Washington

Washington, a Black man, was held in the jail at Frankfort, Kentucky, in August 1871. A Louisville dispatch reported that a mob of about two hundred armed, masked men came to the jail in the early morning, demanded the keys, and the jailer surrendered them. The men took Washington from the jail and hanged him about half a mile away. Other accounts give the size of the group as about forty or about five hundred, and describe the removal as so quiet that few in town knew until it was over.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A Louisville dispatch reprinted in the Edgefield Advertiser says a mob of about two hundred armed, masked men demanded the keys to the Frankfort jail, and the jailer surrendered them before the man was hanged about half a mile away.

Reported by: Louisville dispatch reprinted in the Edgefield Advertiser (reporters).

Sources (7)

• The Kentucky Gazette, August 9, 1871, page 3 The Kentucky Gazette, August 9, 1871
• Evening Star, August 9, 1871, page 1 Evening Star, August 9, 1871
• Alexandria Gazette, August 10, 1871, page 2 Alexandria Gazette, August 10, 1871
• Daily Kennebec Journal, August 10, 1871, page 3 Daily Kennebec Journal, August 10, 1871
• The Portland Daily Press, August 10, 1871, page 3 The Portland Daily Press, August 10, 1871
• Pawtucket Gazette And Chronicle, August 11, 1871, page 2 Pawtucket Gazette And Chronicle, August 11, 1871
• Edgefield Advertiser, August 17, 1871, page 3 Edgefield Advertiser, August 17, 1871