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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 1926)
ss the Monitor s NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS | TH* REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. “I- 0^ ' ' ' "*■ ■ ■ '■ I I. .1. ■■■■' ■ ~ - ... -Ml I _ $2.00 a Yel g 5 Cents a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 12. 1926 Vol. XII—No. 20 Whnl* N„mhP.- r^n —on ——^ - ■ ■ -- - - ■ ^^—^W—"Pt———— LYNCHING BY ANGERED INDIANS Race Urged to Pray The National I Brooklyn, N. Y.. Nov. 8.—An appeal to the race to adopt incessant individual prayer and group prayer as a measure of relief from proscription was issued today by the president of the National Equal Bights League, Rev. George Frazier Mil ltr, pastor of St. Augustine's Episcopal church here. This is the first measure of the sesqui centennial plan of Crusade for rights adopted by the league at its 19th annual meeting and race convention in the birth city of the Declaration of Independence last month. The plan, designed to carry out the sesqui declaration of rights there framed, advises also independent voting for men and measures, union of all kinds of race bodies to use the political and economic resources to compel relief from segregation, disfranchisement, lynching and proscri|rtion, also membership in one or more civil rights organizations. I: urges formation of racial equal rights leagues especially during sesqui-centennial year. President Miller urges that November 25 be made a nation-wide day of prayer for deliverance from the wrongs and injustices which we suffer as the people, on Thanks giving day, unite to pray for continued prosperity and blessing. THE RACE PRAYER The president of The National Equal Rights League sends greetings to the Col ored People of America, and requests ‘.hem. in their devotions Thanksgiving day, or other days of prayer and religious de votions, to petition our Heavenly Father with the invocation following, or with prayers to like effect: 0 Almighty God, who art a most strong tower to all those who put their trust in Thee, whose Holy Spirit directs and de fends the souls of faithful men, do Thou protect the weak throughout this broad land of the United Slates of America, and show to their oppressors the- light of Thy truth, to the intent they may see the error of their ways, and turn to the meting out of justice to all mankind, in Thy faith and fear, that Thy Name may be glorified wherever it is known; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 0 Holy Lord, we humbly pray that Thy mercy and grace may rest upon this land wherein we dwell; and that through a knowledge of the truth and a quickened sense of justice, all villainy, fraud, in justice, and oppression may be driven from the borders hereof; and the hearts of the disobedient may he turned to the wis dom of the just, to the honor of Thy Holy Name. Amen. 0 Thou Ever-Loving and Merciful God, who hast made of one blood all nations of men that dwell on the face of the earth, show to the doers of injustice the vicious ness of their way; make them to know that wickedness, murder and rapine cannot eternally thrive, and that those who prac lice such atrocities toward their fellow men must finally be brought to desolation through the certain vengeance of the God of justice and right who will rast down the mighty from their seats, and evermore establish truth and righteousness in the land. Amen. HI.00OHOTINDS TRACE KLANSMAN AS FIRE INCENDIARY Maxton, N. C.—A aeriea of fire* in the colored «e!tlement» roundabout here has at last aroused official interest. Blood hounds were placed on the tracks of incen diaries who are believed responsible for fires occurring las! week. The hounds went to the home of one J.uke Fairley, white, and said to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan. When Fairley told officers he would have no motive for setting fire to the homes of the Negroes, he was -turned loose, hut one of the victims, Joseph Stewart, was not satisfied. He secured a warrant against Fairley for arson. Fairley yas rearrested and placed in the guard house to await a hearing. A DAY'S PAY WILL HELP FILL THE CHEST. •HEEBIE JEEBIES' TO CHANGE NAME Chicago.—Beginning with the issue of December 11, Heebie Jeebies, will be com bined with The Light, published by the Advance Publishing company, and will thereafter be known as “The Light.” For Release By Equal Rights League U. S. COURT ENDS DISFRANCHISEMENT AT BOLEY, OKLA. Decrees That Registrars MuHt Not Deny Eligible Colored Citizens Right to Register at Polls. Boley, Okla.