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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1920)
i Thi > Monitor i A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor $3.00 a Year. 10c a Copy_ OMAHA, NEBRASKA. NOVEMBER 11. 1920 Vol. VI. No. 20 (Whole No. 280) YOUTH COMMITS MURDER SEEK TO FIX ATROCIOUS CRIME ON NEGRO—GIRL’S LOVER CONFESSES STENOGRAPHER MURDERED BY “WHITE” NOT BY “NEGRO” Albert Ellis, an Electrician, Confesses to Police That He Killed Edna Ellis, an Eighteen-Year-Old Typist, Whose Mutilated Body W as Found in Clump of Weeds in Vacant Lot and of Which Crime, as Usual, a Negro Was Suspected — GIRL’S SUITOR ENRAGED BY UNREQUITED LOVE Information by Girl's Mother That Ellis Had Threatened Her Daughter for Breaking Engagement Led to Man’s Arrest— Had Formerly Made His Home With Family—Knocked Girl Down With His Fists and Slashed Her With Razor (Special to The Monitor) ST. LOUIS, Nov. 11.—Last Friday the daily papers carried front page stories of the finding of the mu tilated body of Miss Edna Ellis, an eighteen-yeai-old typist, in a clump-of weeds in a vacant lot in the north western part of this city. As usual, it was taken for granted that a Negro had committed the crime, the motive being criminal assault. This was the theory advanced by the police who at once ,«et to wo *k to arrest some Negro upon whom the crime might be fixed. Your correspondent overheard this significant remark from a rather staid and dignified self-respecting St. Louisian whose indignation was justly aroused by the box-car type headline. “Police Hunt Negro Seen Near Lot.” I feel quite sure it will not shock read ers of The Monitor many of whom doubtless have thought the same thing although they have not expressed it in the forcible language of this man. It was this; “Why in hell do the police always try to fix crimes of this character upon some Negro and give the crim inal who, in nine cases out of ten, is some degenerate or criminal white, a chance to escape? This constant stig matization of our race makes my blood boil and is enough to make a pious preacher cuss a blue streak, if it would do any good.” Your correspondent would add “them’s my sentiments, too.” But to the story. The body of Miss Ellis who was a stenographer employed by the Beil Telephone company, was found Friday morning in a vacant lot at Garrison avenue and North Mar ket street, her throat slashed with a razor and her hands and arms bearing slashes showing that the plucky girl had put up a desperate fight for her , life. Several boys reported that they had seen a tall Negro loitering around the lot where the unfortunate girl’s body had been found. Women in the vicin ity also recalled seeing "a tall Negro” around the same place whose descrip tion tallied with that given by the five bovs—Walter Dugan, aged 14; Henry Gerlich, 16; Howard McHenry and Chester Boenker, 16, and “Babe” Mackey, 7—all living in the immedi ate neighborhood. Mrs. Francis, who resides next to the Flits home, volun teered the information that she had frequently seen a tall Negro loitering around the Ellis home. The information furnished bv the bovs and Mrs. Francis, taken in con nection with the fact that a razor handle was found near the body strengthened the belief of the police that the crime was committed by a Neero, for whom a hunt was made and several suspects were taken into custody, hut were subsequently re leased. 1 ieutenant O’Brien Suspicious One police official, at least, did not hold to the theory of his fellows. Thai w.a: T,ieutenant "Darby” O'Brien of the Davton street police station. He believed that the deed was that of a jealous suitor. Holding to this theory t scouted bv hi fellow officers, Lieut. O’Brien asked the girl’s mother if her daughter had told her of any friends whose society she spurned. Mrs. Ellis immediately named Albert Ellis and told Lieut. O’Brien that she had forced him to leave her home some months ago after his engagement to Miss Edna Ellis had been broken. Mrs. Ellis told of her daughter’s having re turned her engagement ring. Confronted by Girl’s Mother Lieut. O’Brien, in company with Sergt. Gartland and Oificers Richard son and Ryan, went to the home of Ellis early Friday morning, but he was not in. They waited until he re turned at 11 o’clock and then took him into custody. Ho was taken to the scene of the murder and called upoq to view the body of the girl. He was confronted by the mother, who accused him of the crime. He stoutly denied it, however, Lieut. O'Brien-worked upon the case for eighteen and one-half hours and near midnight Saturday surrendered the prisoner to Sergt. Martineau and T '<mt. Gcrk, who continued the ques tioning nnd finally obtained the con fession from Ellis. Ellis Makes Confession Sunday morning Ellis, who hears the same name, but is no relation of his victim, made a confession of his crime which was subsequently reduced to writing and signed by him. He said that jealousy had prompted the mur der and that he