Victim ID: VA1891022301
Victim Name: Scott Bishop
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: Unknown
Job: Unknown
Method of Death: Hanged
Accusation: Murder and robbing a white man, a prominent citizen
Date: 1891-02-23
City: Blackstone
Mob Composition: More than 100 men
Summary: A party of more than 100 men lynched Scott Bishop, a black man, on February 23rd, 1891 near a railroad in Blackstone, Nottoway. Bishop was accused of robbery, assault, and attempted murder of a 70-year-old white man.
On Thursday, February 5th, 1891, two men robbed and assaulted Hugh Hammock, an elderly white man, at night for $30. After the robbery, they fled, leaving Hammock unconscious at the scene. According to the Richmond Dispatch, “Mr. Hammock’s skull was fractured in two places”, concluding that when the sheriff of Nottoway left him, his recovery was doubtful. Scott Bishop was suspected as one of the assailants; on February 7th, Bishop “slipped his shackles and escaped” as he was on his way to jail (Richmond Dispatch). An account was given by W. H. Beveridge Jr. on the 17th, claiming that he had seen Bishop near the farm of Lewis Ginter. The Richmond Dispatch reported that Bishop “was recaptured on Friday night last [February 20th] by Sergeant Maxey at Palmer’s Springs, Va., and brought to this place yesterday morning (February 22nd] for a preliminary trial which was given him yesterday afternoon.” The day after, February 23rd, Hugh Hammock died and the judge in Nottoway instructed authorities to take Bishop to the jail in Petersburg for safe-keeping, due to the threats of lynchings received. Soon afterwards, a guard was ordered to be in charge of Mr. Bishop. That same night the guard in charge of protecting Scott Bishop was overpowered by more than 100 men. Mr. Bishop’s body was found the next morning hanging from a tree near the Norfolk and Western railroad track, about a mile west of Blackstone.
The Richmond Planet for several weeks denounced the lynching as well as local and state authorities, as they had failed to protect Bishop and prosecute the lynchers. Moreover, the Planet noted how a white man, Hugh Wells, identified as the actual murderer of Hammock, was acquitted of all charges, while Scott Bishop, recognized as the accomplice in the crime, “has been sent to the other shore. This is a specimen of Virginia justice.”
News Coverage: Alexandria Gazette, Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Planet, Roanoke Times, Rockingham Register
Article Link (from Alexandria Gazette published on 1891-02-13)
Article Link (from Richmond Dispatch published on 1891-02-13)
Article Link (from Richmond Dispatch published on 1891-02-19)
Article Link (from Richmond Dispatch published on 1891-02-24)
Article Link (from Roanoke Times published on 1891-02-24)