,0° \T H E M ONITOR
N A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
'% THE REV. JOHN Al.BERT WILLIAMS. Editor
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1923 Whole Number 432 Vol. IX—No. 16
___ _________
COLORED LAWYER MAY BECOME A CHICAGO JUDGE
s #
LARGE MANUFACTORY
DESTROYED UV FIRE
OF RNKNOWR ORIGIN
Plant Owned l»y Colored American
>Vhn Operated Mine Safety Device
Factory Doing a Large
Business
HU N.MNEH NEW BHIIIINH
Safely Devices Manufactured by the
Johnson Manufacturing Company
Nationally I'sed and Considered
lit st—Fireman Is Hurt
Jeannette Pa., October 18.—(Preston
News Service.)—Fire, said to be of
undetermined origin destroyed the (ieo.
M. JohnsOu Manufacturing Company
plant, at Fourth and Patton streets,
shortly after midnight last Thursday
night entailing a loss of more than
$75,000.
The compuny’ manufactures mine
rarely devices which have been re
cognized by leading mine experts
throughout the country as the best
on the market, and if they had been
installed In the Dolmtte mine in Ala
bama, Ihe frightful toll of life would
have been avoided. The structure was
a large three-story frame building for
merly used as grist mill. Thousands
of dollars worth of patterns and draw
ings were completely destroyed.
George M» Johnson, a native of
Koanoke, Va., was for a number of
years master mechanic for the Pitts
burgh Coal Company, prior to the In
vention and development of the seven
teen different safety devices, which be
has covered with over forty-five pat -
enta. .
It la said that Ihe officials of the
compuny have been conducting a spe
cial stock aelling campaign to erect
a at eel structure with about ten times
the room of Ihe building destroyed by
fire for the purpose of having ample
room to take care of their large busi
ness. It is claimed that Ihe contract
had already been let to a l?.rge con
cern In Voungs^pwn, O., for the erec
tion of a large steel structure on a
large site just outside of the city as
the new home of the G. M. Johnson
Manufacturing Company and work
was scheduled to start on the new
structure within a few days.
The Johnson devices are now in use
nn more than a thousand coal mines
in all parts of the country. Among
some of the large concerns using
these devices are: The Henry Ford
folleries; M. A. Hanna Companies;
Consolidation Coal Company; Pitts
burgh Coal Com nan v: H. C. Frick
Coke Company; Carnegie Steel Com
pany; U. S. Steel Corporation; Penn
ylvania Coal & Coke Co.; Carnegie
Coal Co.; Hillman Coal and Coke Co.,
as well as concerns owning fewer
mines. The concerns named have from
20 to 200 mines each.
It is said that the loss was only
nartiallv covered by insurance. On
account of the enormous growth of
the business during the past year, the
old plant was largely used for keep
ing stock and the patterns.
Mr. Johnson said: “This awful dis
aster is very damaging just at this
time as we have more than $200,000
w orth of orders promised for delivery
before the end of this yeur. This fire
makes it impossible.”
GOVERNOR PINCHOT
PROMISES PROMPT ACTION
AND PROTECTION
Pennsylvania Executive Wire* League
He Will Stop Deportation of
Citizens at Stowe.
Ronton, Maas., Oet. 19.—A protest
telegram sent by the National Equal
Rights League, Rev. T. J. Moppins,
president, on Wednesday, October 10,
against the driving out of colored
people from Stowe Township, Penn.,
because a colored man killed a white
man, brought an answer today from
Governor Gifford Pinchot himself, to
the league, promising action.
The telegram, dated Harrisburg,
Penn., Oet. 13, 1923, read as follows:
Wm. M. Trotter, Secretary National
L Equal Rights league, 103 Court St.,
r Boston, Mass. Your telegram of Oct.
H 10th, concerning alleged driving of
| Colored citizens from Stowe Town
> ship, Allegheny County, received. I
have no information of such action,
am starting immediate inquiry and if
such conditions exist and local offi
cials fail to protect innocent citizens
of any race, condition or religion, I
will use full necessary force of state
to prevent discrimination.
