GROWING. LIFTING.
THANK YOU! LIFT. TOO!
W . *
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor
—------ - - -
$2.00 a Year. >c a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 27, 1919 Vol. V. No. 21 (Whole No. 230)
Jury Renders Its Final Report—189 True Bills
DUTY OF CHL1CH TO PROBLEMS
OF PEACE AND RECONSTRUCTION
Dr. Emmett J. Scott, Secretary-Treas
urer of Howard University, Deliv
ered Able Address Under the Aus
pices of the Protestant Episcopal
League of the District of Columbia,
Stressing Important Work Before
Christian Forces of America.
(Special to The Monitor by Walter J.
Singleton.)
WTASHINGTON, D. C„ Nov. 22.
?V —The address delivered by Dr.
Emmett J. Scott before the Protestant
Episcopal league of the Diocese of
Washington at St. Monica’s chapel
recently on the duty of “The Duty
of the Church to Problems of Peace
i and Reconstruction,” was a remark
able talk from man to man, and he re
ceived an enthusiastic reception at Its
close. Dr. Scott said in part: "It is
an honor to be invited to speak to this
representative group of gentlemen
who constitute the Protestant Episco
pal League, and it is peculiarly pleas
ing to be the first of our racial group
to deliver an address at the opening
of three meetings held during each
' year to churchmen.
"The Episcopal Church has ever
stood in the very forefront of those
agencies which have sought to bring
about a better dav for colored Amer
icans in this country. Not only have
special efforts been made to see that
well educated men are placed in
charge of all of our churches through
out our country, but it lias also in a
very real way sought to bring about
an educated pew with an educated
^ pulpit.
“Some of the most representative
men of our race in thiB country are
members of your great church, and
we lok forward to the great triennial
meetings of the Episcopal Church,
knowing that out of them will Issue
legislation which will reach and in
fluence the whole life of the Negro
people, whether connected with the
Protestant Episcopal Church or not—
for the influence of such an agency as
this transcends mere ecclesiastical
creed and reaches out and influences
forward-looking men wherever they
be.
"The election of a colored bishop
for Haitt at the recent convention is
cause for special congratulation and
Is, I am sure, in keeping with the pol
icy of electing Biiffragan bishops for
racial groups, the beginning of that
policy which will eventually place in
the hands of the colored people them
k selves as education and character
come to be recognized and to be felt,
larger and larger duties of adminis
tration Inside of the church by col
ored men.
“I should simply weary your pa
tience with facts and statistics with
which you are already familiar, if I
should attempt to call attention to a
miscellaneous lot of statistical data.
With these facts you are already well
acquainted, and so I content myself
merely with a tribute to the wonder
ful church organization which in so
stalwart, Chrlstlanllke a manner seeks
to recognize jn every part of our
country ’The Fatherhood of God, and
the Brotherhood of Man.’
The 1’crled of Reconstruction and
Readjustment.
"We have just come to the end of a
" great conflict which has wrought
many and great changes In all parts
of our country—in all parts of the
world.
"The life of our racial group has
been touched and changed probably
more than that of any other In Amer
ica. Differences of opinion have been
forgotten In the face of national emer
gency and need, and on every hand
co-operation was the watchword of
the hour. A grent war has brought
with it serious and perplexing prob
lems. and at, the same time tremend
ous responsibilities and great oppor
tunities.
"We have met every test. We have
subordinated persona] and private
^ grievances and hushed angry conten
tion among ourselves, that we might
present to a common enemy a front
united and unbroken.
"In every part, of our great country
we have learned to work together for
the common good of otir country.
"I think it may well be said that
the Colored Ameriean in this war for
liberty and world wide demoeraey has
been a notahle nnd Inspiring figure.
He realized from the beginning that
in the effort to overthrow German
autocracy, every element of our pop
ulation would have to take a laboring
oar, and this war has truly been a
‘people’s war.’
"Just think of it. Nearly 400,000
colored men, strong, courageous and
patriotic, were engaged In the great
world war—here and overseas. As I
have stated, they were enrolled in
practically every branch of the United ]
States army, some of them were bri
gaded with French troops—-took part i
in the greatest war that the mind of
man can remember—a war that was
fought for the greatest cause or pur
pose to which human hearts can be
devoted. And be it said to their ever
lasting credit, they gave a splendid
account of themselves wherever
placed.
"Many of them (whole groups and
regiments of them) were decorated by
the French government with the Croix
de Guerre and had conferred upon
them the highest honors that a grate
ful republic could bestow.
