Bonnie Parker: “Buried In an Ice-Blue Negligee” — 1934
by Paula Bosse
(George W. Cook Collection, DeGolyer Library, SMU)
by Paula Bosse
This amazing (and amazingly gruesome) first-hand account of an unnamed McKamy-Campbell Funeral Home undertaker details the incredible amount of work required to prepare the bullet-ridden body of celebrity outlaw Bonnie Parker for burial. This odd little historical document comes from the absolutely fantastic George W. Cook Dallas/Texas Image Collection housed in SMU’s DeGolyer Library. The four-page handwritten document can be viewed in its entirety on SMU’s Central University Libraries’ website here. Below is the full account, transcribed by SMU, with a few corrections/additions made by me.
*
Tear this up please? Tear this up please?
Heres [sic] first hand on Bonnie & Clyde as we had Bonnie. She was about the size of Rose Grace, weighing a 100 pounds. (a thousand pounds of dynamite though) She was very pretty of course her skin was somewhat tan. Her nails were beautiful. Likewise her toe nails. Her toes looked like fingers. The cuticles pushed back, the nails filed to a point, and a deep coral shade polish on them, the most beautiful toes I ever saw, just perfect. Her permanent just a month old we had it waved. Her face, right side was blown off. We fixed this and you could hardly tell it. Just one bullet went through her brain, however and number grazed her head as there were 3 big holes in her scalp, but not through skull. Her left eye terribly black, however I used eye shadow on other eye to match, so that was covered up. Now, her body was just mutilated and torn to pieces from shots. Her right hand nearly blown off (known as her trigger hand) her body besides being full of bullet holes was full of buckshot, pellets all over her
[Page 2] body. We received body ten minutes of nine. Joe and I sewed on her until three that afternoon. At that time they say 25,000 people were lined up outside. It took 2 hours picking dirt, rocks etc. from her hair then to wash it and have waved. A tattoo on right leg two hearts one read Roy, the other Bonnie. Roy you know was her Husband (Roy Thornton now in Pen) All fluid the undertaker in Arcadia La. used leaked out she was torn up so she was a a [sic] mass of blood, caked & dried. Several hours in bathing her. Had to scrape some of it off, and used gold dust to remove most of it. Had skin slip that night account Fluid leaking from it, began to smell the next morning, turning dark, smelling worse. The last day was rotten so to speak The odor was awful. Her Mother thought [sic] sat in room alone with her head over casket. How she stood it Lord knows. The other children couldn’t. Mother fainted 2:30 that night I asked if she wouldn’t like to go home, she went. By then the entire house smelt. We had to keep her so Sister Billy that was in jail in Ft Worth could get out & come to Funeral. She was buried in an all steel metal casket. Paper said $1000.00 wrong about $600 maybe less. Paper said $1000.00 vault Wrong there was no vault Page 2
[Page 3] Buried in an ice Blue Neglegee [sic] (is this spelled right) She was dressed in expensive clothes when killed. About 40,000 people came to view her. Paper said $1,500.00 damages done to Funeral Home. Wrong about the extent of $2.50. They did not tear windows etc as stated. The woman next door though turned Hose on Them to keep her flowers from being walked on. We had 38 officers stationed (3 shifts) all over house and front & back yard keeping crowd in order and all of us as well. 4 operators on the 4 phones. They rang every minute for two days & nights. More people came to see Bonnie then [sic] to see Clyde. Our new Porch Furniture was damaged. We had a Rubber mat about ½ inch in thickness all over Funeral House. Officers
[Page 4] stationed to keep people on it so as not to wear rug out (Big movie Star) my picture was shown in Movies. The paper stretched their stories. She was not to become a Mother as stated. She was diseased slightly though as stated. Now you have it first hand as I worked on her. Joes [sic] & My work was praised very highly in every other line in papers. And if I do say it, It was good. And she looked swell no trace of disfigures showing. The crowd did not steal anything to take home. All paper talk. Example crowd lined up as Far as Fair Park, now judge how it looked. They brought their Lunches. Such Fools.
*
Below, two photographs of the McKamy-Campbell Funeral Home, located at 1921 Forest Avenue in South Dallas, besieged by curious spectators.
**
I’m unsure who the “Rose Grace” was who was mentioned on the first page.
The “gold dust” mentioned in the account as being used to remove caked blood from Bonnie’s body was actually Gold Dust Washing Powder or Gold Dust Scouring Soap, a popular, commercially-available “all-purpose cleaning agents” — Wikipedia article is here.