(Signed) GIFFORD PINCHOT.
PLEASE PAY YOUR SUBSCRIP
TION WHEN THE COLLECTOR
CALLS.
RECORD-BREAKING CROWD
WILL SEE FOOTBALL STARS
Extra Scats to Provide for Crowds Ex'
pveted at Rock Island Independ
ents and Omaha Olympics Game
Starring Butler and Slater
Work will be begun the first of next
week at League Park, Fifteenth and
Vinton streets, to erect additional
stands in order to accomodate Oma
hans who want to see the great
"Duke” Slater and Sol Butler, world
famous colored athletes, in action as
members of the Rock Island Independ
ents football team against the Omaha
Olympics.
The game, October 28, is expected to
be one of the outstanding sport events
of all time in the midcontinent.
Slater was unanimously chosen by
the American sport critics as all
American tackle when he played with
University of Iowa. It was Slater who
virtually single-handed checked the
rush of the famous Notre Dame back
field and enabled the Hawkeye eleven
to defeat the South Bend Irish Slater
wll] play taekle for the independents
and will tie opposed by either Ole Paul
son, famous fullback on the Great
Lakes naval training station team of
war time, or Ed son Shaw, former Ne
braska University captain and all
western tackle. Paulson was a mem
ber of the Great Lakes eleven which
in a single season defeated Northwest
ern University, University of Illinois,
University of Wisconsin, Georgetown
University, West Point and Yale.
Sol Butler, another famous colored
athlete, is to play in the Rock Island
backfie>d. Butler holds more honors
for athletic achievements than any six
colored athletes In the world, accord
ing to the official bulletins of the A.
A. U. of 1920.
Omahans have telegraphed Butler to
send on, by express, the medals he
has won on the track and In field
events. If Butler will consent to send
them to Omaha they will be placed
on exhibition In one of the large down
town store windows next week.
In addition to Butler and Slater, the
Rock Island Indeivendentg have some
of the country’s greatest white foot
ball players. Max Kadesky, who play
ed shoulder to shoulder with the great
Slater at Iowa University, will play
in the same position for Rock Island
against the Olympics. Cotton, famous
Notre IJame tackle, who played on the
Notre Dame eleven which lost to Iowa,
is another star of the Illinois independ
ent club.
Groups of Omaha colored persons
who are anxious to show their loyal
ty to the premier football players of
their race are reserving sections of
the grandstands for themselves and
friends. These sections are to be
decorated with lodge colors and lodge
emblems and kept for the private oc
cupancy of their purcrasers.
Denny kyan, athletic director of the
Omaha Athletic club, who is business
manager and trainer of the Omaha
Olympic football team, is arranging
for these sections. Reservations may
be made by calling him.
NEW YORK DECISION
BARS KU KLUX KLAN
(I’reston News Service)
A litany, N. Y., Oct. 18. — The Ku
Klux Klan now stands barred forever
as a membership corporation in the
state of New York.
Moving secretly, the attorney gen
eral’s office has secured a judgment
against the Ku Klux Klan and the
Kamalia, the woman’s auxiliary, on a
charge of altering their incorporation
papers after a supreme court justice
had approved them.
MINISTERS’ ALLIANCE
The Ministers’ Alliance met Tuesday
morning in the lecture room of Bethel
A. M. E church. A discussion on
moral conditions was held, also the
close proximity of Dreamland Mall to
Zion Baptist church. A delegation
waited upon Mr. Jewell and requested
him to dispense with the dance-hall
feature of his elegant building. Attor
ney John Adams made an appeal for
two clients under death sentence. The
place of meeting was changed to the
North Side “Y”.
COUNCIL BLUEU8 (THUN
Mrs. Nannie Kudd, 24u Eighteenth
avenue, left Wednesday afternoon for
Ashland, Mo., to be at the bedside of
her father, (leorge Carlson, who is
seriously 111.
Mrs. M. E. liowry, 1018 Twentysec
ond avenue, recently returned from a
week’s visit with relatives and friends
in Kansas City and Moberly, Mo.
