Nebraska Newspapers

    I ’ , " ' •
'T H E M O N ITOR
, S NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
j £ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor
1 _ W ^ _ _________ - ■ -
S2.M a Year—5c a Copy j OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1925 Whole Number 542 Vol. XI—No. 22
ORGANIZERS FOR
PULLMAN PORTERS
SPEAK TO CROWDS
Representatives of Brotherhood of
Sleeping Car Porters Tell Plain
ly Necessity for Organ
ization
AUDIENCES ARE SYMPATHETIC
Totten and Randolph Forcefully
the Grievances as to Wages
and Hours Urged by
Porters
St. John’s A. M. E. church was
filled Tuesday night by an audience
drawn there by the announcement
that the brilliant orator and editor,
A. Philip Randolph of New York, gen
eral organizer of the Brotherhood of
Sleeping Car Porters, and Mr. A. L.
TotU-n, field organizer, would be pres
ent to tell the story of and the reason
for the organization of the Pullman
porters. The large audience was dis
appointed in leawiing that Mr. Ran
dolph, detained by illness in Kansas
City, was unable to be present, but
would be on hand Thursday night.
The audience while they missed the
brilliant oratory of Mr. Randolph was,
however, fully repaid by the lucid
recital by Mr. Totten of the griev
ances against which the Pullman por
ters complain. Briefly stated these |
are: an edequate wage, the salary
paid being $67.50 per month, the por
ter being dependent upon the travel- J
ing public for tips for the rest of his |
living expenses; nonpayment for pre- 1
paratory time, that is to say the time
between reporting for duty and that i
of going out, amounting to many
hours for which he receives no pay,
his time being only reckoned from
time trip starts; 400 working hours
for the porter as against 240 hours
for other employees; no allowance for
overtime; and disrespectful and hum
iliating treatment in many instances. j
He explained that the Employee Rep
resentative Plan, although very fine j
in theory does not work out sajtisfae-1
torily and gave obvious reasons for
this. He stated further that with the 1
porters organized, they could lay their
grievance before the United States j
Labor Bureau and have it decide, as
it does in the case of other railway i
employees, whether their wages are!
adequate and working conditions fair. |
He also made the point that all other
railway employees are organized ami
because of their organization are the i
highest paid with the shortest hours
and that the Pullman porters are the
poorest paid and put in the longest
^ hours. i
Wednesday night Mr. Totten ad
dressed a smaller audience and gave
opportunity for questions.
Thursday night Mr. Randolph spoke
to a large and sympathetic audience
and made a profound impression. He
condemned in scathing terms the re
cent delegation which went to Wash
ington with the avowed object of see
ing President Coolidge about segrega
tion, but which he said had its expen
es paid by the Pullman company and
passed resolutions endorsing the Pull
man company’s treatment of its por
ters and condemning the brotherhood.
Mr. Randolph scathingly flayed the
old line leaders, calling them by name,
who would sell out their race for a
mess of pottage.
When fifty-ope percent of the por-j
ters are organized they can take their
case to the Railway Labor Bureau.
According to the speaker thirty-three
percent have joined since the move-j
ment started in August. It is re- j
ported that a good number here have
signed up.
LOS ANGELES N. A. A. C. P.
FIGHTS JIM CROW LAW
v 9
The Los Angeles Branch of the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, through
. its attorney, E. Burton Ceruti, is
i fighting an attempt by the city au
thorities to designate certain days on
whch alone the colored children shall
be permitted to use the municipal
swimming pool.
The Branch and Mr. Ceruti have
taken the case to court where argu
ment has been had and both sides
have been asked to file briefs, It is
the contention of the N. A. A. C. P.
t) that the charter does not give the
local park commission the right to
discriminate against any American
citizens.
Court hearing was largely attend
Ied by members of the National Asso
ciation and their friends,
r
i '
NATIONAL MEDICAL ASS’N
ENDORSES LEGAL DEFENSE
Dr. John A. Kennedy, editor of the
Journal of the National Medical As
sociation has forwarded to the Na
tional Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People the following
editorial which appears in the current
number of the Journal:
“It is to the honor of the N. A.
