While investigating a stagecoach robbery that had occurred in Siskiyou County on September 25, 1897, Siskiyou County Undersheriff William A. Radford received information as to the suspect. The person committing this crime was believed to be William Harrall of the community of Delta in Shasta County. As Undersheriff Radford and Shasta County Deputy G.H. Stewart were admitted to the residence, Harrall drew a pistol and shot Radford in the heart and stomach, killing him. At that time Stewart then shot and killed Harrall.

Deputy George Wilson was assigned to the San Gabriel area of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department jurisdiction at the time of his murder. He and his partner Constable Albert Smith, approached a residence near the City of Monrovia at about 8:00 p.m. looking for a murderer. The suspect, named Morales, was identified by lamplight with Constable Smith keeping watch over the suspect’s brother in an adjoining room. Suspect Morales asked Deputy Wilson to hand him his shoes, he obliged. As Deputy Wilson bent forward, Morales grabbed the deputy’s revolver. The light was extinguished amidst the struggle. Deputy Wilson was shot in the thigh but hobbled into the street, yelling for help. Suspect Morales fled and his brother was jailed. Doctors could not find the bullet. In agony, Deputy Wilson was taken home in a wagon. A week later, doctors removed the bullet, Wilson hemorrhaged, lapsed into a coma, and died.

At 6:30 p.m. on December 9, 1895, Constable James Campbell was in the Palace Saloon on Market Street in Redding.  He was responding to an earlier disturbance in which one person was arrested.  Apparently feelings were high from friends of the arrested man and a crowd was closing in on Campbell inside the saloon.  Constable Campbell was drawing his pistol from his picket when it dropped, striking the brass rail of the bar and discharging.  The bullet struck Campbell under his left arm.  Redding City Marshal Eckels immediately took charge of Campbell, assisting him to his home.  Constable Campbell stated, “They were crowding in on me, everybody knows that.  I was going to be ready for them and my pistol dropped on the floor.”  Constable Campbell died from his wound on December 26, 1895, at age 42.  Constable Campbell was survived by his wife Mary and their son.

On the afternoon of May 15, 1894, Chief Detective Leonard Harris and fellow Detective William Kelly arrived at the office of Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jesse Cope. The detectives had uncovered a plot to rob the Wells Fargo Express office at the railroad depot in Boulder Creek. One of the three outlaws, George Sprague, had come forward and informed the company of a plan to hold up the expressman on the night of May 15th.

The following afternoon Harris, Kelly and Constable Isaiah Hartman concealed themselves inside a boxcar which had been placed in front of the depot. All three were heavily armed and Wells Fargo expressman William Gass had been warned of the possible robbery.

At approximately 8:00 p.m. three masked men approached the depot. Two remained on the platform; the third went into the office. As he stepped through the door he pulled a 44-caliber pistol from under his coat and ordered Gass to open the safe. Before he could comply the three officers jumped from cover, weapons drawn. Kelly and Hartman took on the two suspects on the platform while Harris went after the third in the office.

“You’d better surrender.” Harris shouted, “I’ve got the drop on you.” The suspect calmly turned his pistol back under his arm and fired two shots before making any move to alarm Harris. Both shots hit Harris in the torso.

Out on the platform a gun fight ensued. Sprague, the informant, surrendered, while the other suspect and Harris’s assailant escaped into darkness.

Harris died shortly after midnight on May 16, 1894. He was survived by his wife and son, Jack. His killer was caught, convicted, and ultimately executed.