Henry Jones
Henry Jones was a Black man held in the Lake City county jail in Columbia County, Florida, in May 1911. Early on Sunday, May 21, a group of more than a dozen men posing as officers came to the jail while the sheriff was away, and the sheriff's 16-year-old son, left in charge, released Henry and five other Black men to them after being shown a bogus telegram. The men were driven about a mile out of town and shot with rifles and pistols until all were dead. Newspaper accounts differ on how they were positioned before they were shot, with one saying they were made to stand side by side and another saying they were tied to trees.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched (neglect alleged). A mob posing as officers took the men from the Lake City jail, and the sheriff's 16-year-old son, left in charge, released them after being shown a bogus telegram.
Reported by: Norwich Bulletin, Lake City dispatch (reporters); Mountain Home Maverick (reporters); news dispatch from Lake City, Fla., dated May 23, 1911 (reporters).
Sources (13)
- The Birmingham Age-Herald, May 22, 1911, page 1
- The Montgomery Advertiser, May 22, 1911, page 1
- The Bridgeport Evening Farmer, May 22, 1911, page 4
- Norwich Bulletin, May 22, 1911, page 1
- The Richmond Palladium And Sun-Telegram, May 22, 1911, page 2
- The Topeka State Journal, May 22, 1911, page 8
- Mountain Home Maverick, May 25, 1911, page 2
- American Falls Press, May 25, 1911, page 2
- Montpelier Examiner, May 26, 1911, page 2
- The Savannah Tribune, May 27, 1911, page 4
- Bonners Ferry Herald, May 27, 1911, page 3
- Elk City Mining News, June 1, 1911, page 6
- The Alaska Citizen, June 26, 1911, page 6