A. C. P., that they have secured the
best available legal talent to defend
Dr. and Mrs. O. H. Sweet, and their
associates, against the charge of mur
der for which they are held, as a re
sult of the killing of a member of a
howling mob around their newly ac
quired and occupied home in Detroit
on Sept. 9th. The fact that they have
the Honorable Clarence Darrow of
Chicago, nationally known for his le
gal talent and his liberal views on the
race question, assures them a fearless
defense.
“The National Medical Association
would be remiss in its duties and to
its opportunities, did it not severally
and personally join with the N. A. A.
C. P., in its honorable effort to see
that the accused get a fair and im
partial trial. We editorially call upon
the members and readers to give not
only moral but financial backing to
the defense'.
“In our opinion the acrused have
done nothing more wrong, than to
exercise their constitutional right to
defend their persons and property
against the illegal and irresponsible
mol. In this right they are protected
by the constitution of the United
States, and in it, they should be pro
tected by the municipal and state
laws also.
“The editor’s moral symypathy is
unlimited and to show the earnestness
of his sinceriey, plus a desire to stim
ulate others likewise, he is sending a
personal check for twenty-five dol
lars f$25.00) to assist the movement.
“Our doctors, dentists, and pharma
cists throughout the country, we
urge to do likewise.”
FALSE REPORT CIRCULATED
CONCERNING DEFENSE FUND
»
It is reported that one reason why
the response to the plea for contri
butions for the Defense Fund which
the National Office of the N. A. A.
C. P. is raising for the Sweet case
and other important cases was so dis
appointing at the mass meeting held
at St. John’s A. M. E. church last
Sunday afternoon was due to the
fact that some one circulated the
story that the president of the Omaha
Branch had said that half of the mon-'
ey so raised would be retained *in
Omaha for the work of the local
branch. Whoever is responsible
for this or started this is guilty of a
wilful and deliberate lie. The presi
dent of the Omaha branch made no
such statement. As this was a joint
mass meeting, participated in by
three organizations, one moment’s
thought would convince any person
with a grain of common sense that if
the president of the Omaha branch
was foolish enough to make such a
statement he would have no author
ity to do so nor could such a plan
be carried out. A joint finance com
mittee consisting of a representative
from the National Association, the
Ministerial Alliance and the Negro
Business Men’s League was appoint
ed to take charge of whatever mon
ey was raised and forward it prompt
ly to the National Office in New
York. The fact was made very plain
by the Rev. C. A. Williams, pastor of
St John’s church, in opening the
meeting and extending welcome, that
it was a joint affair in which for the
sake of concentrating effort and not
dissipating energy, the Omaha
Branch which had planned for a mass
meeting early in December, agreed to
unite with the other organizations.
This was also emphasized by Rev. J.
A. Williams, president of the Omaha
Branch when’ he introduced the Rev.
J. H. Ellis, president of the Minis
terial /flliance, as chairman of the
mass meeting. It is therefore hoped
that any who withheld contributions
because of this false report will see
that their contributions are sent'in
so that Omaha may add to the a
mount received and forwarded for
this worthy cause.
OMAHA BRANCH N. A. A. C. P.
TO MEET SUNDAY AT fi, P. M.
The Omaha Branch of the Nation
al Association for Advancement of
Colored People will hold it* monthly
meeting Sunday afternoon at 4 o’
clock at the North Side Y. W. C. A.
Twenty-second and Grant streets. A
large attendance is urgently requent
ed
CALLS 25TH INFANTRY
BEST IN THE U. S. ARMY
Washington, D. C.—Colonel Dough
erty, commander of the Twenty-fifth
Infantry U. S. A., stationed at Fort
Hauchanca, Arizona, recently bestow
ed a high commendation on the re
giment.
