In the spring of 1921, a 37-year-old male, Federal Prohibition Agent Jacob Green, met a tragic end near the town of Richton, Mississippi. On April 1st, Agent Green, accompanied by Richton Town Marshal William Dunnam, ventured into the rural landscape to raid an illegal moonshine still. As they approached the operation, a sudden and violent shootout erupted between the lawmen and several moonshiners. In the exchange of gunfire, both Agent Green and Marshal Dunnam were fatally wounded.
Agent Green sustained a mortal gunshot wound to the head.
The aftermath of the deadly confrontation led to the arrest of four men connected to the illicit still: Henry Bonds, Mancey Kelly, John Adams, and A. Morris. All four were charged with the murders of the two officers. The path to justice for Agent Green and Marshal Dunnam was as grim and violent as the initial incident. One of the suspects, Mancey Kelly, took his own life before he could be hanged by using a concealed knife to cut his own throat. Another suspect, whose name is not consistently clear across all accounts, was also sentenced to death but committed suicide before the execution could be carried out.
In June of 1921, Henry Bonds was convicted for both murders and sentenced to hang. While awaiting his fate, Bonds orchestrated an escape attempt. On July 18, 1922, he managed to acquire a smuggled handgun and, in his bid for freedom, murdered Hinds County Jailer John Russell. The escape was thwarted when Jailer Russell, in the final moments of his life, gained control of the firearm and fatally shot Bonds. The third suspect, John Adams, reportedly turned state's evidence to avoid the gallows and was sentenced to life in prison. The fourth man, A. Morris, received a three-year sentence for his role in the illegal whiskey operation.