"During the great world war (as in
many other crises of our nation’s his
tory) the Negro race in this country
laid on the altar of their country’s
need their strength, their skill, their
influence, the limit of their means,
their uninterrupted loyalty—in order
to bring victory to the 'Stars and
Stripes,’ the only flag they have ever
claimed, or will ever claim as their
own.
"Grim visaged and ruthless as it
was, the war has afforded the Negro
people of this country an opportunity
once more to prove their unbounded,
unfaltering loyalty—their 100 per cent
Americanism and to demonstrate their
immunity from insidious German
propaganda.
"When war was declared April 6th,
1917, the Negro quickly recognized the
fact that it was not to be a white
man's war—not a black man’s war—
but a war of all the people living
under the Stars and Stripes—for
the preservation ot human liberty
throughout the world.
"In the brief time allotted me it
will, of course, be impossible to indi
cate fully the extent to which Col
ored Americans participated in the
great world war (so various and valu
able their patriotic activities),
l’rublems of Peace anil Reconstruction
"It may he interesting and we will
have for you to consider some of the
reconstruction problems now facing
the church, as summarized in a state
ment recently issued by the Federal
Council of Churches. There problems
are stated substantially as follows:
“ ‘First, in urgency and Importance,
is our responsibility for the care of
returning soldiers. We must see to
it that among the agencies that are
ready to welcome them back the
Church holds her rightful place.
" 'As we follow the trail of these
returning soldiers, we find that it
leads us out into a wide circle of in
terests and touches at least at some
point every phase of the Church's re
sponsibility and duty. We need to
help these boys of ours back to their
places in human society as wage
earners.
" ‘We must help them keep the
moral standard which they have gained
in their enthusiasm for the war.
(They will return, let us hope, both
physically and mentally benefited by
reason of their military training and
experience.) We must relate them so
far as we can to the local church so
that they may become a part of the
common life of organized Christian
ity..’
"I was particularly pleased to see
the Federal Council of ChurcheB take
finch a high and broad ground when
they publicly issued the following
statement:
" ‘We have a duty to men of other
races who for the first time, under the
unifying influence of army training
have been learning what it means to
be American qltlzens. These men
have been learning what it. means to
be American citizens. These men
have been studying our language, en
tering into the spirit of our history,
but they are going hack Into environ- !
ments where the process of American- |
ization is not yet complete, and we
must meet these men with a plan of j
action that shall change the environ- i
(Continued on Puge Two)
Emmet J. Scott, late assistant to Secretary of War Baker.
Mr. Scott has been formally installed recently as Secretary
Treasurer of Howard University.
If ACE PRESS RESENTS
BLANKET CHARGES
Baltimore Newspapers Deny Radical
ism and Frankly State Principles
for Which They Stand—Constitu
tional Rights Their Platform.
(Associated Negro Press)
Baltimore. Md., Nov. 22. -in
reply to the report on radical
newspaper filed with Attorney Gen
eral Palmer in Washington alleging
that radical Negro papers—which are
not named—are stirring up colored
folks to opposing the government, con
certed action Is planned by the four
colored newspaper of this city.
It is expected that an announcement
will be issued stating that in the
country-wide round-up of I. W. W. and
other red agitators, not a single col
ored person has been arrested or even
suspected in Baltimore and Maryland.
The Negro press of this city rightly
resents blanket accusations directed
against all colored newspapers and
calls upon the Department of Justice
to call the names of those Journals it
would “damn" as radicals. The four
colored newspapers in Baltimore
stand for:
1. The right of Negroes to vote and
hold public office.
2. The right to sit on petit, grand
and coroner’s Juries.
3. Equal school facilities.
4. Abolishment of the Jtm Crow
car.
5. The right to purchase property
and live anywhere without molesta
tion.
0. The right of Negro labor to or
ganize.
7. The right of accused persons to
“due process of law” and the punish
ment of mobs.
Far from opposing the government,
colored newspapers here are hut ad
vocating the rights guaranteed to all
citizens by the constitution of the
United States.
MAJOR SPINGARN PROTESTS
TO GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS
Urges Com 11111 tut inn of Heath Penalty
Imposed on Eleven Negroes.
(Special to The Monitor)
New York. Nov. 17.—Urging as a
service to the nation, the commuta
tion to life Imprisonment of death
sentences Imposed upon eleven Ne
groes In Arkansas, Major J. E. Spin
garn, late of the A. E. F. in France,
has telegraphed Governor Charles H.
Brough of Arkansas. Major Spingarn
urges the commutation in order that
further light on the recent race riots
In Arkansas may be obtained before
“irreparable wrong” is done.
