William Bennett, Jr.
William Bennett Jr., son of a former Fayette County judge, was held in the Fayette County jail in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Early on July 25, 1920, according to several newspaper accounts, a mob of roughly 75 to 100 people took the jailer's keys after he was called to the sheriff's office by telephone, then forced its way into the jail. The men took Bennett to the old county poor farm and hanged him there. The accounts differ on the number of cars, on whether the jailer was held at gunpoint, and on the date, since one paper gives July 18.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob took William Bennett Jr. from the Fayetteville, West Virginia jail in July 1920 and hanged him at the old county poor farm, according to newspaper accounts; the jailer was confronted and asked for his keys before the jail was stormed.
Reported by: news reports.
News reports (8)
- The Birmingham Age-Herald, July 26, 1920, page 1
- The Montgomery Advertiser, July 26, 1920, page 1
- The Pensacola Journal, July 26, 1920, page 1
- Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 26, 1920, page 1
- Alexandria Gazette, July 26, 1920, page 1
- The Big Sandy News, July 30, 1920, page 1
- Highland Recorder, July 30, 1920, page 2
- Richmond Daily Register, August 4, 1920, page 2