Southern Pacific Railroad Police Department, Railroad Police
End of Watch: Monday, October 2, 1911
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: October 2, 1911
Weapon Used: Handgun; .32 caliber
Suspect Info: Unknown disposition
Special Officer James Pipes was shot and killed in Houston, Texas, while protecting railroad property and employees during a strike.
Shortly after midnight, as the special officers were being escorted into the railroad shop enclosure near the Hardy Street crossing, a crowd of about 100 strikers surged around them to dissuade the men whom they believed to be strikebreakers from going to work. Railroad special officers were stationed inside and outside the enclosure. As Special Officer Pipes entered the shop yard gate he was shot and instantly killed. Three other officers were wounded and injured during the incident.
One of the wounded officers said the shots came from inside the rail yard by guards who mistakenly believed the special officers were strikers trying to enter the yard. The official company report stated the guns used by the special officers were of a larger caliber than the .32 caliber bullets that killed Officer Pipes. The local justice of the peace conducted an investigation and held that the shots most likely came from company guards inside the yard.
Officer Pipes was survived by his wife, daughter, and son. He was buried in the Athens City Cemetery.