Jesse Woodson
Jesse Woodson was held in the Murfreesboro jail in Tennessee in August 1875. On the night of August 12, 1875, a mob broke into the jail with sledge hammers and took him out, and the Memphis Daily Appeal reported that the jail's guards could not stop them. The paper put the crowd at about three hundred men, while a Nashville Banner dispatch described 75 to 100 unmasked mounted men who took him from the jail around 9:30 p.m. The paper reported that he was hanged from a tree on the Salem road and fired upon repeatedly, while the Banner said only that this was supposed and did not confirm his death. An inquest returned a verdict of death at the hands of unknown persons, and the state's attorney-general said efforts would be made to bring those responsible to account.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob took Jesse Woodson from the Murfreesboro jail and hanged him from a tree, and an inquest returned a verdict of death at the hands of unknown persons; the jail's guards could not stop the mob.
Reported by: inquest; Nashville Banner (reporters).