John Fowler

John Fowler was held in the jail at Blakely, Georgia, in early March 1909. Newspaper reports say a mob broke into the jail and took him from his cell, though the reports give the crowd as about 25 people in some accounts and about 200 in others. According to one account, the mob removed the locks on the outer door and his cell, and the sheriff, who was out of town, did not resist them. That account also says the mob allowed Fowler to pray before they shot him to death at a tree in the public square.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A crowd of about 25 to 200 men took John Fowler from the Blakely, Georgia jail and shot him, according to news dispatches, and the sheriff was reported out of town.

Reported by: Atlanta news dispatch (reporters); Associated Press (reporters).

Sources (10)

• The Birmingham Age-Herald, March 5, 1909, page 3 The Birmingham Age-Herald, March 5, 1909
• The Hattiesburg News, March 5, 1909, page 1 The Hattiesburg News, March 5, 1909
• Norwich Bulletin, March 5, 1909, page 5 Norwich Bulletin, March 5, 1909
• Evening Times-Republican, March 5, 1909, page 1 Evening Times-Republican, March 5, 1909
• Perth Amboy Evening News, March 5, 1909, page 2 Perth Amboy Evening News, March 5, 1909
• The Sun, March 5, 1909, page 6 The Sun, March 5, 1909
• The Times Dispatch, March 6, 1909, page 2 The Times Dispatch, March 6, 1909
• The Robesonian, March 8, 1909, page 4 The Robesonian, March 8, 1909
• The Thibodaux Sentinel, March 13, 1909, page 1 The Thibodaux Sentinel, March 13, 1909
• The Kadoka Press, March 19, 1909, page 2 The Kadoka Press, March 19, 1909