Chelsea Marshal's Office, Iowa
End of Watch: Thursday, December 5, 1901
Age: 23
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 5, 1901
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Captured
Marshal Rolland Smith was shot and killed when he interrupted six suspects burglarizing a bank in the middle of the night. Marshal Smith was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire with the suspects.
Three suspects were apprehended by Missouri authorities as they crossed the Missouri River bridge leading to Leavenworth. Two weeks later a wooden leg led to the capture of a suspect near Chicago by Pinkerton and Northwestern Detectives. A peg at the bottom of the leg produced a unique track in the snow. On January 11, 1903, a fifth suspect was apprehended in Fort Worth, Texas. Four of the five were convicted of attempted bank robbery and sentenced to 8 years each in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. It is unknown if the suspect with the wooden leg was ever captured of if any of the six were held responsible for Marshal Smith's murder.
Marshal Smith was survived by his wife and young child.