Will Sanders

Will Sanders, a Black man, was held in the Monroe County jail at Clarendon, Arkansas, when a mob came to the jail in August 1898. Newspaper accounts say the deputy sheriff in charge first refused the mob's demands, then handed over the keys, and the mob took Sanders and other prisoners from their cells and hanged them near the jail. Accounts differ on the size of the mob, with some putting it at about 30 men and others at about 300. A coroner's jury attributed the killings to unknown persons.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A coroner's jury found the men were killed by unknown persons, while newspaper accounts say a mob took them from the Monroe County jail at Clarendon and hanged them.

Reported by: coroner's jury (medical examiner or coroner); Little Rock dispatch (reporters); The Monticellonian (reporters).

News reports (8)

• The Morning News, August 11, 1898, page 1 The Morning News, August 11, 1898
• Bryan Morning Eagle, August 11, 1898, page 4 Bryan Morning Eagle, August 11, 1898
• Richmond Dispatch, August 11, 1898, page 3 Richmond Dispatch, August 11, 1898
• The Forrest City Times, August 12, 1898, page 1 The Forrest City Times, August 12, 1898
• The Van Buren Press, August 13, 1898, page 2 The Van Buren Press, August 13, 1898
• The Monticellonian, August 19, 1898, page 4 The Monticellonian, August 19, 1898
• De Queen Bee, August 19, 1898, page 3 De Queen Bee, August 19, 1898
• The Osceola Times, August 20, 1898, page 2 The Osceola Times, August 20, 1898