e®! The Monitor m
8 _
? NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
w THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
12.00 a Year—5c £ py_OMAHA, NEBRASKA. APRIL 10, 1926._Whole Number 557._Vol. XI.—No. 39
NEGROES WITHOUT PASSES JAILED
WHITEi RAPIST OF
COLORED CHILD IS
DECLARED IHSANE
Charles Merchant, Scion of Wealthy
Parents, Charged With Heinous
Crime, Committed To
Asylum.
KENTUCKY JUSTICE TWOFOLD
Apparently Has One Standard For
White Criminals And Another
For Hlack Charged With
Like Crimes.
Lexington, Ky.— (By The Associat
ed Negro Press). Kentucky pulled
an entirely new stunt here Thursday
when without precedence in the an
nals of jurisprudence, the trial of
Charles Merchant, a white man,
•harged with raping an eleven-year
•Id colored girl, was halted and a
lunacy probe held which “proved the
rapist to be of unsound mind" and or
dered committed to the Eastern State
■ospitul for the Insane.
The eyes of the entire state and
perhaps of the nation were focused
•n this trial and it was the eonscen
sus of opinion that not only was Mer
•hant on trial hut “Kentucky Justice”
was on trial. The action of the
•ourt, however, proved that there
was one kind of justice for white
arid another for Negroes.
The interest in the trial was due
largely to the recent trial and convic
tion of Ed Harris, a Negro who was
•Larged with assauting a white wo
mun and murdering a white man. So
intense was the feeing against Harris
that It was necessary to place a cor
don of troops armed with machine
guns, tanks, and tear gas bombs to
prevent him from being lynched.
With troops parading the streets and
walking post around the courthouse,
Hams was tried and convicted in ex
actly sixteen minutes ami a few days
Inter was executed. The insanity plea
n cant nothing.
The scene at the trial of Merchant,
. who is the son of a wealthy contrac
tor and builder, was entirely differ
ent. No troops were in sight. Every
thing was quiet and the court was
permitted to make its deliberations
without fear of interruption. Though
the feeling was tense on account of
the heinous crime that had been com
mitted, the members of the race to
which the outraged girl belonged, felt
that justice would be meted out to
her assailant.
This belief was short-lived as in
the midst of the trial the prosecuti ig
attorney called for a lunacy inquest
which was granted and four psychi
atrists testified that the white rapist
was of unsound mind and the judge,
R. C. Stoll, ordered Merchant to con
finement in the State Sanitarium for
the insane.
The judge, of course, made it plain
that an insane man was not subject
to punishment but that Merchant
would be watched closely ami if his
sanity returned he would be held ac
countable for the crime which he had
committed. So determined was the
family of the man to liberate him or
save his neck, that the whole family
was dragged through the mire to
prove that a streak of Insaniy ran
through the family.
The decision of the court was a
keen disappointment to Negro citi
sens and the scattering of whites who
desired to see justice win over preju
dice.
6976 IN HIGH SCHOOL.
Raleigh, N. C.,—With 249,952 pu
pils in the elementary schools, only
6,976 were enrolled in the colored
high schools of the State.
Statistics found 826 colored child
ren over 21 years of age still in pub
lic schools. One hundred fourteen of
them are still taking work in the sev
enth grade.
HAMPTON AND TUSKEGEE
GET ANOTHER MILLION
NEW YORK, (ANP) — Probating
•f the will of the late Mrs. Anna M.
Richardson H arkness who died last
Monday at the age of 88, discloses
legacies of $750,000 and $590,000 for
Hampton and Tuskegee, respectively.
ELKS HOLD TWENTIETH
MEMORIAL SERVICES
AT BAPTIST CHURCH
Last Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock,
headed by Desdunes’ famous band
which was divided into two divisions,
Iroquois Lodge No. 52, of Omaha,
Count Wilkinson, Exalted Ruler;
Cherokee Temple No. 223 of Omaha;
and Cornhusker Lodge, No. 679, of
Lincoln, I. B. P. O. E. W., to the
number of about 400 marched from
their ball, at Twenty-second and
Cuming street, to Mt. Moriah Baptist
church, Twenty-fourth ami Ohio
treet, where memorial exercises were
held and the annual sermon was
1 preached by the Rev. George W. Day,
pastor of the church. An interesting
program, commemorative of departed
member , consisting of music and the
reading of “Thanatopsis’’ preceded
the sermon. The antlered herd made
a very fine appearance in their long
parade to and from the hall. Ladies
•de in autos. Two troops of Boy
Scouts, 33 and 87, sponsored by the
Elks, were also in the parade. Coro
i ’ ker I>wige sent 60 men from Lin
coln.