had intended to take his own life, but was prevented from Pilng so when the razor snapped as he slashed the throat of his victim for the third time. He made no attempt to lessen the magnitude of his crime and admitted that ne had deliberately planned to murder the girl when con vinced that there was no possibility of their marriage. Miss Ellis begged for mercy, Ellis said, but he ignored her plea and struck her in the face with his fists. She fell to the ground, but arose quickly to her feet and grappled with him. He reached into his vest pocket while holding her with his other hand and drew out the razor. She divined his intention and grasp ed the razor, pleading, “Oh, AI, don't cut me, please!” He said he wrested it from her, and as he did it opened severely cutting her hands. He then held her at arms’ length and, in the words of his confession, “slashed right and left until she fell to the ground.” TWO IIE PII t! S E NTATIV ES ELECTED IN l*E N \SVI, V A Si IA PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Nov. 11.— Two colored Americans, J. C. Asliury, insurance company president, and An drew F. Stevens, bank cashier, were elected to the legislature of Penn sylvania Tuesday, Both received ma jorities of more than 5,000. TO ITT IT ANOTHER COLLEGE! DENISON, Tex., Nov. 11.—Rev. A. R. Griggs, father of Sutton E. Griggs if Memphis, Tenn., is leading in a movement for the erection of a college here. The Northwestern llaptist \ soc iatlon is expected to meet short ly and endorse the proposition. t REV. 0. C. WAXWlfiJ,, r». D. Who Will Conduct Ten-Day ENanirelistic Campaign at Zion Kaptisl Church The Baptists begin next Sunday a state-wide evangelistic campaign. All uunches of the denomination enlist i this important work. At Zion Bap tist church the Rev. Dr. O. C. Max ell of St. Louis, Mo., will be the ipeaker and conduct services for ten lays. The pastor has Issued the fol 'owing invitation to the public to at end: “Look, Listen and Learn! We are fortunate in securing the services of Dr. O. C. Maxwell, pastor of the First Baptist church, St. Louis, Mo., who will conduct evangelistic meetings at Zion Baptist church, 2215-17 Grant street, beginning Sunday, November 4, to which the public is cordially cited. It is reported to hear this eminent divine is to listen to one of the world’s greatest theologians. Come and bring a friend.—Dr. W. F. Botts, Pastor; Elizabeth Howard, Church Clerk." HOWARD UNIVERSITY APPORTIONED MANY Y.M.C.A. SCHOLARSHIPS Nearly Three Score Students Bene fited-—Gifts Aggregate $4,830.50— Come From Nineteen States in All Parts of the United States—Pro fessional Departments Also Get l-arge Sums. WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 11.— Howard University has had the following scholarships apportioned to it by the various Y. M. C. A. organiza tions • of the United States. The Inter-Racial Committee of Kentucky has also awarded a number of schol arships to the university, the full and complete list, with the amount of the scholarship, being us follows: Ala bama, one student, $125; Arkansas, one student, $100; Connecticut, three students, $50 each, one student $100; Delaware, two students, $100 each; Maryland, one student, $64; West Vir ginia, one student, $60; District of Columbia, seven students, $50 each; Florida, one student $60, one student $51.60; Georgia, two students, $100 each, one student $160; Louisiana, one student, $200; New Jersey, one stu dent, $200; New York, two students, $100 each; North Carolina, five stu dents, $50 each; Oklahoma, one stu dent, $200; Pennsylvania, one student, $126, one student $100, one student $60; South Carolina, one student, $150, one student $100, one student $50; Texas, one student $135, six stu dents $100 each; Virginia, five stu dent- $75 each, two students $50 each; Kentucky Inter-Racial, two students, $75 each, one student $60. In addition to these Y. M. C. A. scholarships, the Federal Hoard for Vocational Education has provided for the training of fifty-eight stu dents in the college, music, architec ture, law, dental and medical depart ments of Howard University. ,HAMMER OF COMMERCE TO BE ORGANIZED (By the Associated Negro Press) KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 11.—1The business and professional men of the city are anxious and ready to go ahead with the formation of a Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Com merce is drawing up plans for the or ganization. The interest in such an .rganization follows a meeting held at which F. C. Sharon, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and John M. Guild, general secretary, spoke. The leaders in the new movement are Prof. J. R. E. Lee of Lincoln High school, L. C. Stewart and R. Mosely. The latter is chairman of the committee. ST LOCIS ORGANIZES LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (By the Associated Negro Preps) ST. LOUIS, Mo., Nov. 11.