In speaking of the Twenty Fifth
Infantry, he stated:
“This regiment has just given the
best infantry review I have ever seen
outside of Wist Point. It is the best
uniformed regiment I have ever seen
in the United States Army.
“This enviable record has been made
only by the team work of officers and
men of the regiment. The regimental
commander congratulates everyone of
you and is proud to have the good
fortune to be assigned to the Twenty
FiFfth.”
By order of Col. Dougherty, count
ersigned by John A. Klein, captain
and adjutant.
EDITOR CHILES FILES
$20,000 JIM CROW SUIT
Muskogee, Okla.—Nick Chiles
widely known as colored'journalist,
editor of the Topeka Plain Dealer,
has filed suit in the Federal Court
here against the Oklahoma Union
Traction Company of Tulsa, for $20,
000 damages, based on alleged mal
administration of the “jim crow law.”
In his petition Editor Chiles charg
es he boarded a Tulsa-Sapulpa inier
urban car at Tulsa recently and took
a seat in the compartment set apart
for Negroes. He says the car was
rapidly filled by whites and the con
ductor attempted to force him tp va
cate his seat in the Negro section
so a white patron could sit down. He
says he refused and;that upon his ar
rival at Sapulpa the conductor caus
ed his arrest.
He charges the arrest was without
complaint or warrant. •
SEGREGATION CASE WILL
REACH U. S. COURT JAN. 1
Washington, D. C.—The Segrega
tion Case of the United States Sup
reme Court will not come up for trial
until about January 1, according to
an announcement made by James A.
Cobb, chairman of the legal commit
tee of tire local branch of the Nation
al Association for the Advancement
of Colored People. Messrs. Moor
field Storey and Louis Marshall fa
mous lawyers are to argue the case.
THREE TAKE WEST POINT
ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
Boston—Three members of the
372nd Infantry National Guard (col
ored) Corp. Chas. Fisher, Pvt. Jas.
Crowder and Pvt. Cranberry Lewis
have taken the examination for ent
rance into the West Point Military
Academy. The three men represent
the quota allowed each State Na
tional Guard unit.
DEFENSE FDND IS STILL GROWING
New York—At the close of last
week the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, 69
Fifth Avenue, announces that it has
in hand nearly half of the $.30,000
which will be required to meet the
Garland Fund’s offer of $15,000 to
be applied to a $50,000 Legal Defense
Fund. To date $14,364.71 has been
given with constantly increasing in
terest and an avalanche of mail from
all parts of the country, such that it
takes an entire morning for the Na
tional Office staff to tabulate the re
turns.
The status of the $50,000 Legal De
fense Fund as of today, is as follows:
Given by Garland Fund....$ 5,00i).'00
Offered in addition. 15,000.00
Required to meet offer. .. 30,000.00
Total. 50,000.00
Raised to date. 14,364.71
Still to go. 15,635.29
Among the large gifts to the De
fense Fund are $200 from Casper
Holstein of New York, $200 from Miss
Alice P. Tapley of Boston, and $100
from each of the following: Miss El
len McMurtrie of Philadelphia; Rev.
Alexander Lewis of Peoria, Henry I
Sachs, ofCoIorado Springs. The fol
lowing persons or groups contributed
$50 each during the week: Santa
Monica Bay, California Branch; Mrs.
John F. Moors of Boston; Mrs. C. K.
Ovington of New York; Mrs. George
Burnham, Jr., of Philadelphia; Clar
ence H. Kelsey of New York; Henry
W.#Farnham of New Haven; Mis:
Ellen F. Mason, of Boston; Darling
ton, South Carolina Branch; Golden
Rule Lodge No.’ '16, F. and A. M„
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Sioux Falls, S.
D. Branch.
Other gifts to the fund during the
week are as follows: $30 each from
James H. Floyd, Jacksonville, Fla;
Mrs. Henry Villard, New York City;
$36 from- St. Paul A. M. E. Church
Columbus, Ohio; $64 from the Indi
anapolis, Ind. Branch; and $25 from
each of the following: Glossilla Art
Club, Lynchburg, Va.; George L.
