William Jenkins
William Jenkins, Jr. was one of five men held in the jail at Versailles, Indiana, in September 1897. According to the El Paso Daily Herald, a masked mob forced the jailer to hand over the keys; the jailer refused at first, and the keys were then taken by force. The mob shot the prisoners and hanged them from a tree about a block from the jail. The paper reported that no members of the mob were known and that the community was in great excitement. Other reports date the killings to September 9 rather than September 15.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A masked mob forced the jailer to hand over the keys, took the prisoners from the Versailles, Indiana jail and killed them.
Reported by: news report from Osgood correspondent (reporters); Governor Mount's telegram.