OFFICER RUFUS H. DANIELS
BADGE # UNKNOWN

KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY AS A HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER

Officer Rufus Daniels, Officer Ira Raney, Officer Ross Patton, Officer Horace Moody, and Officer E. Meinke were all shot and killed during race riots which were sparked by the arrest of several black soldiers assigned to Camp Logan. After being harassed by local law enforcement and citizens a large mob of the soldiers stole rifles and went on a rampage, shooting and killing a total of 16 people throughout the city. Once all of the soldiers were taken into custody 110 of them were court-martialed and 19 of them were executed.

Officer Rufus Daniels Officer Ira Raney, Officer Ross Patton, Officer Horace Moody, and Officer E. Meinke were all shot and killed during race riots which were sparked by the arrest of several black soldiers assigned to Camp Logan. After being harassed by local law enforcement and citizens a large mob of the soldiers stole rifles and went on a rampage, shooting and killing a total of 16 people throughout the city. Once all of the soldiers were taken into custody 110 of them were court-martialed and 19 of them were executed.

The funeral for Officer Rufus Daniels took place on Saturday , August 26, 1917 at his home on Hussion Street, east of downtown. He was buried in Glenwood Cemetery. His pallbearers were six of Houston Police Officers. One of them was Lee Sparks who had been with him when he was killed.


Original arresting officer in the incident triggering the Camp Logan riots. Died during the riots.

At just the time, a vehicle driven by businessman Charles W. Hahl approached the scene. Police officers Rufus Daniels, W.C. wilson, Horace Moody and C. E. Carter had commandeered the car for a ride to the action. The car stopped when they heard shots fired on Patten and Long. Sergeant Henry ordered his men to take cover in the city Cemetery on the south side of the street. Daniels then proceeded to charge the troops in the cemetery with only his hand gun, and he was instantly killed.

Buffalo Bayou: An Echo of Houston's Wilderness Beginnings "The Tragic Violence Along buffalo Bayou in 1917"

by Louis F. Aulbach


A detail account of this incident is recorded in "Fallen Heroes of the Bayou City".



Submitted by J.B. Haney, Nelson Zoch and Sue Gaines.

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Houston Police Officer Rufus (Ruff) Daniels was KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY on the night of August 23, 1917, during what was known as the Camp Logan Riot. He was shot in the left side, brutally beaten, and then bayoneted by U.S. soldiers. He was one of five HPD Officers who were killed that night. There were also two U.S. Soldiers and nine innocent citizens killed during this riot. Police Officers also killed were Edwin Gustav Meinecke, Horace Moody, Ira D. Raney, and D. Ross Patton.


Funeral services for Officer Daniels were held at 2pm on Sunday, August 26, 1917, from his residence at 1818 Hussion Street, with the Reverend John Green officiating. Pallbearers were Lee Sparks, F. Dunman, Jim Fife, George Mitchell, John Spaulding, and Harry McGee.

Burial followed at Glenwood Cemetery on Washington Avenue. No previous marker was located and in 2006, a 100 Club of Houston-Harris County KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY marker was placed on his gravesite in the Flower Mound section of Glenwood. His date of birth is unknown, but he was believed to have been 56 years old at the time of his death.