Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1917)
The Monitor A National Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Colored Americans of Nebraska and the West THE REV 'N ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor - ^ -— $1.50 a Year. 5c a Copy O ^oraska, March 17, 1917 Vol. II. No. 37 (Whole No. 89) _: Texans Found Guilty of Peonage Charges Justice of the Peace, Court Officials and Others Found Violators of the Law. SOME STARTLING INFORMATION Federal Judge Meeks Tells Defendants That Negroes are Entitled Law’s Protection. Dallas, Tex.—Pleas of guilty to peonage charges have been entered in the United States District Court by C. H. Sullivan, land owner; W. O. Col vin, Justice of the Peace; W. J. Hick man, Constable, and D. P. Autrey, Deputy Constable, all of Ellis County, and Morgan Perry, land owner, and R. M. Tilbright, Constable, of Navar ro County. Each has pleaded guilty and found guilty on the first count of the 'ndictment in his case. Fines ranging from $1,000 to $200 have been assessed by .'udge Edward R. Meek pf the Federal Court against the six men. Sullivan has been fined $1,000; Colvin Hickman, Autrey and Albright, $200 each, and Perry $300. The cases were the first in the United States District Court here since its establishment. Promises to obey the provision of the criminal code covering peonage were exacted in each case by Judge Meek in passing sentence. The men said that they were ignorant of the law at the time the offense was com mitted. Judge Meek gave warning that a heavy penalty will be imposed if any of them is again convicted. “I trust the result of these cases at least will afford the Negro race pro tection to which they are entitled un der the law,” udge Meek said, in pass ing sentence on Morgan Perry. “You didn’t treat the Negro as a citizen.” Judge Meek told C. H. Sullivan: “You have handled the Negroes on your place as though you had a dom inating power. I hope you now have a fundamentally different attitude, knowing the law and what constitutes a violation of the law." W. J. Hickman, a constable, said he had tried to enforce the laws of Texas and that he did not know he was do ing wrong at the time. W. D. Colvin, Justice of the Peace, appeared deeply moved by the points brought out by Judge Meek. He said his appearance before the court was the most embarrassing moment of his life. D. F. Autrey, the deputy constable who went to Fort Worth to get the three Negroes, Richard Black, Thom Powell and Jenella Johnson, said he didn’t know at the time he was vio lating the law. A $50,000 HOSPITAL Durham, N. C., March 15.—A $50, 000 hospital for Colored people will be built here in the near future. MRS. T oO*' , SCULPTRESS {.Vs _ Work o. .dored Woman Exhibited at Corcoran Art Gallery at Wash ington. First Recognition for the Race. (Washington, D. C., Star.) A head of a child modeled by Mrs. May Howard Jackson of this city has recently been placed on exhibition in the lower loan room of the Corocran Gallery of Art. It is an admirable piece of work, well constructed, nicely modeled and expressive and it takes its place well among the works in this gallery by sculptors of more ex perience and greater reputation. COLORED WOMEN PLEDGE LOYALTY TO FLAG Washington, D. C., March 15.—Miss Marie A. D. Madre and Mrs. Julia Mason Layton represented the Col ored Women’s Relief Corps at the re cent annual meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic. Both made stirring patriotic addresses and pledged the support of the Colored women to the flag in case of war with Germany or any other nation. Albinoes Brutally As sault Lemuel Adams Overpowered by Five Cowardly As sailants, Leg Broken and Life Endangered, Uses Gun. IS IN ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL With his leg broken and his face battered almost beyond recognition, and suffering from internal injuries, Lemuel Adams lies in the city ward of St. Joseph’s hospital from an unpro voked assault made upon him by a gang of albinoes. In the same ward lies Pat Tizor, a young albino, aged 22, with a bullet wound in his abdo men, with slight chances of recovery, fired by Adams in self defense. Adams, who is a self-respecting and industrious barber, with a wife and three children and who owns a home on Taylor street, is the proprietor of a barber shop at 2215 Cuming street. Saturday night after he had closed his shop and while waiting for a car he was attacked and struck by Pat Tizor, an albino tough, with whom he had had trouble some months ago when he evicted him from his shop for being drunk and causing a disturb ance. Adams, who is small of stature, is a trained athlete and he immediate ly defended himself and as he was get ting the better of his assailant the al bino’s four companions attacked Adams, and while lying on his back and being battered and pummelled and kicked in the face by his cowardly as sailants he managed to draw his gun and fired, the bullet taking effect in Tizor’s abdomen. But for this Adams would have probably been killed. Tiz nr has frequently been in trouble and has a police record. Adams bears a good reputation. OWN $500,000 IN REAL ESTATE IN EVANSVILLE Evansville, Ind.