Alono Tibbets
Alono Tibbets had gone to the sheriff at Morris asking for protection from neighbors who, he said, were seeking his life, and the sheriff placed him in the Morris jail. In early July 1867, a crowd gathered at the jail, demanded the keys, and broke the door down with a sledge hammer after the sheriff was absent and those in charge refused to hand over the keys, according to an eyewitness letter published in the Ottawa Free Trader that cites a Chicago Times correspondent. The letter says local citizens tried to stop the mob, which took Tibbets from the jail, drove him to a grove across the Illinois bridge and hanged him. The letter writer says the crowd ignored pleas to cut the rope.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. An eyewitness letter published in the Ottawa Free Trader, citing a Chicago Times correspondent, says a mob broke down the Morris jail door with a sledge hammer, took Alono Tibbets and hanged him in a grove after the sheriff was absent and those in charge refused to give up the keys.
Reported by: eyewitness letter in the Ottawa Free Trader, citing a Chicago Times correspondent (reporters).