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Police Officer

Joseph E. Sage

Butte Police Department — Butte, MT
Felonious
United States flag Montana flag
End of Watch April 8, 1925
Age 55
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 13

Incident

Officer Sage was shot and mortally wounded by one of three men who attacked him on East Murcury Street. The three, who probably did not know he was a police officer since he was in street clothes, grabbed him from behind; robbed him of his watch; grabbed his service revolver; and shot him through both legs. Before going to the hospital Officer Sage assisted other officers in arresting one of the suspects. Another one of the three was arrested a short time later. Officer Sage was taken to a local hospital in Butte where doctors determined that his wounds were not that serious. But infection and other complications set in and he died as a result two weeks later. On October 16, 1925, the murder charges were dismissed against the suspects. The judge ruled that the state had not shown sufficient evidence to warrant taking the case to court because it could not be determined which one of the three shot Officer Sage.

Survivors

Officer Sage was survived by a sister and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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.
Police Officer Sage served with the Butte Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Butte community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Sage.

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

Agency

Department Butte Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Butte, Silver Bow County, MT
Platform Identity bpd.silverbow.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 8, 1925
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

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

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1925, 208 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 55. 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

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

Butte Police Department has 14 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Across the years

Police Officer Joseph E. Sage

Butte Police Department · End of Watch April 8, 1925

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 7-W

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