Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-16
NEGRO ALEXANDER, IMPLICATED
IN MURDER BY CONFESSION OF
JAMES, TAKEN TO CHAMPAIGN
BY HEAVILY ARMED GUARD.
SHERIFF TELLS HOW
PRISONER WAS TAKEN
OFFICER TELLS OF BEING HUNT
ED DOWN IN WOODS BY ARMED
POSSE, WHO TOOK GIRLS sLAY-
Err AWAY TO HIS DOOM.

Cairo, Nov. 15.-The evacuation of
Cairo by the national guard began Sat
urday. Only three companies were
left on duty. The situation this morn
ing was such that it was decided that
half the militia on duty could be re-.
lieved. There was no sign last night
of disposition to renew mob rule and |
the authorities are inclined to believe,
there is no chance of further dis
turbance. The removal to Champaign
of Alexander, suspected Of completely |
in the Pelley murder, contributes to
the general belief that there will be no !
more trouble.
Prisoner at Champaign.
Kankakee, H., Nov. ID Arthur
Alexander, the alleged accomplice of
Will James in the murder of Anna
Pelley at Cairo, will not be brought to
Kankakee today It is thought he will
be kept at Champaign, where he was
taken from a special train under guard
at 10:30 Friday night.
Coroner's verdicts were rendered on
both the men lynched, in each case
the jury finding that "he came to his
of persons unknown to u.s."
Recognized Members of Mob.
Earlier in the day Sheriff Davis, in
an extended interview, told OF recog-
nizing several members of the mob
which took James from his care. He
named MIR. Logan" of Cairo as one of
these individuals, and accused the
postmaster and a storekeeper of Kar-
max, H., of having accompanied some
Of the scouting parties that searched
the woods in the vicinity of the town
for the sheriff's party.
/ Just what steps will be taken to
bring those implicated to trial has not
been determined.
Mayor George Parsons said he was
asleep and heard no shot or other
sound to indicate that the city was in
the power, of a lawless horde.
Alexander M Wilson, states attor-
ney, stated that he was in several
parts of the city trying to quell the
mob spirit, but would not say that he
recognized any of its leaders.
Il am ready to do everything that
my own office requires Of me in these
premises, said the states attorney
paign and lodged in Jail there by his
heavy guard according to message,
which came to Sheriff Davis late last
night. The run was made on fast
train and few stops were made.
A mob OF 500 persons gathered ~
Centralia when it was reported that
the negro was to be brought there
but the determined attitude OF the mil
itary guard held them off and they
: contented themselves with boots and
ieers.
The negro was escorted from the iai
to special train on the Illinois Cen
ira. railroad by a heavy force of mill
: tia, two companies of which, Com
pany NJ of Champaign and Company G
of Effingham, were assigned to the
duty Of guarding the train.
Crowd Jeers at Guard.
j There were jeers and defiance fo1
$ the militia from the small crowd tina
I witnessed the departure. Some wa,
Tor other the word had gone abou
$ town that the negro was to be spiritet
away at 4 o'clock. It was half Al
. hour later that he was led from hi
: cell and placed between the files .
SUlupcIS L VI
: That's him! He'll come back, Burr
|. the dog. Well get him yet" CAM
f from spectators, who had been pressed
i back a half block from the entranc
o to the Jail yard by Company of Car
/ bondale and Company / of Olney
The display of force was greater
however, than the mob leaders had an
;, , ticipated, end while there were mur
g 4,
> was no effort made to break the line
9 Brigadier General frank P. Wells, O
), Decatur, commanding the Second bri
. gade of the guard. was in charge q
1 the march, and after it was over h
;, declared himself convinced that tn
: display Of military force had had
most sslutary effect upon the town.
The sheriff paused in his prepare
tons for the departure of the prisone
long enough to give a frank account G
u the manner in which James had bee
taken from his custody. After detail
ing his wanderings in the woods {
n Union county after he had left tn
= train at Dongola. he told Of leavin
= = James in charge of the deputy sheri
u while he went to Karnak to obtai
= provisions.
s Warned of Mob's Search.
J. The postmaster at Karnak, who
d also the storekeeper there. recognize
!. me-" said Mr. Davis. Because of th1
:, we made a detour through the wood
II about the town and walked east fiE
$. miles to Belknap. From there W
s struck through the woods until tn
h water drove us to the railroad tract
d We entered a house to rest, but wer
: warned by citizen of Belknap that
: crowd had left Cairo to intercept u
= So we took to the country again, walk
. ing across corn fields for a couple {
miles. and then sitting down on 10