The Cairo bulletin., 1910-10-25
GOVERNMENT BY "JAILB Birds

1t is not idle talk, nor mere political bunsomb, that the
people Of Cairo are Just now confronted with an Issue in which.
more strongly and more clearly than ever before, they are
lcaled upon to decide whether or not they shall be dominated
lby the lawless negro element of the community. That this
is, true finds incontrovertible proof in a number Of incidents
That are matters az record in the recent past. in connection
with the candidacy of Sheriff Nellis for the office he now
|holds. Never in the history of elections in Cairo has the Issue
been 50 strongly forced upon the attention Of the voters; and
I Is Of the utmost Importance that It be settled on Nov s, and
that it be settled right, for upon this will depend the future
lpeace and prosperity Of the city and county.
The case Of the negro Burnett, who is in the county Jail
lnnder charge Of illegal registration, preferred by the Election
Commissioners, is but one Of a series OF cases that may be
lcited. showing that Sheriff Nellis is, by his own admission, the
candidate Of the lawless negro element. Burnett, as has been
stated. was but recently released from the county jail, and
when he attempted to register in the Fourth ward he swore
that lie had resided IN the precinct only three days. lie was
told by the judges that he could not vote at all. in any pre-
|cinct in the city, at the coming election, because lie had not
acquired a legal residence in any precinct. On complaining
to Sheriff Nelis, saying that he had been denied registration
because he had been in jail, that official took him back 70
the Fourth ward polling place, where he was told that the
negro had not been denied registration; that he had been regis
TERED, but had been disqualified from voting because TIE Lad
mot resided in the precinct long enough. Thereupon the sher
tiff took the negro to the Fifth ward, and although he (Buf-
|nettl had sworn that his home was IN the Fourth ward, he
qualified there as a voter, swearing that he had resided N the
Fifth ward twelve years. Whether or not the sheriff had
coached him what to say, during the drive from the Fourth
ward to the Fifth, is matter for surmlse; but the important
point is that Mr.. Nelis interested himself in seeing that this|
iail-bird was somehow placed in position to vote for him
Although denial has been made that any prisoners have
HD6eH feiedStu Ebti tt county JMa bei3it tA9h tHue H"u IN
pired, in order that they might go to the poll iii their pre-
.cinct to register, it is a matter Of record that this has been
done.
And it appears that even Gov. Dement'S aid has been IN
and secured in the efforts to line up Jail birds and eS-l
.eonvicts for MI, Nelis. and qualify them to vote for him forI
sheriff on Nov. s. This is apparent in the case of a negro
named Ed Stokes. who resides in the Sixth ward. Stokes is
AN ex-convict and under the laws OF the state eX-conylcts are
disqualified from voting unless they have a certificate of res
|toration to citizenship from the governor. Stokes was denied
registration by the Judges Of election on Oct. s, which was the
first REGISTRATION day. hacauSp he was an pXconylct and Alad
40 paper to show that he had been restored to citizenship. (nl
the 18th day of October. the second registration day, Stokes
appeared again before the election judges in the Sixth pre-
lcinct to be registered, and presented a proper paper from the
governor restoring him to citizenship. This paper had been
issued only the day before, for it bore the date of October H.
Taking in connection with this the sheriff's appointment
of negroes as deputy sheriffs who are notorious as dsturbers,
and his appointment of white deputies who are "grafters, n
and associates Of grafters, = and we have a state of things
which may well cause citizens in this community to hesitate
vhen they are asked to give their votes to Sheriff Nelis next
month.
1t is not open to question. in view Of what has TRANSFERRED
during the last several weeks, that the voters Of Cairo anT
Alexander county must decide on Nov. S whether or not tAar
will be dominated by the shifHess, ignorant, and lawess e@
faent in this city, the element which FOR 50 YEARS PAST
HAS FURNISHED EVERY YEAR 95 PER CENT OF THE
IN OUR CITY, COUNTY AND CIRCUIT
COURTS, AND WHICH NOW rs LINED UP Almost
SoLIDLY FOR SHERIFF NELLIs.
On tha othar hand Mr. EraSar bao halind him, trapttaa1NI