Griffey, The Nashville American, October 16, 1894

HENDERSON, KY., Oct. 15. –[Special.]– Willis Griffey, the negro fiend, who committed rape upon the person of Miss Lena Berry, in Christian County, about one month ago, and was soon afterwards arrested and quietly conveyed to the jail at Princeton for fear of lynching, met a richly-deserved death at the hands of a mob near the latter place about 2 p’clock this morning.

The lynching party consisted of thirty-five or forty determined citizens, who rode from the scene fo the crime, nearly forty miles away, for their revenge. So quietly did the mob enter the town, secure their prisoner and depart with him, that the people of Princeton were not aware that a lynching had occurred, until Griffey’s body was found dangling from the limb of a tree, about a mile from the city perforated with bullet holes and otherwise mutilated.

The jailer had no opportunity to resist, being surprised and overpowered and keys secured after searching the house.

Griffey’s fair victim belongs to one of the wealthiest families of Christian County. She was going home from church when the black villain accosted her and accomplished his purpose.