John Christianson

John Christianson was held in the jail at Peru, Indiana, in July 1887. According to newspaper accounts, about twenty-two masked men came to the jail, demanded the keys, and broke open the large iron door after the jailer refused. They took him to a bridge over the Wabash River, where he was hanged twice, and the accounts say he died on the second attempt at about 12:45 a.m., with roughly 1,000 people reportedly watching. The accounts differ on the date of his death.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob of about twenty-two masked men took John Christianson from the Peru, Indiana jail after jailers refused to hand over the keys, and hanged him from a Wabash River bridge; accounts say about 1,000 people watched.

Reported by: Indianapolis Journal special correspondent (reporters); Evening Star report (reporters); press dispatch; Peru, Ind. special report in The Warner Sun (reporters); Hand County Press (reporters); Peru, Ind. special report in the Reporter And Farmer (reporters); newspaper report (Peru, Ind., special dispatch) (reporters).

Sources (21)

• San Antonio Daily Light, July 7, 1887, page 1 San Antonio Daily Light, July 7, 1887
• Rock Island Daily Argus, July 7, 1887, page 2 Rock Island Daily Argus, July 7, 1887
• The Indianapolis Journal, July 7, 1887, page 1 The Indianapolis Journal, July 7, 1887
• Omaha Daily Bee, July 7, 1887, page 2 Omaha Daily Bee, July 7, 1887
• Daily Evening Bulletin, July 8, 1887, page 1 Daily Evening Bulletin, July 8, 1887
• Evening Star, July 8, 1887, page 4 Evening Star, July 8, 1887
• Daily Republican, July 9, 1887, page 4 Daily Republican, July 9, 1887
• Butte Semi-Weekly Miner, July 9, 1887, page 4 Butte Semi-Weekly Miner, July 9, 1887
• Helena Weekly Herald, July 14, 1887, page 3 Helena Weekly Herald, July 14, 1887
• Hand County Press, July 14, 1887, page 2 Hand County Press, July 14, 1887
• Reporter And Farmer, July 14, 1887, page 2 Reporter And Farmer, July 14, 1887
• The Warner Sun, July 15, 1887, page 2 The Warner Sun, July 15, 1887
• The Kimball Graphic, July 15, 1887, page 1 The Kimball Graphic, July 15, 1887
• The Mitchell Capital, July 15, 1887, page 7 The Mitchell Capital, July 15, 1887
• The Grenada Sentinel, July 16, 1887, page 2 The Grenada Sentinel, July 16, 1887
• Arizona Weekly Citizen, July 16, 1887, page 1 Arizona Weekly Citizen, July 16, 1887
• Western Appeal, July 16, 1887, page 2 Western Appeal, July 16, 1887
• The Desmet Leader, July 16, 1887, page 2 The Desmet Leader, July 16, 1887
• The Wahpeton Times, July 21, 1887, page 6 The Wahpeton Times, July 21, 1887
• The Bottineau Pioneer, July 21, 1887, page 2 The Bottineau Pioneer, July 21, 1887
• Reporter And Farmer, July 21, 1887, page 2 Reporter And Farmer, July 21, 1887