Ida McCray
Betsie McCray, a Black woman, was held in the jail at Carrollton, Mississippi, with her son Belfield and daughter Ida McCray. On the afternoon of August 1, 1901, a mob of white men, reported at between 300 and 600 people, demanded the keys, went to the cells and carried the three of them to the edge of town. Accounts differ on the jailer: one says he gave up the keys, while another says he protested and was overpowered. The mob hanged them from a tree by the roadside and shot their bodies, despite pleas from Judge W. F. Stephens, W. S. Hill and other local officials that the law be allowed to take its course, and Governor Longino of Mississippi condemned the officers in the strongest terms.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob of about 500 white men took the McCray and McCrary family members from the Carroll County jail in Carrollton, Mississippi, and hanged and shot them, according to the Alexandria Gazette and the Pascagoula Democrat-Star, while Governor Longino condemned the officers' conduct.
Reported by: Alexandria Gazette report of August 2, 1901 (reporters); Pascagoula Democrat-Star (reporters); Governor Longino of Mississippi.
News reports (12)
- The Age-Herald, August 2, 1901, page 1
- The Houston Daily Post, August 2, 1901, page 3
- Daily Public Ledger, August 2, 1901, page 3
- Alexandria Gazette, August 2, 1901, page 2
- The Greenville Times, August 3, 1901, page 1
- The Leader, August 7, 1901, page 2
- The Big Stone Gap Post, August 8, 1901, page 1
- The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, August 9, 1901, page 2
- Newport Weekly Independent, August 9, 1901, page 2
- Highland Recorder, August 9, 1901, page 1
- The Grenada Sentinel, August 10, 1901, page 8
- The Conway Log Cabin, August 13, 1901, page 4