Victim ID: VA1892021201
Victim Name: William Lavender
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 20
Job: Unemployed
Method of Death: Hanged
Accusation: Attempted assault on a white girl
Date: 1892-02-12
City: Roanoke
Mob Composition: 150-300
Summary: A mob of 150-300 people lynched William Lavender, a 20-year-old black man, near the bank of the Roanoke river on February 12th, 1892. Lavender was accused of attempting to outrage a white girl.
William Lavender was charged with vagrancy twice in March and May, 1891 (Roanoke Times). He was fined and jailed in both occasions. On Monday, February 8th 1892, Lavender allegedly attempted to assault a white girl named Alice Perry during the night; on the afternoon of February 11th, Lavender was captured and taken to the station house in Roanoke (Alexandria Gazette). After being taken to the house of a police officer, he confessed his assault on the white girl. A mob of about 150 people searched the city, and when it was finally able to locate Lavender, it overpowered three guards and took Lavender to the river. After Lavender made a full confession, the mob hanged him to a tree (Alexandria Gazette).
On February 12th, 1892 the body of William Lavender was found strung up on a tree, immediately causing great excitement in town. Coroner Gray summoned a jury to help assist on gathering further information on the cause of Lavender’s death. At the Coroner’s inquest, an officer gave an account on what happened to William Lavender. According to The Roanoke Times, officer Tally stated: “I saw him alive last night about 12:30 o’clock. We had taken him to my house to take care of him. A party of men, whom I do not know, forced their way into the house and took the man out.” While attempting to protect Mr. Lavender, the officers were quickly overpowered by the party of men. Once officer Tally’s account was given, Mr. Lavender’s autopsy showed that the cause of his death was strangulation. The citizens in the county expressed their approval of Lavender’s lynching, feeling that justice had being served, while the county judge was adamant of the law being followed and maintained. Lavender body was given to authorities to bury in the alms-house graveyard (The Roanoke Times). On February 18th, a a grand jury started the investigation into the lynching of William Lavender; while a large number of witnesses were examined, nobody knew anything about the identities of the lynchers (The Roanoke Times). On the following day, the grand jury failed to find any indictments, Judge Robertson ultimately discharging the grand jury (The Roanoke Times).
The Richmond Planet condemned the lynching and criticized the local authorities for failing to prevent the murder and punish the lynchers. The Planet also criticized the Governor of Virginia for not offering a reward to capture the lynchers.
News Coverage: Alexandria Gazette, Richmond Planet, Roanoke Times, The Times
Article Link (from Alexandria Gazette published on 1892-02-12)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1891-03-12)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1891-05-26)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1892-02-13)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1892-02-14)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1892-02-17)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1892-02-19)
Article Link (from The Roanoke Times published on 1892-02-20)
Article Link (from The Times published on 1892-02-13)