The Monitor ~
s
NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
_ | _ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
jf re>f~S C”at* * Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1927 Vol. XIII—No. 13 Whole Number 635
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Omahan’s Mother is Killed in Tornado
OMAHA PHYSICIAN ENJOYING TRIP
AND WORK AT RERUN UNIVERSITY
Berlin Germany, Sept. 14, 1927
Father J. A. Williams,
Editor Monitor.
Having ben a constant reader of
The Monitor, through Herbert Wig
gins, Jr., every Saturday, I miss “my”
paper. This being so, I wish also to
be remembered by Ye Editor and
readers.
Concerning my stay at the Univer
sity of Berlin, it is needless to say, I
DO miss my many friends and pa
tients. However, I feel sure I am be
ing more than compensated.
Most of my time is spent in the
hospital, but on Saturdays and Sun
days I go constantly from early ’til
late — very late, to see, viz: The
Reichstag, a wonderful structure,
looking towards the Konigsplatz, a
square with many monuments and
the very tall “Column of Victory" of
1871 in the middle. The statue in
this column, as well as the dome of
the Reichstag, are gilded, and in the
sunlight they resemble real gold.
The palace of Kaiser William I. The
Zenghane or armory. The museums.
Some of the building are more than
(100 years old. The Aquarium and
Zoo, the most wonderful thing I have
ever seen. In the Zoo park there are
a number of Arabians and Africans.
It is very interesting to see them do
their Mohammaden ceremonies, using
the camels, etc.
Before I return I hope to visit
Tripoli and Alexandria, North Africa.
Mine Vaterland? (Or was I there
when I was in Ireland?) At any
rate, to be sure I shall see Africa.
Also Jerusalem, Damascus, Athens,
Naples and Rome.
Sunday, I heard the German
preacher at the Dome, a very beau
tiful edifice, a good second for the
Abbey, seating (Dome) about four
thousand, and about half that num
ber standing in the aisles, which, by
the way, was “my seat,” since most
of the pews were paid for annually.
Now the text: “Die witive klene
gabe" (the widow’s mite). At first
I was able to keep up, but when he
waxed eloquent in his “mother
tongue” he shot constantly over my
head for more than twenty minutes.
However, when the excess energy
was spent and he came down, I got on
again, which pleased me muchly. Am
unable to say all, but do think I
have said enough.
I wish for you and family as much
health and happiness as I could for
myself. Yours,
WESLEY JONES, M. D.
GENERAL ORGANIZER
OF PULLMAN PORTERS
GIVES TWO ADDRESSES
A. Phillip Randolph and A. V. Totten
Heard by Good-Sized Audiences
Sunday Afternoon and
Monday Night
Despite the torrential downpour of
rain Sunday afternoon a large audi
ence was present in St. John’s A. M.
E. church to hear A. Philip Ran
dolph, general organizer, and A. V.
Totten, general field agent of the
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters,
tell the story and present status of
the Pullman porters’ fight for econo
mic freedom and a living wage. Those
who attended were fully repaid by
the candid and lucid array of facts
which the speakers placed before
them.
Mr. Totten stressed the fact that
the Pullman Porters’ fight is one that
affects the entire race. An increase
of $25 a month only, and the Broth
erhood iB asking more than this, in
the wages of the 12,000 porters,
would mean an increase of $3,600,
000 per annum in income to the race,
the helpfulness of which is apparent.
Mr. Randolph defended the thesis
that the laborer is worthy of his hire
and should have a living wage. He
contended that $72 a month is not a
living wage, and that the tipping sys
tem which compels the porter to de
pend upon the gratuities of the pas
sengers for the balance of his living
is fundamentally wrong in principle,
is indefinite, uncertain, inadequate,
and undemocratic. He outlined the
successful efforts for the organiza
tion of the porters in order that they
might bring their grievances before
the United States Labor Board. The
Pullman Company having refused
mediation and arbitration, the next
step is to show an emergency, which
will bring it before the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The Pull
man porter is discriminated against
by the company in the matter of the
hours of employment as well as in
wages. These evils can only be cor
rected by organization.
Monday night, another audience
heard these speakers, and a citizens’
committee was organized to co-oper
ate with the local representative of
the Brotherhood, Bennie Smith, and
the national organization, in creating
a public opinion favoring the de
mands of the Brotherhood for a liv
ing wage and better working condi
tions.
Memphis, Tenn. — A devastating
fire, which is believed to have been
started by the spark from a chimney,
threatened to wipe out a colored set
tlement on the outskirts of the city
recently. Twelve houses were de
stroyed by the flames and damages
amounted to nearly $20,000.
