Ephraim Jones
Ephraim Jones, known as Eph, was a Black man held in the Brenham jail in Texas in early December 1886, one of three men held there. According to the Brenham Weekly Banner, a masked, armed mob broke into the jail in the early morning, overpowered the jailer, Jim Estes, who was forced at gunpoint to hand over the keys, and took the men from their cells. Jones's body was found hanging from a tree about a mile from town, along with the bodies of the other two men. An inquest jury, summoned by Justice Hackworth, found that he died by hanging at the hands of people who could not be identified.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A masked mob broke into the Brenham jail, forced the jailer to give up the keys, took Ephraim Jones from his cell and hanged him, according to an inquest jury verdict and a Chicago Times report.
Reported by: inquest jury summoned by Justice Hackworth (court); Chicago Times special dispatch from Brennan, Tex. (reporters); Chicago Times special report from Brennan, Texas (reporters).