DENIES COLOR BAR WILL
BE SET UP AT HARVARD
CONCORD, Mass.—Racial discrim
ination Is not aimed at by the new
ruling at Harvard College which re
dres a candidate for admission to
uhmit a photograph of himself with
■ Ms application, according to Heory
Pennypacker, chairman of the Com
initee on Admission.
"There is absolutely no foundation
to this charge," Pennypacker de
clared. Harvard is merely seeking to ;
obtain the best men from every point
of view. Neither scholarship nor ath
letics should alone be the criterion
ANTI-MISCEGENATION
BILL IN AFRICA
CAPE TOWN, S. A.—A bill has
been introduced in Parliament prohib
iting intermiscegenation between
European males and native females
under penalty of six years in prison
and 15 lashes. The bills would pro
vide imprisonment without lashes for
the woman.
Native female means ar.iy female,
both of whose parents were or are
natives. This act does not apply to
colored people.
KAFFIR INTEIJJGENCK
NOT SO LOW
—
CAPETOWN, S. A.—There is not
a great deal of difference between
Europeans and native Kaffirs accord
ing to intelligence tests made by N.
| Reyham, white, professor of I’schy
! chology at Capetown University.
According to Prof. Reyham, the
commonly held view that the native
topped developing earlier than the
European is fallacious. The tests ap
plied were reasoning tests and not
the ordinary intelligence tests and
many Kaffirs made an average score
higher han that of the Europeans.
I
ALL RACKS TAKK PART
IN LABOR SOCIAL
Boston, Mass.—In a medley of labor
oratory, jazz music, and old-time
games, workers of al races and re
ligions joined in the first social en
tertainment of the American Negro
Conference here last week.
The Boston unit of the National
Labor Conference was organized some
time ago and was a unit growing out
of the meeting of the National Negro
Conference which held its session in
Chicago, under the leadership of Lov
ett Fort-Whiteman. The meeting
which was supposed to carry out the
purpose of the organization of all re
ligious lines and inducing the work
ers to unite in an efort to better
their working and living conditions,
was attended by practically all of the
race groups in the city.
DAYTONA, FLA.—Trustees of
Daytona-Cookman Collegiate Insti
tute in annual session recently
changed the name to Bethune-Cook
nrtn College, in honor of the presi
dent and founder, Mrs. Mary McLeod
Bethune.
EDITORIAL
I
Recently, and on separate occasions, we were talking with
two prominent white citizens of Omaha. One is a successful
business man, the other a public official. Both lire observant
men. One is of Bohemian parentage, although bom and reared
in this country. Why we mention this fact will subsequently ap
pear. , , fttt
In the course of our conversation the first gentleman said,
with most apparent earnestness and sincerity, “We certainly
ought to have some colored teachers in our public schools, as sev
eral other cities have. Justice and fair play demand this. Your
people are entitled to it. You are good citizens and taxpayers
and contribute to the welfare of our city. You are holding up
high ideals of character and education to your chidren and many,
of your parents are making sacrifices to give their children ex
cellent educations; and that you have young men and women who
measure up to the standard required for teachers cannot be de- j
nied. I don’t think Mr. Beveridge is prejudiced, but ! think he!
lacks courage to make appointments of this character because he ,
thinks it would be impolitic to do so. IF YOU CAN GET THE
COLORED PEOPLE TO UNITE AND STICK TOGETHER
THEY CAN GET WHAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO. IT
WILL THEN BE IMPOLITIC TO REFUSE YOU. THERE’S j
WHERE YOUR CHIEF WEAKNESS AND TROUBLE LIES,
AS I SEE IT.”
The second gentleman said, “The colored people in this city
have about three times as many votes as the Bohemians, and
yet when it comes to a policy which vitally affects the colored
people, they permit themselves to be split up into two or three fac
tions, while the Bohemians vote solid and that’s why they get
some place and the colored people get left. When the colored
people learn to unite and strike together in matters where their
interests are at stake, they’ll get somewhere; and it’s up to men
like vou to GET YOUR PEOPLE TO SEE THIS. IT’S A
MIGHTY BIG AND DISCOURAGING JOB, BUT A JOB THAT’S
GOT TO BE DONE.”
These two men, one unactuated by any ulterior or selfish
motive, as he is not a candidate for any office, neither does he
expect to be; the other, perhaps actuatd by motives, more or less
selfish and personal, being a candidate for political office, accur
ately and scientifically diagnosed our local racial malady which is
hurrying us to economic, industrial, civic and political death.
Listen, then, again to these voices twain which proclaim the
same message:
“When the colored people learn to unite and strike together
in matters where their- interests are at stake, they’ll get some
where.”
“If you cun pret the colored people to unite and stick togethei
they can get what they are entitled to.”
