Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-02-20
7 estimony Of Negro Deputies at
Inquest Over Riot Victim
Adds to Bitterness Of III Feel
ing Between Races,
GRAVE CHARGE AGAINST
LOCAL MILITIA COMPANY
Declares Soldiers Were
CriminaIIy Slow When Prompt
Action Might Have Averted
Attack on County Jail,


cairo HIS Feb. Statements by
-four negro special deputy sher.lfs to-
day at the coroncrs Investigation Of
the killing OF Alexander Halliday that
they fred several shots each into the
mob that was demanding admission
to the county jail ana court house
Thursday night, has renewed the anti
negro agitation and the situation to-
night is acute
Three hundred militiamen began
patrOlling the streets az dusk In am
ticipation of trouble The town Is
practically under martial law. Tho
Coruncr's inquest resolved itself into
more Of a grand Jury quiz than the
usual formal proceedings before
coroner. The tnrymen, mostly bust
ness men, could hardly restrain them
selves when the negroes were ON the
stand
Questions were showered upon the
witnesses IN such "a rapid manner by
the iuryinen that the negroes quickly
became confused as well us alarmed.
The iurNlnen tried to learn which of
the negroes fired the steel jacketad
bullet that killed Halliday They got
admissions that the negro deputies
tisua intliserufiiHltciy into the crowd
with shotguns aud feVolVers but none
with which Il is supposed Halliday
was Killed
The Investigation was adjourned
until Monday afternoon after lG wit
ncsscs were examined.
The negroes Who participated in
the firing arr said to be marked men
nov that their names have become
public
The killing of one white and the
AL fts 49, "a t,
hands OF negroes has brought out
protests from even the conservative
element.
sheriff Nellis testified at the inquest
that he used negroes because he could
not find his regular deputies, nor the
white men who would answer his call
FOR help
Tears ran down the shcriffs checks
as he told Of his desperate efforts to
nnd men 10 assist him IN protecting
his prisoners. t.Ie declared that the
Cairo militia company, company *.
was notified before 10 O'Clock Thurs
day night 10 report to him immedi-
atciy TO protect the tail The com
panN did not put in an appearance
uGtil sis hours later
Nells said he Obeycd the orders of
Governor pcncen in leaving HALT
days body In the snow IN front uf
it to be removed.
He also insisted that some one In
The mob fred the first shot which
whizzod by his head and said his men,
aislsking the shot for his signal. hr-
sd first into the air and then into the
crowd This statement was contra
licted by George Jackson, a negro
Who insisted the shori4 iired the first
shot
Jackson. Charles Hudson Henry
Douglas and r. A. Head are the ne
sro deputies admitting firing into the
mob
The witnesses said the mob wore
;unny sacks over iheh heads with
lolcs cut for their eyes.
Mrs Rose Maloney whose pocket
icok was snatched by John Pratt. the
legro the mob was after Thursday
light, had a second encounter with
ieern today She lost diamond
,rooch and, when she heard that a.
lrgro had found il, went To his home.
ihe recovered the jewelry but the
nan insisted he did not intend 10
teiu H.
Drawing - revolver from her mum.
he placed II against his stomach and
aid.
You knew il Was mine when YOU
ound It. didn't You2 Sny you did
nick ar I'm shoot"
The negro then said he did recog-
ize It.