ABYSSINIA ASKS FOR LEGATION
I
—
Plea Made for U. S. Help and Co*
Operation. A Diplomatic Rep
reientative Will Be
Sent
[
Washington, D. C.—The United
States will have a diplomatic repre
sentative in Abyssinia, it was stated
at the State Department, following,
the call of Dr. C. Martin, personal j
representative of Ras Tafari, prince
regent of Abyssinia, at the White
House.
Since 1913 American affairs in
Abyssinia have been in the hands of
the British Minister although pre
viously the United States was repre
sented in the capitol by a consular
commissioner.
Dr. Martin presented to President
Coolidge a gold shield, such as are
worn by Abyssinian warriors. Al
though the president was unable to
accept the gift personally, he ex
pressed his appreciation, and the
shield will be kept with other decor
ations and gifts made by foreign gov
ernments to United States officials
in the archives of the State Depart
ment.
A plea was made by Dr. Martin
for the help and co-operation of the
United States.
Last year the State Department
asked for an appropriation to re
establish a legation at Addis Abeba,
but the request was not approved
by the House Committee on Foreign
Relations. This year, if the appro
priation is not granted, the State
Department will send one of its rep
resentatives as charge d’affairs, an
act which does not require a special
appropriation, from congress.
MOB STORMS FLORIDA
JAIL TO SEIZE NEGRO
Fort Myers, Fla.—A mob of sev
eral hundred white men, women and
children stormed the Lee County jail
here recently in an effort to seize
and lynch Will Johnson, who was
locked up in the jail as a suspect in
connection with an attack upon a
50-year-old white woman The iron
spike fence that sdrrounds the jail
is all that prevented the mob from
carrying out its plans.
HAITIAN JOURNALISTS r
ARRESTED FOR SEDITION
Port au Prince, Haiti—Three Hai
tian journalists were arrested here
recently for the publication of sen
sational articles charging that the
United States was negotiating secret
ly with the Haitian government for
the establishment of a powerful na
val and military base at Gonaives
and the District of Artibonite.
EDITORIAL
Believing, as we do, in the general disposition of the police
authorities of this city to be fair towards our people, we are
at a loss to understand their apparent inactivity in the case
reported to them Friday of the attack alleged to have been
made upon two colored girls early Friday morning by five men
who represented themselves as officers. According to the story
of these two young women, one Mrs. Viola Wright, aged 26,
who is married and highly respected, and the other Pearl Irvin,
aged 14, also a respectable girl, they were standing on Six
teenth and Douglas street about 2 a. m., waiting for a street
car to take them home, when five men drove up in a car, rep
resented themselves as officers and demanded what they were
doing out so late. Mrs. Wright replied that they were musi
cians coming from their work and waiting for the street car
to go home. The men forced the girls in the car, drove east
to Thirteenth street and turning north on Tirteenth, took them
out near Carter Lake where they assaulted and robbed them.
Up to the present time nothing much has been one about it.
We are wondering why. Such a crime ought to be rigidly in
vestigated and every effort made to apprehend the guilty
parties.
We cannot but believe that had it been charged that Ne
groes had been guilty of a like crime several “suspects,” would
have been rounded up and held for investigation long before
this time.
CONFERENCE MAKES
CHANGES IN OMAHA
METHODIST CHURCHES
New Pastors to be Assigned to Bethel
and Allen Chapel-Grant, Adams
and Kidd Elected Delegates to
General Conference
The Nebraska Conference of the
A. M. E. church, which met in Kan
sas City last week, has made changes
in two pastorates here. The Rev.
Thomas W. Kidd, pastor of Bethel,
and the Rev. S. D. Rhone, pastor of
Allen Chapel, South Side, have been
transferred to the Southwest Mis
souri Conference. Appointments for
these two churches have not yet been
made. The Rev. John H. Grant, pas
tor of St. John’s, and the Rev. John
Adams, presiding elder, have been re
turned to their former posts here.
In the spirited contest for General
Conference delegates, Omaha fared
well.
The following were elected to the
General Conference, which meets in
Chicago next year: The Rev. W. T.
Osborne, Kansas City; the Rev. John
H. Grant, the Rev. John Adams and
the Rev. T. W. Kidd of Omaha, and
the Rev. Dr. Isaacson, Kansas City.
