Deputy U.S. Marshal R. W. "Dick" Townsend

R. W. "Dick" Townsend

Deputy U.S. Marshal Dick Townsend was shot and killed near Buttermilk Junction at the intersection of E. Morningside Street at Main Street in Forth Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

On April 3, 1886, a group of law enforcement officers attempted to escort a train out of Fort Worth. The train was southbound, where four strikers were seen tampering with a track switch. Special Deputy Townsend and other law enforcement officers stopped the train to arrest the men. Several other strikers were seen with Winchester rifles, reclining in a gully. Deputy Jim “Longhair” Courtwright requested the riflemen lay down their weapons. They opened fire on the lawmen.

Deputy Townsend was guarding the prisoners when a rifle bullet struck him just above the heart. Two other Deputies were wounded in the initial gunfire from the strikers. The lawmen returned fire, but the strikers were out of pistol range. A mortally wounded Deputy Townsend emptied one pistol and crawled back to the cab of the train engine. Once in the cab of the train engine, Deputy Townsend turned his pistols over to the train fireman. Deputy Townsend died at 2:13 p.m. the next day, April 4, 1886. Shortly after the battle and amid the threat of escalating violence, Fort Worth's mayor and Sheriff requested two Companies of Texas Rangers or State Militia from the governor of Texas.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Townsend also served as a Special Deputy for the Tarrant County, Sheriff's Office.