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Deputy Collector Joe L. Spurrier | United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, U.S. Government
United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, U.S. Government

Deputy Collector

Joe L. Spurrier

United States Department of the Treasury - Office of Internal Revenue, U.S. Government

End of Watch: Thursday, October 27, 1892

Biographical Info

Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 7, 1892
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed

Deputy Collector Joe Spurrier, Deputy Collector Stephen Mather, and Revenue Agent Creed Cardwell, were shot and killed in an ambush in Lincoln County, Tennessee, while en route to investigate reports of an illegal liquor still. They were ambushed as they were riding their horses down a remote trail. The agents were able to return fire and one of the suspects was also shot and killed.

Deputy Collector Mather was killed at the scene. Other agents were able to take the two wounded agents to a local doctor where Agent Cardwell died later in the day. Chief Deputy Spurrier was taken to his home in Nashville where he succumbed to his wounds three weeks later.

Deputy Collector Spurrier had served in federal law enforcement for 12 years. Before joining the Revenue Service he had served with the US Marshals Services.