Palm Beach Police Department, Florida
End of Watch: Wednesday, June 6, 1923
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 3, 1923
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Lynched
Police Officer Joseph Smith succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained three days earlier when he encountered three men leaving a beach carrying turtle eggs and turtle meat.
The day after his death, the body of his suspected killer was found hanging from a tree in Palm Beach.
Officer Smith had served with the Palm Beach Police Department for 3 years. He was survived by a brother who also served with the agency at the time.