Crab Orchard Police Department, Kentucky
End of Watch: Sunday, December 24, 1911
Age: 38
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 23, 1911
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Deputy Marshal Lige Hoskins was shot and killed while investigating a disturbance at a local soft drink stand.
The proprietor of the sand had gotten into an argument with another man the previous week, in which both men had threatened each other. The argument had become more heated and it was believed it would end in violence between the two. A friend of the proprietor had convinced him to go home to avoid any violence.
After the proprietor went home, the other subject and several of his family members went to the soft drink stand and started drinking. Deputy Marshal Hoskins, who was aware of the feud, went to check up on them but was confronted by one of the family members who told him to remove his hand from his pocket.
When Deputy Marshal Hoskins refused to remove his hand from his pocket the man shot him in the leg. Deputy Marshal Hoskins immediately returned fire, killing the man. He then retreated out of the building, but was attacked by another family member. As the two struggled a third family member came from across the street and shot Deputy Marshal Hoskins four times, killing him.
The man who fatally shot Deputy Marshal Hoskins was arrested and charged with murder. On April 4, 1912, he was tried and acquitted.
Deputy Marshal Hoskins was survived by his wife and nine children. He is buried at Crab Orchard Cemetery, Crab Orchard, Kentucky.