Louis Wright

Louis Wright, a Black man who performed as a minstrel with a touring show, was held at the jail in New Madrid, Missouri, in February 1902. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a crowd of masked men took him from the jail and hanged him a short distance from town. Reports link the killing to a disturbance at the show the night before, in which shots were fired and several people were wounded. One account says the jailer was overpowered; the accounts do not agree on whether he resisted or handed over the keys.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A crowd of masked men took Louis Wright from the New Madrid, Missouri jail and hanged him, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; the accounts do not say whether the jailer resisted or handed over the keys.

Reported by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (reporters); Associated Press (reporters); Pascagoula Democrat-Star (reporters).

News reports (9)

• Americus Times-Recorder, February 18, 1902, page 1 Americus Times-Recorder, February 18, 1902
• The Evening Bulletin, February 18, 1902, page 1 The Evening Bulletin, February 18, 1902
• The Times, February 18, 1902, page 1 The Times, February 18, 1902
• The Bee, February 20, 1902, page 6 The Bee, February 20, 1902
• Crittenden Press, February 20, 1902, page 5 Crittenden Press, February 20, 1902
• Crittenden Press, February 20, 1902, page 6 Crittenden Press, February 20, 1902
• The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, February 21, 1902, page 3 The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, February 21, 1902
• De Queen Bee, February 21, 1902, page 2 De Queen Bee, February 21, 1902
• The Florida Star, February 21, 1902, page 5 The Florida Star, February 21, 1902