Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-02-24
MEN WHO RESPONDED TO OFF.
ciAL CALL FOR HELP SAID
TO sE DOOMED.
SHERIFF NELLlS TELLS or FRUIT.
LESS ENDEAvoR TO PRO-
TEcT PRISONERS.
coLoRED MAN COMPELLED re
ADMIT oFFENsE AT POINT
OF REVOLVER.

Cairo, Feb O.SStatements of the
four negro special deputy sheriffs yes
terday afternoon in the coroner's IN
vestigation of the killing of Alexan-
der Halliday, that they fired several
shots each into the mob that demand
ed admission to the Jail Thursday
night, has renewed the anti-negro agi-
tation. The situation last night was
acute.
Three hundred militiamen began pa
trolling the streets at dusk in antici.
patton of demonstrations against the
negroes. The town is practically un-
der martial law, although Adjutant
General Dickson says the civil author
tiles will remain in control unless
there is a new outbreak.
Squads of soldiers are seen every
where about the streets and the court
house is turned into sleeping quarters
for the four militia companies.
The coroner's inquest resolved it.
self into more of grand jury quiz
than the usual formal proceedings.
The jury which is composed of busl.
ness men, showered questions on the
negro witnesses with such rapidity
that the negroes became confused
and alarmed The jurymen tried to
learn which one of the negroes fired
the steel jacketed bullet that killed
Halliday They got admissions that
the negro deputies fired indiscrimi.
nately into the crowd with shotguns
and revolvers, but none would admit
having used the Swiss rifle, with
which it is supposed Halliday was
killed.
The investigation adjourned until
Monday after sixteen witnesses were
examined.
The six negroes who participated in
firing on the mob are said to be
marked men since their names became
public. The killing of white man
and the wounding of several others by
negroes brought protests from even
the conservative element.
Sheriff Nellis testified that he USED
the negroes because he could not find
regular deputies, nor local militia
company officers, nor white men who
would answer his call for help.
Tears ran down the sheriff's cheeks
as he told of his desperate efforts to
find men to assist him in protecting
the prisoners. He declared that the
local militia company did not appear
until six hours after it was notified to
report to him.
Nellis said he obeyed the orders OF
Governor Deneen in letting Hallidays
body lie in front of the court house
three hours before permitting it to be
removed. He also insisted that a
member of the mob fired the first
shot. This was contradicted by
George Jackson, negro, who insisted
that the sheriff fired the first shot.
Jackson, Charles Hudson, Henry
Douglas, and T. A. Head, the negroes
who served as deputies, admitted fir
ing into the mob. A witness said that
the leaders of the mob wore gunny-
sacks over their heads with holes cur
for eyes.
AS the position of Halliday's body
and the course of the bullet indicate
that the missile probably came from
the first floor window of the county
clerks office, the jury is trying to
learn which of the deputies were sta
toned in this room.
The testimony will be used by the
grand jury, four members of which are
negroes, in an investigation of the
riot Monday.
Mrs. Rose Maloney, whose pocket
book was snatched by John Pratt, the
negro the mob sought Thursday night,
had second encounter with a negro
yesterday. She lost diamond brooch
and when she heard that a negro
found it she went to his home and re-
covered the jewelry but the man In
sisted that he did not intend to steal
it.
Drawing revolver from her mum,
she placed it against his stomach and
said:
You knew it was mine when you
found it. didn't you? Say you did
quick Or / will snoot."
The negro then said he did recog-
nize it.