Officer William Smith was shot and killed by the husband of a prostitute he had just arrested. As was the custom of the time, bawdy houses would be raided just prior to elections and the convening of the grand jury. This year seventeen such establishments were raided in Joplin. Officers Smith and Graney made two arrests in a raid at 802 Main Street and were escorting the women back to the station. As they walked one of the women's husband, William Schmulbach, ran up demanding to know what had happened. The woman said she had been arrested and struck by Officer Ganey. Schmulbach began firing on both officers striking Officer Ganey in both knees and Officer Smith in the lower chest passing through his body. Officer Smith returned fire before he fell. Surgery was performed on Officer Smith and it was discovered that the bullet had entered his right lung. He died at 12:03 am. Schmulbach was apprehended in Washington in 1911 and returned to Joplin for trial. In November 1911 he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Officer Smith.

Officer Smith became a member of the Joplin Police Department only a few months prior to the shooting. Interred: Fairview Cemetery in Joplin, Missouri.