j The Monitor i_™_
\ A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS.
_ ^ _THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor _
$2.00 a Year. 5c a l\ _OMAHA, NEBRASKA. AUGUST 19, 1920_Vol. VI. No. 8 (Whole No, 268)
WHITE\SUES WEALTHY NEGRO FOR $100,000
Prominent Southerner tiring* Suit for
$1011,000 Heart Halm Against Bax
ter Met'arj, Wealthy Negro, Whom
He Alleges lias Alienated His
Wife’s Affection.
STARTLING SllT
* (VISES SENSATION
The Varners Are Socially Prominent
AmVmg Soul hern Aristocrats—Me
Carj Is Highly Respected in Com
infinity Where He Hits Large Prop,
ert) Holdings—Relieved Conspiracy
to Mulct Him Itiick of Proceedings.
(Special to The Monitor.)
LEXINGTON, N. C., Aug. 16—A
great sensation has been caused
here by the filing lust week of an un
usual suit against Baxter MeCary,
wealthy Negro and prominent Mason,
business man and educator, by H, B.
Varner, white, editor of the Lexington
Dispatch and head of the North Caro
lina prison board, for $100,000 dunn
ages on the complaint that MeCary
had “ruined his domestic life” and
alienated his wife’s affection. At the
same time Varner tiled suit for abso
lute divorce from his wife for her
alleged part in the affair. The social
prominened of the Varners, who stand
high among the exclusive aristocracy
of the'South, has added tp the sensa
tional features of the case. MeCary
is equally prominent among his own
people and ftands high in the esteem
of the general community, being ac
counted one of its wealthiest and most
substantial citizens.
MeCary is a man about 60 years old,
i well educated and of pleasing per
sonality. He is prominent in Masonic
^ind Methodist circles and has for
years been a member of the board of
trustees of Bennett College of Greens
boro, N. C„ a school conducted by the
Methodist Episcopal church. He lives
in Lexington’s most exclusive residen
tial section, his residence alone being
worth $50,000. Located in a large,
well kept park of several acres, It is
one of the show places of the city.
Besides this, he is reputed to own
about one-sixth of all the business
section of this place. ,He ow'ns about
one-third of the large brick office
buildings of this city, many of which
are occupied by white business firms.
{ - Most of his wealth came to him by
inheritance, he having been born of
wealthy parentage.
It is supposed that court action in
MeCary’s case has for Us bjsis a well
devised plan to extract from him
much of his coveted tjealth, else the
whites of this section would have fol
lowed the usual method of handling
such alleged cases.
Lexington is a prosperous town of
i about 12,000 inhabitants, situated on
the main line of the Southern Rail
• way system between New' York and
all points southv and is midway be
tween Greensboro and Salisbury and
21 miles south of Winston-Salem. It
is famous as a cotton and tobacco
center, many of the largest cotton
mills in the south being located here.
SMITH RECEIVES SPLKMHI) VOTE
Editor of Cleveland Gazette, Cundl
dute tor Set re tar j of State, Loyally
Supported by Hare—Polls Over
50,000 Votes.
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 19.—The pri
mary election fight In Ohio has been
a center of Interest, because of the
fight being waged by Harry C. Smith,
editor of the Cleveland Gazette, for
secretary of state. Smith had been
forced off the ticket by the present
secfretary of state, Harvey 8. Smith,
because of an alleged similarity In
name. He carried the case to the Btate
supreme court and won the right to
place his name on the ballot. Smith
received a total vote of between 50,
^ 000 and 60,000 and lost the race by
® only a narrow margin. Our group
gave splendid support. Mayor Harry
B. Davis of Cleveland was nominated
for governor, and ex-Governor Frank
B. Willis for senator. These results
are very satisfactory.
OHIO HAS FIVE NOMINEES
FOR WHITE HOUSE! JOBS
*
7* Cleveland, O., Aug. 19.—Ohio, "the
mother of presidents,” now has five
nominees on five tickets in the presi
dential and vice presidential derby.
Three are editors and publishers, the
fourth is the head of a book publish
Sing house, and the fifth is a Metho
. - ^ j
dist clergyman. Two candidates for j
vice president are Clevelanders.
In addition to James M. Cox, Day
ton, democratic nominee for presi
dent, editor and publisher of the Day
ton News and Springfield News, and
Warren G. Harding, Marion, repub- j
lican nominee for president, editor
and publisher of the Marion Star, the
new additions .to Ohio’s list are the
Rev. Aaron S. Watkins, of German- (
town, O., formerly lawyer and col
leg head and now prohibition candi
date for the presidency; Max S.
