Ed Hamilton

Ed Hamilton, a Black man, was held in the parish jail in Shreveport, Louisiana, when a mob came for him on May 12, 1914. According to several newspapers, a crowd estimated at about a thousand men and boys spent hours at the jail's steel doors before cutting through them with saws. They took him out, dragged him about half a block and hanged him from a telephone pole opposite the courthouse. Sheriff J. P. Flournoy had telegraphed the governor for troops, but the National Guard company had not assembled before Hamilton was taken.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob broke into the Shreveport parish jail, took Ed Hamilton and hanged him from a telephone pole, while the National Guard company had not assembled in time to stop them.

Reported by: Associated Press report (reporters); brief national dispatch.

Sources (11)

• Atlanta Georgian, May 12, 1914, page 1 Atlanta Georgian, May 12, 1914
• The Hattiesburg News, May 12, 1914, page 1 The Hattiesburg News, May 12, 1914
• The Topeka State Journal, May 12, 1914, page 1 The Topeka State Journal, May 12, 1914
• Atlanta Georgian, May 13, 1914, page 5 Atlanta Georgian, May 13, 1914
• The Montgomery Advertiser, May 13, 1914, page 5 The Montgomery Advertiser, May 13, 1914
• Norwich Bulletin, May 13, 1914, page 1 Norwich Bulletin, May 13, 1914
• Rock Island Argus, May 13, 1914, page 9 Rock Island Argus, May 13, 1914
• The Berne Witness, May 20, 1914, page 3 The Berne Witness, May 20, 1914
• The Rice Belt Journal, May 22, 1914, page 2 The Rice Belt Journal, May 22, 1914
• Lower Coast Gazette, May 23, 1914, page 1 Lower Coast Gazette, May 23, 1914
• The Madison Journal, May 23, 1914, page 8 The Madison Journal, May 23, 1914