—The residents ol Boley, Okla., the largest exclusive colored city in the United States, November 2, fully exercised their constitutional rights to vote for the lirst time in sixteen years. The pri vilege follows the rendering of a decision in a fight started in 1924 against the disfranchisement of more than 500 voters. Judge F. E. Kennamer granted au injunction enjoining state and coun ty officials from further interfering with rights of the colored voters of Okfuskee county by preventing them from registering at the polls. The court’s orders affects 3,000 voters. The Boley disfranchisement fight started during the national election of 1924 as a result of the white reg istrars of Okfuskee county refusing to register colored voters. They re fused to obey an order of the U. S. district court issued at Tulsa by Judge Kennamer, demanding that those qualifying by oath he regis tered. The registrars were held in contempt of court. The case was appealed to the U. S. circuit court at St. Louis and a hearing set for January 6, 1926. The judge sitting in the case refused to take transfer. The case was final ly set for disposition in the federal court at St. Paul, Minn., where after delay, the decision favoring the reg istering of voters was reached. The Republican Club, of which I). D. Davis is the president, led the fight REPORT HAYES ENGAGED TO AUSTRIAN COUNTESS Chicago.—According to an account ap pearing in the Chicago Tribune. Roland lluyen, the famous tenor, has become en gaped to the celebrated Austrian society woman, Countess Colloredo. The Tribune account states that the countess divorced her husband to marry Hayes. The house of Colloredo is one of the oldest families of Austria. If this report- is sustained, it will expose as false rumors which have been persistent for several years that Mr. Haves was to marry Miss Crystal Byrd, former national girls’ work secretary of the Young Women’s Christian association. It was at one time reported that she had resigned her position with the association to marry, hut she denied this. TO SEEK AWARD FOR HENSON 1 New York.—Congressman Emanuel Cel ler of Brooklyn lias announced that at the December session of congress he would in troduce two bills in congress of which Matthew Henson, who accompanied Com modore Peary to the North Pole and who is the only surviving member of that ex position which reached the pole, will be the beneficiary. The first bill will seek an award of a congressional medal for bravery, and the second, the retirement of Henson on a pension of $1,700 from the position of messenger in the service of 'he custom house in this city, to which he was a pointed by President Roosevelt. PROTEST “UNCLE TOM'S CABIN" FILM Memphis, Tenn.—*As usual the south is up in arms against a public expression which is apt to reveal it in its true light. Condemning the story of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” as a “rank injustice to the south," members of the Bedford Forrest Chapter, of the United Daughters of the Confed eracy have unanimously protested the filming of the story in Memphis and along the Mississippi river. Several col ored actors are to take part in this film, the principal role of which was once allotted to Charles Gilpin. The Community Chest Plan brings all races, all creeds, together in a common movement. EDITORIAL The Monitor, as our readers know, has advocated that the colored voter use the ballot intelligently. It urged our voters in the last election to scratch their ballot and has been very much gratified to know, as an analysis of the vote in the several pre cincts where our vote is strong, undoubtedly shows, that our ad vice was very generally followed. We graphically showed how voters could scratch their balftts and not lose their vote. How they could still be republicans and at the same time vote for good democrats. We believe they have learped a lesson in independent voting that will be of incalculable value to us in the future. For too long has the republican party been permitted to believe that it has a I mortgage on the colored vote. That is why the race has been losing out politically, everywhere, year in and year out. The revolt this year, particularly in the west, as indicated by scratched j ballots, will have a salutary effect upon the republican party which owes more to the Negro than the Negro owes to it. Tins will be considered political heresy in some quarters, but it is nev ertheless the truth. Even conservative Massac!usetts, where Senator Walsh, who as governor and senator showed himself to be a friend to the colored people because a lover <jf justice and right, overwhelming ly defeated Senator Butler, crairman of the National Republican Committee, shows the influence of this new spirit of independent i political thinking and action. In line with what the Monitor advocated, the powerful and influential Kansas City Call gave the same advice to its readers with the result that unfriendly republicans were defeated and friendly democrats elected. The St. Louis Argus, another of our strong and influential race publications, gave similar advice. The results in all these cities show that more and more our people are relying upon the race press for advice in affairs political and are being guided by that advice. The following editorial, which appeared in the St. Louis Argus of last week, is so much in line with what we said in our issue of the same date that we commend it to the thoughtful considera tion of our readers as emphasizing our position and as indicating the spirit of independent thinking and action which we hail as a most hopeful omen of the future: “A little study of the results from the recent election will show that the electorate of this city and state is pretty intel ligent after all. But the most interesting feature about it is an attempt to analyze the vote in the wards which were large ly populated by Negroes. It will be