The faces and names you will see and read about are those of law enforcement officers who have died in Nebraska. Each was a member of a family. of a community, and dedicated his life to protecting the citezens of Nebraska. We honor them.

1989-present | 1977-1987 | 1968-1974 | 1959-1967 | 1948-1958 | 1932-1945 | 1929-1930 | 1921-1927 | 1914-1920 | 1900-1912 | 1866-1899

		Officer Benjamin F. Stump, Richardson County Falls City Officer Benjamin F. Stump died at about 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 1899, from a single gunshot wound received at about 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 1899. Officer Stump had gone to the Missouri Pacific Depot, as was his custom, to meet the train when it arrived. While waiting for the train, Stump began to check box cars and picked up two tramps. He began escorting them from the yard. Stump stopped again and discovered someone in car #5763. He shined his lantern into the car and called for the person to come forward. Without warning a shot rang out. Officer Stump was struck in the forehead and fell to the ground. He was able to make it to the depot where help was summoned. It was later learned that Officer Stump was struck with a .32 caliber round. He survived for nearly a month before dying. Officer Stump was 22 years old and single.
		Omaha Officer Daniel D. Tiedeman, Douglas County Omaha Officer Daniel D. Tiedeman was shot and mortally wounded at about 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 9, 1897. Officer Tiedeman, who was investigating a report of a burglary at a saloon near 13th and Spaulding, surprised the burglars and gave chase when they ran from the scene. He walked into a nearby fire station and collapsed. It was discovered that Tiedeman had been shot in the stomach with a shotgun. Officer Tiedeman was taken to Clarkson Hospital but died at about 1:00 p.m. that same day. He was 38 years old and survived by his wife and daughter.
		Marshal Nicholas Craig, Pawnee County Table Rock Marshal Nicholas Craig was shot at about 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 1896, at the railroad depot. Marshal Craig had received word that he should be on the lookout for men involved in a burglary in Falls City. He went to the depot to watch for the men and checked the train that had recently arrived from Falls City. Craig observed as a strange man enter the lunchroom and decided to watch him. The man asked to trade a revolver for some lunches for himself and his two partners. Marshal Craig approached the man and asked him to withdraw his hands from his pockets. The man drew out two revolvers, shot Craig in the head, then turned and fled. Marshal Craig died about half hour later. He was 39 years old and was survived by his wife, Agnes.
		Officer John Red Horse, Sheridan County Department of the Interior and Pine Ridge Tribal Officer John Red Horse was killed on Thursday, November 15, 1894, in Rushville, Nebraska, while attempting to intervene in a disturbance between two men. Officer Red Horse had gone into one of the lodges at the camping ground when he heard the disturbance. He found two men fighting and stepped between them. One of the men suddenly picked up a piece of wood and struck Red Horse. He fell to the ground and the man dropped the piece of wood. The other man then picked it back up and beat Red Horse to death. Both men were later captured and tried for the murder of Officer Red Horse.
		Constable James P. Paxton, Greeley County Greeley County Constable James P. Paxton died on Friday, April 10, 1891, near Pinnacle Springs, Arkansas, while attempting to arrest a former Nebraska man on a warrant. Greeley County authorities had received information that a a 39-year-old man wanted in connection with selling mortgaged property was in hiding in Arkansas. With a governor's warrent in hand, Paxton traveled to Arkansas, was told of the suspect's hideout in the woods, and led a group of Arkansas deputies to arrest him. As Paxton waited for the deputies to get into position, the suspect suddenly emerged from his cabin, shotgun in hand, apparently planning to do some hunting. As the man walked down the laneway, unknowingly approaching the hidden lawman, Paxton stepped out from his position and commanded the man to surrender. He responded by slowly lowering the shotgun's barrel to his side, but quickly raised it again and fired as Paxton began to approach. The charge struck Paxton in the face, killing him instantly. The suspect was later shot by Arkansas deputies and jailed. Constable Paxton was 41 years old and survived by his wife and four children.
		Officer Clarence J. Balcom, Adams County Hastings Officer Clarence J. Balcom died from a gunshot wound at about 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 7, 1888. A 15-year-old male shot Officer Balcom at about 2:15 a.m. on Sunday, August 5, 1888, near the Burlington yard. He had been alerted to watch for the youth who was suspected of a jewelry theft. Officer Balcom was 39 years of age at the time of his death and was survived by his wife, Mariam.
		Constable William H. Smith, Kearney County Constable William H. Smith was shot and killed in the afternoon on Monday, November 8, 1886, north of Minden. Constable Smith had a court order to execute on property owned by John Shafer. Constable Smith and Shafer exchanged words when Smith attempted to levy by taking a cow as part of the court execution. Shafer became upset and shot Smith with a shotgun. Sheriff Hill and a posse later captured Shafer. Constable Smith was 24 years old and single. He was elected Constable in 1883.
