The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-18
SHOOT TO KILL.
Sheriff and IL Deputies Hold
the Cairo Jail
Against the Attack of a Mob of
Hundreds.
ONE PERSON is DEAD
And Four Are Wounded by the
Peace Guardians.
Attacking Party Was Bent on
Lynching Two Negroes.

Cairo. Ill. Feb. 1s.-Thirty militia
men. members of Company K. of this
city. this morning, patroled the side
walk in front of the Alexander county
court house. where shortly before 1 a.
m. Alex Halliday leader Of mob at
tack on the Jail. was shot to death by
deputy sheriffs. and where four others,
two of them not members of the mob
were wounded.
Halliday. son of a former mayor, of
Cairo lay for three hours dying be-
side the court house steps with tenn
uerature a few degrees above zero
During that entire time Sheriff Nellis,
acting on orders received by telephone
from Governor Deneen. refused to per
init any one to remove the wounded
man. or to allow physician to enter
the enclosure.
The sheriff says he believed the man
was dead Milit1amen who removed his
body at 4 a. m. say it was warm, in
dicating that death had come but a
short time before.
The Dead
ALEX HALLIDAY. 50 years old,
dairyman. son of former Mayor Thomas
W. Halliday of Cairo. wounded in head
and body.
Tie Wounded.
Sam Wessinger. former policeman
wounded in head and shoulder; at st.
Mary's infirmary.
John Maloney. brother-in-law of Mrs.
Rose Maloney, whose purse was snatch
ed by one of the negro prisoners sought
by the mob. Slight wound on cheek.
Horton Crehan, wcAnded in ankle.
George B. Walker. the Associated
Press correspondent. wounded in the
leg
Crehan was shot when ne stopped for
q moment to learn what the trouble was
about.
Eight Deputies Were Negroes.
Eight Of the u deputy sheriffs whose
shots killed Halliday and wounded the
others were negroes. This fact was
not definitely known to the crowd
which stormed the court house, but it
was suspected. and the suspicion help
ed to arouse the racial feeling that
spurred on the crowd.
The deadly yolley which the sheriff's
men fired from the windows of the
court house was fred in answer to
scattering shots from the crowd, and
after the deputies, in obedience to the
sheriff's order. had fired one volley in
the air.
One of the bullets fred from the
crowd grazed the sheriff's right hand,
causing a bio ID blister, but not break
ing the skin. Others fell near him.
it was after this. he says, that his men
fired directly into the crowd.
The mob fell back to two saloons
adjoining the court house and Jail,
and remained there until the saloons
were closed, shortly after a. M, on
an order of Mayor Parsons, caused by
a message from the governor at
Springfield.
When the men were turned out of
the saloons il was too cold to remain
outside, and another attack on the
court house was not ventured. The
militia company, ordered out by the
governor at midnight, did not succeed
in assembling until a. M, and at that
hour the militiamen relieved NelIis'
deputies
Origin of the Trouble
The mob attack on the Jail was the
outgrowth of Iublic indignation over
petty crimes by negroes, particularly
purse snatchings and annoyances to
women.
Mrs. Rose Maloney's purse was
snatched Wednesday evening. She
drew a revolver and fired at the negro.
but he ran away with her purse. In
her purse was a silver dollar to which
a postage stam. had become attached.
Mrs. Maloney told the police of this
fact, and when negro offered such a
coin in a store yesterday he was ar
rested.
The negro, John Pratt, confessed
that he had taken Mrs. Maloneys
purse, and several days ago that of
Mrs. Accord. He said Lincoln Wilson
was his acconlplice, and Wilson, a ne
gro was also arrested Sheriff NelliS
heard talk of lynching yesterday after
noon and this talk increased in the
early evening so that at 10 p. m. the
sheriff called up Governor Deneen at
Springfield.
At about midnight an order was sent
10 Cairo for Captain Creamy of the
local militia company to proceed to the
sheriff's aid. There was DELAY in find
ing Creamy and in arousing the militia
men.
The sheriff called on Mayor Parsons
for aid from the police The mayo1
said he would order some of the night
force to assist Nellis. but none of the
eight night policemen appeared at The
court house.
From 10 p. m. until midnight the
crowd gathered in the saloons and taiE
of Iynching grew into the determination
to attack the Jail and take out the twc
negro prisoners.
Building Was Dark
The building itself was dark and thf
mob could not see the sheriff and ]:
deputies standing guard with shotsuns
at the windows of the two offices or
either side of the main entrance Al
the crowd rushed toward the stems
Sheriff Nellis called loudly:
stand back, or my men will fire OF
you.''
The first four men in the crowd
Nellis declares, had handkerchiefs ovcl
their faces. Nellis drew a revolver a nf
shouting a command to fire, he fired {
shot over the heads of the mob.
The deputies, who had been ordered
to fire their first volley in the air. die
so. AS the sound died away, pisto
shots began popping from the crow
and bullets fell around the sheriff. Ther
came the second volley. Halliday, wh,
had started UP the steps in advance o
his fellows, was felIed by the charges
from at least two shotguns. He fei
over the railing of the court house step
and lay silent in the snow. The other
fell back hurriedly, none of the wound
ed men being in too serious condition /,
leave.
At saloon the wounds of the fou