Mr. Butler Wallace, 1117 Avenue D,
became seriously ill Tuesday and i*
now confined to his bed.
SIGHTS, EXPERIENCES AND IMPRESSIONS OF A TRAVELLER
WHO ATTENDED NATL. BAPTIST CONVENTION, LOS ANGELES
By JIrs. M. H. Wilkinson
JI'AltEZ, MEXICO
(Continue! from last week.)
What a multitude of historical remi
niscences flood the mind as one nears
the boundary line between Texas and
Mexico. How strange it seems when
one recti Is the fact that the great
state of Texas once was a part of the
Republic of Mexico and experienced a
long struggle to secure Its independ
ence to become Incorporated with the
United States; but the western bound
ary line was not settled and was en
sued between the U. 8. and Mexico
from 1856 to 1867 covering a period
of twelve years.
Can we forget the many skirmishes
over and near this fetal boundary line
within the past few years No, not
when we remember how our boys of
the Tenth Cavalry, under the late Col.
Crn rles Young, wore called to duty
there by the government and played
their part so well.
The first thing that attracted our
attention, on crossing the Rio Grande
to Juarez end by the way, it is said to
be the boundary line, was a gang of
workmen leisurely placing sand bags
along the river bank forming a dam.
These men were almost the same in
size, but varying very much in com
plexion from r.n olive to a mahogany
brown.
Nearby the custom house could be
seen. A small one-story brick build
ing with the Mexican flag hoisted and
flouting to the breeze. In front of thla
building were a number of officers,
some sealed and others standing look
ing ver- con table in their shirt
sleeves.
"Do we get off here?" som^bne ask
ed seeing the cars stopping. The an
swer was: “Oh, yes!” My, how
peacock-a-fied we felt to be abroad!
Although we dare not remember the
proximity of home, for fear our feath
ers would fall. However, to have our
friends posted concerning our travels
we rushed into "‘the corner store” to
purchase cards and after the usual
address with a dignified flourish we
added ‘‘U. 8. A.”
In our anxiety no one had noticed
Just where we were. When we be
house, although the building is not as
came normal—Oh, horrors!—we found
ourselves actually in £ saloon with a
post card camouflaged front! Mexico
Is Just drtpplny "wet”, everywhere a
saloon is to be seen, aad yet It is said
that a drunken person is seldom seen.
Post cards and beautiful needle work
of the Mexican women decorate a
number of such windows. One may,
f he likes, pass on to the rear.
The streets are narrow and sandy
and unpaved, in this land of per
petual spring a number of men seem
ed to have been taking life easy; many
were seated on the curbstones along
the streets, wniie others strolled
along, all with their large hats and
colored shirts, actually looking the
;iart of "I should worry”.
After seeing so many women with
small black shawls over their heads or
around their shoulders we nearly loBt
our equanimity when we saw a num
ber of girls togged up in the style we
class as flappers in our country. It
was sad, indeed, to see a number of
old and decrepit men and women drag
ging themselves along the streets.
As far as we saw most of the homes
looked cozy, but not modem. They
were small one-story buildings, gener
ally constructed of large bricks made
of mud atid straw. Similar to those
made by the Israelites in Egypt. The
buildings have flat roofs with very
odd guttering. Around these homes
a mother and many children are usu
r-lly seen.
In the business section of the city a
large vegetable square is to be seen,
similar to our city market. Here
everything conceivable is available
along vegetable lines and may be sec
ured at a very low price. Here also
may be seen the vendor with his
produce tied to his body walking
around to make his sales, with grapes
as sweet as dripping honey. A N. A.
A. C. P. representative told us that
many of the citizens of El Paso did
much of their buying in Juarez, be
cause things were cheaper.
I must tell you something about the
City Hall. It is a very imposing
structure, made of beautiful marble.
The architecture is splendid, resem
bling very much our county court
spacious. It. is surrounded with an
attractive lawn with beautiful flow
ers. There Is a "Statue of Liberty”
and at its base are inscribed the names
of prominent pioneers.
