Edward Williams

Edward Williams was held in the jail at Barboursville, West Virginia, in January 1876. Several newspapers, most repeating a Cincinnati Gazette dispatch, report that a mob forced the jailer to hand over the keys, took him from his cell and hanged him from a tree in the courthouse yard. The dispatch says he died about fifteen minutes later. Some accounts say the jailer gave up the keys under force; others describe the mob's approach differently.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. The Cincinnati Gazette dispatch says a mob forced the jailer to give up the keys, took Edward Williams from the Barboursville jail and hanged him, and the Cincinnati Commercial correspondent reports that no one stopped the mob.

Reported by: Cincinnati Gazette (reporters); Cincinnati Commercial (reporters); Dallas Daily Herald (reporters); Springfield Weekly Republican (reporters); Baltimore American (reporters); Dispatch (special telegram) (reporters); Worcester Daily Press (reporters); Portland Daily Press (reporters).

Sources (31)

• Chicago Daily Tribune, January 24, 1876, page 5 Chicago Daily Tribune, January 24, 1876
• Daily Kennebec Journal, January 24, 1876, page 3 Daily Kennebec Journal, January 24, 1876
• Worcester Daily Spy, January 24, 1876, page 1 Worcester Daily Spy, January 24, 1876
• New-York Tribune, January 24, 1876, page 1 New-York Tribune, January 24, 1876
• The Rutland Daily Globe, January 24, 1876, page 3 The Rutland Daily Globe, January 24, 1876
• Memphis Daily Appeal, January 25, 1876, page 1 Memphis Daily Appeal, January 25, 1876
• The Daily Dispatch, January 25, 1876, page 3 The Daily Dispatch, January 25, 1876
• Eureka Daily Sentinel, January 25, 1876, page 2 Eureka Daily Sentinel, January 25, 1876
• Pioche Daily Record, January 25, 1876, page 2 Pioche Daily Record, January 25, 1876
• The Silver State, January 25, 1876, page 2 The Silver State, January 25, 1876
• The Dallas Daily Herald, January 26, 1876, page 1 The Dallas Daily Herald, January 26, 1876
• The Daily Argus, January 26, 1876, page 3 The Daily Argus, January 26, 1876
• Juniata Sentinel And Republican, January 26, 1876, page 2 Juniata Sentinel And Republican, January 26, 1876
• Worcester Daily Press, January 27, 1876, page 2 Worcester Daily Press, January 27, 1876
• The People, January 27, 1876, page 2 The People, January 27, 1876
• The Portland Daily Press, January 28, 1876, page 4 The Portland Daily Press, January 28, 1876
• The Cambria Freeman, January 28, 1876, page 2 The Cambria Freeman, January 28, 1876
• Chicago Daily Tribune, January 30, 1876, page 12 Chicago Daily Tribune, January 30, 1876
• The Weston Democrat, January 31, 1876, page 3 The Weston Democrat, January 31, 1876
• The Van Buren Press, February 1, 1876, page 2 The Van Buren Press, February 1, 1876
• Knoxville Journal, February 3, 1876, page 2 Knoxville Journal, February 3, 1876
• The Republican Journal, February 3, 1876, page 1 The Republican Journal, February 3, 1876
• The Kenosha Telegraph, February 3, 1876, page 3 The Kenosha Telegraph, February 3, 1876
• Wilmington Journal, February 4, 1876, page 1 Wilmington Journal, February 4, 1876
• Connecticut Western News, February 4, 1876, page 4 Connecticut Western News, February 4, 1876
• Springfield Weekly Republican, February 4, 1876, page 3 Springfield Weekly Republican, February 4, 1876
• Bradford Opinion, February 5, 1876, page 4 Bradford Opinion, February 5, 1876
• Essex County Herald, February 12, 1876, page 4 Essex County Herald, February 12, 1876
• The Weekly Echo, February 17, 1876, page 1 The Weekly Echo, February 17, 1876
• The Tribune, February 23, 1876, page 4 The Tribune, February 23, 1876
• Port Royal Standard And Commercial, February 24, 1876, page 4 Port Royal Standard And Commercial, February 24, 1876