Died in jail or a lockup
John Brown
John Brown, a Black man, was held in the jail at Collierville, Tennessee, about 20 miles from Memphis. According to a letter to the Memphis Avalanche, reprinted in several newspapers, he was taken from the jail on the night of August 18, 1872. He was found beaten to death the next morning. The letter says the people who attacked him were unknown.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody. A letter to the Memphis Avalanche says a man named John Brown was taken from the Collierville, Tennessee jail and found beaten to death the next morning, but the authors of the attack are unknown.
Reported by: letter to the Memphis Avalanche (reporters).