Lynching of Joe Coe

1891 newspapers reported many lies and intentionally omitted important factual information about George Smith as a man and as a human being with the same unalienable rights, which all other citizens of this country are born with. Local newspapers actually called for his lynching and indicated he did not have a right to live. They advertised his purported five old victim had died. They reported George was 20 years old, stated he was a laborer or trash man, and stated he, his wife and child lived in an alley. They rarely mentioned his name and only referred to him as a negro ravisher and certainly did not name his wife, children nor his mother and siblings. The newspapers left out all the details, which would allow the reader to develop at least some compassion and concern for George and his family. The true story can still be found and much of it is documented in his family tree.

Shortly after the end of the Civil War George Smith was born in Missouri about 1866. All indications are that his mother Hattie and his father would have been born into slavery and freed at the end of the war. George may have had other siblings, but he is known to be the elder brother of Kate, Henry, and Nannie. Their Missouri records have not yet been located for the family, but Hattie and her children moved to Omaha Nebraska some time between 1876 and 1879. His brother Henry is reported to have been born in Missouri in 1876, sister Nannie born in Nebraska 1879, and mother Hattie began being listed in the 1880 Omaha City and Business Directory.

Maybe out of necessity of the times and for his family’s need, George first appears in the 1883 city directory as a delivery clerk for Fearon & Cole. He is listed in the 1885 Nebraska Census living with his mother, his siblings, and his aunt and uncle Mary and Edward Green. George is shown on the census as working at a hotel. In the 1886 and later city directory listings he is listed as a waiter at The Millard Hotel. One needs to ponder the character of a man holding steady employment for six years as a waiter at a prestigious downtown hotel. As is common for the times, George and his family did frequently change addresses, but they stayed in the general area in the near northside of Omaha. The families’ first documented address for several years beginning 1880 was 107 N 12th St, followed by several years at 922/924 Capitol Ave, and after marriage his family addresses were from 210 N 12th St to as far North as Izard St. This is the same area where in current times The College World Series is played every year at Charles Schwab Field.

George Smith and Della Mariah Benson Freeman welcomed to this world their first child George Jr. on 6 September 1886. George and Della were married in Omaha 13 February 1888. According to family records George did not have the opportunity to meet his next child Harry who was born 3 November 1891 Family records do document the birth of several other children, who must have died young as no supporting documentation or records has been located supporting these births. These children are listed in the family tree and any information or additional details regarding these children would be most welcome. George Jr and Harry are both listed living in the household with Della in her 1900 census. Family records document that George Jr. was last seen by the family when he attended the wedding of his half sister Marie Virginia Green to Benjamin Harrison Gray in Omaha on 21 September 1913. An extensive search has been performed searching for the whereabouts and possible families of George’s children George Jr and Harry have also produced no results. Again, any help provided in locating George Jr and Harry would also be most welcome.

Now that we have been properly introduced to George Smith, his beautiful wife Della, his documented children George and Harry, his mother Hattie, his siblings and even an aunt and uncle, we do know that George had loved ones in his life. We know that he worked hard to help support both his mother Hattie and his siblings and we also know he helped support his wife Della and their young children. As has always been the case throughout history George the son and the father also had a supporting cast of strong hard working women in his life. Mother Hattie had long been listed as a Wash Woman (service of washing clothes for others) as was his wife Della. Family stories also mention the fact that Della was also known as an amazing seamstress. Perhaps there is a reason George’s hard work beginning at a young age, his long standing employment history including a long stint as a waiter at The Millard hotel were not acknowledged in the 1891 newspapers. Maybe they also had their reasons for not mentioning the names of his wife, his mother, his siblings, his child/children nor the mention of his missing the birth of his son Harry. Maybe it was good for his wife Della and their children it was reported the family lived in an alley or else they too could have suffered the wrath of the mob mentality. Even the not so brightest amongst us today know the real reason George was simply reported as a “Negro Ravisher”. The truth of the matter is this sort of practice should have been no more acceptable in those days than it should be accepted today. What is right and good does not change with the times and does not change dependent upon who is in power. The difference between right and wrong is the same as it has always been and good people always have the duty and obligation to speak up, even if their voices shake. Maybe, especially if their voice shakes.

Having now discussed the most important part about George’s life it is a good time to talk about his tragic death. George was accused of raping a 5 year old white girl. The state/county had just executed a white man found guilty in a court of law for a brutal murder that took place in another town within the county. Public officials were so busy dealing with the execution of the convicted murderer they had been sidetracked and were perhaps blind to the warning signs of the outrage growing in the community over false reports in local newspapers regarding George and the five year old girl. Not too many people, then or now, would not be outraged about the rape and possible death of any five year old child. Perhaps, making excuses for local officials being too busy is not the best course here. At the same time they did at least make some effort to quiet the crowd and at least made some calls to let justice run its’ course. In the end the false report of the 5 year old’s death proved too much for the mob, reported to start as 5,000 strong and growing to 15,000 by nightfall on 9 October 1891 who proved to be too much for the local police. They were unable to stop the mob from gaining entrance to the county jail, in spite of the little girl’s father’s plea where he stated he was not sure of the perpetrator and would be happy to let justice run its’ course. This “entrance” involved utilizing rail from local train/trolley tracks, sledge hammers, and cold chisels. Ultimately the mob extracted George from the most secure interior cell of the county jail, which happened to be the same cell the executed murderer had so recently occupied. George was dragged from his cell, taken out of the broken jail window, literally dragged to the street, trampled upon, kicked, punched, spat upon, and on a second attempt his lifeless body hung from a trolley line outside of Boyd’s Theatre at 17th and Harney Streets after midnight 10 October 1891.

