Bunkle Richardson

Bunk Richardson was held in the Etowah County jail in Gadsden, Alabama, when about two dozen masked men entered the building early on February 11, 1906. According to a Montgomery newspaper report, they overpowered the sheriff and jailer, forced the jailer to open the cells, and took him out. The men hanged him from a Louisville and Nashville Railroad bridge over the Coosa River, and a coroner's jury returned a verdict that he was killed by parties unknown. The Equal Justice Initiative says his relatives were forced to leave town and abandon their businesses, and that no one was ever charged in his death. His grave at Sixth Street Cemetery is now the subject of restoration efforts by local advocates.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A masked mob of about two dozen men overpowered the sheriff and jailer at the Gadsden jail, took Bunk Richardson out and hanged him from a railroad bridge over the Coosa River; a coroner's jury returned a verdict that he was killed by parties unknown.

Reported by: Gadsden jail sheriff and jailer (the agency that held him); coroner's jury (medical examiner or coroner); Equal Justice Initiative (advocates); Birmingham Age-Herald (reporters); Paducah Sun (reporters); Daily Public Ledger (reporters); Interior Journal (reporters); Arizona Republican (reporters); Kentucky paper (reporters).

Sources (26)

• The Montgomery Advertiser, February 12, 1906, page 1 The Montgomery Advertiser, February 12, 1906
• The Courier-Journal, February 12, 1906, page 1 The Courier-Journal, February 12, 1906
• The Paducah Sun, February 12, 1906, page 1 The Paducah Sun, February 12, 1906
• Alexandria Gazette, February 12, 1906, page 2 Alexandria Gazette, February 12, 1906
• Arizona Republican, February 12, 1906, page 1 Arizona Republican, February 12, 1906
• Los Angeles Herald, February 12, 1906, page 1 Los Angeles Herald, February 12, 1906
• The San Francisco Call, February 12, 1906, page 13 The San Francisco Call, February 12, 1906
• Waterbury Evening Democrat, February 12, 1906, page 3 Waterbury Evening Democrat, February 12, 1906
• The Daily Morning Journal And Courier, February 12, 1906, page 1 The Daily Morning Journal And Courier, February 12, 1906
• The New Haven Union, February 12, 1906, page 3 The New Haven Union, February 12, 1906
• Rock Island Argus, February 12, 1906, page 1 Rock Island Argus, February 12, 1906
• Daily Public Ledger, February 13, 1906, page 1 Daily Public Ledger, February 13, 1906
• The Interior Journal, February 13, 1906, page 6 The Interior Journal, February 13, 1906
• The Birmingham Age-Herald, February 14, 1906, page 4 The Birmingham Age-Herald, February 14, 1906
• The Commonwealth, February 16, 1906, page 2 The Commonwealth, February 16, 1906
• Times-Promoter, February 16, 1906, page 6 Times-Promoter, February 16, 1906
• Troy Weekly News, February 16, 1906, page 3 Troy Weekly News, February 16, 1906
• Camas Prairie Chronicle, February 16, 1906, page 2 Camas Prairie Chronicle, February 16, 1906
• The Kendrick Gazette, February 16, 1906, page 6 The Kendrick Gazette, February 16, 1906
• The Bolivar County Democrat, February 17, 1906, page 2 The Bolivar County Democrat, February 17, 1906
• The Semi-Weekly Leader, February 17, 1906, page 3 The Semi-Weekly Leader, February 17, 1906
• Hopkinsville Kentuckian, February 17, 1906, page 4 Hopkinsville Kentuckian, February 17, 1906
• Elk City Mining News, February 17, 1906, page 6 Elk City Mining News, February 17, 1906
• Bonners Ferry Herald, February 17, 1906, page 2 Bonners Ferry Herald, February 17, 1906
• The Birmingham Age-Herald, March 27, 1906, page 3 The Birmingham Age-Herald, March 27, 1906
• EJI Dedicates Lynching Marker in Gadsden, Alabama, for Bunk Richardson Equal Justice Initiative, December 14, 2016