Lynching of Richard Dickerson
The Richard Dickerson lynching happened in Springfield, Ohio on 7 March 1904. Dickerson aka Richard Dollon was an African American described as an "itinerant Kentuckian" who was being held for the fatal shooting of white Police Sergeant Charles B. Collis. The local authorities were unable to protect Dickerson from a large mob of angry white people who broke into the jail and seized and lynched him. The next night there were riots and attacks on black-owned businesses. Background. Between 1902 and 1904 eleven African Americans were lynched in Springfield, Ohio. Most of those charged in  the crimes received light sentences. Dickerson came to Springfield from Cynthiana, Kentucky. Some people who knew him spoke of his "bad reputation". On Sunday, 6 March 1904, he had an altercation with a woman whom he called his wife, and he asked policeman Charles B. Collis to help him retrieve something from her. Next Dickerson was said to have shot his wife and then spun around and shot Patrolman Collis. When word spread there was talk of lynching Dickerson. The next day, Monday, 7 March 1904, Collis died from his wounds and the mob resolved to lynch Dickerson. Members of  the "Anti Mob and lynch -law association" implored the Sheriff to ask for help, but the sheriff said he could protect the prisoner. Lynching. At 9:00 pm on 7 March 1904, a mob came to the jail and demanded that Sheriff Routzahn turn over Dickerson. The Sheriff told the crowd to disperse and said he would defend Dickerson. He said he would "do his duty at whatever cost". A mob had been trying to knock down one of the jail's doors and they stopped after the Sheriff's statement. The Sheriff thought the trouble had passed, but an even  larger mob returned and broke through the south door of the jail. The deputies and Sheriff Routzahn were overrun. Once inside the jail, the men used sledgehammers and began beating down the iron jail partitions. Finally, the Sheriff relented and turned Dickerson over to the mob. The attackers found Dickerson crouched in the corner of his cell. Two leaders of the mob were Albert Loback and George Hill. The mob took Dickerson out of the jail to a paved lot outside. They formed a square around him, and someone knocked Dickerson down. Nine shots were fired into him while he  lay on the ground. Then the men carried him to Fountain Avenue and tied a rope around his neck. Two men climbed a telegraph pole to position the rope. They hung him from the telegraph pole and then the mob spent another hour shooting at his dead body. It was said that they passed guns around to members of the mob so that they could take shots at Dickerson's body. There were reportedly 26 revolvers in the mob. When Dickerson's limbs were hit by bullets they would move, delighting the crowd. His body was shot multiple times. Governor  Myron T. Herrick dispatched ten companies of soldiers to restore order to the town. Riots. On 8 March 1904, a day after the lynching, a mob of more than 1000 gathered at the rail yards. An attack on the "Levee" was planned. The Levee was an African American section of town filled with saloons. The mob gathered up flammable items and separated into three groups. Each group was responsible for burning down a different saloon. Before the night was over seven buildings were destroyed. The fire department showed up and stood by watching the buildings burn. During the rioting no  effort was made by Company A Ninth Battalion because it was composed of many African Americans. City officials asked the governor for five more companies of soldiers to help restore order. The Governor complied bringing the total to 15 companies of soldiers. On 9 March the African Americans were ordered to stay inside. In one reported incident five shots were fired at one black man in town. Colonel Mead was in charge of the troops, and he restored order. Aftermath. The coroner gave his ruling after an autopsy. He stated, "I am unable to determine the direct cause of death ..." Albert Loback and George Hill were later arrested for leading the mob. They were each charged with malicious destruction of property. By 16 March Anna Corbin (the woman who was shot by Dickerson) filed a $5000 lawsuit against the city for Dickerson's lynching.