James Cullen

James Cullen was a 60-year-old contractor in Charles City, Iowa, and his brother Richard, a banker from Warren, Illinois, was in the city at the time of his death. On the night of January 9, 1907, a crowd of more than 1,000 people, including leading citizens, ministers and women, broke through the outer doors and a brick wall of the Floyd County jail, where Cullen was held. Sheriff W. W. Schermerhorn was overpowered, and according to the reports he did not resist, while the crowd took Cullen to the Cedar River bridge, held a prayer meeting and hanged him. The governor ordered prosecution of the lynchers and a judge directed a grand jury to investigate, while leaders of the mob were reported to have said they did not fear prosecution.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. Newspaper accounts say a mob broke into the Charles City jail, took James Cullen from his cell and hanged him from the Cedar River bridge, and that the sheriff offered little resistance.

Reported by: Charles City press reports and dispatches, as reprinted in later newspapers (reporters); The Caucasian editorial (reporters).

Sources (53)

• IAGenWeb, January 9, 1907
• The Montgomery Advertiser, January 10, 1907, page 1 The Montgomery Advertiser, January 10, 1907
• The Coeur D'Alene Press, January 10, 1907, page 1 The Coeur D'Alene Press, January 10, 1907
• The Topeka State Journal, January 10, 1907, page 1 The Topeka State Journal, January 10, 1907
• The Richmond Palladium, January 11, 1907, page 4 The Richmond Palladium, January 11, 1907
• Seward Weekly Gateway, January 12, 1907, page 1 Seward Weekly Gateway, January 12, 1907
• Grant County Herald, January 12, 1907, page 8 Grant County Herald, January 12, 1907
• Durango Semi-Weekly Herald, January 14, 1907, page 1 Durango Semi-Weekly Herald, January 14, 1907
• The Columbus Journal, January 16, 1907, page 6 The Columbus Journal, January 16, 1907
• The Evening Statesman, January 16, 1907, page 6 The Evening Statesman, January 16, 1907
• The Loup City Northwestern, January 17, 1907, page 4 The Loup City Northwestern, January 17, 1907
• River Falls Journal, January 17, 1907, page 2 River Falls Journal, January 17, 1907
• Wood County Reporter, January 17, 1907, page 6 Wood County Reporter, January 17, 1907
• Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer, January 18, 1907, page 2 Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer, January 18, 1907
• Perrysburg Journal, January 18, 1907, page 2 Perrysburg Journal, January 18, 1907
• The Appeal, January 19, 1907, page 3 The Appeal, January 19, 1907
• The Appeal, January 19, 1907, page 2 The Appeal, January 19, 1907
• Wausau Pilot, January 22, 1907, page 3 Wausau Pilot, January 22, 1907
• Gloucester County Democrat, January 24, 1907, page 2 Gloucester County Democrat, January 24, 1907
• The Caucasian, January 27, 1907, page 3 The Caucasian, January 27, 1907
• The Caucasian, January 27, 1907, page 2 The Caucasian, January 27, 1907
• The Bowbells Tribune, February 1, 1907, page 7 The Bowbells Tribune, February 1, 1907
• The Ward County Independent, February 14, 1907, page 7 The Ward County Independent, February 14, 1907
• The Times-Journal, January 1, 1908, page 3 The Times-Journal, January 1, 1908
• The Nevada County Picayune, January 2, 1908, page 5 The Nevada County Picayune, January 2, 1908
• The Taney County Republican, January 2, 1908, page 3 The Taney County Republican, January 2, 1908
• Mexico Missouri Message, January 2, 1908, page 3 Mexico Missouri Message, January 2, 1908
• Iron County Register, January 2, 1908, page 6 Iron County Register, January 2, 1908
• Audubon Republican, January 2, 1908, page 2 Audubon Republican, January 2, 1908
• The Greenville Journal, January 2, 1908, page 3 The Greenville Journal, January 2, 1908
• River Falls Journal, January 2, 1908, page 3 River Falls Journal, January 2, 1908
• The Mountain Echo, January 3, 1908, page 2 The Mountain Echo, January 3, 1908
• The Forrest City Times, January 3, 1908, page 8 The Forrest City Times, January 3, 1908
• The Falmouth Outlook, January 3, 1908, page 3 The Falmouth Outlook, January 3, 1908
• The Montgomery Tribune, January 3, 1908, page 2 The Montgomery Tribune, January 3, 1908
• The Jasper Weekly Courier, January 3, 1908, page 2 The Jasper Weekly Courier, January 3, 1908
• Iowa State Bystander, January 3, 1908, page 2 Iowa State Bystander, January 3, 1908
• The Kanabec County Times, January 3, 1908, page 2 The Kanabec County Times, January 3, 1908
• The Huttig News, January 4, 1908, page 2 The Huttig News, January 4, 1908
• The Laclede Blade, January 4, 1908, page 6 The Laclede Blade, January 4, 1908
• Barbour County Index, January 8, 1908, page 6 Barbour County Index, January 8, 1908
• The Mena Weekly Star, January 9, 1908, page 6 The Mena Weekly Star, January 9, 1908
• Meade County News, January 9, 1908, page 6 Meade County News, January 9, 1908
• The Spanish Fork Press, January 9, 1908, page 6 The Spanish Fork Press, January 9, 1908
• Times-Promoter, January 10, 1908, page 6 Times-Promoter, January 10, 1908
• The Tupelo Journal, January 10, 1908, page 7 The Tupelo Journal, January 10, 1908
• The Rice Belt Journal, January 10, 1908, page 2 The Rice Belt Journal, January 10, 1908
• The Chanute Times, January 10, 1908, page 2 The Chanute Times, January 10, 1908
• The Grenada Sentinel, January 11, 1908, page 8 The Grenada Sentinel, January 11, 1908
• Macon Beacon, January 11, 1908, page 1 Macon Beacon, January 11, 1908
• The Caucasian, August 31, 1911, page 4 The Caucasian, August 31, 1911
• The Bamberg Herald, September 7, 1911, page 7 The Bamberg Herald, September 7, 1911
• The Evening Times, September 13, 1911, page 10 The Evening Times, September 13, 1911