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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1919)
f =’ i The Monitor i = i A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor -----—---- - $2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA. JULY 24. 1919 Vol. . ^ 4 (Whole No. 212) _ __•- —— ———---°j^ .Held to District Court on Very Mtugre _ , ^ 4 I ——■ ■ in ——— Race Riots Continue at Washington | Home Defense Guard Killed in Wash ington hy Negro in Speeding Auto mobile—Another Fatally Wounded. SOLDIERS CALLED OUT TO QUELL OUTBREAKS Clashes Continue Despite Arrival of Troops From Camp Meads and Pa trolling of Capital by Police Forces. WASHINGTON, July 22.—Despite all precautions taken by civil and military authorities, rioting be tween whites and Negroes broke out again Tuesday night in Washington and a report reached the police at 10 o’clock that a white man, believed to be a home defense guard, had been shot and killed in the northwest sec tion. Soon after the killing of the home defense guard, the police received a report that another guard also had been shot by a Negro. He was re ported as fatally wounded. A detach ment of cavalry and a squad of ma rines was rushed to the scene of the shooting, which was at Eighth and M streets, in the heart of a Negro district. Three Riot Calls Shortly after 10:30 o’clock three riot calls were sent in simultaneously from a district in the Negro section of the northwest covering an area of about three squares. A cordon of cavalry, marines and infantry, were thrown about one block, in which con siderable firing had been going on. The defense guard killed later was identified as Isaac Halbfinger. He i was on duty at Ninth and M streets f northwest and was killed by a Negro in a speeding automobile. Crowds of whites immediately gathered in the vicinity ami several shots were reported to have been exchanged with blacks. Secretary Baker went to the muni cipal building early in the evening and held a brief conference with district uthorities, presumably relative to the placing of troops brought into the city. Troops From Camp Meade The troops from Camp Meade ar rived about 8 o’clock and were sta tioned in various parts of the city. The troops, all of them belonging to the regular army, comprised a battalion of infantry, a battery of machine guns, and four or five truck loa dosf ammunition. With the exception of its lower por tion, Pennsylvania avenue between v the White House and the capitol prac tically was clear of crowds as dark ness fell. In the portion about Sev enth ami Ninth streets, opposite one of the Negro districts of the south west section, there were crowds of white civilians, but marines stationed a few yards apart kept them moving. The police reported a number of posters signer! by Negro ministers urging members of their race to stay within their homes and to preserve order, had appeared about the city. The sheriff of Prince Georges coun _ ty, Maryland, adjoining the District of Columbia, reported that a large crowd of Negroes had gathered across the district line and were moving to CAPTAIN PEEBLES HAS RETI RNED FROM FRANCE; The Last of Omaha’s Colored Officers Returns to City After Thirteen Months of Overseas Service. Captain William W. Peebles, D. R. C., has returned te Omaha after thir teen months’ service overseas and fttfo years absence from home. He arrived Wednesday morning of last week. He was attached to the 349th field artil- : lery ami after the armistice was trans ferred to the S. O. S. at Brest. He had a wide and varied experience abroad, which he considers invaluable, i I Dr. Peebles, who is a graduate of Amherst college and of the North western college of dentistry, expects to resume the practice of his profes sion in a well equipped office here, of which due notice will be given later. Dr. Peebles spent a few days vis iting his relatives and friends back east before coming home and says there are many things to attract one to residence in the east, “But confound it, there is something in this old town of Omaha, which grips a fellow and makes him mighty glad to get back here and claim it as his home.” ward Washington. The district au thorities dispatched troops and motor cycle police to the district line. The casualty list to date early Tuesday was placed at 5 dead, 11 dy ing and scores injured. GIVES *10,000 TO HELP GIRLS New York, March 23.—A Colored woman’s remarkable gift to the people of her race in the United States is re ported by Dr. J. M. Gaston, chief ex ecutive of the Presbyterian board of missions for freedom. The woman, said Dr. Gaston, is a | graduate of Scotia seminary, a Pres byterian school in North Carolina. Left a widow on her own resources, she courageously opened a rooming house in an Ohio city and accumulated *15,000. Of this she has set aside $5,000 for business capital and the re maining $10,000 she has presented to the Freedmcn’s Work of the Presby terial Church in the U. S. A., in order, as she said, “More girls may have the same chance I had.” NATIONAL ASSOCIATION WIRES PRESIDENT ASKING SUPPRESSION OF RACE RIOTS New York, July 21, 1919. In connection with the race riots in Washington, D. C., the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to day telegraphed President Wilson warning of the danger of such outbreaks elsewhere. The telegram called up him as president to condemn mob violence in the national capital and as commander in-chief of the armed forces of the nation to enforce military law. The telegram is as follows: July 21, 1919. Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States. White House, Washington, D. C. In the name of twelve million Negroes of the United States, the Na tional Association for the Advancement of Colored People respectfully calls your attention to the shame put upon the country by the mobs, including United States soldiers, sailors and marines, which have assaulted innocent J and unoffending Negroes in the national capital. Men in uniform have at ~ tacked Negroes on the streets and pulled them from street cars to beat them. Crowds are reported by the New York Times to have directed attacks against any passing Negro by cries of “there he goes.” The effect of such riots in national capital upon race antagonism will be to increase bitterness and danger of outbreaks elsewhere. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People calls upon you as president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the nation to make statement condemning mob violence and to enforce such military law as situation demands. JOHN R. SHIbUADY, Secretary National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Evidence Man Accused of Criminally Assaulting Girl in Broad Daylight Within Few Blocks of Her Home Is Remanded to Higher Court by Judge Crawford on Meagre Evidence. ——* i ''v* YOUNG WOMAN MAKES VERY POOR WITNESS Testifies She Told Her Assailant to Go Across to the Railway Tracks and Get Away Because She Did Not Want to Have Him Round Her Any More Than Necessary. The Omaha papers of Monday night and Tuesday morning, July 7 and 8, carried under rather glaring headlines the sensational story of a Negro bind ing a white girl to a tree in the south ern section of the city and criminally assaulting her. The alleged crime oc curred about 12:30 in the afternoon in a well traveled section of the city. The victim of the attack, Miss Bessie Kroupa, aged eighteen, said that she did not know whether her assailant had carried out his purpose. The pa pei ,v stated that a medical examina tion showed that he had. Miss Kroupa described her assailant as a small sized man of a light brown or copper color with a small mustache. Ex citement was high as this was the second or third alleged attack of a Negro, of the same general descrip tion, reported within a few days of each other. In certain communities, any hapless Negro answering this de scription, might have been made to pay the penalty of this alleged crime. The police arrested a man, Ira John son by name, employed at the Bur lington ice house at Gibson, “who,” to quote one of the dailies * tallies” exactly with the description of Miss Kroupa’s assailant, with the exception that he is black, whereas her assailant was of a light color.” An unessential difference of course. Johnson, who was working nights at the ice house, was in his bunk in an old way car provided as sleeping quar ters for some employes, when he was arreste'd Tuesday morning. The pa pers gave the impression that he was hiding in a freight car preparatory to leaving the city. He was taken to the home of Miss Kroupa by the of ficers, who looking out through thf screen door cried out, “Take him away I don’t want to look at any Negro, take him away.” The officers insisted that she must look at him and tell them if he was not the man. She then glanced at him, according to hei testimony on the stand, and said he wr.s the man. Johnson was locked up and precautions were taken to insure his safety. C. C. Galloway, acting for the Na tional Association, secured counsel who with him succeeded in interview ing Johnson. Being convinced tha1 there was doubt as to the man’s guill provision was made for proper lega representation at the preliminary hearing which was held Friday, July 18. Frank S. Howell represented Johnson, Bryce Crawford being the trial judge. The state introduced two witnesses Miss Kroupa and George Kyrel. The defense introduced no witnesses. Miss Kroupa testified that she Iefl her home about 12:30 and was on her: way to work. As she came west on Canton street, she noticed a Negro! approaching her from an opposite di rection. Her impulse was to run, but she went on and just as the man passed her he threw his arm around her neck and holding her hands he earned her about a hundred yards to where there were some small bushes nd after tying her hands he threw er on the ground and assaulted her. He then walked some distance away and returned when he