Wm. Berry
Wm. Berry was held in the Pekin jail in August 1869 when a mob of several dozen men marched to the jail around 1 o'clock in the morning. The Wilmington Journal reported that the men broke in the front door and battered down the cell doors after Sheriff Pratt refused to give up the keys. The mob shot at Berry several times, dragged him to the nearest tree and hanged him. According to the paper, Sheriff Pratt did all he could to save the prisoner, and Berry's body was delivered to his wife, who took it to Circleville. The inquest was opened the next morning and adjourned to Monday.
Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A contemporary newspaper account says a mob of several dozen men broke into the Pekin jail, shot Berry and hanged him from a tree after Sheriff Pratt refused to give up the keys.
Reported by: contemporary newspaper account.