Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-19
COURT ORDERS INVESTIGATION
Wouldbe Lynchers Who Attacked
Jail to Be Prosecuted.
THEIR LEADER IS SHOT DOWN
Four Other Members of Mob Are
Wounded by Deputy Sheriffs.
CAUSE OF OUTBREAK REMOVED
NeErO who snntched wOman's
Purse Pleads Guilty and is
Given Indeterminate
Sentence.

Sentence.
CAIRO. Ill, Feb. 1S.-with three COM
panies of militia guarding the court house
and Jail, under direct supervision of Ad-
jutant General Frank S. Dickson of
Springfield, this city settled down tonight
to complete quiet after n strenuous TWEEN
tyfour hours, and the authorities believe
they have the situation well in hand,
There are many scattered groups of men
about the streets and in the vicinity of
the jail, but no crowd is allowed to con-
gregate.
Threats have been made against Sheriff
Fred D. Nellis for the killing of Alexander
Halliday early this morning by his depu-
ties and the woundng of four others in
beating back the mob that would lynch
negro .uprse snatcher, but the presence of
the soldiers is having a salutary effect in
preventing further demonstrations. A
third militia company was asked by the
sheriff this afternoon and Company NJ of
Champaign was ordered out. arriving on
special train at G:3O o'clock.
Negro IL Sentenced.
John Pratt the negro the mob intended
to lynch and who was given an indetermi-
nate sentence of not more than fourteen
years in the Chester penitentiary on each
of two charges of robbery this afternoon,
will be taken secretly to the prison at s
o'clock tomorrow morning with twelve
other convicted prisoners in special
train. His removal 1T is believed, will
remove the last apprehension of another
assault on the jail.
Lincoln Wilson, arrested as a suspected
companion of Pratt in the snatching of
womens pocketbooks was released at
o'clock tonight. The grand jury failed to
return an indictment against him.
Pratt's indictment and sentence took less
than a half hour this afternoon. At 8
o'clock the indictment was returned and
ten minutes later he pleaded guilty and
was sentenced by Circuit Judge William
Butler.
| Judge Orders Inquiry.
I A searching investigation of the-attack
! on the Jail this morning when Halliday
was killed was ordered this afternoon by
| Judge Butler in a charge to the grand jury
! Immediately after the disposal of the cases
of the two negroes No action was taken
| this afternoon but the affair will be taken
up when the jury. reconvenes tomorrow
morning.
! Judge Buffers instructions to the grand
! jury were in substance demand that the
rioters be brought to justice and made to
stand trial for riotinE. felony
This sort Of procedure must be stopped, ''
he said Law that is not enforced ceases
| to be law.
There have been five murders in Cairo
since November II, when we had another
occurrence OF mob violence. These crimes
show that mob law is no deterrent to crime
and It is your duty to see that mob law
leaces to be-"
/ The states attorney is cooperating with
the grand jury. Coroner James McManus
has as yet called no inquest in the killing
OF Halliday. He said tonight that he in.
i tends to go slowly in his Investigations
Halllday's body has been taken to the homo
of brother, Parker Halliday, with the
coroner's consent.
Sheriff Describes Attack.
Sheriff Nellis was in close touch with
Governor Deneen by long distance telephone
all day and said tonight that his course
had been commended by the governor.
A stray shot fired by member of tn,
mob was the direct cause Of the volley
from the deputies guarding the Jail tina
laid several of its members low. according
to Sheriff Nells' version of the attack.
Il was standing on the front porch Of tn,
court house parleying with the mob, which
was demanding that give up Pratt" III
said tonight. when someone fired a sho
In the crowd.
My deputies watching the parley from
second story window, thought that
fired shot as a signal They then fire,
a volley into the air.
THE mob refused to retreat and m.
deputies then fired into the crowd. Yol
know the result. My conscience is cas-!
over the entire affair. They were deter
mined to get me unless 1 got them. 1 dit
my duty by protecting my prisoners at an
price"
The dead;
ALEX HALLIDAY. IS years old, dairy
man. son of former Mayor Thomas w
Halliday of Cairo; wounded in head ant
body.
The wounded:
Sam wessnger, former policeman
wounded in head and shoulder; at 81
Marys nflrmary.
John Maloney brother-in-law of Mrs
Rose Maloney, whose purse was snatched b
one OF the negro prisoners. sought by tn
mob Slight wound In cheek.
, Horton Crehan, wounded in ankle; h
stopped to see what the trouble was.
George B. Walker the Associated Pres
correspondent. wounded in the leg.
Eight Deputies Were Negroes.
Eight Of the twelve deputy sheriffs who's
shots killed Halliday and wounded tn
others were negroes This fact was no
definitely known to the crowd whic
n stormed the court house, but II was sui
J. peeted, and the suspicion helped to arous
e the racial feeling that spurred on tn
crowd.
The deadly voiley which the sheriff
: men fired from the windows of the sheriff
d and circuit clerks offices. on the fir
o floor OF the court house, was fired In al
; swer to scattering shots from the crow
4 and after the deputies, in obedience TO II
o sheriffs order, had fired one volley in II
b air.
. One OF the bullets fired from the crow
g grazed the sheriffs right hand. causing
5 blood blister. but not breaking the ski
Others fell near him. II was after this,
r says, that his men fired directly into II
\ crowd,