In the early morning hours of April 15, 1928, Marshal Ward, 42, was returning to Salt Lake City after serving federal court subpoenas in Bingham Canyon. Marshal Ward left Bingham shortly after midnight and was reportedly in a hurry to reach Salt Lake City. At approximately 2 a.m., his overturned car was spotted in a field near the Hogan Dairy, in West Jordan. Marshal Ward was removed to the dairy. A physician summoned to the scene determined that the marshal had died almost instantly of a broken neck, head and spine. Investigations by the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service determined that Marshal Ward’s vehicle had attempted to stop suddenly on the highway, skidding 375 feet, before vaulting a ditch and striking a telegraph pole with sufficient force to break the pole. Indications were that Marshal Ward lost control of his vehicle while braking with force, possibly to avoid striking something on the highway. An injured horse was observed in the area the following morning. NOTE: At the time of his death, Marshal Ward was a potential Republican nominee for the pending Utah governor’s race. He had also vigorously pursued drug peddlers and bootleggers as a U.S. Marshal. Furthermore, he was responsible for suppressing Utah’s last Indian uprising. Initial rumors that he had met with foul play rather than an accident were only dispelled when an X-ray of his head injuries confirmed them to be consistent with accidental blunt force.
LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS: Ward’s death certificate lists his employer as “U.S. Government” and his occupation as “U.S. Marshal.” Three Utah daily newspapers refer to Ward as the U.S. Marshal for the district of Utah. Finally, David Turk, historian for the U.S. Marshals Service confirms Ward’s 1921 appointment by U.S. President Warren Harding, and a subsequent reappointment in 1926.
SOURCES: Salt Lake Tribune, April 15-19, 1928. Desert News, April 16-19, 1928 Ogden Standard Examiner, April 16, 1928. Richfield Reaper, April 19, 1928 United States Marshals Service Historian’s Office, David Turk. Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death certificates (Series 81448) Mount Olivet Cemetery Records
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