Hayes, Cleveland farmer, labijr
party’s nominee for vice president, I
editor and publisher of the Cleveland |
Citizen, a weekly labor paper, and ,
Richard C. Barnum, Cleveland, single I
tax party’s nominee for vice presi
dent. He is head of a hook publish
ing company and is regarded here as
the tallest candidate who has ever
aspired to that office. He stands six
feet eight inches in his stocking feet.
He was born in Texas 39 years ago.
I’ROPOSED MAURI.HIE
BUT REJECTED!
| Woman Who Would Vamp An I nuill
lug liurkls Is (Sentenced to
Workhouse.
Frederick, Md., Aug. 19.—Lou War
| field, white, was sentenced to one year
in the House of Correction for commit
ting an assault on Mr. Frank Sewell,
whose home Is in New Market.
The testimony In court showed that
the Warfield woman came to the col
ored man's house about 3:30 or 4
o’clock Wednesday morning and asked
him to help Iter pull her automobile
out of the mud. He refused to come
down stairs at first but finally went
down after she called him a second
time.
l,ou, it is said, asked him to marry
iter and made other unusual propo
sals. Mr. Sewell ordpred her off his
place and finally pushed her away. It
was then that the vamp, using a pern
knife cut him on the arm. Mr. Sewell
is a respected citizen with a wife and
family here.
N. AV. C. A. CONTEST
The girls who have entered the
| contest are at work. The manage
ment requests that you will give them
your hearty support. Here Is the
standing of the contestants:
Cle’o Macklin, 258 votes.
Ernestine Singleton, 123 votes.
Robbie Turner, 59 votes.
Nettie Wright, 58 votes.
Jessie Buford, 24 votes.
Mary Butler, 23 votes.
Sibyl Merrifield, 11 votes.
First prize, a Victrola; escond, a
| wrist watch.
FAMOUS ARMY OFFICER
RECEIVES APPOINTMENT
Washington, U. C., Aug. 19.—Lieu
| tenant Colonel Benjamin O. Davis,
Ninth United States cavalry, after
serving the required tlm<* for officers
I la the Philippine Islands with his regi
j meet, and recently stationed at the
I Presidio, San Francisco, has been de
I tailed as professor of military sAence
and tactics at Tuskegee Institute, Ala
I baraa. .
j TtVO ARE sm iiSSFI l.
IN NOMINATIONS
St. Louis, Aug. 19.—Two race men
won republican nominations for the,
state legislature from St. Louis in
Tuesday’s primary election. They aro
Langdon Harrison and W. 111. Moore
of the Third and Sixth districts, re
spectively.
BIRTHDAY PARTY.
On August 11th, Mrs. Arthur E.
Caines gave a surprise birthday party
on her husband. The house was beau
tifully decorated with roses and car
nations. The cake was the decoration
for the table. It bore Mr. Gaines’
name and age and was decorated with
40 rosebud candles. Out of town
guests were Mrs. Granger of Dallas.
Texas, and Mr. McCracken of New Or
leans. About 40 guests were present.
Mr. Gaines received several presents.
OPEN AIR MEETING.
The N. A. A. C. P. will hold an open
air meeting at Hansconi Park next
Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock. A
large attendance is urged.
i
MEMPHIS BANK FIRST
TOPS MILLION MARK
Memphis, Term.—The first colored
hank in the United States to report
resources over $1,000,000 Is the Sol
vent Savings Bank and Trust com
pany of this city.
On June 30, the state commission
was notified that the total resources
of the Solvent bank were $1,018,633.23.
The statement of the Memphis hank
shows deposits of $941,722.34, and a
total capital and surplus of $76,911.18.
It had no overdrafts and no bills pay
able. The Solvent has loans and ids
eounfb of $405,689.71 and cash on
hand and in depositories amounting to
$417,395.50. Of the deposits $480,
897.18 represented savings accounts
und 3140,778.70 time certificates of de
posit.
Twenty-five thousand people do
business with the bank, according toj
a statement made by Mr. Bert M.
Roddy, the cashier.
Other Hanks Nearing Mark.
The Brown Savings bank of Nor
folk and the Wage Earners Bank of
Georgie have resources over $900,000
and may reach the $1,000,000 mark by
the end of the year.
The Mechanics Bank and St. Lukes
of Richmond, the Mutual Savings
Bank of Portsmouth and the Tidewa
ter Bank of Norfolk have passed the
one-half million mark in resources.
Twenty-five colored banks in the
country exceed $230,000 in resources.
Only one colored private bank In
the country is worth in the neighbor
hood of a million dollars and that is
Brown & Stevens In Philadelphia.
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
WILL MEET IN ATLANTA
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Atlanta, Aug. 19.—The Twenty-sec
ond Annual Session of the National
Medical Association will be held here
August 24-27. The medical men arc
expecting one of thd largest conven
tions in the history of this great or
ganization.
