Guard William M. Rader

William M. Rader

Guard Will Rader was shot and killed during a prison escape from Ferguson State Farm in Madison County, Texas.

Two prisoners who had previously escaped returned to the farm in an attempt to free six other inmates. When the two returned, they immediately shot and killed Guard Rader with a shotgun.

Other guards immediately came to the scene and exchanged shots with the suspects. The two prior escapees and the six inmates were able to flee the prison farm. One of the escapees who was recaptured participated in another prison escape on July 27th, 1928, in which Dog Sergeant Henry Ward was shot and killed and two Fort Bend County deputies, including Deputy Sheriff Frank Bell, were wounded.

Deputy Bell would later die in the line of duty in an automobile crash on October 10th, 1930.

The prisoner who participated in both escapes was released on April 5, 1940.

Guard Rader was a widower twice-over and was survived by his five children. He was buried at Midway Cemetery in Midway, Texas.