noted that quite a bit of scratching was done in these wards. That is as it should be. It shows that the Negro voters are beginning to think. Yes, they are learning to scratch, or mark their ballot so that it may have an offensive or defensive effect. We are learning, just as the white “good republican” in the North and South St. Louis, to use our ballot intelligently. And the more we see the light, the higher will be the respect that others will have for us. “The ballot was never intended for a slave. The idea of a voter, is to be free, not only in body, but in mind. Any people, whose vote is carried around in the other fellow’s vest pocket, can never hope to rise high in the affairs of their govern ment. “Judging from the vote in these wards in the city, like the Fifth, Sixth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twen tieth, and Twenty-third, it looks to us like we are headed in the right direction, and with the proper leadership, whose souls are unfettered, and whose hands are not itching for selfish purposes, we will be in a position to help ourselves and help those coming after us.” - — -i THE COMMUNITY CHEST DRIVE. Monday the Community Chest drive starts. Active prepara tions for the campaign for charity and welfare work have been under way for several weeks. Monday the canvass for funds will start. The goal set is $430,000. This is easily within the giving power of Omaha. It means an average gift of about $2.00 from every man, woman and child in the city. In others words, if $2.00 could be collected from every resident in Omaha, including chil dren and adults, the $430,000 would be raised almost instantly. But, of course, everybody is not going to give. Those who are able should make gifts of $10,000, $5,000 and down. Let us cut our population in two and say that only 110,000 contribute to the Community Chest. That would be an average gift of $4.00 from each contributor, just about one cent a day. Who is there so poor that he cannot give at least one cent a day to help some fellow less fortunate than himself? It is called the Community Chest. Why? Because the entire community is requested to put its pennies and dimes and dollars into this chest or fund to help cany on the charitable, character building and welfare work in which the whole community must from the very necessity of the case be interested and do. Twenty six of these agencies which look after the poor and the sick and the needy, or help build up character, ask for so much money. These budgets, or requests, are carefully gone over, and lumped in one sum, which this year amounts to $430,000, and you and I are asked to give as much as we feel that we are able to help do this needed work. Our people have always given generously and we feel sure that we will not be s'ackers this year. While a comparatively small sum of the total, only about $7,000, goes directly to racial societies or welfare work, our people are recipients of help through other agencies such as the Associated Charities, Visiting Nurses and like organizations; but even if this were not so, it would be our duty to help those less fortunate than ourse'ves. As citizens of Omaha who have never yet shirked a duty The Monitor calls upon our people to contribute as generously as they can to the Com munity Chest and we are sure they will. Be sure to give some thing. Let each give according to his ability. Let the children cut one week’s going to the movie and give the price to the Com munity Chest. INDIANS IMITATE SOUTHERN METHODS OF MOD VIOLENCE Crow Indian Reservation the Scene of Gruesome Lynching and Burning of Victim’s Body FLAMING ARROWS FIRE BARN Bolden, Cobbler, Ordenedl to Leave Town by Special Officer De clines to Go. Crow Agency, Mont. — America's oldest residents, turned lynchers when a mob of 300 Indian braves made the Crow Indian reservation here the scene of a gruesome lynching bee ♦ nd burned to death Jim Bolden, a cobbler. As the groans of the dying victim of America’s newest lynchers filled the night air, the red men joined hands to stage a spectacle that was reminiscent of the days of the savage frontier Indian warfare. With pathetic eagerness, the de scendants of the barbarians worked to show Uncle Sam that the crude Indian could really take on the ways of America’s boasted civilization and stage lynchings as effectively as the most cultured Georgian. Tearing a whole leaf from the ap proved Georgia procedure on lynch ing, the red men soaked the body of their victim in gasoline and tossed it into a livery stable that had been set on fire. But they added to the cut-and-dried lynching methods used by the white mobs of the South all the spectacular sensationalism that was once used by their own red ancestors in the West. Shoot Flaming Arrows Flaming arrows shot from the bows of Indian braves lighted the bam that was to be Bolden’s funeral pyre. The winds that fanned the greedy flames blew directly over the his torical battlefield of Big Horn, where Custer staged his famous “last fight”. As the wralls of the stable caught and the red tongues of fire licked at the night air, fleet Indian runners kept watch on the funeral pyre and saw to it that no avenue of escape was left open. The braves did their work well. The lynching was