Ben Dickerson
Benjamin Dickerson, known as Ben, was a Black man held in the Purcell jail in Purcell, Oklahoma. On the early morning of January 27, 1914, a party that had come from Oklahoma City in automobiles overpowered the jailer and took him from his cell. The group drove him about nine miles to Noble, where he was hanged from a tree and his body was shot. A coroner's jury found that he died at the hands of parties unknown.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A coroner's jury at the scene found he came to his death at the hands of parties unknown after a mob took him from the Purcell jail, hanged him and shot his body.
Reported by: coroner's jury (medical examiner or coroner); Associated Press (reporters); Oklahoma City-area news report (reporters).