Constable B. F. Reed

B. F. Reed

Constable B.F. Reed was shot and killed from ambush while transporting a prisoner near Madison Station.

Two men had been arrested earlier in the day after one of them shot the other during a fight. It was determined that the man who fired the shot acted in self-defense, while the man who had been shot was bound over to appear at the Circuit Court. The prisoner was placed in the custody of Constable Reed at approximately 8:00 pm to be taken to the county jail in Canton.

Due to the distance to travel, Constable Reed took the man to his own home to stay for the night before proceeding to the jail in the morning. When they arrived at Constable Reed's farm he dismounted the buggy to open his gate. As he opened the gate, the father of the man who acted in self defense, hiding in bushes 10 yards away, opened fire, killing Constable Reed. Officials theorized, because it was so dark, the suspect intended to shoot the prisoner and shot Constable Reed by mistake. He was arrested and jailed for murder. A feud existed between the families of the man shot and the shooter.

Constable Reed was survived by his wife.