James, New York Age, March 19, 1921

Lynch Negro After Jury Fails to Agree

Versailles, Ky.– Richard James, colored, was tried last week before Circuit Judge R.L. Stout for the murder of Ben T. Rodgers, and Homer Nave, two distillery guards. Owing to the evidence, the jury reported to Judge Stout last Saturday it as unable to reach a verdict.

Deciding a case of evidence did not please some citizens, who organized an automobile party and decided to have a big night; so a mob, composed of fifty persons sent to the Woodford County Jail, took the keys from John T. Edger, the jailer, and proceeded to James’ cell.

The prisoner put up a game fight, (something the jailer failed to do) but “heroic action” was taken by one of the “brave” members of the mob who knocked James senseless with a blackjack. He was then taken in a machine to the intersection of the Frankford [sic] and Midway pikes, two miles from Versailles, and hanged to a tree.

None of the members of the mob were identified by Jailer Edger.

The two guards were killed while defending the distillery from an attack by a party of armed men who were attempting remove whiskey. It was thought by local authorities that Hames mihgt [sic] have been a member of the party.