The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-02-18
Citizens of Cairo Aroused by Petty Crimes
of Negroes Sought to Rush County
Jail and Mob Prisoners---One
Death and Four Wounded
Was Result

tiamen this morning patrolled in
front of the Alexander county court
house where shortly before 1 a. m.
Alexander Halliday, the leader of a
mob to attack the Jail, was shot to
death by a deputy sheriff. Four
others were wounded
Halliday was a son of a former
mayor of Cairo. He laid fatally
wounded for three hours beside the
courthouse steps, with the tempera-
ture a few degrees above zero. Dur
ing that time Sheriff Nellis, acting
on orders received by telephone from
Governor Deneen, refused to permit
anyone to remove the wounded man
before physician could enter the
enclosure The sheriff says he be-
lieved TIE man dead. Miliatiamen
who pemoved the body said it was
warm, indicating death had taken
pace but a short time before.
The dead: Alexander Halliday, 65
years old, dairyman; son of former
Mayor Thomas w. Halliday. of Cal.
70; wounded in the head and body.
a former policeman, wounded in the
head and shoulder; John Maloney,
brother-in-law of Mrs. Rose Maloney
whose purse was snatched by one of
the negro prisoners sought by the
mob, slight wound in cheek; Horton
Crehan, wound in ankle; George B.
Walker, Associated Press CORES
pondent, wounded in leg.
Crehan was shot when stopped
moment to learn what the trouble
was about.
Eight of the twelve deputy sheriffs
whose shots killed Halliday and
wounded the others were negroes.
This fact helped to arouse racial
feeling. The deadly volley which
the sheriff's men fired from the win
dows of the courthouse were in an
swer to scattering shots from the
crowd and after the deputies, in
obedience to the sheriff's order had
fired>spe volley into the air.
One bullet fired from the crowd
grazed the Sheriff's right hand, caus-
ing a blood blister
The mob fell hack to the two sa-
looms adjoining the courthouse and
jail and remained there until shortly
after 8 O'Clock a. M The cold wea-
Their prevented further attack on
the courthouse.
The militia company was ordered
out by the governor to relieve Sher-
iff Nellis' men at 4 a. m.
The mob attacked the jail out of
the growth of public indignation at
the petty crimes of the negroes and
particularly the purse snatching and
annoyances to women.
Mrs. Rose Maloney's purse was
snatched Wednesday evening. She
drew a revolver and fired at the ne
gro but he ran away with the purse.
In the purse was s-cr dollar
with postage stamp q Il. The
negro presented the Cum at store
yesterday and was arrested. The
negro, John ATT, confessed. An
accomplice 4 Lincoln Wilson,
also a negro, was arrested.
Sheriff Nellis heard the talk Of
lynching and called upon Governor
Deneen, and the local militia was
ordered out. Being slow to arrive,
the sheriff called upon the mayor for
police. Mayor Parsons said he or
dered out eight night policemen,
but they did not appear at the court
house. At midnight the mob march
ed toward the courthouse. The
building was dark and the mob could
not see the sheriff or deputies. As
a rush was made the sheriff called
out: "Stand back or my men will
fire on YOU" sNellis declared the
first four 1aeE were masked. The
warning did not deter the mob and
a volley was fired over the heads of
the men. Then pistol shots began
popping from the crowd and the
bullets fell around the sheriff. Then
came a second volley AMI death for
Halliday. The mob then fell back,
taking the wounded.
The mob spirit has never died
since the murder of Miss Annie Pei
ley, November IL last, by a negro,
which was followed by the lynching
of the negro and a white man.
Coroner McManus began an in
vestigation in the shooting of Alex
ander Halliday. Arrests are threat
ened IL he finds, as physicians have