Mar. 28, 2024 9:51 AM
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Farrell/1980
Johnson/1984
Taylor/1987
Denton Jr./1989
Straub/1973
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James E. Hill ("Jimmy")
- Oct. 30, 1924 -
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(352)
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Resided: |
AK, USA
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Born: | Jul. 26, 1886 |
Fallen: | Oct. 30, 1924 |
Race/Sex: | Caucasian Male / 38 yrs. of age |
| Agency |
Dept: | U.S. Marshals Service
Seldovia, AK
USA |
Dept. Type: | Federal/Police |
Hero's Rank: | Deputy Marshal |
Sworn Date: | 5/1922 |
FBI Class: | Homicide - Gun |
Weapon Class: | Firearm |
Agency URL: | Click Here
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Bio: James E. Hill, 38, was born on July 26, 1886, in St. Paul, MN. The Anchorage Daily Alaskan reported that Hill was a resident of AK "for the greater part of his life, residing in many of the towns along the Alaska coast." He served in the U.S. Army in France during World War I and "entered the service of the Alaska Railroad" following his discharge from the Army.
Hill married "Miss Minnie L. Popp," who worked as a bookkeeper in the "T. and T. department" of the Alaska Railroad in Anchorage. Miss Popp "was well known in Anchorage" before her marriage to Hill.
Hill was working for the railroad in Anchorage when he was appointed as a deputy U.S. Marshal on May 9, 1922. Hill was assigned to Seldovia, AK, and moved his family to that town upon his appointment. He had been a deputy marshal for two years at the time of his death and was receiving a salary of $1,800 yearly. |
Survived by: |
Minnie L. Popp Hill - Wife
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Fatal Incident Summary
Offender: |
William Brooks
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Male
- 52 years old
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Location: |
AK
USA
Thu. Oct. 30, 1924
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Summary: |
Deputy U.S. Marshal James E. ("Jimmy") Hill, 38, was shot and killed on Oct. 30, 1924, as he searched for bootleg liquor. His killer committed suicide shortly after the murder. Hill became the sixth of eight deputy U.S. Marshals to be killed in the line of duty in AK from 1897 to 1955.
On Thursday afternoon, Oct. 30, 1924, Deputy Marshal Hill, Jailor Milo Hurlburt, and Bob Jacobson went to the homestead (or "ranch") of William Brooks, 52, "in the search for liquor or a still." Brooks apparently gave permission to Hill to search the premises for liquor or a still. After a quantity of liquor was discovered at the Brooks' homestead, Hill arrested four men (Brooks, two men named Gagnon and Lavere, and a "third name unknown"). Jailor Hurlburt was sent back to Seldovia with three of the arrested men (all but Brooks) while Hill and Jacobson continued to search.
Hill and Jacobson were in a small tent (used as a camp by the three men arrested earlier) near the Brooks' house when they discovered a "very small quantity of 'mule'(liquor) in a pint flask. As Hill began to pour from the flask into a cup, "Brooks' small dog snapped at Hill" and Hill "drew his gun and fired six shots at the dog." The dog, wounded, fled to the main house as Hill reloaded and fired four more shots at the fleeing dog.
Brooks heard the gunfire and saw his wounded dog "come running to him" and became enraged. He was heard to say something like, "that little____if he shot my dog I'll kill him." Brooks then grabbed his gun and started for the tent, shooting and shouting "Get off my land."
Realizing that they were under fire inside the tent, both Hill and Jacobson tried to flee. Jacobson "went out the back way and into a nearby brush."
Hill exited the front of the tent, and "with a gun in his hand," ran around the back of the tent and "into a cleared piece of ground where while running slantwise and stooped, he was shot." Brooks, firing from a distance of approximately 200 feet, fired four shots at Hill with a .35 Remington rifle. Hill was hit in the back just above the left shoulder blade by one shot and the bullet "severed the arteries" before exiting his body above the collar bone in front. After being shot, Hill called out "Oh Bob" (to his companion, Bob Jacobson) and then ran for fifty feet before falling to the ground. "Death came almost instantly."
After Brooks shot Hill he went back to the house and told his wife, "I got him." He loaded the gun again, went out and around the house, placed the muzzle of the weapon inside of his mouth, and shot himself. Mrs. Brooks fearing that they were shooting at him, ran out to him and found him lying dead with the entire top of his head blown off. (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 1181924)
A later coroner's inquest ruled that Hill was shot and killed by Brooks and that Brooks committed suicide. Investigators did later find a still nearby but it was on government land (i.e., not on the Brooks ranch) and determined that the three men arrested earlier (and perhaps also Brooks) "had no connection" to the still.
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Disposition: |
After Brooks shot Hill he went back to the house and told his wife, "I got him." He loaded the gun again, went out and around the house, placed the muzzle of the weapon inside of his mouth, and shot himself. Mrs. Brooks fearing that they were shooting at him, ran out to him and found him lying dead with the entire top of his head blown off. |
Source: |
Book Excerpted in part or in whole from Dr. Wilbanks book-
FORGOTTEN HEROES: POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN ALASKA, 1867-1998
By Dr. Wm. Wilbanks FL International University
To be published by Turner Publications in early 1999
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Last Updated: May. 29, 2019 |
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Vlasich/1932
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Comer/1924
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Beerbower/1944
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Clements/2013
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Price/1939
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Hill/1930
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Pratt/1927
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Burge/1940
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White Sr./1944
McManus/1941
Roberts/1933
Bull/1956
Knudson/1932
Woodcock/1943
Moore/1942
Cook/1948
Henderson/1941
Bunton/1936
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