This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Armed band rescues death row inmate at Wytheville
A masked group of 50 to 100 men broke into Wytheville jail at three in the morning and freed Wayman Button, who faced execution for Peter Harvey’s murder. They seized guards, hid the keys, and fled to the west end. Button had been convicted on circumstantial evidence linking him and his son-in-law to the crime. The uproar also touched nearby towns with riot and violence, including a fatal shooting and multiple injuries as police restrained the crowd.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wayman Button
Peter Harvey
Patel
Wayman Sutton
Murgay Monehieton
Hervey
Howse
Asenasin
Pendiston
Sutton
Pendieton
Tote Iy
Hot Sutton
Lee
Button
Ludinwa
Ratannan
Sawaxnant
Weaterm
Boon
Crunan
M. Murray
Amiegro
Jose Phadilla
Joan Garcia
New Haves
Coon
John B. King
Orchard Street
Donovan
King
Thess Sieinay Maton