The Old Capitol Prison

[L Verge]

(07-02-2019 05:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  

(07-02-2019 12:33 PM)John Fazio Wrote:  It reminds me of the incident that occurred in New Orleans on March 14, 1891. A mob numbering in the thousands descended on the City Jail, took 11 Italian-Americans from their cells and then hanged all 11. Shortly before, nine of them had been tried for murder of the Police Chief. Six were acquitted and a mistrial was declared as to the other three. The mob took matters into their hands to "correct the failure of justice". It was said to be the worst mass hanging in our history, but I do believe that other mass hangings can claim that dubious distinction. I'm sure there have been many other cases of mass vigilante justice. Perhaps your readers can help in this regard.

The 1891 New Orleans mass lynching victims were shot and beaten, not hung. I've also seen it stated as the largest mass lynching in U.S. history (as opposed to non-lynching massacres which are "without regard to their individual identities and in which no specific offense on their part is alleged"). However, the Porvenir mass lynching/massacre had 15 victims:

https://www.texasobserver.org/century-po...kest-days/

https://www.thc.texas.gov/blog/rememberi...r-massacre

If you take the lynchings/massacres outside the realm of the South, you'll find numerous examples of Mexicans, Native Americans, and Chinese being victims.

Here's a nice trivia piece for you if you ever need one: The term "Lynch's Law" apparently originated during the American Revolution when Patriot Charles Lynch, a Virginia justice of the peace, ordered extralegal punishment for Loyalists.