This shows that observant people of the dominant group rec
ognize one of our outstanding causes of weakness, and recognizing
it, exploit and commercialize it, to our disadvantage. \V hat others
see about us why cannot we also see about ourselves? Knowing the
fatal disease that affects us, why do we delay in using the only i
remedy which will check the malady and place us on the road to
health ? The remedy is racial loyalty, racial unity, racial unani- j
inity and co-operation in all matters where vital and peculiar in-1
terests of our own people are at stake and whole-hearted co-opera
tion and helpfulness in civic and community interests. For God s .
sake, men and women of Omaha, let us apply the remedy, before it
is too late, for we are losing ground, and unless we take the medi
cine prescribed, a liberal dose of determined, united purpose ano
action, the time of our dissolution as potential factors in American
citizenship, with all its rights, privileges, opportunities and re
sponsibilities, draws near.
SIKI’S SLAYER INDICTED.
NEW YORK (Ry A. I*.)—Martin
Maroney, 18-year-old laborer, has
been indicted for first degree murder
in connection with the shooting last
December of I^ouis Pahl, Sengalese
boxer, known as "Battling Siki."
FLOWERS WILL FIGHT CANS
AT WILKES-BARRE. APRIL 16
WILKES-BARRE, PA. — Tiger
Flowers, middleweight champion of
the world, Monday was signed by the
Armory Athletic Club for a ten-round
decision fght here with Joey Gang on
April 16.
This will be Flowers’ first battle
since winning the title from Harry
Greb.
NEW GROCERY STORE
DOING GOOD BUSINESS
The Golden Rule Grocery is the
name of a new, well-stocked busi
ness enterprise which opened Satur
day at 2120 North Twenty-fourth
street It is a co-operative enterprise
which owes its origin to A. Hender
son, who called a few friends together
and interested them in the plan. The
officers of the company are: A. Hen
derson, president; J. S. Harris, vice
pesident; J. W. Dacus, secretary and
W. A. Brayboy, treasurer. T. S. Lam
bert, second vice president, is man
ager. The Golden Rule handles gro
ceries and meats. The store is as
neat and clean as a new pin, and the
stock choice and fresh. The prices are
the same as those charged by other
stores for the same class of goods. I
The store is a credit to its promoters
and deserves to succeed.
“BOOKER T. WASHINGTON”
SOLD UNDER HAMMER
FOR SUM OF $25,000
New York.—Another chapter in the
history of one of the outstanding Ne
gro movements that has taken p'ace
in this country in the last decade was
closed here last week, when the pride
of the United Negro Improvement As
ociation, of which Marcus Garvey, re
nowned leader, iR the organizer and
head—the Steamship Hooker T Wash- |
ington, was sold at auction. The liner
was sold to cover debts contracted by
the Black Cross Navigation company.
The ship, which cost $100,000, and on
which nearly $50,000 was spent for
improvements and repairs, was sold to
Winthrop Waithe for $25,000. Waithe,
an insurance agent, held a $10,000
mortgage on the ship. It was stated
that only a short time before the
auctioning of the liner, its owners
refused $60,000 for it.
MINSTER'S HOUSE IS
VISITED BY BURGLARS
While the Rev. George W. Day,
pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist church,
anti his family were attending service
last Sunday night his residence, 2417
Corby street, was visited by burglars
who took a bottle of perfume and a
check for two dollars.
KILL COLOR BAR BILL.
CAPETOWN, S. A.—The segrega
tion or color bar bill rejected by the
Senate in the last session wag re-in
troduced last week and again rejoct
ed, 22 to 12.
The bill would bar natives from cer
tain districts and would prevent them
from doing certain kinds of work.
OMAHA WESTERN LEAGUERS
WIN SEASON’S OPENER
FROM GREGORY’S WITCHES
Omaha, With Very Promising Lineup,
Gets Away Very Nicely in Open
ing Game at Wichita, 7 to 6.
Omaha baseball fans are very elat
ed over the fact that Barney’s West
ern leaguers took the opening engage
ment of the season from Wichita on
Wednesday of this week on the latter’s
home grounds.
On paper and from spring exhibi
tion games it appears that Omaha
will be a contending factor in the
pennant chase this season. Mr. Burch
guarantees that he will finish well
ahead of where the team did last year. \
The game Wednesday was a “pip;” |
the Burches winning out in the tenth
frame with a final count of 7 to 6.
“Snake” Henry, new first baseman,
hit a homer, double and single and
O’Neill and Hallahan both snagged a |
trio of hits.
Great plans are already being laid
for opening day at Omaha on Tues
day, the 27th of this month, and once
more Wichita will be the opponents.
Mayor “Jim” will be on hand to toss
the first ball, and has or will declare
a half holiday so that all loyal fans
may travel out to the Vinton street
lot, to get a good look at Barney’s
team.