tied her feet. He said: , “I’m going to tie your feet so you I can’t run away and squeal on me.” * “I told him to go way over to the railroad tracks and get away; because I don’t want to have you around me: any more than necessary.” She testified that when he came ■back and tied her feet he sat down near her and wiped his face with his handkerchief and then wiped her face. She said she never got a good look at his face. She said he had on blue! clothes and a black hat and had a| small mustache. She was sure John son was the man. She admitted that she had an aversion for all Negroes. George Kyrel testified that he pass ed Johnson in the vicinity about 11 o’clock that morning and was quite sure that the prisoner was the same man. The man he saw had a brownish | suit, and his face looked like he had huil the small pox. He said that he saw Miss Kroupa standing up with her hands tied and panting for breath and he took her home. It was upon this “evidence” that ,Judge Crawford held Johnson to the fcb strict court. prominent white official said to The Monitor, “it was sentiment, not evidence that is responsible for John son’s being held. After listening to the evidence, I want to say frankly that I don’t believe that Johnson is guilty. The girl made a very poor witness.” LYNCHING RECORD FOR SIX MONTHS OF 1919 Tuskogee, July 23.—The department j of records and research of Tuskegce, which keeps an account of lynchings in the United States, is accepted as an authority and its statistics are looked forward to with much interest. Principal R. R. Moton sends out a | report of lynchings for the first six months of 1919. There were 28 iynch ] ings—seven less than in the same pe | l iod of 1918. There is some encouragement in this showing, but the number report ed is appalling. The states in which lynchings occurred and the numhei are: Alabama, 3; Arkansas, 4; Flor ida, 2; Georgia, 3; Louisiana, 4; Mis sissippi, 7; Missouri, 1; North Caro lina, 2; South Carolina, 1; Texas, 1. In most states the governors and the judiciary are co-operating earn estly to suppress mob law. Lynchings react upon good order. Every act of a mob means, not a sup pression of crime, but more crime. Prompt action on the part of the sheriffs and the courts will reduce the number of lynchings to the vanishing point. I t I I Subscribers, Attention, Please! I _ } \ \ Many Subscriptions Are Expir- | | ing at This Time | •f Look at the Yellow Label on your paper. If it reads | ? “7-1-19,” or “July 19” your subscription is due. Please drop \ in Monitor office and pay or phone and our collector will call. !j! The First Commissioned California Cadet JUDGE TERRELL GREETS PRESIDENT WILSON First Man to Shake Hands With Chief Executive Upon His Return to Na tional Capital From European So journ Is Distinguished Washington Jurist Member of Reception Com mittee. Washington, D. C., July 23.—The first man to shake hands with Presi dent V.’ilson Tuesday night upon his return to Washington was Judge Rob ert TJ. Terrell, of the municipal court of the District of Columbia. A citi zens’ committee, appointed by the non Partisan League, was deputed to meet the president at the Union station, and Attorney Jackson H. Ralston, president of the league and a leader at the local bar, delivered the address of we'come. When the president had made his response and began hand shaking with the committee, the first to whom he turned was Judge Terrell, I and the cordial greetings followed, j This was especially significant in view of the fact that Judge Terrell was the only Colored member of the commit tee. H;s selection by the Non-Parti-j san League was most fitting, as he is the ranking Colored official now in the federal service, and he invariably rep resents the race with dignity and dis tinction on occasions where our best foot must be put foremost. President Wilson well remembered the judge as the man he appointed for his fifth term on the bench of the municipal court, solely on his merits, and in tl'.e tace of a terrific back-fire from members of the senate of his own po litical faith and order. The president has given evidence more than once of the pleasure he meels in the fact that Judge Terrell has “made good” as a jurist, and he is popular alike with the people of both races throughout the District of Columbia and the nation at large. FATE OF SOLDIERS IN PRESIDENT’S HANDS (By Associated Negro Press.) Camp Grant, 111., July 23.—The fate of five of the fourteen Colored sol diers accused of attacking a white woman in May, 1018, now rests in the hands of President Wilson, who ■ will review the case. There have been two trials. Eight more are now on trial and there remains another sol dier, brought back from Fiance to appear. Major James P. Hall, one of the three judge advocates in the case, has received his honorable discharge and returned to his duties as professor of law at the University of Chicago. MAYOR RECEIVES WARN ING TO LEAVE HOBSON (Bv Associated Negro Press.) Anniston, Ala., July 23.