Died in jail or a lockup
Name not reported
A Black man held in the Adams County jail at West Union, Ohio, died on December 9, 1856, when a crowd broke into the jail, took him from his cell and hanged him from a tree on Manchester Island, according to a newspaper account reprinted from an Ohio paper. The jailer was absent, and the sheriff tried to stop the crowd but was overpowered. The account says his body was buried on the island afterward.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A newspaper account reprinted from an Ohio paper says a mob broke open the Adams County jail, took the man and hanged him from a tree on Manchester Island.
Reported by: newspaper account reprinted from an Ohio paper (reporters).