Ripley Johnson
Ripley Johnson, a Black man, was held in the Barnwell jail in Barnwell, South Carolina, when a mob broke in and took him out, one of eight men taken from the jail in the early morning of December 28, 1888. According to the Chicago Times account, the mob took him out of town and shot him. The jailer was overpowered and his keys were taken, and a statement from prominent Barnwell citizens defended the killings. The account reports no legal finding about the killings.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob took him from the Barnwell jail, the jailer was overpowered and his keys taken, and the Chicago Times account says they shot him out of town; a statement from Barnwell citizens defended the killings.
Reported by: Chicago Times (reporters); statement by Barnwell citizens.