Charles Pierce
Charles Pierce, 20, was held in the Bloomington jail in McLean County, Illinois, in October 1881. After the jailer was shot and killed inside the jail, a crowd of thousands gathered outside, and the sheriff and police tried to guard the building. According to a newspaper report of the incident, a mob forced its way in, dragged him out and hanged him from a locust tree near Market and Center streets. The report says a police officer cut the rope once, and the coroner took the body after about thirty minutes.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A newspaper report says a mob forced its way into the Bloomington jail, dragged him out and hanged him from a locust tree.
Reported by: newspaper report of the Bloomington incident (reporters).