What is their religion? The pre
vailing faith is Roman Catholic, which
was the state religion until 1857. In
1873 the government declared itself
against recognition of any particular
denomination as "state religion”.
Their present church, the Old Mis
sion Guadalupe was established in
1549. It has been renovated and
painted but the interior is practically
the same. The seats are old fashion
ed benches made of trees that failed
to receive the refining touch. An old
belfry stands on one side of the
church, holding higli its cross, while
sheltering the faithful old bell that
has for centuries rang out the appeal
for worshipers to come to the house
of the Lord.
On the other side of the church is
the old memorable graveyard with its
marble tombstones, silently declaring
the inevitable truth, "It is appointed
to men once to die”. Hut the fresh,
green shrubbery, teeming with life
overshadowing their dust, predicts for
them a glorious resurrection.
The race track is one mile and a
half around. Here they stage bull
fights and prize fighis. Yes, Jack
Johnson fought a bull in this very
place. This Impressive building is
formed out of varied colors of glass
plates that glitters in the sun. The
cost was more than a million dollars.
Its interior is covered with white
sand. Here and there are beautifuiry
designed beds of pretty fragrant lil'.ies.
It has a seating capacity of ten thou
sand. During the terrible internal
disorder in Mexico Villa at one time
took refuge in this building. Finally
he placed himself on its roof and fired
on his enemies in the city, who re
turned the fire. During this fusillade
holes large enough for one’s fist to
pass through were1 majle in these
beautiful glass plalee. Now 1 am won
dering whether he was really a “Villa"
or a “Villian".
(To be continued)
“WHIRL OF GIRLS”
\e\cr Before Such a Succession of
Really Good Shows at
I he Gayety.
There Is really more than the or
dinary number of worth-while com
edians, singers and dancers, to Bay
nothing of general entertainers, said
to be In the noteworthy cast of John
G. Jermon’s big feminine revue, "Whirl
of Girls”, announced at the popular
Gayety theatre as next week's attrac
tion, starting Saturday matinee, Oc
tober 20. Vic Plant and Fred (Falls)
Binder are the two featured comedians
who promise a laugh every moment
they are on the stage. Both are favor
ites with burlesque patrons, Plant hav
ing been last season with "Hello Good
Times” and Bender with "Smiles and
Kisses”. June LeVeay, the prlma don
•
na of the piece, la also well-known
having spent last season as prima
donna of "Hello Good Times” as did
also George Wiest, the straight man
of the show. Flossie DeVere, the
sprightly soubrette of the cast, comes
to "Whirl of Girls” from “Maids of
America", while Gertrude I a Vetta.
the likeable ingenue hails from last
season’s “American Girls”. Willie St
Clair, the juvenile and Charles Sey
mour, the character man, are both
new to burlesque but well known in
vaudeville and musical comedy.
Of course, a show having the title
of "Whirl of Girls” would necessarily
have to go strong on its ensemble
equipment and the producers are said
to have not overlooked this important
portion of. their entertainment. Not
only have they secured an exceptional
ly good looking aggregation of youth
ful maids, but also one whose mem
berg are symmetrical in their physical
proiiortions and brimming over with
pep and the ability to execute the in
tricate-mazes of the many dances as
well as to sing with pleasing voices.
i. B. Hamp, the author of the book
and lyrics or the piece, who by the
«ay, is also well known to Columbia
patrons as an excellent Swedish dia
lect comedian, has furnished a world
of wholesome humor in the many
scenes and dialogue of the show. And
he has written some remarkably fine
lyrics io the tuneful melodies of John
Cowan, the composer of the music.
John G. Jermon has staged the entire
prouction in a most capable manner.
Taken nltogiather “Whirl of Girls"
is an attraction that is well worth a
visit. There will be the regular night
ly performances with special matinees
for the ladies evry day. Sunday’s bar
gain matinee starts at 3:00.
