The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1909-11-12
Fiend Makes Confess
sion and Lnphcates
Another
BODY IS BURNED
Women Aid in Hanging Negro Rope
Breaks and He Is Shot to Pieces
Mob Then Drags Body More Than
Mile to the Scene of Crime and
Burns It.

TAlRO, ILL.,, Nov. 11.-Wm. James,
the negro suspected of being the
murderer of Miss Annie Pelley,
was killed here tonight by a mob
James was strung up to the public
arch. the rope broke and at least 500
shots we're poured into his body He
made partial confession and impli-
Gated the negro Arthur Alexander,
and the mob has gone out to look for
him.
James was lynched in the most
prominent square of the city and hung
to the arch at Eighth and Commercial
streets.
Women present were the first to
pull the rope. When it broke the
frenzy of the mob was uncontrolla-
BILE and they fired volley after volley
into the body, shooting him to pieces.
The mob then dragged the body over
the streets for more than a mile to
the scene of the murder, where it
was burned. At least 10000 people
witnessed the proceedings.
At least 10000 people witnessed the
lynching. James was found with
Sheriff Davis between Kanark, ILL.,,
and Belknap, by the crowd from Cairo.
The officers were overpowered, the
negro captured and after a conference
it was decided to bring him to Cairo
and lynch him here.
Fully 1000 people went in search Of
the negro. When they returned, they
were met by a bowling mob of at
least 5000 more. They marched di-
rect to the arch, sweeping everything
before them. Many women were out
to help do the work.
Sheriff Davis pleaded for the life of
the negro, but without avail, and when
Rocks was reached Davis was taken
in charge by part of the mob, while
the rest rushed the negro to the scene
of the lynching.
When the mob found the negro he
was handcuffed between two officers.
They were hiding on the bank of a
creek All were so weak from hun
ger and exposure that they were un-
able to offer much resistance. Sheriff
Davis tonight said that he deplored
the lynching, but that he made every
resistance in his power.
He said that after leaving the train
at Dongola last night, he tried to get
a rig but found it impossible to find
one as the farmers refused to assist
him. 1t was with difficulty that the
sheriff could get anything to eat.
At every point whittier he headed
to board a train, he was blocked by
a mob. James was found about five
o'clock this afternoon. Word was sent
along the line to the scattered mob
to board the Big Four train and meet
the party with the negro at Belknap.
The whole party arrived here on the
Big Four at 7:45 p. m.
The negro was taken Off at Tenth
street and marched through the prin-
cipal streets to the arch at Eighth and
Commercial streets. While in custody
of the mob at Belknap and comm
down on the train, the negro would
not tell about the crime, but when ne
stood under the arch he confessed. he
said that Arthur Alexander was I'M
plicated in the crime.
While James body was burning at the
spot where the crime was committed,
10000 people danced in glee. Before
the mob reached Cairo, some proposed
that the train be stopped and the ne
gro lvnched at once, but 1t was finally
decided to bring him into Cairo ana
give the townspeople chance to help
with the work Relatives OF the muir
dered girl took part in the lynchlng
Mayor Parsons tonight called on
Governor Deneen for state troops &c
restore order.