MOB NOT SATISFIED WITH ONE LYNCHING

Storming the Jail

Having disposed of Will James, the suspected murderer of Anna Pelley, the crowd was not yet willing to go home. Also in jail at that time was a white man named Henry Salzner, who was accused of murdering his wife with a hatchet. Sheriff Davis was back at the Cairo jail now and chatting with the editor of the Cairo Bulletin when he heard the mob battering at the door and yelling: "Let's get Salzner."

The Sheriff pleaded with the mob to stop, but to no avail. Salzner, his face ashen and stamped with a look of abject terror, was led from his cell. Despite his protestations of innocence and appeals to the Almighty for salvation, Salzner was hanged from a telegraph pole at 21st and Washington streets. When his body was shot down someone slashed his throat, and the rope was cut into souvenirs. After that, the mob went home. It had been just three hours since Davis and Frog James had gotten off the train; and in the minds of many southern Illinois citizens, justice had been done.

The following day, the bodies of both victims having been taken to the undertakers, a coroner's jury was assembled. The verdict in both cases was "death by injuries received from the hands of parties unknown to us."

Troops Sent by Governor

During the wild melee on the preceding night, Sheriff had telephoned Gov. Charles Deneen to say that things had gotten out of hand and assistance was required. The governor immediately responded by calling out troops from eleven companies: Carbondale, Champaign, Paris, Mt. Vernon, Effingham, Vandalia, Newton, Olney, Shelbyville, Jerseyville and Cairo.

Brig. Gen. F. B. Wells, who was in command of the troops, soon decided that it would be well to get Arthur Alexander, now incarcerated, out of Cairo for safety's sake. On Nov. 13, Alexander was put aboard a special I. C. train. As he was led to the depot, escorted by 500 militiamen, a mob screamed, "Kill him." Alexander was headed to Centralia, but the yardmaster was alerted and the train sped through Centralia on its way to Champaign, where Alexander was jailed, although no evidence had been discovered to connect him with the crime.

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