The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-27
Had Been Life of the Grim
Posse Up to Time of
Fatal Shot
WAS AN EXPERT AT
HANDLING THE DOGS
Connection With Sheriff's Office
Started Under sColonei Higdon
and He Made His Mark as
an Efficient Official
by RICHARD II. LussIER !


In the midst of sood natured Chatting
Jim Bonner, a sound, clean limbed young
fellow, was cut down ruthlessly, it
seemed yesterday morning, before his
companions. in the prime of his life Ev-
eryone there stated that it was fate, but
what a cruel fate that it should have
picked out Jim Bonner-dear old Jim
Bonner az all who knew him spoke of
him.
No one had summoned Jim Bonner to
come and search for the train robbers,
but it seems that when a telephone call
was sent 10 Ensey for dogs he heard of
it and being always on the job ne came
to town to handle the hounds, as he was
an expert with them. He was dressed in
brown khaki suit and had rife and a
horn hung around his shoulders to call
the dogs With his slouched hat and his
smiling, ruddy face, he presented pic
turesque appearance in comparison to
1.-THE other officers
From the first he was the life of the
posse. on the way to Bibbville he
'joshed" with everyone and at Johnson >
water tank he was the first to take to the
Detective John Wren We're with him and
to the memory comes now his familiar
whistle and: Hunt i'm down, Charley
hunt i'm down: oooh-eee boy, get i'm. y
Miles We're walked behind him and his
CHEEKY whistle and jokes are well remem-
bered
Finally the posse got out of the woods
and the special coming on the posse em-
barlIed and went to Box Springs. where
the special stopped for a few minutes.
On the way to Box Springs Jim Bonner.
knowing just how hungry and tired the
rest of the posse were, started out to de-
scribe an apeptizing breakfast as cooked
by old negro nanny. The others in
the posse demonstrated strongly with him
and informed him jokingly that If he did
not stop his ruminations on how country
ham and eggs and steaming black coffee
would taste they would all be crazy. All
of this was said in jest and the spirit
of cameraderie was strong in the caboose
of the special yesterday morning.
At Box Springs the special train stopped
and a few of the hungry boys bought
canned meats and crackers and the train
started again toward Tuscaloosa For
some strange reason Jim Bonner who
| had been talking about being hungry
and wanting a breakfast, suddenly re-
fused food. To the invitations of the
others to help himself TO the crackers
| he replied
| "Oh, III wait boys, and have breakfast
| in Tuscaloosa. It's only five miles away.
! In less than one minute after he made
| that remark he was dead.
Following the shot there was only one
| cry: MY God, boys, I'm gone" and Bon
| ner had sunk to the floor The three
bloodhounds belonging to Deputy Sheriff
| Cope of Montgomery were so close to the
| fallen deputy that they tried to lick the
| face of Jim Bonner. Among all present
faces expressed the deep shock sustained,
and as the train stopped a rush was made
for the open air and away from the pres
ence of death.
1t was announced last night that fu-
neral arrangements for Jim Bonner
were Incomplete but that 1t would prob
ably take place on Sunday afternoon
at 3 o'clock from the deceaseds res
| idence in Ensley. 1t is the intention
| of Iim's friends in the sheriffs office
and in civil life to have an imposing
service.
Jim Bonner's connection with the
sheriff's office started in the regime os
| Colonel Higdon and since that time he
has made his mark as an efficient coun-
ty official He was known for his
coolness and courage and all the 9TH
er deputies stated that they would
rather have Jim Bonner around in a
ticklish situation than any other man
they know. Before becoming connect
ed with the sherff's office he had oc
cupied many positions with various In
dustrial concerns in Birmingham and
had at one time been telegraph oper
ator His death marks the first during
the term of office of Sheriff Walter
X. McAdory.
1t will be many day before any of
the members of the posse who We're
present at the shooting of Jim Bonner
forget 1t. The scene was lasting one
and none can soon forget the words
of Bonner's "buddie" Deputy Curl:
Hes dead, boys (broken by a sob),
and ne was telling me"--but Curtis
words were lost in his complete break
down.
Death had come TO remind us to
make the most of today for tomorrow
there are often no tomorrows.