Elias Clayton
Elias Clayton, a Black man, was one of several circus workers held in the jail on Superior Street in Duluth, Minnesota, in June 1920. The Marshall Project reports that a mob broke into the jail, beat the prisoners, and dragged Clayton and two others a block away, where he was hanged from a lamppost. The Marshall Project says police made a brief defense under orders not to use their guns, and the Associated Press reports that the sheriff had asked for National Guard troops the night before, saying he had information that another attempt was planned. The Marshall Project also reports that a physician found no sign of assault, and that the accusation against the men was disputed from the start.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob broke into the Duluth jail on Superior Street, beat the prisoners and hanged Elias Clayton from a lamppost after dragging him a block away.
Reported by: Associated Press (reporters).