In the quiet, rural landscape of Asbury, Alabama, the spring of 1924 was shattered by an act of sudden violence that claimed the life of a dedicated lawman. Deputy Sheriff James Early McGowan, a 44-year-old male, had served the Dale County Sheriff's Office for eight years, a familiar and respected figure in the community. On May 13, 1924, his watch came to a tragic and abrupt end.
The day had begun with a minor disturbance at a polling place in Asbury.
An intoxicated man, a stranger to the area, had approached an off-duty Ozark police officer, inquiring if the officer was there to arrest him. Though the officer initially dismissed the man, he later reported the individual's erratic behavior to the sheriff. Recognizing the potential for trouble, the sheriff dispatched Deputy McGowan to accompany the officer and arrest the man for public drunkenness.
The two officers located the suspect in his vehicle and initiated a traffic stop about six miles outside of Ozark. As Deputy McGowan approached the man and informed him he was under arrest, the suspect, with a concealed gun, fired a single, fatal shot, striking the deputy in the head. The assailant also fired at the second officer, the bullet grazing the crown of his police hat. The officer returned fire, hitting the suspect five times. Despite his injuries, the man managed to flee the scene in his car, running over Deputy McGowan's body as he escaped.
The wounded suspect's flight was short-lived. He abandoned his vehicle near Skipperville and forced his way into a nearby home, where he collapsed from his injuries and was soon apprehended by a posse. Initially, he concocted a story about being a moonshine runner from Washington, Georgia, who had been involved in a shootout with another sheriff. However, this claim was quickly debunked by investigators.
The suspect was charged with first-degree murder. In September of 1925, the case went to trial. After several days of deliberation, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, resulting in a mistrial. The suspect was subsequently released on a $5,500 bond and returned to his home in Georgia, leaving the community to mourn the loss of Deputy Sheriff James Early McGowan, a man survived by his wife, whose life was cut short in the line of duty.
