Died in jail or a lockup
John Williams
John Williams was held in the Johnson County jail in Mountain City, Tennessee, when a mob of about 100 men broke in during the early morning of September 26, 1898. According to the account, the mob overpowered the jailer, took Williams from the jail, and hanged him from a tree about a mile behind the town. His body was left hanging while a large crowd came to view it.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched
Reported by: news reports.