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Officer

James W. Horton

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch September 19, 1920
Age 36
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 89 · Column 4 · Line 19 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 105

Incident

Officer Horton was shot and killed when he interrupted a burglary in progress of a wine cellar at Chestnut Street and Powell Street. On August 3, 1922, Officer Horton's killer shot and killed Detective Sergeant Timothy Bailey with the San Francisco Police Department. The subject told his sister-in-law that he had gotten away with six murders including that of Officer Horton. She called the San Francisco Police and reported what he had said. A search was already underway for the subject after county jail inmates informed police that the subject, while in jail with them, had bragged to them about getting away with six murders including that of Officer Horton. As Sergeant Bailey with several officers arrived at their shack the subject opened fire killing him, wounded another officer, killed his sister-in-law, and then shot and killed himself. The killer, 28, was Walter Castor. He had killed a man in 1913, was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to six years, and released in 1918. His mother said he was kicked in the head by a horse when he was 7-years-old, and was never right again after that. His father was Officer Charles F. Castor of the San Francisco Police Department, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on November 26, 1911.

Survivors

Officer Horton had been with the agency for three years and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Horton gave the San Francisco Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Horton.

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

Agency

Department San Francisco Police Department
Type Police Department
Location San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 19, 1920
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1920, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 36. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% 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, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

San Francisco Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years

Officer James W. Horton

San Francisco Police Department · End of Watch September 19, 1920

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-E

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