Paine of Boston; John Berry, Dan
ville, 111.; 137th Street Branch, Y. W.
C. A. staff, New York; Mrs. Lena
Watters-Hall, Clinton, 111.; Dr. J. S.
Lennon, Philadelphia; Arthur F. Hall,
Fprt Wayne, Ind.; J. Mott Hallowed
of Boston; Mrs. Eva Jennifer of Chi
cago; F. B. Ferguson of St. Louis;
Arthur T. Aldis of Chicago;! Max
Adler of Chicago; Joseph Young
Minneapolis; Mrs. Louise W Davis,
Cleveland; Mrs. F. H. Clenment of
Rochester; Joseph Sulzgerger of Ger
mantown, Pa.; Domestic Life and Ac
cident Ins. Co., of Ijouisville, Ky.;
Jesse Goode Real Estate Trust, Char
lestown, Mass. The Newton, Kansas
Branch gave $19.25; the Urbana, 0.
Branch, $13.35 and the Salt Lake City
Branch, $10.
Give to the Community Chest!
—
THE DEFENSE FUND MASS
MEETING A HUGE SUCCESS
fyithusiasm, harmony, unity of purpose
together with a determination to do some
thing tangible were manifested in the un
usual gathering at the-St. John A. M. E.
church, Twenty-second and Willis avenue,
to participate in a mass meeting aroused
by the united efforts of the Colored Bus
iness and Professional Men's Cluh. the
Ministerial Alliance and the N. A. A. C.
P. Sunday afternoon.
Promptly at the appointed hour the
Rev. C. A. Williams, pastor of St. John's
A. M. E. church, welcomed the assembly
in a gracious manner and stated the origin
of the meeting. The assemblage joined
in singing “America”. Invocation was of
fered by the Rev. W. F. Botts, pastor of
Zion Baptist church. The Rev. John Al
bert Williams, president of the Omaha
Branch of the N. A. A. C P., after a
few explanatory remarks introduced the
Rev. J. H. Ellis, pastor of the Grove M.
E. church us chairman of the mass meeting.
With cogent and approriate remarks
various speakers were introduced who
made short but stirring appeals pointing
out the crisis through which the race is
passing, manifested not only in the Dr.
Sweet case in Detroit, hut similarly,
though not so demonstratively in Washing
ton, D. C., Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas
City and other places. Among those thus
introduced and addressing the meeting
were the Rev. W\ F. Botts, Dr W. W.
Peebles, Mr. Chas. Solomon, ittorney;
D. H. Oliver uud II. W. lilac
The audience was much inspued by the
singing of James W'cldon Johnson's “Lift
Every Voice and Sing”, our own national
anthem, and which should be sung
throughout the nation till its noble senti
ment is burned into the heart of every
Negro child, youth and adult. The Rev.
Russel Taylor, secretary N. A. A. C. P.,
led in the singing of this song with Miss
Bernice ^Fowler, organist for Pilgrim Bap
tist church, at the piano.
1 he tangible results of the meeting are
manifested in the raising of $142.15 in
cash and $30 in pledges or a total 172.15.
Contribution of $1.00 were made by the
following: IL C. Gaskin, J. H. Glover,
Miss A. E. Logan, A. J. Scott, W. W.
Logan, Dr. Foster, Mrs. Ingram, Mrs. J.
II Glover, Mrs. Katie Jones, Mrs. Mary
Speese, S. E. Montgomeiy, L. L. McVey,
Rev. C. A. Williams, C. C, Galloway, A. F.
Peoples, Annie Burton, J. R. Simpson, H.
J. Pinkett, Joseph Thomas, W. J. Bryant,
C. Solomon, M. Lynch, S. W. Bak^r, Mil
liu Proctor, Olidia Kirtley, Dr. M. C. Mc
Millan, Chas. Garrett, Rev. Mrs. Blake,
Joe Lewis, U. C. Ray, Rev. Lyman II.
