San Diego County Sheriff's Department, California
End of Watch: Monday, November 27, 1899
Age:
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: November 11, 1899
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Hanged
Deputy Sheriff Will Ward succumbed to wounds sustained when he was beaten while transporting a prisoner to San Quentin Prison on the steamer Santa Rosa.
Deputy Ward was attacked by the man as the steamer was docked at Port Harford in San Luis Obispo County. The inmate beat him over the head with a heavy water bottle and them jumped overboard in an escape attempt. The man was taken into custody by a Santa Barbara County deputy who was on the ship.
Deputy Ward was taken to the San Luis Obispo County Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds 16 days later.
The suspect was convicted of murder and hanged at San Quentin Prison the following year.