Very few of the old faces will be
seen on the field this year as Burch
let out the greater number of men on
last year’s team, and Bailey and Har
ries, pitchers on whom Burch had fig
ured strongly, will be denied the team
this year because of illness and in
juries.
Make your plans to attend many
■ games this season. Better baseball is
promised you, and your support is
' very necessary. A loyally supported
club plays great ball—so let’s have a
great team. Fans and players must
pull together
BIG JOB IS AWARDED
NEGRO CIVIL ENGINEER
DES MOINES, la.,—A contract for
a $288,000 job on the installation of
a new $700,000 heating and power
plant at the University of Iowa, has i
I
A. A. Alexander.
been awarded Archie A. Alexander,
colored civil engineer and graduate
of Iowa College of Engineeing and
Architecture.
About two years ago, Mr. Alexan
der completed a contract for the wid
ening of the Sixth avenue bridge
which spans the Des Moines river.
Recently he handled the construction
of a concrete tunnel costing $80,000
for the University of Iowa.
Dung his twelve years in business
Mr. Alexander has acquired engineer
ing equipment worth over $60,000,
and it is estimated that he has com
pleted over a million dollars worth
of work ranging from paving con
tracts to building bridges.
Mr. Alexander and his wife occupy
one of the most beautiful mansions
in this city. He is a member of the
Roosevelt Club and one of the found
ers of the Omega chapter of the
Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity in this
city.
Mr. M. A. McGee and Massy Avant
gave a surprise birthday party last
Friday in honor of Miss Virginia
Wynn.
OLD SLAVERY CODE
PUT IN OPERATION
IN FLORIDA TOWN
Ordinance Prohibits Negroes From
Being on Streets After Night
Fall Without Pass.
Is Unjust.
COLORED CITIZENS ASK RELIEF
Have Submitted to This Iniquitous and
High-Handed Provision for Years
Without Lodging Protest.
New York — Colored citizens of
Daytona Beach, Florida, have sent to
the National Asociation for the Ad
j vancement of Coloerd People, a copy
of a petition submitted to the mem
bers of a petition submitted to the
I members of the local city commission
asking the lawmakers of Halifax
County to relieve the colored people
i of the necessity for carrying a pass or
I facing arrest if they are out after
dark. The petition sent to the N. A.
A. C. P. recites:
“For a number of years there has
been a city ordinance i:i force across
the river in what was previously
known as Daytona Beach, prohibiting
the free movement of colored citizens
after nightfall. By the provision of
this ordinance, no colored person from
this side of the river can go across
the bridge to Daytona Beach, and no
one on the other side can come to
this side without a pass issued by the
bridge keeper. Further than this, col
ored people employed in families and
hotels on the other side have been
arrsted and fined for being on the
streets at night. The men and women
working on the other side are wholly
deprived of pleasure and recreation
by this un-American and unheard-of
regulation. Their churches, their
lodges, their social outlets are all on
this side. They cannot come to them
without either the humiliation of get
ting a pass or the fear of arrest if
they fail to do so. The enforced de
privation of recreation is affecting the
temper and efficiency of a group of
otherwise cheerful and efficient work
ers.”
The colored citizens ask relief from
this condition ‘not as a favor but as
our right as American citizens.”
OPPOSE STATUE OF
REBELS IN CAPITOL
Washington, D. C—Local branch of
the N. A. A. C. P. has filed a protest
with the architect of the United States
Capitol against the proposal to place
a statue of Alexander H. Stevens, vice
president of the confederacy, in Statu
ary Hall.
The statue of Robert E. Lee, rebel
[ leader, was placed in the capitol sev
1 ( ral years ago. Referring to the Stat
1 uary Hall, N. H. Thtfmas, president
j of the Association, said:
“The many illustrious Negroes who
[ ahve rendered distinguished service in
I every noble endeavor in our country’s
i history have no place there, and we
feel that in glorifying our worse ene
mies the nation discourages patriot
ism and self-forgetful service.
ELECTED TO COUNCIL.
Washington, D. C.—Dr. George H.
Richardson, Northeast Public Interest
Association and George T. Benson «f
the Georgetown Civic Association,
were re-elected to the Citizens’ Advis
ory Council by the Federation of Citi
zens’ Association last week. The coun
cil consists of nine members. Seven
are white.
NAMED ASSISTANT ATTORNEY.
St. Louis, Mo.—George B. Jones,
25 years ago only a janitor in ths
' court house, was promoted last week
to assistant circuit attorney at a sal
ary of $3,600 a year. He studied law
through correspondence.
FLOWERS AT $1,750.
New York—Tiger Flowers, middle
weight champion of the world, was
booked as an added attraction at the
Chelsea theatre last week at a re
ported salary of $1,7501