The telegram reads:
"Hon. Charles H. Brough, Governor
of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.: As
c 'e vho has always had high faith In
your courage and sense of justice, and
who has admired the liberal attitude
which you have expressed in regard
to the Negro, 1 am appealing to you to
commute to life imprisonment the
sentence of the eleven Negroes re
cently condemned to death. From
testimony obtained by two persons ac
tually on the ground, I am convinced
that the interest of Justice would best
be served by this commutation, in
order that an irreparable wrong may
not be done before further light on
the whole subject is obtained. As a
patriotic American I should hate to
have the fair name of Arkansas sub
ject even to the suspicion of having
done a grave injustice, at a time when
more than ever the relations of white
and black men should be on a basis
of fair play and mutual understand
ing. You have it in your power to
perform a national service at this
crisis, and I feel sure that you will
not shrink from doing it.—J. E. Spin
gam.”
ESTABLISHMENT OF
BANK PROPOSED
Preliminary Steps Taken for Organ.
Ration of Strong Financial Institu
tion—Capitalization to lie #I,000.000
(By Associated Negro Press)
New York, N. A’.. Nov. 23.—Plans
for the establishment of a bank for
Negroes in New A'ork were discussed
at a meeting of business men of the
race held recently in Lafayette hall,
Harlem. Augusta Duncan, the origin
ator of the idea, presided and prelim
inary funds to the amount of $10,000
were subscribed. The bank as pro
posed is to be capitalized "for $1,000,000
and to be situated in Harlem. A com
mittee of twenty-five headed by Ju
nius M. Green, was chosen to proceed
with the campaign for subscribers. It
was also decided to form a business
corporation to stimulate trade by Ne
groes between the United States and
the West Indies and South America.
Those in charge of the two projects
stated that they are acting independ
ently of any existing Negro organiza
tion.
EIGHTY-SEVEN NEGROES
CONVICTED AFTER RIOT
Helena. Ark.. Nov. 21.- Sheriff F. F.
Kitchens and eleven deputies leave
Helena Saturday in charge of eighty
seven Negroes, seventy-five of whom
were convicted of participation in the
insurrection Inst October. Twelve of
the seventy-five have been sentenced
to die by electrocution and eleven
were given penal sentences of twenty
one years each.
ITEMIZED STATEMENT OF
INDICTMENTS BROUGHT
BY GRAND JURY
Most of These Indictments Were in
Connection With Lynching of
September 28.
Showing kind of crimes and number
indictments found for each:
Kind of felony. Number.
Arson . \
Assault and battery... 1
Assault with intent to kill. 3
Assault with intent to do great
bodily injury. 2
Assault with intent to commit rape 4
Assaulting an officer. 4
Aiding and abetting in the delin
quency of a minor. 1
Breaking an entering. 14
Buying stolen property. 2
Carnal knowledge of an insane or
defective woman. 1
Carrying concealed weapons. 5
Child abandonment. 5
Concealing stolen property. 1
Conspiracy to break and enter. 18
Conspi racy to commit arson. 1
Conspiracy to commit murder. 10
Embezzlement . 1
Forgery . 0
Forging an instrument. 3
Grand larceny. 11
Highway robbery . 1
Insufficient funds in bank to meet
check . 4
Larceny as bailee. 2
Murder in the first degree. 1
Miurder in the second degree. 1
Nonpayment of alimony. 4
Obtaining money under false pre
tenses . 2
Operating an automobile at illegal
speed . 41
Petty larceny . 2
Rape . 3
Receiving stolen property. 19
Robbery . 1
Stealing an automobile. 10
Unlawful assembly and riot. 35
Uttering a forged endorsement. 1
Uttering a forged instrument. 4
Wife abandonment .. 6
Total number of indictments.189
ACCUSED ASSAILANT OF
MAYOR SMITH OUT
UNDER HEAVY BOND
George Davis Relensed From County
Jail When $14,000 Surety Bond is
Furnished—Heaviest Surety De
manded by Criminal Court,
Under what Is said to be the heavi
est bond ever put up on a criminal
case in the district court of Douglas
county, Oeorge Davis, alleged assail
ant of Mayor Smith in the court house
riot of September 28, was released
from the county jail Saturday by Dis
trict Judge Redick to await trial.
The bond was $14,000. It was
signed by Catherine Campbell, 1512
North Twenty-eighth street, and Ben
Handler, 116 Turner boulevard.
