Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-12
MOB AWED BY TROOPS
Alexander Saved From Being
Third Victim of Lynchers.
MAYOR EXPLAINS DEED
Says Cairo Has Been Asylum for
Murderers.
FEELING AGAINST CRIME
No Official Hanging in Fifteen
Years. He Says-Negro and White
Man Hanged by Angry Mob.
MAYOR EXPLAINS DEED
AGAINST

CAIRO, ILL., November 1a:-"Though
tine protection of the men who were
lynched here was not in any way under
my control. no one can regret the affair
more than | do. said Mayor Parsons
today.
Il do not think that any blame at
taches TO any official. The entire COM
munity was worked up to such pitch
that no other termination was possible.
II believe that the majority of the
citizens are pleased at the turn of af-
fairs. While they deplore the disgrace
of the city and state. they believe the
result will he salutary.
There has not been an official execu-
Yet the city has had its share of mur-
ders. Juries have failed to convict in
homicide cases, or have convicted only
for minor degrees.
1T has been possible for murderers
to escape In fact. murder in Cairo has,
j regret TO say. been tolerably safe.
The feeling against crime that has
So long been suppressed has found vent.
j believe that Cairo will be peaceful and
law-abiding hereafter"
Troops Awe Mob.
The arrival of five companies of the
state militia this morning apparently
cowed the spirit of the men who Iynched
VIII James, a negro, and Henry Salzner
last night.
No attempt has been made to storm the
county Jail where the other negro, Ar
thur Alexander. implicated by James in
bis confession in the killing of Miss Annie
Pelley. Is confined.
The Jail is surrounded by members Of
MN<>vvxv Z - C.sr snvrk
panies of the militia as they arrive are
stationed along the streets where the mob
eongregated during the night.
Many citizens, while condemning the ac-
nights work. Mayor Parsons this morns
ing said he did not anticipate any further
trouble. even though Alexander Is kept
here.
arrived before noon. 1t is expected the
500 men will be able to prevent any out
break tonight. The city is now quiet.
No effort has been made as yet to learn
the names of the leaders of the lynchers
Cairo. after a sleepless night Of riot,
waited anxiously today for the arrival Of
the hundreds OF soldiers on the way to
puell the mob at the orders OF Gov.
Deneen.
Two Men Lynched.
Will James. a negro. the confessed
murderer of Annie Peley, was hanged,
riddied with bullets and burned early last
night, when a thousand determined men
who had found Sheriff Davis and the ne
gro. after a twenty-four-hour man-hunt,
brought their prisoner here from karnak.
TWENTY-FIVE miles distant. where the sher-
iff had hidden In the woods in order to
save the negro's life.
Henry Salzner white. held for uXorcide.
was aterrtaken from steel cell I'm the
county Jail and hanged and shot by the
w h0pn unsuccessful
capturing Alexander, implicated by James
as accomplice in the Staying of Miss
Pelley.
The police captured Alexander, and
dressing him in police clothing, got him
through town before the mob's watchers
detected the trick and began a chase after
the police and their prisoner.
Although the horrors of a race war had
not broken out during the night. peace
able citizens had begun to fear a repeti-
ton of the Springfield riots OF last year.
when two negroes were iynched. four
other persons were killed and sixty
wounded.
The 400 men roaming the streets until
daybreak had access to many saloons.
Parsons and the chief of police were un-
able TO close the saloons. because they
were shut up at home by the mob.
Soldiers of the Cairo militia finally went
to guard the homes of municipal officers
and kept the rioters In some restraint.
Mob Chases Sheriff and Prisoner.
The fury of the mob has been growing
In intensity since early Wednesday night,
wher Sheriff Davis smuggled VIII James
the negro lynched last night, out of town
Sheriff Davis started on a desperate
tourney i'm an attempt TO save the negro
when il became evident that the mob
here was working UP 10 lynching. With
deputy and the prisoner he got quietly
away from the Jail and aboard a train
for
In some way. however. word of his
action went ahead of him. and he learned
at DonSola that a mob had gathered a,
the station at Anna, the home Of Miss
he left the train and plunged into the deer
woods.
Soon after the sheriff got away the
temper OF the people here was shown. A
mob gathered around the jail and wher
tod that the negro had been taken away
insisted on going through the cellhouse
Then bodies of men rushed to Mound:
and Mill Creek, hoping to find the pris
one.
Steal a Train to Find Negro.
When the mob at Anna learned wha
Sheriff Davis mad done a search of tn,
woods near Dongola was begun. B,
morning the alarm had been sread in al
directions. and soon bands OF men Were
out endeavoring TO cut off the little party
familiar with the woods. and eIuded pur
suit until dusk last evening
\ report reached this city late yester
day afternoon that the sheriff's party haC
come out OF the woods near Karnak q
small town twenty-five miles north o.
cairo. Acting on this information. which
came from railroad employees and seemed
more authentic than a dozen similar ru
mors heard during the day. 800 mel
seized freight train OF the Big Fou
railroad here. attached a switch engin,
TO il and went To karnak at top speed.
On reaching karnak the mob split vi
and searched the country for sixteel
miles.
The sheriff's party was found by
scouts about dusk between karnak and
Belknap. The negro was handcuffed be
tween two officers and all three were
living on the bank OF creek. The,
were so weak from hunger and expos.
ure that they were not able to max.
much resistance.
Sheriff Given No Help.
sheriff Davis had made an effort 10
get a carriage at Dongola. but found Il
the news had heev m