Special Deputy Marshal

Richard Zeff

Accident
End of Watch July 6, 1894
Age 45
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 12 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Deputy Marshal Richard Zeff was accidentally shot and killed in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Grand Central Station in Chicago, Illinois.

He had been deputized by the United States Marshals Service and brought to Chicago from Baltimore, Maryland, to assist with a railroad worker's strike. He was attending a briefing in Room 407 with other special deputies and railroad detectives when a riot gun that was propped against a wall fell over. The gun discharged when it struck a radiator. Special Deputy Marshal Zeff was struck in the chest and was killed. A second officer suffered a non-fatal wound to the face.

Special Deputy Zeff was survived by his wife and six children.

Survivors

Special Deputy Zeff was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtp1467vqg0vq9h63d13p
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Richard. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Special Deputy Marshal Zeff served with the United States Department of Justice.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usms.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 6, 1894
Tour of Duty
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

33,917 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 1894, 19 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 120th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard was 45. 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. Richard had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Fridays: 15.1%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Special Deputy Marshal Richard Zeff

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch July 6, 1894

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-W

↑