—A half million dol lars represent the value of the real property owned or in the process of being owned by the Colored people of Evansville. This is a remarkable showing in view of the fact that this property has been accumulated within the last fifteen years and by a group of people drawing the minimum wage, according to Logan H. Stewart, in the Evansville Journal-News. There are about eleven churches in this city and the spirit of harmony that appears to exist between the min isters and their congregations is a sure sign of progress. " FOR A JIM-CROW MILITARY SCHOOL. A bill in the house of representa tives at Washington was recently in troduced reading in the title: To pro vide a commission to secure a site, plans, and designs for a school to train Negro soldiers. The object is to give similar training to that at West Point. Governor of Texas Faces Impeachment Loses His Temper Before Legislature and Calls One Accuser a “Nigger.” HE INVITES INVESTIGATION Austin, Texas.—Standing before the members of the Texas House of Rep resentatives recently, upon invitation of that body to discuss impeachment charges that had been made against him, Governor James E. Ferguson pointed to Senator W. A, Johnson, who occupied a seat immediately in front of him, and called him a “nig ger lover from the North.” His an ger increasing, the Governor shout ed to Senator Johnson, “Yes, you look like a nigger, you are a nigger.” Senator Johnson, who was bom in Minnesota and is a Swede, made no reply. He was the author of a reso lution in the Senate to investigate Governor Ferguson's official acts. Governor Ferguson’s remarks caus ed wild disorder upon the floor and in the galleries. Loud demands were made that the Governor retract his statement and several personal en counters between friends and enemies of the Governor were narrowly avert ed. Finally, order was restored and the Governor apologized to the House for his remarks. He said he invited an investigation of his private and political acts. MEMBER BOARD OF TRADE Washington, D. C., March 15.—Mr. Daniel Murray has been re-appointed a member of the school committee of the Board of Trade. Mr. Murray is one of the very few Colored men af f Hating with the Board of Trade of the district. Cardinal Gibbons Praises the Negro Addresses Colored Audience and Tells of His Efforts to Uphold Rights of Race in Baltimore. THE RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS Gratefulness, Warm-Heartedness and Religiousness Saving Virtues of Sable Race. New Orleans, March 15.—Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore was recently in the city on his annual visit to his brother, John Gibbons, one of the leading wholesale merchants of New Orleans. On these visits the Cardinal has made it a rule to take a complete rest. This time, however, he modified the rule sufficiently to pay a visit to Xavier University, which Mother Katherine Drexel established here for Colored people. The Cardinal made an address to the school, over which the faculty and students were over joyed. The visit was an informal one and the address characteristic. Despite a slight cold, his eminence, after saying how edified he was at the manifest success of Xavier Uni versity, continued, in clear, distinct voice: “I am glad that your respected pas tor has referred to Booker Washing ton, the great leader of the Colored race. I had the pleasure of meeting him when on one of my trips from Baltimore to New Orleans. He asked permission to see me in my private apartment and, of course, I was glad to tender him an invitation, and we had a long conversation together. Tells of {Experience With Colored People. “I must modestly say that I did something to elevate, to uplift, and, when it was necessary, to uphold the rights of the Colored race in the city of Baltimore. I said a good word for them. They have never forgotten this kindness. In my experience with the Colored race and in my dealings with them during nearly fifty years, I have been struck by the fact that they have three characteristics: First of all, they are exceedingly grateful, that is to say, they are always ready to acknowledge with gratitude any benefit, and gratitude is one of the noblest virtues. Secondly, they are a very affectionate race, a warm hearted race, their hearts easily ex pand. Thirdly, I am happy to say, that the Colored people are deeply and naturally religious. There are some people, some races, that can hardly be aroused to recognize the Christian religion, the religion of Christ, whereas, the Colored race are always responsive to it, and I have yet to see or to hear of the first Col ored man who has ever yet proclaim ed himself an atheist, an unbe liever.”