Rosebud County Sheriff's Office, Montana
End of Watch: Monday, January 19, 1914
Age: 52
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 19, 1914
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Sheriff William Moses was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant on a man in the town of Rosebud.
He had gone to the town to conduct a sale, and while he was there, he was given a warrant on a subject for disturbing the peace. He went to the man's home and was greeted by the man's wife, who came onto the porch carrying a Winchester rifle. The woman accidentally fired the rifle, prompting her husband to start shooting his gun. Sheriff Moses was struck twice and killed.
The subject was arrested a short time later after officers from Forsyth came to the scene. The subject was charged with murder, tried, and found not guilty on May 27, 1914.
Sheriff Moses had served as sheriff for two years. He had previously served as a Montana stock inspector for one year and had served several terms as sheriff in a county in Wyoming. He was survived by his son and preceded in death by his wife and two children.
He is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Butte County, South Dakota.