Ingraham, Harry Starks, Mrti. Anna John
V.
son, Mrs. Elizabeth, M. Reed, Mrs. P. ‘
Merton, Mrs. Ellen Huddleson, J. S. Tur- |
ner, W. R. Reed, Mr. E. M. Williams. J. |
P. Douglass, Rev. G. W. Day, L. Mont- i
gontery, H. W. Williams, R. C. Price, Jas. i
A. Clarke, C. W. Williams, A. W. Ed
wards. Gene Russell, Dr. Jones, Jas. White,
Rev. W. E. Bolts, A. M. Harrold, Arthur
Iiafferty, Alex Hibben, M. I* Hunter, Mrs. I
M. overall, Mrs. Kate Wilsoft, Mrs. Sa
rah Finney, Rev. F. S. -Goodlet, Theodore
Davis. Mrs. J. A. Williams, Mrs. A. Raf
ferty, Mrs. Jas. Heironvraous, Mrs. Y. W.
Logan.
The following contributed 50c: J. Red
Tck, Mr. Hibbler, C. H. Walls. J. H. Dil
lard. Mrs. J. S. Turner, J. A. Harris. Rus
sel Taylor, Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Martha
Smith. Mary Simpson, Tilley IT. Thompson,
Mrs. Thomas.
Contributions of 25c: M. Right, Mrs.
A. Johnson.
\Jr. Wily Martin, 75c; H. W. Black,
$2; Rev. John Albert Williams, $2; W.
N. McAllister, $5; Mt. Moriah Baptist
church, $5.
Pledges were as follows: Mrs. Martha
Smith, $1; Mrs. F. Jones, $1; Wm. Ran
som, $1; H. W. Black, $2; A. F. gnd A.
M. lodges, $20; Allen Chape! church, $5.
The goal set for Omaha is $500. That
that goal may be reached headquarters
are established in the office of Drs. Fos
ter and McMillan in the Jewell building
at which place any one so desiring may
leave his subscription.
Russel Taylor, Sec'y N. A. A. C. P.
FAMILIES OF EX-SERVICE MEN
HELPED BY ROOSEVELT POST
Theodore Roosevelt Post No. 30 of
the American legion, E. W. Killings
worth, commander and the Women’s
Auxiliary distributed 22 well filled
baskets Thanksgiving Day to families
of ex-service men. The committee in
charge of this work was Dr. Amos
B. Madison, chairman; James I. Bell
and Earl Wheeler. The Post has also
been lendering substantial help to
ex-service men who are out of em
ployment hy providing coal and oth
er supplies for their families. The
Post is planning to give a Charity
Ball-to help out their Christmas Fund
which will be used to help-sex-service
men.
Give to the Community Chest!
BOSTON “L” RAILWAY SYSTEM
EMPLOYS RACE MOTORMEN
Boston—Five colored men have
been called to fill positions as mot
ormen on the Norton Elevated Rail
way Co. They are Lawrence Hender
son, Alfred Clarke, Charles Moore,
Moodie and Shaw. Moore was the
only one to be placed so far, the
others having found jobs elsewhere,
during a long period of wait. The
Urban League carried on a persis
tent campaign to induce the Transit
Company to employ race workers.
Moore experienced same disagreeable
treatment from the white employees
on entering the service.
GIVE HOSPITAL $65,000
Kansas City, Mo.—The WheatLy
Provident Hospital at) 1826 Forest
street, of which Dr. J. E. Perry is
the founder and head, has received
a gift of $65,000 from two white
business men in this city. The money
is to be used for improvement and ex
pansion of the hospital. The donors
are W. M. Voker and Frank C.
Chiles. It is planned to add two
stores to the present hospital build
ing.
OMAHA RESIDENT FOR
FORTY YEARS DEAD
Mr. Jack W. Wilson departed this
life Nov. 14th at his residence, 4214
North 40th street, after an illness
of more than four months. He had
lived here for 40 years and was an
old and respected citizen, widely
known by white and black and had
a host of friends.
