Dan Rand Killed in a Fight with Florence Night Policeman JH Benham and Two Deputized Citizens.

Subject

The Law, Crime and Punishment

Description

A series of newspaper articles on the early Saturday morning, May 15, 1897 shooting of African-American Dan Ran/Rand by Florence Night Policeman JH Benham and one November, 1895 report of Rand's involvement in a fight at a dance at the Colored Odd Fellows Lodge.

Friday night, May 14, Rand and several other African-American men got involved in a fight after the commencement exercises at Florence's Negro School on South Court Street. A "row of large dimensions was produced" when Rand, Ed Winston and Frank Seawright (according to the Florence Herald also Jim Mitchell and Lewis McClure) "set upon Aleck Copeland, another colored man, and did him great violence." One of the men was knocked out and the others fled.

Florence Police night officer JH Benham deputized African-American residents Ab Hardy and Pride Johnson to assist him in capturing Ran and the other men. After a search of a couple of hours, at approximately 2:30 am, Rand was spotted at the Commercial Hotel but managed to break free after Benham's two deputies apprehended him. Benham then arrived and ordered Rand to surrender but instead Rand drew a knife (said by the Florence Standard-Journal to be a case knife ground to a sharp point) and advanced on Benham; ignoring Benham's two orders to halt, the officer shot Rand, striking him in the head and killing him instantly.

Behnam then surrendered himself to Sheriff Carson. According to the Florence Standard-Journal Rand's brother John Rand swore out a warrant charging Benham Hardy and Johnson with murder however in an examination later Saturday morning by Judge Smith and Esq. Jackson Benham and his two deputies were exonerated of any wrongdoing.

The Florence Herald reported that Ed Winston, Lewis McClure, Jim Mitchell and Frank Seawright, who had assaulted Aleck Copeland with Rand, were arrested; all except Mitchell waved examination. Lewis McClure gave bond, Mitchell was released and Winston and Seawright sent to jail.

Nothing further is known of either Dan or John Ran/Rand at this time.

Source

1. Montgomery (AL) Advertiser
2. Our Mountain Home (Talladega, AL)
3. Florence (AL) Herald
4. Shelby Sentinel (Calera, AL)
5. Florence (AL) Standard-Journal
6. Florence (AL) Times
7. Montgomery (AL) Weekly Advertiser
8. Stevenson (AL) Chronicle
9. Florence (AL) Gazette

Publisher

1. Newspapers.com
2. Newspapers.com
3. Newspapers.com
4. Newspapers.com
5. Bell & Howell Micro Photo
6. Bell & Howell Micro Photo
7. Newspapers.com
8. Newspapers.com
9. Newspapers.com

Contributor

Lee Freeman

Rights

Images are available for educational and research purposes. This image may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the interested party to identify the copyright holder and receive permission.

Format

Jpeg

Language

English

Type

Still Image

Files

Florence Negro Killed Resisting Arrest Dan Rand Mont Adv Sun May 16 1897 p 11.jpg
Dan Rand Killed from Through AL from Our Mount Home (Talladega, AL) Wed May 19 1897 p 1.jpg
Dan Rand Killed (Lewis McClure Arrested for Fighting) FH Thu May 20 1897 p 2.jpg
Dan Rand Killed Shelby Sentinel (Calera, AL) Late State News Thu May 20 1897 p 1.jpg
Justifiable Homicide FST Fri May 21 1897 p 5 (2).jpg
Killed Instantly FT Fri May 21 1897 p 3 Dan Ran (2).jpg
Dan Rand Killed Mont Wkly Adv Fri May 21 1897 p 7.jpg
JH Benham Kills Dan Rand Stevenson Chron Tue May 25 1897 p 1.jpg
Dan Rand and Others in Fight FG Thu Nov 28 1895 p 3.jpg

Citation

“Dan Rand Killed in a Fight with Florence Night Policeman JH Benham and Two Deputized Citizens.,” Shoals Black History, accessed May 5, 2024, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/1259.