Players Accidentally Shot and Killed by a Policeman Whilst Being Protected from an Actual Lynch Mob: A Brief List

The 19th century was marked by much unpleasantness in these United States that would have been ideally avoided. Like widespread outbreaks of diptheria among children, for example. Or like the conception — if not necessarily the birth — of future (and now late) senator Strom Thurmond.

It is also that particular epoch during which John Glenn was accidentally shot and killed — by the very policeman, it would seem, who was attempting to protect him (i.e. Glenn) from a real, literal angry mob. One notes in the motive of that crowd’s intentions even more unpleasantness, as apparently their reason for pursuing Glenn resulted directly from his having assaulted a female minor.

In great agony, is how John Glenn died. In great agony, it would appear, is how that entire century probably lived.

Image from November 11th, 1888 edition of The Sun. Very much credit to weblog The Deadball Era.