He was a member of the Rough
Ashler Lodge No. 1, fT charter mem
ber of Princess Oziel Chapter No.
11 O. E. S. He leaves three neph
ews, two nieces and a devoted wife
to mourn his departure. Mr. Wil
son’s burial was from the Masonic
Temple, Twenty-fourth and Parker,
November 18th. Interment was in
Forest Lawn Cemetery.
SPECIAL SERVICES AT
GROVE M. E. CHURCH
* . .
Holy Communion, Baptism and the
reading in of a class will be the out
standing features of the services
next Sunday morning at 11 o’clock at
Grove A. M. E. church, Twenty-sec
ond and Seward streets, liev. J. H.
Ellis, pastor.
Give to the Community Chest!
ROSENWALD OFFERS $2,000
TO LEGAL DEFENSE FFUND
Julius Rosenwald of Chicago, well
known philanthropist who has given
many schools for colored people in
the South, has offered $2,000 to the
$50,000 Legal Defense Fund being
raised by the National Association for
Advancement of Colored People, the
condition being set forth in the fol
lowing letter written by William C.
Graves, secretary to Mr. Rosenwald:
“Dear Mr. Johnson:
“Referring to our recent ccA-res
pondence, Mr. Rosenwald will be glad
to contribute $2,000 to the $50,000
Defense Fund you are raising; pay
ments to be made as follows:
1. When the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple has collected $24,000 out of the
$50,000, upon receipt of lists of con
tributors showing the amount paid in
by each, Mr. Rosenwald’s check for
$1,000 will he forthcoming.
2. When the society has collected
$24,000 in addition to the $25,000 men
tioned in the preceding paragraph,
and a list of contributors and the
amount paid by each has been receiv
ed, Mr. Rosenwald’s second check for
$1,000 will be sent to you.
“Wishing you success with the
Fund, I am
“Sincerely yours,
(Signed) “William C. Graves”
ATTORNEY PREPARING BRIEF
IN “WHITE PRIMARY” CASE
New York—Fred C. Knollenberg,
Texas attorney retained by the Na
tional Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People, in the case
challenging disfranchisement of col
ored voters through the “white pri
mary” system of Southern States,
writes from El Paso that he has be
gun work ob the brief for the U. S.
Supreme Court in the case and that it
will be ready to submit to the N. A.
A. C. P. Legal Committee within 30
days.
The case, which is docketed on the
calendar of the U. S. Supreme Court,
arose out of the Texas “white pri
mary” law passed in 1923, prohibit
ing any colored person to vote in the
Democratic primaries. It is contend
ed the law disfranchises colored vot
ers since the Democratic party pri
maries in Texas constitutes the only
machinery for election to office. The
law was challenged by Dr. A. L. Nix
on, who sought to vote and was pre
vented, his case being now appealed
from the U. S. District Court in Tex
as .
MADAM CARTER SPEAKS TO
AUDIENCE AT ST. JOHN’S
Mme. Ezella Mathis Carter or
Chicago delivered an excellent lec
ture before an appreciative audience
in St. John’s A. M. E. Church,
Thanksgiving night under the auspic
es of the L. E. W. Board of the
church. Her subject was “Listening
In” and under this caption she de
livered many wholesome and much
needed truths. Being a wide traveller
and a keen observer she told of rac
ial needs which she had discovered
while “listening in.” She stressed as
one of the most important things
needed by our group everywhere is a
get-together-spirit. She showed how
this would build up business enter
prises, increase our wealth and in
fluence economically, socially, and
politically. She urged putting forth
candidates for elective offices and
making our united strength effective
in getting what we are entitled to.
Mme. Carter was gracefully intro
duced by Mrs. Eleise Turner. Sever
al excellent musical numbers includ
ing a quartette and duet were at
tractive features of the program. The
pastor, the Rev. C. A. Williams,
in well-chosen words commended the
L. E. W. for bringing the able speak
er before an Omaha audience and ex
pressed regret that the church was
not crowded to overflowing to hear
her practical and inspiring message.
