John D Motcalf

John D Motcalf, a Black man, was held by officers at the Danville police station in Danville, Illinois, in the summer of 1903. According to the Savannah Tribune, a mob broke into the city building, and the outnumbered officers could not resist. The mob seized him, hanged him from a telephone pole and burned his body. The Tribune also reports that sheriff's men fired on the mob at the county jail later that night, and that troops restored order. The Gainesville Star reports that the officers had barricaded themselves inside while the mob battered through a wall and door.

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

Reported by: The Progress (reporters).

News reports (3)

• The Gainesville Star, July 31, 1903, page 2 The Gainesville Star, July 31, 1903
• The Savannah Tribune, August 1, 1903, page 1 The Savannah Tribune, August 1, 1903
• Water Valley Progress, August 1, 1903, page 4 Water Valley Progress, August 1, 1903