Special Agent Ray Watson Daugherty

Ray Watson Daugherty

Special Agent Ray Daugherty died after being struck by a light switch engine and knocked from a bridge in Columbus, Nebraska.

During WWI following numerous threats and some bombings, the Chief Special Agent of the railroad police assigned a large number of agents to bridge guard duty. They were to run across bridges behind passenger trains to make sure no one threw a bomb off while crossing the bridge.

Special Agent Daugherty was working the Loup River bridge at Columbus, Nebraska when he was following a train across the bridge and was struck by the switch engine and knocked from the bridge.

Special Agent Daugherty had served with the agency for only four days. He was survived by his wife and several children.