January 17, 1922: Jake Brooks and Unnamed Negro

Today we learn about two lynchings, one in Florida and one in Oklahoma, through the pages of The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, Ohio) dated January 18, 1922:

TWO NEGROES

Are Lynched By Mobs in Oklahoma and Florida—One Victim Found, Hanged, After Kidnaping.

Oklahoma City, Okla., January 17.—The body of Jake Brooks, negro, who was kidnaped from his home here Sunday night, was found this afternoon hanging from a limb of a tree six miles south of town by a party of searchers, headed by Chief of Police Clark, according to a telephone message received at police headquarters. Brooks had been employed at a packing plant here since the calling of the strike of packing house workers.

Mayo, Fla., January 17.—A mob overpowered officials here to-day, seized a negro who was alleged to have killed W. R. Taylor Saturday night, and lynched him when on the outskirts  of the town.

The negro had been sought for three days and was captured several miles from here.

Officers returning with him here were met by the mob, who hanged the negro and riddled his body with bullets.

It is alleged the negro shot Taylor, a rural mail carrier, when the latter called at his home Saturday night to investigate a quarrel.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.