Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions Division, Texas
End of Watch: Saturday, August 12, 1916
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: August 12, 1916
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Dirk
Suspect Info: killed
Sergeant Walter I. Vandorn was counting out convicts at the Clemens State Farm in Brazoria County preparatory to going to work after the noon hour. While Sergeant Vandorn still had his face toward the last man in the forward squad he was counting, a convict rushed forward and plunged an improvised dirk from a case knife into the sergeant’s breast. Sergeant Vandorn was able to take a few steps backward, drew his pistol and inflicted a death wound upon his assailant. Sergeant Vandorn fell to the floor dying almost instantly. The convict survived him but a few moments.
Very little is known about Vandorn. He was born on February 18, 1887 in Matagorda County, Texas. The 1910 US census for Colorado County reported that he was a convict camp guard. He was single. His father was Isaac Vandorn, and his mother was Rosa Torristies. His place of burial has not been located.
The Clemens State Farm located in Brazoria County was established in 1883 as a part of the Texas State Penitentiary System (1848-1926), and is still an active prison unit today as a part of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.