Charles Dickerson

Charles Dickerson, a Black man, was held in the Boone County jail at Burlington, Kentucky, in May 1884. Newspaper reports say about twenty masked men demanded the jailer's keys in the early hours of Sunday, May 4, and broke open the jail when he refused to hand them over. The mob took Dickerson about two miles from town and hanged him. Reports differ on the date, giving May 4 or May 5, and one says he had escaped an earlier attempt and was retaken about a week later.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A masked mob of about twenty broke into the Boone County jail in Burlington, Kentucky, took Charles Dickerson from it and hanged him about two miles from town.

Reported by: Walton, Ky. special dispatch reprinted in the Cincinnati report (reporters).

News reports (8)

• Fort Worth Daily Gazette, May 5, 1884, page 5 Fort Worth Daily Gazette, May 5, 1884
• Savannah Morning News, May 6, 1884, page 1 Savannah Morning News, May 6, 1884
• The Daily Dispatch, May 6, 1884, page 2 The Daily Dispatch, May 6, 1884
• The Austin Weekly Statesman, May 8, 1884, page 2 The Austin Weekly Statesman, May 8, 1884
• The Magnolia Gazette, May 15, 1884, page 1 The Magnolia Gazette, May 15, 1884
• Huntsville Gazette, May 17, 1884, page 1 Huntsville Gazette, May 17, 1884
• The Grenada Sentinel, May 17, 1884, page 2 The Grenada Sentinel, May 17, 1884
• The Panola Weekly Star, May 17, 1884, page 1 The Panola Weekly Star, May 17, 1884