John Cooker

John Cooker was held in the Yell County jail at Danville, Arkansas, in September 1883. According to the Indianapolis Journal, a mob of sixteen masked men seized him from the jail, took him to the iron bridge over the Petit Jean River, and hanged him there. The same account says he begged to be shot before he was hanged, and that his body was found and cut down on Sunday morning. The Harrison Times reports that the mob broke open the jail and took him along with another prisoner, Dr. Flood, and hanged him from the iron bridge.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched

Reported by: news reports.

Sources (2)

• The Indianapolis Journal, September 11, 1883, page 2 The Indianapolis Journal, September 11, 1883
• The Harrison Times, September 15, 1883, page 2 The Harrison Times, September 15, 1883