—A black hand letter surmounted by a skull and cross bones, usually used to spell death in all its horrors, followed by an al leged assault against his person, by two unknown men is given as the rea son for the departure for the north of Newman O’Neal, mayor of Hobson City, the exclusive Negro town near Anniston. A few weeks ago the Hobson City mayor is said to have received a warn ing that he would be killed unless he left these parts immediately. A short time after the receipt of the letter, the mayor claimed that he had been assaulted near his home, and an noucned to his friends that he in tended to obey the warning in the letter. Accordingly, he gave up his position as head of the government at Hob son City and went north. Since his departure from this section no other of the officers of the town have been recipients of warnings or blackhand letters. ANXIOUS TO ENTER NATIONAL GUARD (By Associated Negro Press.) Columbia, S. C., July 23.—While white young men over the state are displaying a reluctance to enter the National Guard under the present regulations which require a six-year term of enlistment, Negroes in many counties are making application for permission to organize. Lee Julian Purnell, College of Elec trical Engineering, Makes Up Time Lost by Service in Army, Graduates With Class, and Receives Cadet Commission. OTHER COLLEGIANS MAKE GOOD RECORDS Many Colored Students Take Advan tage of Splendid Educational Op port unities Offered Them in Cali fornia Universities—Brother and Sister Receive Diplomas. (Special to The Monitor.) AKLAND, CAL., July 23.—That many of our young people are keenly alive to the necessity of taking advantage of the splendid educational opportunities offered them in the fa mous colleges and universities of this state is shown by the number of recent graduates, who have made good rec ords. The pleasing fact is that they seem to take special pride in their work and are anxious to excel. Some who have completed thcfir arts course will return for technical and profes sional work in the fall. Unusual recognition has been given a student in the University of Cali fornia, Lee Julian Purnell, son of Dr. Purnell, is the young man. He was a student in the college of electrical engineering, when his course was in terrupted by the draft. After he was mustered out Purnell returned to the university, made up the six months he had lost and graduated with his class, receiving his degree. Besides receiving his diploma of graduation he was honored with a commission in the cadets, presented by Governor Stevens of California. He is the first and only Colored student who has ever received a commission of any rank in the university cadets. Stuart T. Davison, of the college of medicine, made a good record com pleting the work of four in three and a half semesters. His sister, Miss Belinda Davison, completed her course at the same time and it was with a thrill of peculiar pride that their par ents and friends watched brother and sister, in 'cap and gown, walking side by side in the long procession of grad uates. Waiter Gordon of Riverside, Cal., the r.oted right tackle of the Univer sity 01 California football team and one cf the greatest football players in the country, was awarded the much ccvete i silver loving cup as the most useful man to his team at the big rally just before the Stanford-Cali fomia spring meet. He has been ap pointed assistant coach of the football team for the fall season. He was graduted from letters and science last fall. He returns this fall to complete his law course. These are only a few of the many who are demonstrating the fact that Colored Californians are keenly alert to the advantages of education. There ought to bo more students availing themselves of these excellent oppor tunities and there doubtless will be. It i3, however, gratifying to note that ■jur collegians are making good. NEW ASSIGNMENTS FOR EM METT .1. SCOTT’S ASSISTANTS Washington, D. C., July 22.—The of fice assistants of Dr. Emmett J. Scott, who contributed so materially to his success in the discharge of the deli cate and trying duties connected with the office of special assistant to the secretary of war, have all been given new assignments, through Secretary Baker at the suggestion of Dr. Scott. As is well known, Dr. Scott has ac cepted the post of secretary-treasurer of Howard university and will remain in Washington. Of the office corps, Dr. William H. Davis, Dr. Scott’s secretary; R. W. Thompson, who has conducted the pub licity service, and James B. Smith, stenographer, have been transferred to the office of the adjutant general, war department; Charles L. Webb, stenographer, returns to the general land office, interior department; Miss Ernestine B. English, stenographer, has gone to the bureau of war risk insurance, where also will be assigned Mrs. Madeline P. Childs, file clerk upon her return from a special mis sion in Fiance. The changes were ef fective July 1.