Smith
George Washington Smith was a former Union lieutenant and Republican who had been elected by Black citizens of Jefferson, Texas, as a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1868. On October 4, 1868, he was held in the Marion County jail, where, according to the Texas Observer's account, a crowd including members of the Knights of the Rising Sun came to the jail and shot him to death in his cell. A New-York Tribune editorial of the time, citing Republican reports, said about 800 Ku-Klux stormed the jail while Major Curtis, who had only about twenty United States troops, had asked for reinforcements that were not sent. The Tribune's account describes Smith as fighting back, and the paper's reports are partisan and give no further detail about him.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. The New-York Tribune editorial, citing Republican reports, says a crowd of about 800 Ku-Klux stormed the Marion County, Texas jail where Smith was held under the protection of Major Curtis, whose small force of federal troops had asked for reinforcements that were not sent.
Reported by: New-York Tribune (reporters).