***
Sources & Notes
Top image of the handwritten account on Adolphus Hotel stationery is from the aforementioned George W. Cook Dallas/Texas Image Collection, DeGolyer Library, Central University Libraries, Southern Methodist University, viewable here.
First photo of the McKamy-Campbell Funeral Home is reproduced all over the internet; the second photo is from the files of the Dallas Police Dept., Dallas Municipal Archives, via the University of North Texas’ Portal to Texas History database, here.
Even though the identity of the person who wrote this account is not known, he (…it was probably a man) mentions that he was seen in newsreel footage of the funeral of Bonnie Parker. My wild guess is that he can be seen in this clip from a longer newsreel on the funerals and burials of Bonnie and Clyde at the 2:34 mark. I could never find who his co-worker “Joe” was.
*
Is this our man laying flowers on Bonnies casket?
If you really want to see the state of the bodies of Bonnie (and Clyde) — before and after their time with their undertakers — they’re easy to find via your favorite search engine.
More Flashback Dallas posts on Bonnie & Clyde here.
All images larger when clicked.
*
Copyright © 2016 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
Flashback : Dallas 
Could the man at 2:34 in the video be Tom McKamy? He was the funeral home director and also was mayor of Richardson, TX in 1925-1927 and 1933-1937. The man in the video bears a resemblance to the photographs I have seen of Mr. McKamy.
LikeLike
I wonder if it could be H. Dillard Darby, an undertaker who had been previously kidnapped by Bonnie and Clyde…and had been brought in to confirm their identity. He ended up assisting in the embalming. He also said that when he was with Bonnie she was amused that he was an undertaker and joked that he may end up working on her. He did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Darby would have stayed in the hotel because he didn’t live there…which might explain why this was written on hotel stationary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] 2. BONNIE PARKER: “BURIED IN AN ICE-BLUE NEGLIGEE” — 1934 […]
LikeLike
[…] “BONNIE PARKER: ‘BURIED IN AN ICE-BLUE NEGLIGEE’ — 1934” People will never tire of reading about Bonnie & Clyde. This post — which was basically […]
LikeLike
Was Bonnie & Clydes ambush, an excecution murder?
At the angle the shooters were standing in relation to the car ,as it passed by them. The bullets entered from the left (drivers side) and exited out the Passengers door. As the car rolled forward they kept shooting and now the bullets wouldn’t be going straight through but at angle so they now exited through the wind shield on Bonnies side. I read where after the car stopped, Hamer walked out of the bushes, STILL firing and continued to walk around from behind the car over to Bonnies side. He STILL kept shooting her. This would explain the bullet holes in the BACK wind shield. When he opened the door , she fell out the passenger door and was still breathing . The scene where she’s leaning over on Clyde shoulder ,is where Hamer had placed her there. There is a wrong way, that Bonnie & Clyde chose, and a right way, that the Law Officers are supposed to choose, but they didn’t. They were afraid of these two, and gave them NO chance to surrender. I know Hamer had a long history of tracking men down, but I think he was no more than a hit man with a badge. They murdered these two. The legal system says innocent until proven guilty, there was no ‘system’ for these two, only an execution. So who was the worse? The Barrow gang cop killers or the law men that executed Bonnie & Clyde without a chance to surrender? Although not in the coroner’s report,
it was rumored at the time, that Bonnie was
two and a half months pregnant when killed.
History some times records the wrong facts .
LikeLike
Whow was the worst? Bonnie and Clyde–by a long shot (pardon the pun.) It’s a pretty safe bet that Bonnie was not pregnant during the ambush; however, if she were, history can chalk up that death to Ms. Parker–and Ms. Parker alone.
LikeLike
On what authority did the “writer” just decide that Bonnie was not to be a mother ? Unless you’re a gynecologist and do an internal exam, that would be pretty hard to tell. And there was no internal exam; only post mortem exam (external checking of wounds, documenting injuries for coroner’s report). And what’s the mysterious reference to “she was diseased” ? STD probably. That still does not eliminate pregnancy. Look, even Hamer himself believed she was pregnant and that’s good enough for me. What a satanic bunch of “men” they were — gunning down a tiny, expectant woman who had no chance to save herself. Load of b___sht.
LikeLike
Bonnie Parker made her choices and paid the price.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a “Satanic bunch” Bonnie and Clyde were, murdering people for money that they were too sorry & lazy to work for! They are in Hell where they belong.
