Victim ID: VA1887072601
Victim Name: Reuben Coles
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: Unknown
Job: Unknown
Method of Death: Hanged
Accusation: Criminal assault on a married white woman
Date: 1887-07-26
County Name: Surry
Mob Composition: 50 Masked men

Summary: Reuben Coles, an African American man, was accused of assaulting a married white woman, and was lynched on July 26th, 1886, in Surry County by an armed mob.

On July 8th, 1887, Reuben Coles, sometimes referred as Reuben Cole in the papers, was accused of criminally assaulting the wife of Richard Savage in Surry County. Coles was soon arrested and brought to the county jail. According to the Norfolk Virginian, “Cole has attempted to prove an alibi and has two witnesses to prove that he was at home within a short time before Mrs Savage was attacked but she is positive in her identification and two persons saw him near the scene of the crime.” Several threats of lynching had been made, to the point that the sheriff placed a strong guard to the jail for Coles’ trial on July 25th, 1887. According to the Alexandria Gazette, on the night of July 26th, “a band of 50 men went to the jail, overpowered the guard and jailer, and took Cole out and hanged him to a tree, where they left the body and then quietly departed.” The Norfolk Landmark also reported that “The guard at the jail numbered fifteen and made strenuous efforts to thwart the plans of the lynchers but they were powerless and Coles’ body was soon swinging from the nearest limb. The body was shortly cut down and a coroner’s jury summoned, who after viewing the remains brought in the following verdict: the jury find that Reuben Coles came to his death by hanging at the hands of parties to the jury unknown. It is stated that after his indictment Coles selected to be tried in the Circuit Court which would have put the trial off until November and that this fact made the residents of the county more anxious for his immediate death.”

News Coverage: Alexandria Gazette, Norfolk Landmark, Norfolk Virginian, Peninsula Enterprise, Richmond Dispatch, Staunton Spectator

Article Link (from Alexandria Gazette published on 1887-07-28)
Article Link (from Peninsula Enterprise published on 1887-07-30)
Article Link (from Richmond Dispatch published on 1887-08-21)
Article Link (from Staunton Spectator published on 1887-08-03)