Lyon County Sheriff's Office, Kansas
End of Watch: Thursday, August 4, 1881
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: August 4, 1881
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Committed to mental hopital
Deputy Spillman was stabbed to death while escorting a prisoner to the man's home so he could get clothing. The man had been arrested the previous day and declared insane. While at the man's home Deputy Spillman took inventory of several firearms in a trunk. As they left the man said he needed to get something else from inside. Before Deputy Spillman could object the man ran back inside and grabbed a gun and knife. He fired at Deputy Spillman but missed and then stabbed him to death.
The suspect was committed at the state insane asylum at Ossawatomie.