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Inspector

Rollin Culberson Nichols

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch November 28, 1933
Age 39
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 67 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Inspector Rollin Nicholas succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained four days earlier while searching for liquor smugglers in El Paso, Texas. On Friday, November 24th, 1933, he and two other mounted inspectors went to the foot of Glenwood Drive in El Paso to search for liquor smugglers. The inspectors had seized $1,000 worth of illegal liquor one week earlier near San Elizario in El Paso County. As Inspector Nichols got out of his automobile, near a parked car believed to belong to the liquor runners, a smuggler fired at his face with a shotgun loaded with buckshot. Three of the buckshot lodged in his brain. The two other inspectors dragged him behind a river levee. More than 100 shots were exchanged between the two inspectors and an estimated 15 smugglers. They later reported that they believed they were led into a trap because of the San Elizario seizure. Inspector Nichols was unconscious and paralyzed when he was taken to the hospital. He died at 9:05 a.m. on November 28th, 1933. He was survived by his wife, daughter, father, and sister. He was buried in Kenedy, Karnes County, Texas.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, father, and sister.

In Our Keeping

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Inspector Nichols gave the United States Department of the Treasury 5 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Nichols.

— 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 November 28, 1933
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Rollin 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 1933, 184 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Rollin was 39. 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. Rollin had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 shotgun, in 7% 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, Rollin among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector Rollin Culberson Nichols

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch November 28, 1933

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 23-W

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