James Waters
James Waters, a Black man, had worked on a farm and, according to one 1919 newspaper account, was regarded as trustworthy. On May 15, 1919, Deputy Sheriff O. L. Smith was taking him to a jail for safekeeping when about 150 armed men stopped the car on a bridge over the Ohoopee River in Johnson County, Georgia. The men took Waters from the deputy, who was ordered to drive on, and Waters's body was later found tied to a tree and shot many times. A coroner's inquest found that he died at the hands of unknown persons. Accounts differ on the destination, Macon or Dublin, and a sheriff's telephone message placed the killing near Wrightsville rather than on the bridge.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. About 150 men took Waters from Deputy Sheriff O. L. Smith on a bridge while he was being driven to the Macon jail, then shot him; a coroner's inquest found he died at the hands of unknown persons.
Reported by: coroner's inquest (medical examiner or coroner); Sheriff Rowland of Johnson County, by telephone message (the agency that held him); newspaper account.