The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-21
DEPUTY GRACE'S ADVENTURE
Further Details of His Terrible Fight
With a Negro

Guthrie, o. T., March 20.-Complete de-
| tails Of the killing of Rodger Bruner are
at hand in the current issue of the Tecum-
sch Republican which says; Last Satur-
! day night about $50. Deputy Sheriff w A
Grace. killed Rodger Bruner. a negro,
while the latter was making an attempt
to kill or disable Grace in order to make
| his escape. The particulars as related to
us by Deputy Grace-the only living eye
! witness-are as follows:
! On the previous Monday night, several
horses had been stolen from the Widow
Pool, near Eariboro, and Grace, in com
pany with three other parties trailed the
animals south across the South Canadian
river to a point two and one-haIf miles
southwest of Tom Ike scrossng. where
they came upon Bruner. whose description
Tailed with the information they had
obtained of one of the parties who had
been seen with the stolen animals The
officers arrested him and he gave his
name as James, denying that he had
stolen the horses. Deputy Grace having
made the arrest in the Chicasaw nation,
took the prisoner to Purcell on Friday
where he voluntarily signed a waiver as
brought him to Tecumseh. The ride was a
long one and Grace tied Burners feet
together under the horse instead of hand
cutting him.
They arrived at the southeast corner
OF town a little after 8 o'clock and after
they had turned the corner coming into
town, Bruner, unexpectedly to the officer.
jumped off his horse and started to run.
Grace took the situation in at once and
jumped off his horse. He ran after Bru-
ner. shooting in the air and calling to
him 10 halt. Bruner ran south on the
road and crawled through the fence into
a cotton field in Mr.. Nichols farm Grace
crawled through the fence and told Bru-
ner to stop or he would kill him Bruner.
a { this time. informed Grace that he
would give up and asked him not to shoot.
He stopped. put up his hands and as Grace
walked up toward him. he Grace iook
his gun off Bruner. and with the quick
ness CT a lion, the negro grabbed the
officer around the body in such a manner
that he was helpless. Grace was thrown
10 the ground and a terrible fight ensued
In the scuffe. Grace had dropped his
gun, but soon got hold Of it again. but It
had filed with sand and after several
futile attempts to dischare It he used il
rs a club over the negro's head. but with
little effect and finally ii got too warm
for the officer underneath and he again
made several efforts TO discharge the gun
before he was successful. During all
this time Grace had gothic worst punish
nent. The negro had him down and had
almost punched one eye out, bit his finger
nearly of. pounded his face numerically.
and had crammed his mouth and eyes
fuU Of sand. besides choking him almost 70
death When Grace fred the shot. how
ever. Bruner jumped up and started of
running. when Grace fred two more shots
after him. but the officer was so near
insensihle that he aid not know that The
negro had fallen Parties over the city
heard the shooting and yells. and when
they reached the scene, the negro was
found dying and the officer was covered
with blocd and the sand IN his mouth
rendered 1t almost impossible Tor him -
talk
Grace was brought to town ana received
medical trea tment for his wounds and
is now on duty again
Burners body was removed 20 CIink-
scales undertaking establishment where
K remained until Monday. when the Bru-
ner boys-hrothers to the deceasei-ca-ne
ID from WewoSa aud took Il hone for
burial TIE body showed thu wounds
very plainly TIE shot which killed Mt in
the back % the head and Was the only
shot which took effect. 9he marks where
shs officer had pounded him over the head
with the guu were numerous.
Deputy Grace says he cannot imagine
how or when the prisoner got his fce1
united He was satisfied THAI he WAS So
curely tied. as he realized shzt re had
IL charge \ pretty tough character