General Race News
COLORED MAN MADE
FIRST ASSISTANT ASSESSOR.
Bostan, Jan. 7.—Thirty years ago
Fred F. Smith was a bootblack and
a newsboy around the streets of Bos
ton. On December 10 Mayor Curley,
of that city, appointed him First As
sistant Assessor at a salary of $1,000
for about 100 days’ work, and hesides
this he receives $50 for every day he
testifies in court as an expert ap
praiser of property. He has been em
ployed in the Assessor’s office for
the past twelve years as a second as
sistant at a salary of $5 a day. The
Civil Service Commission certified
him twice before for the • same posi
tion, but because of his color he was
each time rejected. At the time of
his appointment he stood at the top
of the civil service list. Mayor Cur
ley in appointing him said: “They
do not want you in this position sim
ply because of the fact that your skin
is a little darker than mine, but you
deserve it, have honestly won it, and
are perfectly competent to fill it, and
in spite of the opposition to you on
account of your color, I am going to
appoint you.”
Mr. Smith was for twelve years a
member of the Republican City Com
mittee, is a member of the First Bap
tist. Church, a member of the junior
class of the Sufolk Law School, a
Royal Arch Mason, secretary to John
H. Brooks, of New York, and secre
tary of the following societies: Sec
ond Assistant Assesors’ Association,
The Lions, Colored Republican Club
of Massachusetts, and Civil League.
He is probably the first colored
man in the United States to specialize
along scientific real estate lines and
is the first one to hold the office of
first assistant assessor. .
NEGRO RED CAPS EMPLOYED.
Ogden, Utah., Jan. 7.—For the first
time in history, Ogden Union Station
is now manned with colored Red Caps.
The change was made recently when
the four white men who had been
employed were discharged and four
Negroes employed in their stead.
L. Clarence Jones, of Chicago, is in
charge, with Felix Paskett as his as
sistant. The men are paid a salary
of $60 a month. Their services have
been so satisfactory that already the
railroad management has commended
them for their impartial and obliging
manner to the traveling public.
GIVES DINNER TO THE POOR.
Jackson, Miss., Jan. 7.—Christmas
among the poor colored people of
this town was a joyous occasion
through the instrumentality of Dr.
S. D. Redmond, a successful physi
cian and one of the best known col
ored citizens. He issued an invitation
to all the poor people to have Christ
mas dinner with him.
The dinner was served at 2 o’clock
on Christmas Day at the Palm Gar
den, North Parish street.
BRYN MAWR STUDENTS
TO TEACH MAIDS.
Bryn Mawr, Pa., Jan. 7.—Fifty Ne
gro maids at Bryn Mawr College for
young ladies will be taught all of the
elementary branches while employed
there by the students who have vol
unteered to instruct them. They will
also form a Sunday School with a
choir on the side.
DIRECT STEAMSHIP
LINE TO LIBERIA.
Washington, Jan. 7.—Officials of
the Department of Stjite are watching
with deep interest an attempt to es
tablish a direct steamship line be
tween this country and Liberia. A
few days ago their steamer Nifon,
bound from Boston, reached Monrovia.
The news was immediately flashed to
Secretary Lansing, who in turn noti
fied Dr. Ernest Lyon, the Liberian
consul-general to this country.
The European war has badly crip
pled Liberian trade with France, Eng
land and Germany, and many have
been attracted by the possibilities of
trade with this country. Liberian
mahogany, rubber and other products
could be used to advantage in this
country, while meats, machinery,
flour, clothing and other products
could find a ready market there.
The attempt to establish a line be
tween this country and Liberia is be
ing backed by a number of colored
men.
WOUNDED AMERICAN
IN FRENCH HOSPITAL.
Dr. Daniel T. Brantley, lately re
turned from the Philippines, visited
the Hospital for Convalescents at
Nice, France. He found an American
Negro, J. H. Montgomery, in the hos
pital badly wounded, having lost a
leg, besides other injuries. Mont
gomery was a member of the French
Foreign Legion and told Dr. Brantley
that he was wounded at the battle of
Marne.
Montgomery was a chauffeur in
Paris at the outbreak of the war, and
going to service was assigned to the
ambulance corps. He has relatives in
this country from whom he has not
heard for a number of years. A
brother and some cousins were last
heard of as living in Baltimore. He
can be reached by a letter addressed
o the Hospital for Convalescents,
Nice, France.
GEORGIA JUDGE GIVES
WHITE MAN 99 YEARS.
Waycross, Ga.,—Judge Somerall, of
the Superior Court, sentenced Ben
Higgs, a well known white man of
Millwood, to ninety-nine years in the
state penitentiary for the murder of
Martha Anderson, a Negro woman.
The crime was committed last July.
The jury, composed of white men,
gave a verdict within thirty minutes
after the case was given to them, at
the same time recommending the
murderer to the mercy of the court.
