The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-11-14
IT WAS IN THE CITY OF CAIRO,
ILLINOIS.

ILLINOIS.
1t was in the City of Cairo, ILL.,, that
Will James, a negro, was lynched We'd
nesday night and the body was burned
by a mob. 1t will not be questioned
that he should have been lynched, since
he had crirninally assaulted a woman,
and was suspected of her murder. His
crime aroused the populace. He was
caught He confessed partially his
crime and implicated negro, Arthur
Alexander, who did mot long escape
the clutches of the mob.
From the details reported from Cairo,
Will James was strung UP from an
arch at Eighth and Commercial streets
Women present, frenzied with excite
ment, were urged to pull the rope, which
broke as they pulled The mob then
seized the negro and dragged him
through the streets more than a mile to
the alley where the crime was ptrpe-
trated. The negro was then she; to
pieces and burned. 1t is estimated That
more than 10000 people were in tie
mob.
After this demonstration had partial
ly subsidized, the mob was again aroused
when they hanged the negro, Arthur
Alexander, who had been left in jail,
and a white man, Henry. Seller, pho
tographer, who had murdered his wife
a year ago. Against the mob the civil
authorities were powerless and no 1t
tention was given to the Governor in his
pleading for law and order. 4 few
hours after the lynching a regiment of
National Guards reached the scene, BIT
they came too late to stay the hangines,
but in time to check the disorder Which
was growing fierce. 1t was not safe
for a negro to be about that night, aud
this was in the City of Cairo, Illinois,
where the negro in many respects is the
equal of the white man and can marry
a white woman
This was in the City of Cairo, Him
ois, but had it been in any section of
the South, how great would have been
the howl of indignation from the howl
ers at the North.
In the execution of such a criminal in
the South, the mob would have been de-
liberate and orderly. The lynchings
would have. proceeded with some degree
of system and not a hair from the head
of a negro not connected with the
crime would have been molested After
having lynched the criminals the mob
in the South would have dispersed
quietly and satisfied with the execution
of the brute who had assaulted a
woman
There is a great difference, a vast
chasm in. the manner of doing some
things in the North and in the South.
In the South, where the negro is fully
protected in his life and his property,
but where he is not recognized IS the
social equal of the white man, he would
have suffered no harm, if innocent, in
his person or his property. Indeed, if
innocent, he would have received the
fullest protection of white men.
In lynching criminals of the Will
James type the men in the South
who appeal to mob law are new
er hysterical. How unfortunate is
the negro, at the North, when
one of his race has aroused by the
nameless crime the passion of the white
men to a resentment of vengeance.
With fire he is driven from his home,
and when fleeing to some place of safe
ty is stoned and dubbed and beaten,
frequently to death.
In what light can the action and the
acts of the Cairo, Illinois, mob be
viewed? And who. in any section of
the South, will defend or plead excuse
for such mob? And yet for the same
crime, the penalty would have been ex-
acted in the South deliberately, system
atically and free from hysterical demon
stration.
There is much in the South from
which the North with all its wisdom
and conceit may profit with advantage.