It does not take a legal scholar, a group of judges, or an empathetic community to tell us George Smith was murdered by an unruly and blood thirsty mob of Omaha citizens. Being from Omaha myself it just breaks my heart thinking about George and his family, let alone the horror felt knowing this is what we are capable of. How do you tell Della, Hattie, Kate, Henry, Nannie and especially five year old George they will never get to hug or kiss their son, husband, brother or father ever again? How do you tell Harry why he never even got to meet his father? How do you help them not feel the pain of his brutal and thoughtless death? How do you help them and their generations to come to not have the images and memories not affect their lives for the rest of their days’? Forget about the 1895 State and Local Legislature meetings where George was pronounced innocent and the “upstanding citizens” of Omaha were publicly denounced for their violent and malicious act. Forget about the accused murderers of George Smith not made to stand trial because the coroner took the stand and under oath stated George did not die because he was lynched. Rather, he died of fright by persons unknown. Forget about George’s multiple broken vertebrae, his contusions, his lacerations, and his broken ribs. Forget about the book written 27 years after the fact by one of George’s accused murderer’s stating George was innocent and had he even been arraigned in his first court hearing George would have been released from custody because of his innocence. Forget about those that murdered George and chalk it up to the difference in times? Nothing like this could ever happen today and the guilty would be tried and convicted, right? Most importantly, forget about George. That was ancient history. I mean 131 years ago is a long time indeed. Forget about George’s living ancestors and the generational pain carried. Forget about George’s community and that generational pain too.

We have grown as a people and we need to forget we were ever capable as human beings to ever have brought so much pain to any person or any groups of people. Enough with the forgetting already. Maybe we can try to start remembering. Maybe we can start to own up to the pain and the shame of falsely accusing and needlessly injuring others. Maybe we can come to the realization that ALL people truly are created equal. Maybe we can come to the realization there is such a thing as cause and effect. All kinds of events have happened in our “ancient past” and our not so ancient past that we truly should own up to. Perhaps we can come to the realization that ALL people have the same needs. We all have a right to be loved, appreciated and respected. Maybe we can start actually loving our neighbor more than we love ourselves. Maybe we can get rid of our fears about losing everything “we” have worked so hard for when “others” simply want something for nothing and do not want to work hard for it. Maybe we should begin realizing we are all in this together and that one group of people have not worked harder than any other group. Treating others with a little kindness, dignity and respect is something all people can appreciate. It seems we have tried everything else, except that. No maybes about it, the time has come. Please, it really is such a simple thing and we are all capable of this simple act.

George Smith and his tragic death has much to teach us all. We can not give him his life back, but we can learn the simple lessons if we choose to pay attention and not forget. Rest in peace George. I know I am better man for getting to know you and your family. I am sorry that you had to make the ultimate sacrifice to teach us something so simple.

Coe was a married man with two children who lived on North 12th Street north of downtown Omaha. On October 7, 1891, Lizzie Yates, a five-year-old white child who also lived in North Omaha, accused Coe of assaulting her. Before the verdict was passed rumors swept through Omaha about Coe getting away with the crime, about the girl dying, and about Coe receiving a small punishment.

A crowd of men was already gathered at the old Douglas County Courthouse the day when Coe was brought in, to witness an unrelated, scheduled hanging, an official execution. Rumors flew around Omaha that the girl had died, the guilty party was in jail, and was only going to be punished with 20 years' incarceration.[2]

The next day, a mob of several hundred to 1,000 men formed in downtown Omaha early on October 10 and overwhelmed the police at the courthouse.[3] Councilman Moriarty drove his cane through a window and led the men against the courthouse.[4] Leaders drove Coe to the assumed victim's house in the Near North Side neighborhood to be identified by the parents. The mother immediately said she had seen Coe roaming around the house, although she would not swear that it was him.[4]

When the mob brought Coe back to the courthouse to be lynched, James E. Boyd, the governor of Nebraska, and the county sheriff both appealed to the men to disperse. Instead, by midnight a crowd of 1,000 to 10,000 people had gathered at the courthouse.[5] The mob beat Coe and dragged him through city streets. He was probably already dead when he was hung from a streetcar wire at 17th and Harney Streets.[6] Omaha mayor Richard C. Cushing quickly condemned the lynching as "the most deplorable thing that has ever happened in the history of the country."[7]

Seven men were arrested for the crime, including the chief of police and the manager of a large dry goods store. A mob gathered outside the jail and threatened to destroy it unless the suspects were freed on bail but the County Attorney was determined to refuse them.[8]

The following day when Coe's body was set for public viewing at a downtown mortuary, six thousand spectators filed by. Hucksters sold pieces of the lynching rope as souvenirs.[9]

Ten days after the lynching, the Douglas County Assistant Coroner testified in court that Smith died of "fright", rather than of the wounds inflicted on him by the mob. Those wounds included sixteen wounds to his body and three vertebrae broken in his spine. Despite this, the coroner testified, "[T]he heart was so contracted and the blood was in such a condition that the doctor was satisfied that the man was literally scared to death." County Attorney Mahoney said he would have to modify the charges against the lynchers.[10] The grand jury decided not to prosecute.

• Crime in Omaha
• Mass racial violence in the United States
• Racial tension in Omaha, Nebraska
• Civil Rights Movement in Omaha, Nebraska

• George Smith at Find A grave
• "A History of Omaha's First Recorded Lynching" by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com