Operative William Craig

Operative William Craig

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Secret Service, U.S. Government

End of Watch Wednesday, September 3, 1902

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William Craig

Operative William Craig was killed when the carriage he was riding in was struck by a trolley on South Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Operative Craig was on a detail to protect President Theodore Roosevelt when the carriage was struck. President Roosevelt and the Governor of Massachusetts were slightly injured in the accident.

The trolly car driver was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six months in jail.

Operative Craig had served with the United States Department of the Treasury - United States Secret Service for less than one year. He was the first secret service agent to be killed while on presidential protection detail. He had previously served for 12 years in the British Army. He was survived by his mother, three sisters, four brothers, and a fiancee.

He is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago, and there is a memorial to him in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, which was dedicated in the summer of 2005.

Bio

Age 47
Tour 1 year
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Struck by streetcar
Location Massachusetts

Presidental detail, trolley, vehicle crash

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He came from Glasgow, Scotland.
He protected the Queen of UK Queen Victoria and was a decorated soldier.
He dedicated his skills to protect and ensure safety but paid the ultimate price for doing so.
I am a former retired City of Glasgow Police Officer and Police Curator and Museum curator.
I would like to be able to locate exactly where he lived in Glasgow and have a plaque placed there in commemoration of his dedication to duty as a lasting memory.

POLICE HISTORIAN & CURATOR

August 3, 2024