Davis was arrested in Lincoln about
three weeks ago. He was indicted by
the grand Jury on four charges, as
follows: Assault to murder and as
sault to do great bodily injury; con
spiracy to commit murder, and unlaw
ful assemblage and rioting.
The bond of the first two charges
which relate to his alleged assault on
Mayor Smith was fixed at $7,500; on
the third charge at $5,000, and on the
fourth at $1,500.
Mayor Smith declared that he was
positive that Davis is one of the men
who attacked him during the riot.
Davis denies it and says he was at
home during the riot.
Morris Borsky was also released
under $5,000 bond to await trial on a
charge of conspiracy to commit mur
der and $1,500 bond on a charge of
unlawful assemblage and rioting.
IMPORTANT WORK AMONG
WOMEN BY Y. W. ('. A.
fBy Associated Negro Press)
Allentown, Pa., Nov. 22.—The com
mittee on colored work of the War
VVork Council of the Young Women’s
Christian Association reports 49 cen
ters for colored women and girls now
in operation in various parts of the
Cnlted States, seven of the centers be
ing Industrial ones. Total member
ship in these centers numbers 12,000
women of which 4.000 are girl re
serves—’teen age girls—3,000 of the
total number being industrial work
ers. During the last two years be
tween 25,000 and 35,000 women have
been reached through these centers.
Proper Leadership Could Have Pre
vented Mob Violence—Report
Covers 24 Pages.
EXTRACTS from the report of the
grand jury follow's:
To the Honorable, the Judges of
the District Court of the Fourth Judi
cial District, within and for Douglas
County, Nebraska:
Attention of His Honor, Judge W.
A. Redick, Presiding:
We, the grand jury', duly called, and
having taken oath as such, on the 8th
day' of October, 1919, beg leave to sub
mit herew'itli our final report.
This report is arranged under the
following heads, to-wit:
General. Summary of work done.
Reports of visits to the county hos
pital, county jail, city jail, Detention
home and Juvenile home. Investiga
tion as to causes of the riot. Recom
mendations:
Legislative. Commission. Police
department. Communications. Com
mendations. Conclusion.
General.
We presume that previous grand
juries have had evidence presented
to them of many and various kinds
o? crimes. In this respect their ex
perience and that of this grand jury
is similar.
In addition it remained to this
grand jury to secure and consider evi
dence in connection w'ith a class of
crimes and during a condition of the
public mind, such as no grand jury
in this county has ever had to do
before, and we hope no other will ever
be called upon to do again.
We refer particularly to the unlaw
ful, destructive and disgraceful acts
of persons in this city on the night
of September 28, 1919.
These acts resulted in a nearly fa
tal attack on Mayor Smith.
Assaults on police officers.
The burning of the court house.
The burning and destruction of pub
lic records and documents.
Injuries to prisoners and innocent
persons.
The cowardly' lynching of a defense
less man, etc.
Some of Obstacles.
We have endeavored, to the best of
our ability, and with the means at our
command to indict any and all per
sons who were probably guilty of
said unlawful acts.
If we failed to indict all such per
sons the reasons, therefor, lie in some
or all of the obstacles to such indict
ments, as:
(1) We have been unable to learn
of any eye witness who could identi
fy the persons who killed William
Browm.
(2) We had sufficient evidence
that persons put a rope around
Mayor Smith’s neck, beat him over
the head w'ith a revolver and other
wise assaulted him and we returned
indictments covering as many of these
unlawful acts as we thought probably
guilty.
(3) We have been unable to learn
of any eye witness who could identify
the man who broke in the window’s
of the court house, with an iron bar,
although there was testimony to the
effect that it v’as skillfully and coolly
done by an unidentified man.
(4) We bave had evidence that
persons in the mob w'ere under the
influence of liquor, yet there w’as no
evidence whatever presented to dis
close the source of supply of any
liquor.
Can’t Find Some.
(5) We have been unable to learn
the identity of all the persons who
actually set the court house and its
records on fire, though we did find
a few and indicted them therefor.
(6) We were unable to find all the
persons who broke in tl doors of
the court house and unlawfully en
tered said building. We find a few
and as their guilt was probable w’e
indicted them.
(7) We have been unable to learn
the identity of certain persons who
assaulted police officers.
(8) We realize that it will be said
that if the grand jury fails to indict
the guilty, what is there to prevent
the recurrence of another or other
mobs?
(9) Neither this nor any other
grand jury can properly indict with
out evidence of probable guilt.
(10) The evidence obtained in these
cases has been secured through the
greatest effort by skilled investigat
ors and with painstaking examina
tion.
(Continued on Page 2.)