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Deputy U.S. Marshal

William Pitts

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch December 1, 1890
Age 44
The Vigil Panel 10 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 312

Incident

Deputy Marshal William Pitts was shot and killed while investigating reports that three men were smuggling liquor into the Indian Territory from Texas. Deputy Marshal Pitts set up surveillance at Lake West, about 35 miles north of Paris. When he saw a wagon being driven by three men traveling north, he stepped from the brush and stopped them. The three men identified themselves as Isam Frazier, Lige Woods, and Jim Allen. When Deputy Marshal Pitts said he suspected them of liquor smuggling, and started to search the wagon, a confrontation ensued. One of the men ripped Deputy Marshal Pitts' pistol from its holster and shot him in the stomach. He died within minutes. Allen and Wood were acquitted but Frazier was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to a long prison term. Deputy Marshal Pitts served in the Eastern District of Texas, which included the southern part of the Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma)

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August 2, 2026

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136 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Pitts 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

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 December 1, 1890
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

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 1890, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 44. 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.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% 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

Deputy U.S. Marshal William Pitts

United States Department of Justice - United States Marshals Service · End of Watch December 1, 1890

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-W

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