Tom Henry

Tom Henry was held in the Las Vegas jail in New Mexico in February 1880. A Chicago Tribune special dispatch reported that on the night of February 7 about seventy-five armed men broke into the jailer's room, forced the jailer to hand over the keys, and took him from his cell. The dispatch said the men fired on him and he was killed by gunshots. Other papers said he was hanged in the town plaza, and a later account describes a volley at the windmill in the plaza, so the accounts of how he died differ.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob of about seventy-five armed men took Tom Henry from the Las Vegas, New Mexico jail and shot him, according to a Chicago Tribune dispatch; the jailer was forced to give up the keys.

Reported by: Chicago Tribune special dispatch from Las Vegas, New Mexico (reporters); F. C. Armstrong, recounting events in Las Vegas, as printed in the Chicago Inter-Ocean; The Burrillville Gazette (1880 news summary) (reporters).

Sources (10)

• Sacramento Daily Record-Union, February 10, 1880, page 2 Sacramento Daily Record-Union, February 10, 1880
• Chicago Daily Tribune, February 10, 1880, page 4 Chicago Daily Tribune, February 10, 1880
• Gloucester County Democrat, February 12, 1880, page 4 Gloucester County Democrat, February 12, 1880
• The Burrillville Gazette, February 12, 1880, page 4 The Burrillville Gazette, February 12, 1880
• The Kenosha Telegraph, February 12, 1880, page 6 The Kenosha Telegraph, February 12, 1880
• Brenham Weekly Banner, February 13, 1880, page 2 Brenham Weekly Banner, February 13, 1880
• The Morris County Chronicle, February 13, 1880, page 4 The Morris County Chronicle, February 13, 1880
• The Abbeville Press And Banner, February 25, 1880, page 4 The Abbeville Press And Banner, February 25, 1880
• Las Vegas Daily Gazette, December 29, 1885, page 4 Las Vegas Daily Gazette, December 29, 1885
• The Anaconda Standard, June 1, 1899, page 10 The Anaconda Standard, June 1, 1899