The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-02-24
COONS USED As DEPUTIES.
SHOOT INTO MOB AND KILLED
ONE WHITE MAN.
Several Others in the Mob Wounded.
Race Feeling High in
Cairo, Ill.

Cairo, Ill.
Cairo, ILL.,, Feb. 1s.-Thirty militia
men, members of company X, OF
Cairo. this morning patrolled the
sidewalk in front of the Alexander
county court house, where shortly
before Alexander Halliday, leader of
a mob was shot to death by deputy
sheriffs, several of who were negroes.
Four other men, two of them not
members of the mob, were wounded.
Halliday, son of former mayor Of
Cairo, lay for three hours dying be-
side the court house steps, with the
Temperature a few degrees above
zero. During the entire time Sheriff
Neuis, acting on orders received by
telephone from Gov. Deneen, refused
to permit physician to enter the en-
closure.
The sheriff says he believed the
man was dead. Militiamen who re-
moved his body at a. m. say it was
warm, indicating that death had
come but short time before.
The Dead and Wounded.
The dead:
Alexander Halliday, 35 years old,
dairy man, son Of former Mayor
Thos. w. Halliday, of Cairo; wound
ed in head and, body.
The wounded:
Samuel Wessinger, former police
man, wounded in head and shoulder;
at St. Mary's infrmary.
John Maloney, brother-in-law of
Mrs. Rose Maloney, whose purse was
snatched by one of the negro prison
ers sought by the mob; slight wound
on cheek.
Horton Crehan, wounded in ankle;
had stopped to see what the trouble
was.
George B. Walker, the Associated
Press correspondent, wounded in the
leg.
Racial Feeling Heightened.
Eight of the 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 supposition
helped to rouse the racial feeling
that spurred on the crowd.
The trouble was the result Of the
attack on the Jail here last night by
a mob which tried to lynch two ne
groes who were arrested for snatch
ing purses from women.
When the mob, which numbered
more than 200, marched to the jail
steps last night Sheriff Nellis threw
open the front door of the court
house, and said:
IL am here to protect my prison
ers," and at the same time, In an
swer to shots, his deputies began
shooting into the mob, killing Thorn
as Halliday, son of ex-Mayor Thomas
w. Halliday and wounding four 9TH
srs. The mob fell back and the body
Of Halliday lay upon the steps Of the
courthouse all night, Sheriff Nellis
refusing to allow anyone to enter the
yard to remove the body until day
light.
This morning the situation Is criti-
cal as the people are worked up to
fever heat.
The mob first began forming short
~ after dark last night and as soon
rs the talk of lynching reached Sheriff
Nellis, he appealed to Governor De-
neen for troops and swore in five
deputies. Governor Deneen ordered
company K, of Cairo, to as
semble at once and report to Sheriff
Eellis, but Capt. w. D. Creamy was
unable to collect his men until after
daylight this morning.
Governor Deneen also ordered the
militia company from Eh1ngham to
proceed at once to Cairo.
Sheriff Nellis in asking Governor
Deneen for troops said that two
young negroes had Been snatching
purses on the streets Of Cairo. Two
women have been robbed. One was
a relative of Annie Pelley, whose
murder resulted in the lynching of
William James several months ago.
The sheriff stated that brother Of
Miss Pelley's relative had gone about
inciting the habitues of saloons to
violence against the purse snatchers
who were indicted.