Skip to main content

Biographical Description

Worth Sanders (born ca. 1899) was a Black man accused of participating in the murder of white Wendell (Johnston County) resident Lillie Lynch in January 1914. He was nearly murdered by a white mob but was ultimately released. Sanders later turned himself in to authorities in Raleigh, where he was held first in the Wake County jail before being transferred to the state prison. A trial resulted in Sanders' conviction on the charge of second degree murder and a thirty-year prison sentence.

Following the trial, an article by the Raleigh News and Observer in its May 23, 1914 issue, quoted (by second hand) Sanders as saying that he had been wrongly accused and denied ever implicating himself: "I'm not guilty. If I was I'd confess."

As Sender

Currently there are no documents available where this individual is the sender.

As Recipient

Currently there are no documents available where this individual is the recipient.