FORMAL OPENING OF
DREAMLAND HALL
More Than 600 Persons Attend Social
Event Which Marks Advanced
Business Venture By Race
Citizen.
More than six hundred people most
ly younger folk, with a good sprink
ling of the older folk, who enjoy the
tepsichorean art, attended the formal
opening of the commodious and beauti
ful Dreamland Hall in the Jewell
building, Twenty-fourth and Grant i
streets, Tuesday night. Several of the
older and representative citizens were
there as onlookers and to express their
appreciation of Mr. Jewell’s enterprise
in venturing into such a large and
commendable business undertaking as
the erection of a building of this char
acter. The hall was beautifully de
corated and hundreds of couples
danced to their heart’s delight to the
strains of Adams’ popular orchestra1,
which was at its best. Festoons of
artificial roses were drapped from the
ceiling and flowers and palms decor
ated the stage upon which the orches
tra was seated.
The Jewell building, which repre
sents an expenditure of over $50,000,
is a beautiful two-story pressed brick
building, 132 long and 46 feet wide,
the interior dimensions being 130 by
44. It consists of two large store
buildings, fronting on Twentyfourth
street and two five-room apartments
fronting on Grant street, the heating
plant and one large basement room
which will probably be occupied1 by a
printing establishment; two suites of
offices and the large hall upstairs. The
dimensions of Dreamland Hall are 110
by 44 feet. This is divided into the
large iftsembly room, 82 by 44 feet, a
stage, 12 by 22 feet, a retiring room
for the ladies and one for men, each
11 by 12, a check room and a well
equipped kitchenette. The handsome
ly appointed offices are .ccupied by
Drs. Foster and McMillian, physicians
and surgeons, and E. M. Davis, real
estate dealer.
Dreamland Hall will be available for
dances, entertainments, conventions
and all gatherings for which commo
dious accomodations are required. Our
people who have had almost to beg as
well as pay exorbitant prices for pub
lic halls in which to have their enter
tainments, have now a hall, built and
owned by one of our race, as hand
some, commodious and convenient as
one can desire and they should take
pride in patronizing it and making this
large business investment, which Mr.
Jewell has had the faith and courage
to make, pay.
HELP GIVEN DESTITITE
STRANGER AND HER CHILDREN
BY CHARITABLE SOUTHSIDERS
A very sick woman by the name of
Mrs. Victoria McDonald with five chil
dren was found at the depot last week.
She had been directed to come here
on account of rer health. But she
w;,s not only sick, but penniless and
friendless. After being refused help
by those to whom she was sent, Miss
Gertrude Lucas, welfare worker, was
notified1 and at once got on the job to
locate this mother and children in a
home somewhere. But no one wanted
them. In the meantime MiBs Lucas
got in touch with Mrs. Lovetta Bush
who informed Mrs. Laura Jefferson of
this poor woman’s predictament. Mrs.
Jefferson Is chairman of the steward
ess board of Allen chapel and is sick
herself, but her Christian heart would
not let her refuse to open her door
for this poor woman and children
whom she at once housed. Mrs. Josie
Blackwell prepared a good hot meal
for them and Mrs. Bush supplied them
with coal to keep them warm. Then
these good women got busy and com
municated with Mrs. M. Bowls, city
missionary of the Bethel Baptist
church and her acting pastor, Rev.
Jessie Young, who became at once in-'
terested in this woman’s welfare who
is a Baptist Mrs. Bowls solicited mo
ney from Mi. Olivet and Trinity Bap
tist churchea to the amount of $6.00,
each church contributing $3.00. At
the same time Allen chapel contribut
ed $7.25 and Rev. Jessie Young, Mrs.
Sutton, Mrs. Demond, Mrs. Low and
Mrs. Jefferson took each a child1 and
Rev. D. J. Burckhardt through Miss
Lucas has arranged for her to be
cared for at the University hospital
where it is believed she will soon be
restored to health. Mrs. McDonald’s
husband deserted her some months
ago and ran off with another woman
leaving her In this condition. She is
willing to work when able and wishes
to thank all who have done anything
to help relieve her condition. Mrs.