		Sheriff John S. Degman, Colfax County Sheriff John S. Degman died on Tuesday, January 12, 1886, at about 9:15 a.m. after being beaten with a piece of firewood by a prisoner in the jail. Degman had gone into the cell at about 8:00 a.m. to attend to the prisoner and was attacked. The prisoner escaped briefly but was captured by the former Sheriff. Later that night, a group of men came to the jail, took the killer outside to a tree and hung him. Sheriff Degman had been sworn in on January 2, 1886. He was 35 years old and single.
		Deputy Sheriff John W. Phillips, Cedar County Deputy Sheriff John W. Phillips died from a gunshot wound that he received on Friday, October 24, 1884, near West Bow, Nebraska. Deputy Phillips was trailing a suspect wanted in connection with setting fire to hay stacks. Deputy Phillips and a posse located the suspect in a home, and he agreed to surrender, but only to Deputy Phillips. When Phillips entered the house the suspect fired three shots. Two of them missed Phillips. However, the third fatally struck him in the lower part of his body. The suspect was later captured and taken to St. Helena. He was lynched nearby on Saturday, October 25, 1884. Deputy Phillips was 57 years old and survived by his wife.
		Sheriff Jack Woods, Hitchcock County Sheriff Jack Woods was shot and killed at about 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 16, 1882, while in Minden attempting to arrest two horse thieves. Sheriff Woods, along with Kearney County Sheriff Ericson, went to the Prairie Home Hotel after learning that the two suspected thieves were taking their late meal there. Woods entered the front door of the hotel after having watched the men enter earlier, and drew his revolver. He ordered the two men to surrender. Waiting for Ericson to come through the back door, Woods was surprised when one of the men drew a pistol and shot him twice and died instantly. The two assailants fled town but not before killing two more men, one of them being R. B. Kelley, the former sheriff and special deputy for Sheriff Ericson. His wife, Laura, survived Sheriff Woods.
		Deputy Sheriff Reuben Kelley, Kearney County Deputy Sheriff Reuben Kelley was shot and killed along with Hitchcock County Sheriff Jack Woods on Monday, October 16, 1882, while attempting to arrest horse thieves. Deputy Kelley was in the Prairie Home Hotel eating his late meal when Sheriff Woods entered to arrest the two men. After Sheriff Woods was shot by one of the men, Deputy Kelley grabbed the suspect and pushed him into the wall. The other man stepped up behind Kelley and shot him in the back of the head. Kelley died instantly. Deputy Kelley was 41 years old and survived by his wife.
		Sheriff Bernard "Barney" F. Kearns, Holt County Sheriff Bernard "Barney" F. Kearns was shot on Monday, March 28, 1881, and died about 30 minutes later. A group of cowboys were creating a disturbance in O'Neill and Kearns disarmed one man named Stuart. Later, Stuart talked another man named Reed into helping him confront Sheriff Kearns. The two did so and Reed shot Sheriff Kearns. Deputy Sheriff James Connolly was wounded as he was coming to the aid of his fellow lawman. Reed was later arrested but acquitted at the murder trial. Sheriff Kearns was 30 years old at the time of his death.
		Deputy Sheriff Charles Mayes, Dawson County Deputy Sheriff Charles Mayes was shot and killed at about 12:05 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, 1876, about 5 miles south of current day Lexington. Mayes was attempting to serve a writ of ejectment on a farmer at that location when the subject shot him once. The two men who accompanied Mayes subdued his killer and took him to jail. That night a crowd of masked men forced their way into the jail and took the doomed man to the courthouse. The killer was hung from the second floor railing. Deputy Mayes was 36 years old at the time of his death.
		Constable Jeremiah McCheane, Douglas County Constable Jeremiah McCheane was stabbed by a subject he had just arrested on a warrant from the court. The attack occurred at about 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, 1870, at a tenement house located at 13th and Webster. McCheane remained unconscious until he died at 8:40 a.m. the next morning. Constable McCheane was 51 years old and survived by his wife, Mary, and seven children.
		Omaha Deputy Marshal Thomas A. Welch, Douglas County Omaha Deputy Marshal Thomas A. Welch was shot on Sunday, June 24, 1866, and died Wednesday, August 8, 1866. Welch encountered a soldier with the Nebraska 1st Regiment in a beer garden. The soldier was causing a disturbance and when Welch began escorting him outside, the soldier pulled a revolver and shot him. The soldier was taken into custody but later escaped. Deputy Marshal Welch was 35 years old and survived by his wife, Ann.