HI 'KULAKS OVERLOOK
$320 IN OLD HAT
I-ast Wednesday morning between S
and 10 o'clock, burglars broke into
the home of Mr. Ed Hill on Patrick
avenue and stole three suits and a
new overcoat. In ransacking his trunk
they took out an old felt hat in which
was $320 in currency and threw it on
the bed, overlooking the money. Mr.
Hill lost no time in getting to the
bank, where he deposited the money
for safekeeping. Mrs. Hill was visit
ing her mother in Oklahoma at the
time of the burglary.
He alone is wise who can accom
modate himself to all contingencies or
life.
HEAVY DEPOSITS IN
NEW TRUST CO.
Durham, N. C., Aug. 19.—An epoch
making period in the lives of the col
ored citizens of this city was reached
last Saturday morning, when the Fra
ternal Banking & Trust company
threw open its doors to the public at
9 a. m. and closed at 3 p. m. with a
day’s deposit of $82,000.
Tills is the first and oaly colored
banking and trust company in the
state, and the rush of business for
the first day was gratifying beyond all
hopes.
The bank building itself is one of
the most modern and up-to-date busi
ness houses in the city, possessing all
the equipment necessary for a first
class company. Prof. W. G. Pearson,
president of the bank, fully realizing
the impression to he gained by first
appearances, built the bank to meet
the demands of the public.
Mr. T. D. Parham, former cashier
of the Crown Savings Bank of New
port News, Va., took up his new posi
tion as cashier of the company, and
his vast experience proved of inestim
able value throughout the busy day.
Mr. James Bailey, Jr., is teller. Mr.
T. W. Newhie, director of the Mutual
Savings &.JTrust company of Ports
mouth, Va.. and Mr. P. B. Young, pres
ident of the Tidewater Banking &
Trust company of Norfolk, Va., were
in the city Saturday to witness the
opening.
The bank itself is located at 702
Fayetteville street in the very heart
of the colored district, and has an au
thorized capital of $125,000.
I _
“BLACK HOPE” GREATEST
FRENCH Rl'XNER
Paris, France.—French trainers at
the Joinville school for soldier ath
lete^ claim to have discovered one
of the greatest runners of all times in
the person of one Abbaahine, a ser
geant in an Algerian colored company.
This Arab, who three months ago
knew absolutely nothing about run
ning. has been turning in 51 seconds
for the 400 meters quite regularly. The
“black hope,’’ as the French call hint,
running alone and unpaced, negotiated
the 800 meters in 1:54 flat. He is en
tered at Antwerp in the 400 and 800
meter races. The Arab runs with an
easy and free motion.
GUARDSMEN PROTECT
MIAMI FROM NEGROES
Miami, Fla.. Aug. 19.—National
guardsmen were called out recently
night to protect the city from dis
orders threatened by 400 Negroes,
natives of Bahama Islands and Brit
ish subjects who have been aroused
over the death of Herbert Brooks,
one of their number, charged with
•I* }
••• • *
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i . I
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Respectfully yours, f
THE MONITOR !
Omaha, Neb., *
August 12, 1920.
I
•t
assaulting a Miami white woman.
Brooks was arrested at Ormond,
Fla., Sunday and was reported to
have been killed in a leap from a
train taking him to Jacksonville for
safe keeping, but the other Negroes,
said to believe he died at the hands
of a mob, made a demonstration and
threatened to obtain vengeance when
his body was returned to Miami.
Troops have been patrolling the Negro
residence section.
It is noticeable how quickly troops
can be summoned when “Negro dis
order” threatens; but white mobs are
given ample time to act.
LIBERIA PROSPEROUS;
BECOMING EXPORTER
N'ew York. Aug. 19.—Liberia, Negro
Republic on the West Coast of Africa,
is rapidly becoming a prosperous and
important exporting country, as the
result of American financial aid in
road building and general develop
ment, according to Joseph L. Johnson,
of Columbus, Ohio. United States min
ister and consul general to the African
republic, who arrived here aboard the
steamship Isle de Panay.
"When the present improvements in
the republic are completed,” Mr. John
son said, "Liberia will be one of the
most productive spots on the face of
the earth.”
LEAVING SOUTH BY THOUSANDS
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Vicksburg. Miss., Aug. 19.—Investi
gations carried on by local authorities
indicate that more than 10,000 Ne
groes from this section of the state
have left for various sections of the
North in the last three months. The
^majority of them are- determined to
remain.
WORRIED 04KK EXODl'S.
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Shreveport^ La., Aug. 19.—White
people of this section are greatly
concerned cnocerning the new Exo
dus of Negroes on to the North. There
has never been such a scarcity of la
bor as is found here now.
