Died in jail or a lockup
Belos Heffren
Belos Heffren was held in the jail in Salem, Indiana. In the early morning of June 29, 1873, a group of about 25 to 40 masked men came to the jail and demanded the keys from the deputy sheriff, who refused to give them up. The men found the key to the outer door, broke the locks on Heffren's cell, shot him, and took him to a railroad bridge, where they hanged him. At the coroner's inquest, the examining physician testified that the shots would not have caused his death.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A masked mob took Heffren from the Salem, Indiana jail after the deputy sheriff refused to surrender the keys, and hanged him from a railroad bridge.
Reported by: coroner's inquest (medical examiner or coroner).