Friday. On Sat urday when searchers combed the ashes on the site of the razed barn, they found the charred remains of 45-year-old Jim Bolden. The cob bler had gone to his death, the vic tim of an Indian lynching, staged by red men who had been forced to go all the way back to the savagery of their most savage ancestors in order to keep abreast of the culture of the Great White Father in this year of our Lord 1926. It is almost certain that the government at Washington will take no action on this most recent lynching. Jim Bolden came to Crow Agency from Butte, Mont., to earn himself a living. In Butte they called him an honest cobbler. He set up at his trade in Crow Agency. He asked only the right to mend shoes here and help both whites and Ind^xns save their soles. Ordered to Leave Jim Bolden didn’t have money to buy himself a shop, so he took his awl to an old livery stable. Here the cobbler worked on his shoes, and worked well, people said, till Special Officer John McLoud (white) came up last Wednesday and ordered him out of town. McLoud said something about Bolden’s stealing something or other. Bolden continued to work at his trade. He was spotted on the street Friday by McLoud, who was accom panied by Sheriff Robert Gilmore (white) and three other officers. Gun play broke out. Gilmore dropped dead, while Deputy Sheriff Andrew Dunbergan (white) yas wounded. McLoud, uninjured, chased Bolden back to his livery stable, then called the Indians around to help him. Bullets from 300 guns failed to force Bolden from his insecure shel ter, and it was decided to fire the barn. Officer McLoud tried to rush it. He was killed by a well-directed ST. LOUIS ELECTS SIX COLORED MEN Two Chosen for State Legislature, One Justice of the Peace and Three Constables Winners. St. Louis, Mo.—Six Negro Ameri cans were elected to office here Tues day, November 2. Walthall M. Moore was re-elected' for the third time as state representative and At torney J. Davis was also elected to that branch, making two representa tives in the lower house. Judge Crittenden I. Clark was re elected justice of the peace in the Fourth district. Langston Harrison and Ira Dorsey were re-elected con stables of the Fourth and Fifth dis tricts, respectively, and William A. Morant was also elected from the Fourth, this being his first term. All were elected on the republican ticket. FOUR KILLED IN AUTO SMASHUP Franklinton, N. C.—Two Negroes and two white persons were killed and two whites were injured here Thursday evening when H. F. Probst, white, driving a tour ing car, drove into a Cadillac sedan driven by Benjamin Green. The dead are Probst and Lena Wright, a young white woman, Irving Hayes, a companion of Green, and Green. Green, it appears, had sought un successfully to avoid hitting the Wright woman, and in trying to turn out of her way, was run into by the car driven by Probst. The accident occurred on the highway, just outside the city. The two injured persons are both white, a daughter of Probst, and a young man companion. Neither is expected to recover. A DAY’S PAY WILL HELP FILL THE CHEST. PRINCIPAL MOTON TO MAKE WORLD TOUR New York.—Dr. Robert R. Moton, prin cipal of Tuskegee institute and president of the National Negro Business league, sailed from this port Thursday, November 11th, on a tour of the world. Touching at Cherbourg, he is to visit London, Paris, Switzerland, Scotland, and then go to Africa, stopping at Monrovia to pay his respects to his good friend President King of Liberia. Singapore. In dia, is scheduled as the next destination after which the party will tour parts of Asia, Japan and the Philippines. Dr. and Mrs. Moton plan to make the trip leisurely, tarrying wherever their in terest leads and expect to be gone toi a year, WOMEN SEEKS BIG SITE OF LAND Pine Bluff, Ark.—Suit has been entered here against Mrs. Nellie Hicks Hunter, white, sister of the late Jeff* Hicks, well known river man and utilities magnate, by Mrs Sadie Battles for possession of 350 acres of land which she says Mr. Hicks deeded to her and Mrs. Hunter has sought to retain. Mrs. Battles is also asking for 12,000 damages which she claims Mrs. Hunter has collected in rentals from ten ants on the land. bullet. The Indians called a council of war. They reverted to the old battle plans of their ancestors. From the shelter of wagons flaming arrows were fired into the stable. Indian braves crept under the protecting shadows of evening to the bam it self and emptied cans] of gasoline on the structure. They formed a ring outside. Silently they waited. Soon Bolden staggered out, suffo cating from the heat. A fusilade of bullets met him. As he cowered, Indian braves rushed up, pinned his arms to his side and brought him away from the blazing building. An other council of war followed and the red men decided to carry through the lynching in real American fash ion. Strong Indian arms grasped the struggling shoemaker. He was borne back to the stable, which was now a seething mass of flames, and was hurled shrieking into the hell pot. As his dying groans sounded through the night air, the glare of the flames that cremated him lighted the stolid faces of Indian braves standing in a circle. They were Indian lynchers, guarding their lynching pyre.