Mrs. Anderson was 59 years old
and had never been involved in any
quarrel with Higgs. The testimony
developed the fact that Higgs tried
to hire her to pick cotton for him and
when she refused to leave home he
fired his Winchester rifle at her, kill
ing her instantly. Higgs had been
drinking “moonshine” liquor, accord
ing to his companion.
HEADWAITER’S WIDOW
LEAVES $10,000
Baltimore, Mr., Jan. 7.—Bequests
amounting to $10,000 are made by the
will of Mrs. Ellen Sorrell, just ad
mitted to probate. She was the widow
of the late Hiram Sorrell, for many
years a head waiter here.
WHITE PALLBEARERS
AT NEGRO'S FUNERAL.
East Las Vegas, N. Mex., Jan. 7.—
At the funeral of Montgomery Bell,
one of the wealthiest men in the state,
the pallbearers were all white, some
of the most prominent business and
professional men of the community.
This is the first time in the history
of New Mexico that white pallbearers
officiated at a Negro’s funeral.
Mr. Bell came to New Mexico in
1866 from Misosuri, working as a
waiter and cook. Later he became a
messenger in the First National Bank
of Santa Fe. Accumulating some
capital he went into the sheep busi
ness with Mexican partners with
headquarters at Las Vegas. He be
came very wealthy, and possessing
plenty of ready cash, he increased his
holdings by making loans He was
called Bell, the money lender.
Four years ago he became inter
ested in the banking business with
John W. Harris, a white man, and
financed the People’s Trust Company,
but remained as a silent partner. He
was reputed to be worth in the neigh
borhood of $350,000 when he died.
RECEIVES LICENSE AS CAPTAIN
Norfolk, Va., Jan. 7.—After under
going a test examination submitted
by the United States local inspector,
renewal of his captainss license was
granted to R. J. Salisbury, who has
served eight years as captain on a
passenger steamer on the Tar Pam
lico rivers.
Mr. Salisbury is the only Negro in
North Carolina who holds this posi
tion, his license empowering him to
command vessels of one hundred tons
or less, or to act as mate on river
steamers of any tonnage. He is a
native of Tarboro but is in the railway
mail service with headquarters at
Norfolk.
The Negro race has today more
than 3,000 well-equipped, woil-trained
attorneys, practicing before the
American bar.
COLORED PHYSICIAN
RETURNS FROM ORIENT.
(Continued from first paf?e.)
experience of a broad and general na
ture, has not been able to measure
up to the standards set by Taft and
Wright and this has affected the en
tire archipelago. As the American
sees it the native is not ready for self
government, but the Filipino thinks
he is capable of handling the reins
and he wants the government turned
over to him.
Dr. Brantley proposes to take hi*
post graduate course either in New
York or Chicago, and hopes to return
to the Philippines in the spring. He
will not return through Europe, but
will sail from San Francisco.
ALL LOCATED.
When Prof. Walter Raleigh, an En
glishman who was a direct descend
ant of the original Sir Walter Raleigh,
was asked to lecture at Princeton
College, Professor Root went down to
the station to meet the distinguished
visitor. Professor Root did not know
Professor Raleigh, but walking up to
a man that he thought looked like him
he said:
“I beg your pardon, but am I ad
dressing Walter Raleigh?”
The man looked at him for a mo
ment and replied:
“No, I am Christopher Columbus.
Walter Raleigh is in the smoking
room with Queen Elizabeth.”—Chris
tian Register.
FOOLED! HE BIT.
‘‘Yes, I told father that the white
poker chip I dropped was a pepper
mint tablet.”
“Did he swallow it?”
—Hobart Herald.
j. $5.00 j
I*THE BEST COAL FOR THE?
PRICE—TRY IT
HARMON & WEETH I
Tel. Web. 848. 1503 N. 16th j
Your search for Good Shoe Repairing J
has ended when you try J
H. LAZARUS
Work done while you wait or will call for f
and deliver without extra charge. t
Red 2395 2019 Cumings J
SHOES MADE LIKE NEW
with our rapid shoe repair meth
ods, one-fifth the cost. Sold un
called-for shoes. We have a se
Iestion; all sizes, all prices.
FRIEDMAN BROS.,
211 South 12th St., Omaha.
{THE LODGE SUPPLY CO.
{ 1111 Farnam St.
Badges, Banners, Regalia,
. Uniforms and Pennants
J Phone Doug. 4160.
4
J. A. Edholm E. W. Sherman
Standard Laundry
24th, Near Lake Street
Phone Webster 130
YES —ICE CREAM
any style, for any occasion
J. A. DALZELL
Quality First
1824 Cumino St. Tel. Douo. 616
i Try t
S. FINKENSTEIN
i For Groceries, Meats, Fruits {
{ and Vegetables
\ Phone Web. 1902 26th and Blondo
LUMIERE STUDIO
Modern Photography
1515-17 Farnam St.
Phone Doug. 3004