LikeLike
Jeez, it’s new (to me) and very interesting, but it’s from the point of view of some cosmetologist at the funeral home, so it’s a little one sided. I mean, i’m not that interested in her toenail polish. Maybe more medical info and less about eyeshadow, filing of her toenails, etc…. Still great reading. Makes me wonder if this was written by a foot freak though (?) Weird stuff.
And, there were NO internal exams. NO autopsy was done. Just a post mortem, which is an external look at the body. She could certainly HAVE been pregnant, and it could certainly HAVE been suppressed by Hamer and co. After all, that would be some terrible PR for those guys, they wouldn’t want that to get out….. snuffing out a ladyAND a baby. Terrible. Hamer himself believed she was pregnant and put it in writing in a confidential note to FBI…. that’s good enough for me. Sad, sad stuff. justify it any way you like, but law enforcement still behaved exactly like criminals…. executing people with no warning, no trial, no conviction. The cops were no better than Clyde himself. Aren’t the police supposed to be BETTER than the criminals ? Also, Clyde was taken out after the first shot. Why did they go ahead with that relentless barrage ? They could have spared two lives if they’d just slowed down for a second instead of knee jerk reacting and killing everything in sight.
LikeLike
If this guy had worked on her body,wouldn’t he have known that it was the left side of her face that was shot away….just saying
LikeLike
All the snowflakes crying about the law give them no chance.
You shoot mad dogs and this pair were no better than mad dogs.
Saved the prison system the cost of a few amps of electricity for
the electric chair.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely. These crybabies weren’t there, they don’t know what really happened, whether Clyde & Bonnie were given an opportunity to surrender or not. My questions to the snowflakes would be: Have YOU ever hazarded YOUR life to protect someone else’s? Have YOU ever been in a firefight? Would you still feel as self righteous if YOUR FATHER or BROTHER had been a cop & killed by the Barrow gang? You need a REALITY CHECK and a SANITY CHECK. Grow UP!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating. Thanks for posting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
via the University of NORTH Texas’ Portal to Texas History. It says “University of Texas.”
LikeLike
Thanks, Greg! Corrected!
LikeLike
Omg can you imagine if cops ever did this today? Holy crap.
LikeLike
Omg
LikeLike
[…] Bonnie Parker: “Buried In an Ice-Blue Negligee” — 1934: The somewhat gruesome recounting of the preparation of Bonnie’s body — this may be the most popular post I’ve ever written. […]
LikeLike
They got exactly what they deserved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My father, thirteen at the time, and my grandfather went to Arcadia that infamous day. They lived close by in Ruston La.. my dad said they displayed the bodies in the window of what was a hardware-furniture store. He said Bonnie’s hand was nearly shot off.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This was a over kill. They didn’t have to shoot that many times.
LikeLike
I agree with you Lisa. It looks more like a revenge killing over the death of two motorcycle cops in south lake Texas by a couple of retired Texas rangers.
LikeLike
Cowards overkill
LikeLike
There is an interesting picture of Bonnie in that famous dress with the cute little bolero jacket on Pinterest pictures of Bonnie and Clyde. She is standing against a white wall with a cigarette in her right hand near her waist. My grandmother, whose family was a pioneer family from bienville parish where they were killed. Told me the picture is a fake. The model is a look a like. And the dress is just a clever copy. If you compare the dress to other pictures taken by W. D. Jones you will see it is slightly different near the neck area and the dress fits the model a lot tighter.
LikeLike
MY DAD (DECEASED) NEW CLYDE BARROW IN HOUSTON,TX,WHEN THEY WOULD MEET AT THE FIREMAN’S PARK AND HANG OUT WITH
OTHER GANG MEMBERS. MY DAD WAS 14 YRS OLD AT THAT TIME.
(1929) CLYDE WOULD GO AND COME ON DIFFERENT DAYS
LikeLike
Richard, thanks for the post. The thirties were hard times and people like Clyde Barrow were products of the era. I guess he and Bonnie just got tired of being poor.
