The Cleburne News
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE FROM "THE CLEBURNE NEWS", Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama,
Newspaper Issue of Thursday, December 22, 1910

BENEFIELD SHOOTING
Hopewell, Ala., Dec 17th

Three brothers, Alf, Richard and Whack Benefield lie dead near Hopewell in this county, a mountain village about 18 miles east of this place, as a result of a quarrel. Alf and Richard quarreled over Alf's alleged relation with Richard's wife. They began shooting at each other when Whack, the older brother, intervened and a stray shot struck him, as well. A large number of shots were fired and all three of the men died almost immediately.

Sheriff Rowell was called from Heflin to investigate the tragedy. When he reached the farm he found all three stretched out dead on their father's bed, while he, bent with age, helplessly sobbed out his grief. The sheriff found nothing to do as the principals were all dead.

There had been bad feeling between Alf, the younger brother, and Richard for some days. It was said that Alf and Richard's wife were intimate. Both of the brothers met on their father's farm yesterday morning. Richard did not live there. Alf and Richard quarreled throughout the day; and finally the shooting began. As a result not only were the three brothers killed but a mule was struck by a stray bullet and instantly killed.

The fight was one of the bloodiest in the history of the county. The men were found lying very close to each other with the ground all around them red with blood.

All three brothers were well known in Cleburne County. Whack Benefield is survived by his widow and nine children. Richard Benefield's wife, said to be the woman in the case and one child, survive him. Alf was not married.

The three men were buried side by side in the family burying ground.
________

Additional Comments:
"Whack" Benefield is Zachariah H.S. Benefield.

Buried at the Macedonia Cemetery in Cleburne County, Alabama

Zachariah H.S. Benefield
b. 1 Dec 1869
d. 16 Dec 1910
(Masonic Emblem)

Mary Emily Benefield
w/o Zachariah H.S. Benefield
b. 24 Sep 1870
d. 7 Sep 1962
(Eastern Star Emblem)
**********************

1900 census Cleburne County, Alabama
Abernathy Pct. page 270

Zachariah Benefield, Dec 1869, age 30, Georgia, Georgia, Georgia (married 9 years)
Mary, wife, Sept 1871, age 28, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia (mother of 5 children, 5 living)
Sarah, daughter, Jan 1892, age 8, Alabama
Marthy Ann, daughter, Aug 1893, age 6, Alabama
Mary E., daughter, Oct 1895, age 4, Alabama
Lucindy, daughter, Apr 1898, age 2, Alabama
Burnis, daughter, Feb 1900, age 3 months, Alabama

* son Richard Benefield was married to Senia Glenn, born 1887 in Georgia. She and Richard had one son, Benjamin, who also died by gunshot in 1924. After Richard's death, Senia returned to her home of Carroll County, Georgia. In 1940 Senia was living with her brother, Adam Glenn, and sister, Lucy Glenn, in Carroll County. She was listed as Senia Glenn, but whether she was using her maiden name or that is a census-taking artifact, I do not know. I have not been able to find a death record for her, although all her siblings have been located. (Adam Glenn is FAG# 57765274.)