Jim Mays

Jim Mays, a Black man, was held in the jail at Springfield, Kentucky, in January 1902. Early on Saturday, January 11, a mob came into town and demanded the keys from the jailer, according to newspaper reports, and broke through the jail doors when he refused. The mob took Mays from his cell and hanged him from a tree in the high school yard, where his body was found the next morning. A coroner held an inquest.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob took Jim Mays from the Springfield, Kentucky jail in January 1902 and hanged him from a tree in the high school yard, after the jailer refused to hand over the keys.

Reported by: Springfield, Ky. news report (reporters); Associated Press (reporters); coroner (inquest) (medical examiner or coroner).

Sources (35)

• The Guthrie Daily Leader, January 11, 1902, page 1 The Guthrie Daily Leader, January 11, 1902
• Evening Star, January 11, 1902, page 2 Evening Star, January 11, 1902
• Evening Times-Republican, January 11, 1902, page 1 Evening Times-Republican, January 11, 1902
• The Butte Inter Mountain, January 11, 1902, page 1 The Butte Inter Mountain, January 11, 1902
• Albuquerque Daily Citizen, January 11, 1902, page 1 Albuquerque Daily Citizen, January 11, 1902
• The Evening World, January 11, 1902, page 1 The Evening World, January 11, 1902
• The Savannah Morning News, January 12, 1902, page 1 The Savannah Morning News, January 12, 1902
• The Times, January 12, 1902, page 3 The Times, January 12, 1902
• Richmond Dispatch, January 12, 1902, page 1 Richmond Dispatch, January 12, 1902
• The News & Observer, January 12, 1902, page 1 The News & Observer, January 12, 1902
• The St. Louis Republic, January 12, 1902, page 2 The St. Louis Republic, January 12, 1902
• The San Francisco Call, January 12, 1902, page 31 The San Francisco Call, January 12, 1902
• The Washington Times, January 12, 1902, page 5 The Washington Times, January 12, 1902
• The Indianapolis Journal, January 12, 1902, page 1 The Indianapolis Journal, January 12, 1902
• The Worcester Spy, January 12, 1902, page 2 The Worcester Spy, January 12, 1902
• New-York Tribune, January 12, 1902, page 24 New-York Tribune, January 12, 1902
• Wheeling Sunday Register, January 12, 1902, page 1 Wheeling Sunday Register, January 12, 1902
• The Evening Bulletin, January 13, 1902, page 1 The Evening Bulletin, January 13, 1902
• Daily Kennebec Journal, January 13, 1902, page 8 Daily Kennebec Journal, January 13, 1902
• The News And Herald, January 14, 1902, page 3 The News And Herald, January 14, 1902
• The Semi-Weekly Messenger, January 14, 1902, page 1 The Semi-Weekly Messenger, January 14, 1902
• The Farmer And Mechanic, January 14, 1902, page 5 The Farmer And Mechanic, January 14, 1902
• Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer, January 14, 1902, page 4 Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer, January 14, 1902
• The Lancaster Ledger, January 15, 1902, page 1 The Lancaster Ledger, January 15, 1902
• The Lexington Dispatch, January 15, 1902, page 1 The Lexington Dispatch, January 15, 1902
• The Star, January 15, 1902, page 6 The Star, January 15, 1902
• Abilene Weekly Reflector, January 16, 1902, page 10 Abilene Weekly Reflector, January 16, 1902
• Griggs Courier, January 16, 1902, page 6 Griggs Courier, January 16, 1902
• Greene County Herald, January 17, 1902, page 3 Greene County Herald, January 17, 1902
• De Queen Bee, January 17, 1902, page 6 De Queen Bee, January 17, 1902
• The Kootenai Herald, January 17, 1902, page 7 The Kootenai Herald, January 17, 1902
• Kootenai County Republican, January 17, 1902, page 7 Kootenai County Republican, January 17, 1902
• Camas Prairie Chronicle, January 17, 1902, page 2 Camas Prairie Chronicle, January 17, 1902
• The Savannah Tribune, January 18, 1902, page 1 The Savannah Tribune, January 18, 1902
• The Bolivar County Democrat, January 18, 1902, page 2 The Bolivar County Democrat, January 18, 1902