Benjamin Hance, a young African American, was arrested May 27, 1887, in Leonardtown and taken to jail. A mob broke in on the night of June 17, held the jailkeeper at gunpoint and removed Hance from his cell after breaking down the door. They carried him to a site just out of town and proceeded to hang him from a witch hazel tree. An ensuing inquiry into the lynching failed to identify or convict members of the alleged mob of any crimes, and the case was subsequently dismissed, justice having not been rendered.