Fred Divers was kind enough to bring
her and children to Mrs. Jefferson
from the depot in her car.
CHICAGOANS NAME
COLORED ATTORNEY
FOR JUDGE’S JOB
Republicans Place Edward H. Morris,
a Lawyer of Recognized Ability,
on Regular Judicial
Ticket.
ONE OF TWENTY CANDIDATES
Stands Excellent Chance of Nomina
tion and Election, Having Solid
Support of Second Ward and
Is Popular.
(By the Associated Negro Press)
Chicago, 111.—When the republican
and democratic parties decided to
throw full tickets into the judicial
election this fall it opened the way for
the nomination of a colored candidate
to sit upon the superior bench of Cook
County and Edward H. Morris, well
known and able lawyer, was selected.
For years one of the hopes of the
colored electorate of Chicago has
been to place a man upon the judicial
bench. Judges are nominated by the
central committee which has named
candidates on several occasions who
have always gone down in defeat. The
opportunity to make the f’ght again
came through the clever manipulation
of colored political leaders and Ed
ward H. Wright, committeeman and
“boss” of the Second Ward, is being
given the lion’s share of the credit.
The democrats and i-epublicans had
a fusion or coalition ticket all but
agreed upon. At the last moment they
split and both parties held conven
tions composed of committeemen
from the various wards and districts
to select slates. Edward H. Wright
was the only colored man in the con
vention, but he is recognized as a
power and when the Second Ward was
called on to express its sentiment and
present its choice, he arose and asked
the convention to hear a committee of
colored citizens who had come to
press the claim of the group to a
place on the judicial ticket.
Alderman Louis B. Anderson was
the spokesman and in an effective
and clever talk he presented to the
assembly the advantage to \he party
of recognition of “the brethren," cal
ling their attention not only to thp
solid phalanx of 25,000 voters in the
Second Ward, but the city-wide sup
port which would be brought to the
G. O. P. as a result. Others on the
committee were Attorneys Violet An
derson, A. E. Patterson, I. B. Turner
and O. DePriest, who spoke.
The convention was impressed and
named Mr. Morris as one of the 20
candidates for the superior court
bench. The position pays $15,000 a
year. Mr. Morris, who is national
grand master of the Odd Fellows, is
married and rated as one of Chicago’s
wealthiest citizens. All factions agree
that his ability is unquestioned, that
he has the judicial temperament, and
that if elected he will reflect credit
upon the group.
SFRPKISE PARTY FOR
OFT OF TOWN «FE8T
Monday night several of the ladies
or the Mission Circle of Mt. Moriah
Baptist church met at the parsonage,
2412 Corby street, as a surprise to
Mrs. W. C. Campbell of Hannibal,
Mo., who is the guest of Dr. and Mrs.
McDonald. They were met at the door
by the Rev. E. H. McDonald with this
question, “Who are these that are ar
rayed ?” anil met with the response
from the efficient president of the cir
cle, "It is they who remember the
stranger within the gates.” They were
scarcely seated before five gentlemen
appeared.
All expressed delight in having such
a pleasant visitor in our city, which
was responded to by the guest of
honor who said, the members of Mt
Moriah church were about to heal the
wounds made in her heart by taking
away their pastor from Hannibal, Mo.,
but that she was satisfied the people
loved him here, by the hospitality
shown to her.
Dr. and Mrs. McDonald also ex
pressed their gratitude for the sur
prise party. Ice cream, cake and nuts
were served. Ail departed saying an
enjoyable evening had been spent at
the parsonage. The following guests
were present: Mrs. M. E. Hill, Mrs.
E. C. Hill Mrs. U, S. McIntosh, Mr.
and Mrs. P. S. Stovall, Mrs. B. High
land, Mrs. Jj. B. McQueen, Mrs. Mary
Wilson, Mrs. Annie Early, Mrs. How
ard^ Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Banks-Davis, Mr.
and Mrs. Geo Hibbler, Messrs. J.
Miles, Charles Howard and Virgil
Shoab.
•
