Deaths in Custody
Died in jail or a lockup

One of 4 people whose names were not reported

18 years old · died April 3, 1896 · Lee County, Mississippi

A young Black man, about 18 years old, was held in the jail at Tupelo, Mississippi. According to a telegram from Tupelo reprinted by the San Antonio Daily Light, on the morning of April 3, 1896, a masked mob went to the sheriff's home and overpowered the sheriff with shotguns. The sheriff was forced to open the jail and hand over the keys. The mob then took the young man from the jail and lynched him in front of the courthouse.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A telegram from Tupelo, Mississippi, reprinted by the San Antonio Daily Light says a masked mob overpowered the sheriff, forced him to hand over the jail keys, and lynched the prisoner in front of the courthouse.

Reported by: a telegram from Tupelo, Mississippi, reprinted by the San Antonio Daily Light (reporters).

News report