S. Customs Inspector Tom Morriss and Inspector M.R. Rogers stopped an automobile carrying two men about four miles southwest of Fabens, El Paso County, Texas. The vehicle had crossed the boundary line near the Fabens “hole-in-the-wall” on San Elizario Island in the Rio Grande River. The inspectors had the two men outside the vehicle and were about to handcuff them when one of the men asked Inspector Morriss if he could roll a cigarette, and Morriss said he could. The man pulled a .38 automatic pistol and shot Inspector Morriss three times in the abdomen. He then fired on Inspector Rogers. The bullet passed through his leather jacket, a sweater, and two shirts. Inspector Rogers was knocked backwards, but the bullet did not enter his shoulder. Both inspectors fired at the fleeing man as he escaped into Mexico. The driver was captured and charged with liquor violations. The disposition of any case against his murderer is unknown. Inspector Morriss was taken to the Masonic Hospital in El Paso. He was conscious and recognized his friends and only lost consciousness a short time before his death at 4:30 p.m. that afternoon. U.S. Customs Chief Grover Webb and Inspector Morriss were attacked and wounded a short distance from where Morriss was fatally wounded when they stopped a car coming over the Lee Moore Bridge on May 19th, 1922. Both officers were shot through the jaw and their assailants escaped into Mexico. One newspaper reported that Inspector Morriss was survived by his father, mother, and sister while another newspaper stated he was survived by his widowed mother. He was buried in the Masonic Section of the Concordia Cemetery in El Paso.

Survivors

One newspaper reported that Inspector Morriss was survived by his father, mother, and sister while another newspaper stated he was survived by his widowed mother.

In Our Keeping

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Tributes

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

— 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 December 23, 1928
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1928, 201 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 13th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 40. 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.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Sundays: 15.2%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% 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, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector Thomas Sampson Morriss

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch December 23, 1928

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-W

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