Night Watchman

John Thomas Montague

Accident
End of Watch January 5, 1905
Age 40
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 19 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Nevada Incident Date: Wednesday, January 4, 1905

Night Watchman John Montague succumbed to injuries sustained the previous night when he was struck by a switch engine while on patrol in the rail yards at Sparks, Nevada.

He was transported to a hospital in Sacramento, California, where he died from his injuries.

Watchman Montague had served in law enforcement for five years.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Night Watchman Montague gave the Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Watchman Montague.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Francisco, City and County of San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sprpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 5, 1905
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Struck by train

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

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

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1905, 16 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 127th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 40. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. John 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

January holds 7.7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department has 23 officers remembered here, John among them.

VI

Where

Night Watchman John Thomas Montague

Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department · End of Watch January 5, 1905

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 34-W

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