W. W. Wyatt

William W. Watts's father, a member of the Lynchburg police force, came to Norfolk to arrange a decent burial and had repeatedly offered to bring his son home to lead a sober and industrious life. Early on January 5, 1900, Watts was being held at the Newport News station house when a group of masked men overpowered the jailer, took the keys, and removed him. According to the Peninsula Enterprise, the men took him to the edge of the city and shot him in front of a crowd of several hundred people, and the newspaper reported that the identities of the men were never learned. The account describes the body as having been shot many times.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. Masked men overpowered the jailer, took the keys, and took William W. Watts from the Newport News station house, then shot him to death at the edge of the city.

Reported by: Newport News newspaper accounts (reporters).

News reports (6)

• The Weekly Corinthian, January 10, 1900, page 6 The Weekly Corinthian, January 10, 1900
• The Grenada Sentinel, January 13, 1900, page 2 The Grenada Sentinel, January 13, 1900
• Peninsula Enterprise, January 13, 1900, page 4 Peninsula Enterprise, January 13, 1900
• The Commonwealth, January 19, 1900, page 8 The Commonwealth, January 19, 1900
• The Grenada Sentinel, January 20, 1900, page 2 The Grenada Sentinel, January 20, 1900
• The Greenville Times, January 27, 1900, page 6 The Greenville Times, January 27, 1900