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Deputy U.S. Marshal

William C. Watts

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch January 24, 1897
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 14 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal William Watts was shot and killed on Admiralty Island, Alaska, while attempting to arrest a gang of outlaws who had broken several inmates out of jail in Juneau eight months prior.

He and a posse surrounded the remote cabin the group was in and called out to the suspects to surrender. The gang opened fire on the posse, killing Deputy Marshal Watts and wounding three other deputy marshals. The posse retreated back to the beach and left the island to seek reinforcements.

The suspects were eventually apprehended by U.S. Marines who had been sent to the island at the request of Alaska's governor.

Deputy Marshal Watts had served with the United States Marshals Service for two years. He was the first peace officer to die in the line of duty in the Alaska Territory, later to become the state of Alaska.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

129 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Watts gave the United States Department of Justice 2 years.
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
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 24, 1897
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William 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 1897, 52 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 137th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. 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 gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Deputy U.S. Marshal William C. Watts

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch January 24, 1897

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 58-W

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