The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-18

men were dressed and Sheriff Nellis
was called up by telephone.
I'VE want to send over and get that
man who is lying there said voice
from the saloon.
You can't come until I've talked TO
the governor" said Nellis. and he called
up Springfield He told Governor
Deneen that the man in the snow was
asked whether he should permit tile
body to be removed.
The governor advised me. Nellis says,
to await until the militia came and to
take no chances on ruse which might
result in the renewal of the mob'S at
tack. So when the next message came
from the saloon, Nellis told his Ques-
tioner that every one must keep away.
The Riot Last November.
The mob spirit has never died here
since the murder of Miss Annie Pelly.
shop girl. last November by a negro.
which was followed bv the lynching of
a negro and a white man.
The double lynching which aroused
the anti-negrO sentiment in Cairo cul-
minating in the mob outbreak of las.
night took place on the night of No
vember l.. last.
The body of Miss Pelly had been
found in an alley. She had been attack
ed and murdered.
william "Froggie" James. a negro,
was arrested on suspicion, after a hunt
fer the murderer in which bloodhounds
were used. At night a mob formed and
took James from the Jail. He was
hanged in the public square and his
body riddled with bullets.
The mob which numbered thousands
also took from the Jail and lynched
Henry Salzner. white man, who was
held on a charge of wife murder.
Governor Deneen rushed state troops
to the scene. These restored quiet and
prevented the lynching of Arthur Alex
Inder, another negro suspected of COM
piicity in the Pelly murder. The man
was spirited away to Champaign for safe
keeping and afterwards released on
proving his innocence. John Pratt. one
of the negroes in Jail, was arrested yes
terday and, it is said. confessed that
he had snatched the purse of Mrs.
Maloney.
He was indicted bv the grand jury,
after he had been identified by Mrs.
Maloney.
s'The deputies fred without orders
from Sheriff Nellis. so far as 1 have
been able to determine said Mayor
George Parsons today. Il am assured
the sheriff gave no order to shoot.
''The sheriff is higher in authority
than the mayor and when 1 received
word during the night that trouble
was pending, 1 Immediately notified
Nellis that 1 was at his command. L
ordered all saloons closed.
Later I was called On the telephone
by Governor Deneen, who gave me
positive instructions to see that all
dramshops were kept closed.
1.-THE fellow the mob was after was
John Pratt. He was released last sum-
mer under the parole law, which L am
glad to say has been knocked out by
the supreme court"
Company K has relieved Sheriff Nell
lis and has matters fully in hand. The
whole town is worked up over the
matter and while there may be no trou-
BILE for some time, it is asserted that
the end is not yet.
A heavy guard of soldiers has been
placed around the Jail and no one is
allowed to enter the jail yard.
Coroner James McManus began an
investigation of the shooting of Alex
ander Halliday. Arrests are threaten
ed. if he finds as physicians stated,
Halliday died from the loss of blood
and exposure.
Members OF Company K called an
ambulance and Halliday was taken to
a hospital. Physicians there said Hal
liday's wounds were not necessarily
mortal and that his life probably
could have been saved if he had been
taken from rle court house grounds
Immediately after he was shot.