GET FAVORABLE REPORTS ON
HEALTH OF LEDRUE GALLOWAY
Word has come from Phoenix,
Arizona, that Ledrue Galloway who
is there for his health shows mark
ed improvement and is steadily gain
ing in weight. This will be welcome
news to the many frends of this
popular athlete whose development
of incipient tuberculosis compelled
his retirement from the University
of Iowa and removal to Arizona was
such a surprise.
%
JURY DISAGREES;
SECOND TRIAL SET
EARLY NEXT MONTH
Eight Defendants Are Admitted to
Bail in Sum of $5,000 Each
Furnished by Colored
Citizens
BAIL PROBABLE FOR OTHERS
Announcement Made that if Necessary
Case Will be Carried up to
United States Supreme
Court
New York,—Walter White, assis
tant secretary of the National Asso
ciation for the Advancement of Col
ored People returned this morning
from Detroit where he had been
throughout the trial of Dr. Ossian
H. Sweet and ten other Negroes,
charged with murder for defending
Dr. Sweet’s home from a mob on
September 9.
Mr. White’s report of the present
status of the Sweet case, which has
commanded nation-wide attention, is
as follows:
“After 46 hours of violent argu
ment, which could be heard some
times by persons outside of the jury
room, the jury disagreed. It was rum
ored that five jurors had stood for
acquittal and seven for acquittal of
8 defendants and conviction of second
degree murder for 3 of the defend
ants. The jury was dismissed at 1:31
p. m. on Friday, Nov. 27, and shortly
thereafter Mr. Darrow filed a mo
tion for a new trial and made a sec
ond motion that all eleven defendants
be admitted to bail. New trial has
been agreed upon for the first week
in January. Eight of the defendants
were at once admitted to bail in $5,
000 each which was furnished by col
ored citizens of Detroit, but opposi
tion from the prosecutor in the case
of the remaining three, led Judge
Murphy to set Wednesday,. Dec. 2,
for argument. Mr. White will return
to Detroit in time for argument for
bail for these three defendants who
will be held until then: Dr. Ossian
H. Sweet, Henry Sweet and Leonard
Morris.
Contrary to the published reports
in the daily press, Mr. Darrow has
not yet asked for separate trials for
each of the 11 defendants but he an
nounced that he probably would do
so.
The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People an
nounced in connection with the news
of the disagreement and the motion
for a new trial that it would fight
the case while there was any court
in the land to appeal to until the 11
colored people were acquitted.
Mr. White stated that the expenses
of the trial to date had been about
$20,000, the transcript of testimony
alone costing $2,081.60.
One of the most impressive sights
1 have ever seen, declared Mr. White,
“was the way in which colored peo
ple in Detroit flocked to the trial.
At half after midnight on Thanks
giving morning, when the jury was
still arguing and sent out for instruc
tions, the courtroom was packed. At
2:10 in the morning, when the jury
was sent to bed, bailiffs had to make
way through the crowd for the jury
men. „ All Thanksgiving Day colored
people remained waiting and watch
ing, many of them going without
Thanksgiving Dinner in order to be
on hand.
“I want to pay a tribute to the
magnificent way in which Judge
Murphy conducted the trial. He did
his utmost to exclude the issue of
race prejudice and his final charge
to the jury was a masterpiece of
scholarly learning and judicial im
partiality.
“The case has largely changed
public sentiment in Detroit. The bet
ter class of opinion is now with the
defendants, although the Klan is of
course more bitter than ever. But the
N. A. A. C P. will continue to fight
the case and both Messrs. Darrow and
Arthur Garfield Hays will continue
to lead the defense until a conclusion
has been reached.”
LAST UNDERGROUND RAILWAY
CONDUCTOR DIES
Fountain City, Ind.—-(By the As
sociated Negro Press) William F.
Davis, known as the last of the con
ductors of the “underground railway
system” prior to the Civil War, died
here recently.