Randolph County AlArchives News.....Randolph County Alabama news making it across the Southeastern States. 1800's ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 September 7, 2022, 7:28 pm Several Listed 1800's Macon Daily Herald [Macon GA] May 8, 1865: We learn that the Tories shot Mr. Burr Smith last Tuesday night and robbed Whit Heren [Herren] of $216 in gold and $1600 in Confederate notes. Mr. Smith was shot in the bowels which caused his death. All this occurred in Randolph County Ala near Wedowee. The Tennessean [Nashville TN] Apr 7, 1868: I WILL GIVE $200 REWARD FOR THE apprehension and delivery of one ISAAC MIZE, who eloped from my residence 12 miles north of Wedowee, Randolph County, Alabama, on the 6th of February last, decoying off with him my wife, Mary E. Jordan who left my bed and board without any cause known to me. Said Mize, besides decoying off my wife, appropriated my means to his own use, carrying off about $126 and leaving me bound for him to a considerable amount. He is about 22 years of age. 6 feet high, blue eyes, light hair, fair complexion, having quite a fine head of hair, his lips full and mouth generally opened. He is frequently laughing and is easy to agree with anyone, having no fixed ideas of his own. Said Mize was a private in Company B, 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry (Federal troops) from which he holds honorable discharge, of which he frequently boasts. I will give $200 for his apprehension, or I will give a liberal reward for any information that will lead to his whereabouts. My wife, Mary F. Jordan, is about 40 years of age, about 5 feet and 4 inches high, blue eyes, light hair, fair complexion, front teeth decayed and considerable scar on her neck caused by a rising. Her general appearance is that of a high-toned lady. She weighs about l60 pounds. Any Information relative to her will be thankfully received and the informant liberally rewarded. All communications must be addressed to the undersigned at Wedowee, Ala. S. E. JORDAN, Sheriff of Randolph County, Ala. Wedowee, March 7, 1868. Ledger-Enquirer [Columbus GA] Dec 26, 1888 The safe in the store of Thomas J. Lovvorn at Wedowee was blown open Wednesday night and $300 abstracted. Mr. Lovvorn’s mule disappeared the same night and was discovered the next day in Georgia twenty miles from home the burglar evidently used the mule in making his escape. Ledger-Enquirer [Columbus GA] Mar 23, 1889: The Randolph County jail was fired here last night about 8 o’clock by one of the prisoners a white boy named John Baggett who was in for burglary. The fire was extinguished by considerable effort before it had done much damage. Chattanooga Daily Times [Chattanooga TN] May 18, 1892: H. T. Barton and John Washington members of leading families of Randolph County had a misunderstanding over a settlement at Wedowee Saturday and the latter shot the former. Barton died in a few hours Washington made his escape but on the feeling is strong against him and a close search is being made. Daily News [Galveston TX] August 2, 1892: Three Prisoners Make Their Escape from the Wedowee Jail. Anniston, Ala., July 26. Three prisoners made their escape from the Wedowee, Randolph County jail Sunday night. The sheriff had taken supper for Hiram Anderson and Jack Bennett into the cell. As he turned to walk out, Bennett knocked him senseless with a stool which had been allowed to remain in the cell. 'Bennett and Anderson then liberated John Washington, who was in jail on the charge of murder. Three made a break for liberty, and had. been gone several minutes before the sheriff regained consciousness. Bennett and Anderson were confined in jail on charges of burglary. Washington's offense was murder, he having several weeks ago shot and killed, in cold blood. Henry T. Bently [BARTON], a prominent planter of Randolph County. At the time of the murder there was much excitement at Wedowee, and two or three times, mobs of indignant citizens surrounded the jail and declared their intention of lynching Washington, but cooler heads prevailed, and Washington was permitted to await the court's action. The fugitive prisoners have not been seen since their escape. The Grenada Sentinel [Grenada MS] Sep 15, 1894: Matthew Whaley professional witness against illicit distillers, was shot and killed near Wedowee, Randolph County, last Friday night. Party went to his house and tried to get him to come out, on his refusal, quite a number of shots were fired into the building, and finally the building was set on fire. One of the parties saw Whaley through a window, and fired at him, the ball taking effect in Whaley's brain, whether building and body were burned. No arrests as yet. Information is from United States Commissioner Smith. The Eagle [Bryan TX] Feb 22, 1896: News has just reached here of a horrible murder committed near Wedowee. Randolph, county. The body of Miss. Susie Evans, a beautiful young woman and daughter of a farmer, was found dressed in a nightrobe, dead in a public road near her father’s house, four miles from Wedowee. Her head had been crushed and her brains scattered and battered out. She had evidently been dragged from her bed and murdered. There is no telegraphic communication with Wedowee and further details are not known here. The Biloxi Herald [Biloxi MS] Dec 12, 1896: The courthouse of Randolph County Ala situated at Wedowee was burned to the ground with all of its records for the past 50 years. The Houston Post [Houston TX] Jun 16, 1899: June 15 near Wedowee in Randolph County a negro supposed to be Hayes Phillips attempted to assault Miss Sophronia Whaley the young womans screams attached her father and the negro made his escape. Officers home Several more negroes had gathered, and they refused to open the door for the officers The deputy sheriffs forced their way in to be met by a volley from the negros. W. F. Carlisle's hand was shattered. Three negroes were wounded too badly to get away and will probably die, in the melee the Phillips negro escaped and the negro in the neighborhood hearing shots a large number of them bore down in the house The officers barricaded themselves within and further trouble was prevented. A mob is in pursuit of Phillips and a lynching will follow his capture. The Liberty Vindicator [Liberty TX] Aug 23, 1903 News has just reached here that four men were killed and nine wounded in Randolph County the latter part of last week by a desperate negro by the name of Sledge. The sheriff and posse are now in hot pursuit but have not yet been able to capture the murderer. The trouble started over a difficulty in a watermelon patch. A party of white men were working the public road at Beaver [Bear?] Creek, near Lamar. Sledge has a watermelon patch near road and when the men finished working, they asked permission to eat, a few melons. Sledge told them to help themselves but requested that they take care not to destroy the vines. As soon as the men got into the patch the cut and slash melons in every direction while Sledge looked on. The negro warned them to stop, and he went after his gun. Returning, he emptied the weapon into the crowd, wounding nine out of eleven. A possess headed by the sheriff overtook the negro near the steel bridge over the Tallapoosa River, five miles from Wedowee. He was ordered to surrender, but replied by firing his shotgun, instantly killing Thomas Ebott [Abbott] and Robert Ford. This afternoon Sledge was accosted on the road by James Moore and Bud Wilson. Without warning the negro raised his gun and fired instantly killing Moore and mortally wounding Wilson. No further details have been received here, but at accounts the posse is still on the pursuit. Sun Herald [Biloxi MS] Aug 8, 1908 While crossing a river near Wedowee in Randolph County, Van Wright was shot ambush and killed. He was first shot from his boat and then given a second charge that blew off the top of his head after he fell into the water. Bill Phillips who had been charged with illicit distilling and against whom Wright was a witness is suspected and search is being made for him. Note: some of these articles ran in other newspapers not listed. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/randolph1891gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 8.7 Kb