City Marshal John Thomas "Tom" Hill

John Thomas "Tom" Hill

Tom Hill, the former city marshal of Abilene, had taken the city marshal’s job at Ballinger and left his wife and family in neighboring Taylor County. An intoxicated saloon owner armed himself with a Winchester rifle and shot out the streets lights outside his saloon. He went to the Palace Saloon and started creating a disturbance. He then fired his rifle and accidentally shot City Marshal Tom Hill in the left foot, when Hill attempted to disarm him. Hill’s foot had to be amputated. The surgery was not a success. Hill died at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 8, 1886.

On October 7, 1886, the suspect was shot and killed in Fort McKavett when he confronted a lawman while armed with a pike.

Hill was survived by his wife and three children. He was buried in the Abilene City Cemetery.