Died in jail or a lockup
Richard Smith
Richard Smith, a Black man, was held in the county jail in Perry, Florida. In the early hours of March 19, 1908, an armed mob of citizens went to the jail, took him out and carried him to a secluded spot on the edge of town. There they tied him to a post and shot him many times. Accounts differ on the make-up of the mob, with one report saying the people of Perry believed it was made up of farmers from the surrounding country.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched
Reported by: Times-Union dispatch (reporters).