—The Douglass Life Insurance company is now one of the strongest business ventures of the colored people in this city. This has been brought about by a big boosting campaign among the colored people themselves. Discrim ination practiced by the white com panies was the chief reason for the initiation of the campaign, although the need of giving practical encour agement to race business ventures also entered largely into the matter. MONUMENT FOR DUNBAR (By the Associated Negro Press) CHICAGO, III., Nov. 11.—A Paul Dunbar monument movement has been started in this city. Funds for the monument have been collected by local enthusiasts and a "white friend” has agreed to duplicate every dollar raised by popular subscription. The Chicago Defender is the local custod •an of the fund. FOR FREEDOM OF SOLDIERS (By the Associated Negro Press) LEAVENWORTH, Kan., Nov. 11.— T. W. Rjjll, the attorney for , the im prisoned Negro soldiers in the federal penitentiary, is working hard on the case and confidently expects to win. While he has not disclosed his latest plans, he declares that he is confident he will be able to procure the freedom of the accused men. The case will be argued here within a short time. URBAN LEAGUE DISCUSSES RACE PROBLEM IN INDUSTRY (By the Associated Negro Press) NEW YORK, Nov. 11.—The race problem in industry furnished the topic of discussion at the opening ses sion of the National Urban Ijeague here. ' Main points brought out by the men who addressed the league were: The necessity of better housing condi tions; the desirability of using Negro foremen over Negro employes; the obstacles offered by overdeveloped race consciousness in the Negro, and the urgency of more frankness be tween Negro and white. lifi*_ The Home of the New Branch of the V. >V. A. Located at Twenty-sec ond and Grant Streets, Omaha, Neb, MICHIGAN GOVERNOR} GRANTS EXTRADITION Strenuous Protests Given by N. A. A. C. P.—Fear of Lynching Causes Protest—Determine to Fight Extra dition Through Court of Last Re sort. SEEKING TO ESTABLISH NEEDED PRECEDENT Denial of Extradition to Southern States Which Grant No Protection to Colored Prisoners, But Virtually Hand Them Over to Mobs. _ NEW'YORK, N. Y., Nov. 11.—Wal ter F. White, assistant secretary of the N. A. A. C. P., gave the following interview for the Associated Negro Press on the case of Tom Ray of Wil kinson county, Georgia, whose extra dition to Georgia for trial on a charge of murder the association is fighting. Ray is at present in cus tody in the Wayne county jail, De troit, Mich. “Tom Ray, in self-defense killed a white man named Faulkner,” said Mr. White, “in Wilkinson county, Georgia, after Faulkner had several times made attempts on Ray’s life. Ray escaped to Canada, later returning to * Detroit, where he was arrested. “Governor Sleeper of Michigan granted extradition to the Georgia authorities for Ray, although the last Negro for whom he granted extradi tion was lynched twelve hours after he had arrived in Kentucky. “Attorneys Willis and Hinton and Attorney W. Hayes McKinney, acting for the Detroit branch of the N. A. A. C. P., immediately applied for a writ of habeas corpus. A hearing on this was held before Judge Hunt in Detroit Wednesday, October 13. Judge Hunt granted the writ, but Ray was imme diately rearrested when Georgia of ficials wired that an indictment was being forwarded. “A new hearing was held before Governor Sleeper on the indictment on Wednesday, October 20. I testi fied at that time as an investigator of lynchings and as one of the com pilers of “Thirty Years of Lynching,” showing that if Ray were taken back to the state of Georgia he would not only fail to receive a fair trial, but would very probably be lynched im mediately upon his return. "In spite of the facts presented, Governor Sleeper said he saw no rea son why Ray should not be returned. The attorneys for Ray immediately applied for a new writ of habeas corpus and in the event that that fails the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People will take the case to the federal court. “This case,” said Mr. White in con clusion, “ought to be of especial in terest to colored people of the United States as it may establish a prece dent in the denial of extradition to southern states where Negroes ac cused of crime arc lynched or denied justice.” Missorm ELEC TS FIRST LEGISLATOR ST. LOTTS, Mo., Nov. 11.—In the landslide Tuesday, Missouri elected her first colored man to the general assembly. He is Walthall Moore of St. Louis, who ran ijn the regular republican ticket, and will represent one of the exclusive districts of St. Louis at Jef- ' ferson City. Langston Harris, who ran in an other district, was defeated. CELEBRATE OPENING OF FRATERNITY IIOPSE (By the Associated Negro Press) RRIDORPORT, Conn., Nov. 11.—In honor of the opening of the fraternity house on Main street, the first of its kind to be erected in the state, more than 1,500 members of colored fra ternities throughout the state cele brated the occasion of the opening with a reception and dance held in the State Street Casino.