BISHOP CLAIR SPEAKS
TO LARGE CONGREGATIONS
Bishop .Matthew W. Clair preached
to a large congregation in Grove
Methodist Episcopal church, Sunday
morning and addressed a meeting in
the afternoon in the same church. He
preached at 8 o’clock in Union Metho
dist church on the South Side to a
large congregation. The bishop is an
eloquent speaker and his sermons
were full of sound instruction and
practical suggestions in Christian liv
ing. He made a good impression upon
all who had the pleasure to hear him.
He returns to Washington, D. C.,
shortly, where he will remain for a
few months before sailing for Monro
via, Liberia/ to which district he has
been assigned.
Sunday afternoon Mr. W. H. Hig
gins of Chicago also spoke at the mass
meeting at Grove M. E. church in the
interest of a branch of the Y. M. C. A.
for colored menT Addresses were made
by Miss Frankie B. Watkins, M. F.
Singleton, Dr. Ixigan and Leroy Kelly
on behalf of the movement.
COLORED COMMERCIAL
CLUB BULLETIN
Mrs. Grace Hutten, Assistant Com
missioner.
The club rooms are open daily from
9 until 5 p. m. and the assistant com
missioner is pleased to be of service.
J-ast Thursday night the general
meeting was addressed by the Rev. A.
L. Brisbane of Monrovia, Liberia,
and Rev. Prof. Vaughn of Western
university. At the close of the gen
eral meeting the executive committee
transacted much important business.
ST. PHILIP’S LAWN SOCIAL.
The annual lawn social given by St.
Philip’s Episcopal church and always
anticipate^ with pleasure will be held
next Tuesday night on the beautiful
and spacious lawm of Mr. and Mrs.
Alfred Jones, Twenty-eighth and Cald
well streets.
ALLEGED RIOT LEADER FREED
Topeka, Kan., Aug. 19.—Robert H.
Hill, alleged leader of a colored mob
in the recent Arkansas riots, has been
released on $2,000 bond. Feeling is
here that he will never be tried.
*'
REFUSES TO RIDE
IN FREIGH1MELEVATOR
.fohn T. McDonald, Sr., of Omaha, On
Stuff of Butcher Workmen Advocate,
Delegate to International Conven
tion, Declines to Be Considered
Either Baggage or Freight.
OBXOXIOIS ORDER is
PROMPTLY OVEHRCLED
All Delegates Are Accorded Same
Privileges, Xot Only On Convention
Floor, But at Social Functions—
Race Men On Important Committees
—One Labor Organization Which
Apparently Stands for Democracy.
(Special to the Monitor.)
ST. DOl'IS, Mo., Aug. 19.—Jno. T.
.McDonald, Sr., of Omaha, Neb.,
who is stenographer-bookkeeper and
■circulation manager for the Butcher
Workmen Advocate, and by the way a
notary public also, dropped into our
office the other day and gave us an
inkling of the organization which he
is identified with.
Mr. McDonald is the stenographer
bookkeeper and circulation manager
of the official paper of his district,
whose membership he states comprises
I- -1
»
JXO. T. McDOXALD, Sr.,
approximately 10,000 members, most
of whom are white. He also states that
this organization plays absolutely
square to all of its members, granting
speojJU favors to none, but according
to everyone what he or she is able to
merit regardless of color.
He states that he had quite a sing
ular experience while at The Planters
hotel, headquarters for the interna
tional convention, that is being held
here for this and next week, when a
bell boy invited him to take the
freight elevator. Mr. McDonald being
of quiet, unassuming disposition, told
the bellboy in a quiet way but very
firm manner the principles of his or
ganization and also told him that if the
elevator was not good enough for him
to go up in, it was not good enough
for the rest of the delegation to go up
in either, and he would advise the
membership to that effect. Then the
“bellhop” decided to revise his direc
tions, which must have come from
‘‘higher up.”
The foregoing article from the In
dependent Clarion, states in part some
of the recent happenings in our city
that will mean much or little, as the
colored people here follow up the pre
cedent set.
River boat excursions, stag parties
and dances, where all the membership
of the organization, representing 29
nationalities, were some of the feat
ures of entertainment.
tl was a problem, at first, to get
colored St. Louis to fully realize that
at last one labor organization was
square and played no favorites, but
after it was found out that it was not
a scheme to hoodwink die people of
color, but a real exhibition of the de
mocracy that we have heard so much
about but seldom if ever meet, those
who had held themselves in restraint
exclaimed that at last, “the dawn of
democracy must be here.”
Comprising, as it did, representa
tives from every section of the United
States, Canada and as far south as
Cristobal, Canal Zone, Panama, it is
not to be wondered that those who
know real freedom and democracy
would not condone the petty actions
of the prejudiced color-blinded south
—especially so when it is stated that
the underlying principle of the organi
zation stands for no discrimination
*■ (Continued on Page Four.)
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