LikeLike
[…] “BONNIE PARKER: ‘BURIED IN AN ICE-BLUE NEGLIGEE’ — 1934″ (2016) […]
LikeLike
[…] April 2019). (3) “Bonnie Parker: Buried in an Ice Blue Negligee–1934,” Flashback: Dallas (https://flashbackdallas.com/2016/04/15/bonnie-parker-buried-in-an-ice-blue-negligee-1934/: accessed 9 April […]
LikeLike
[…] “BONNIE PARKER: ‘BURIED IN AN ICE-BLUE NEGLIGEE’ — 1934″ (2016) […]
LikeLike
Bonnie die to with police bullets in her
LikeLike
I do agree that Bonnie and Clyde were terrible people for what they did and deserved to die at some point but they didn’t deserve to like they did. I do not know if they were given a chance to surrender nobody does unless you were there at the scene, but I do think that should have been given a chance, you cannot hide the fact that the elimination was an overkill they did not have to shoot that many time and for the crybaby comment that doesn’t make you look good or smart or w/e it makes you immature let people feel how they want to feel you cannot make anyone see your side of the argument and the real facts are none of us were there so none of us know anything for sure so the name-calling was uncalled for as to you just know what you read about on this topic so if they believe that she was pregnant which they can make a theory because that was not CHECKED when he body was being analyzed. Everything I put was just an OPINION it is not FACT but I genuinely believe that everyone deserves a chance and they should have been given one you never know they could have turned out to be changed and better individuals. AND IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO SAY TO MY COMMENT PLS KEEP IT TO YOURSELF BECAUSE I AM NOT AFRAID TO COME BACK!!!!! Thank you.
LikeLike
You didn’t give Clyde first shot. NINE – 9 – policemen bore that out. He was deadly, and would kill you.
LikeLike
Note that the funeral home pictured in this post is NOT the McKamy-Campbell Funeral Home (where Bonnie Parker’s funeral was held) but the Sparkman Funeral Home housed in the Belo Mansion at 2101 Ross Avenue (where Clyde Barrow’s funeral was held). Today the Belo Mansion houses the Dallas Bar Association (for what that is worth). Just thought I should point that out, in the name of accuracy. If you Google ‘Belo Mansion’ you will see that it is identical to the building in these pictures.
LikeLike
Hi, Diane. The photos in this post *do* show the McKamy-Campbell funeral home at 1921 Forest Ave. It has similar features to the Belo Mansion, but they are different buildings. The Belo Mansion was on a huge lot, with rounded extensions on either side. The McKamy funeral home was on a block of houses spaced close together. See the McKamy address at 1921 Forest in the map here (just above the word “Forest” and slightly to the left): http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/d-f/txu-sanborn-dallas-1922-442.jpg
The Belo Mansion is seen on this map, just west of the Sacred Heart Cathedral: http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/d-f/txu-sanborn-dallas-1921-217.jpg
The two buildings have similar features, namely the pillars. But look at the newsreel footage in the video above, and you’ll see the Belo house (Clyde’s viewing) at the :03 mark — note the rounded arch above the entrance, in the center of the porch — you can see that same entrance today in the Belo Mansion here: https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6190171620_9e4e6bf9ce.jpg
Bonnie’s viewing at the McKamy funeral home is seen in the video above at the 1:37 mark — the second photo I posted shows the line of people entering a squared entrance, on the left side of the porch.
But they do look remarkably similar!
LikeLike
Going to go visit the graves very deeply.
LikeLike
Here’s a little tidbit of history, maybe. When I was a kid, one of our neighbors had the wife’s mother living with them. They lived outside of Arcadia, and that day she was shopping while waiting for two of her children to get out of school. When the tow truck stopped (broke down I’ve read) in front of the elementary school, recess had just been let out and the children surrounded the car before anyone could stop them. Supposedly, her 6th grade boy cut off some of Clydes hair with his pocket knife. We had heard her grandson, our playmate, talk of this for years. One Halloween, the supposed Death Car (at one time there were about a half dozen of them around) was being displayed in our town. After we all went to go see it and got back home, Grandma showed us this lock of hair, tied up in a bit of blue ribbon (she didin’t have a whole lot to say about it). Our playmate’s uncle was that boy. He said his uncle reminisced about that day a couple of times at family gatherings, and the uncle said he always remembered all the blood, and really, the horrible smell of guts and feces (he used another word, said playmate), which reminded him of gutting a deer. He said Clydes head was just a mess, and Bonnie’s upper lip and cheek was just hanging down. Playmate also said uncle said that while Bonnie may have been pretty, that day she was monstrous looking. I’m 62 now, and cannot account for the veracity of any of this, but Grandma was a Hardshell Baptist, and was not given to telling tales. The lock of hair was buried with her, we were told years later, as it was her most treasured possesion.
Again, this is just a story of our childhood.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bonnie and Clyde were murders, they had killed 13 to 14 people and they got what they deserved.
LikeLike
[…] is the perennial #1 Flashback Dallas post of every year since it was originally posted in 2016, “BONNIE PARKER: ‘BURIED IN AN ICE-BLUE NEGLIGEE’ — 1934,” a detailed description of the preparation of Bonnie Parker’s body for […]
LikeLike