ADMITS HE ACCUSED
NEGRO TO SAVE SELF
Washington, D. C. — Grilled by
headquarters detectives after he had
reported that he was held up by
three “Negroes” and robbed of $330
at the point of a pistol, George W.
Sullivan, white, 1620 Wisconsin ave
nue northwest, changed his story re
cently and admitted that the holdup
report was “faked” to cover a^ debt
he owed, according to police.
Sullivan, in his original report,
gave a minute description of each of |
the three men he said had robbed
him, outlining in detail their approx
imate ages, weights and manner of
dress. He said the holdup took place
at Thirty-third and U streets north
west and that the men escaped in an
automobile.
TWO-HEADED CHILD
Americus, Ga.—Medical authori
ties here were baffled by the birth of
a freak child to a Negro mother here
recently. The childT was born dead.
The baby had two perfectly formed
heads and four arms while the other
parts of its body were perfectly form
ed. Hundreds of persons viewed the
body which has been preserved for
study by medical men.
COLORED AMERICAN WAS
FIRST TO USE U. S. BANK
New York City—A colored Amer
ican was the first depositor in the
first bank to be established in the
United States, it was revealed in an
article in the current issue of the
Suvings Bank Journal. Carcis Rob
erts, a servant in the household of
the early French settler, Condy Ra
guet, one of the founders of the Phil
adelphia Saving Fund society, is the
man whose first silver dollar started
that society on the road to deposit
more than $200,000,000.
PRESIDENT NATIONAL
BAPTIST CONVENTION
AN OMAHA VISITOR
Rev. L. K. William*, Pastor of the
Largest Negro Church in America,
Welcomed by a Large Con
gregation at Zion
Tuesday night at a special service,
the Rev. L. K. Williams, pastor of
Mt. Olivet Baptist church, Chicago,
, which claims a membership of 11,
1000, said to be the largest Negro
congregation in America, and presi
dent of the National Baptist conven
tion, preached in Zion Baptist church
|to a large congregation. His text
1 was, "Behold, we go up to Jerusa
lem.” He drew many important les
! sons, stressing among them the stead
fastness of purpose, self-discipline
and self-denial necessary for progress
in the Christian religion, either in
dividually of collectively. He urged
the congregation of Zion to use their
best efforts in clearing their debt of
$50,000 on their property.
The Rev. Dr. Young, white, former
j state secretary of the Baptist Asso
ciation, followed Dr. Williams in an
excellent address in which he spoke
I of the progress made by the Negro
I race and believed it was due to their
| genius for religion. He is speaking
at Zion for the next two weeks in the
| financial drive.
ENLARGED ENROLLMENT
OF COLORED STUDENTS
AT STATE UNIVERSITY
Lincoln, Neb.— (Special to The
Monitor)—There are fifty Negro
students now enrolled at the State
University here, the largest in its his
tory. Year by year the number is
increasing. Of those enrolled, the
largest number is from Nebraska,
which has a total of 24, divided as
follows: Lincoln 15, Omaha 7, Brok
en Bow and Beatrice 1 each. Tulsa,
Okla., has 6, Kansas City, Mo., 4.
Kansas has 4, South Dakota 2, Wyom
ing, North Dakota, Colorado, Iowa
and New York, 1 each. Oklahoma
contingent is increased by one from
Sand Spring.
The Omaha students are the Misses
Evelyn and Inez Battles, Teressa Liv
erpool, lone Pinkett, and Messrs.
John and Harold Adams and Mar
eellus Ritchie.
—
JESSE BINGA HONORED
Chicago, 111.—Jesse Binga, banker
and community builder, was given a
testimonial and banquet recently at
the Vincennes hotel and several hun
dred of the most prominent citizens
of the city attended. It was given
in honor of Mr. Binga being elected
chairman of the board of directors
of the Liberty Life Insurance com
pany of Illinois.
Miss Lillian S. Dixon, the charm
ing niece of Mrs. D. W. Gooden,
after spending four pleasant weeks
with Dr. and Mrs. Gooden, left Wed
nesday night for her home in Nash
ville, Tenn., to continue her school
work. Miss Dixon’s wonderful per
sonality won for her a host of friends.
She was honored guest at a large
number of social affairs.
MRS. SAYBERT HANGER’S
MOTHER AND SISTER
KILLED IN TORNADO
St. Louis, Mo.—Six square miles
of fine residence and business section
of this city was devastated by a tor
nado Thursday afternoon. Over
5,000 homes were destroyed, 70 per
sons were found among the dead,
several hundred persons were injured
and the property loss is estimated at
$75,000,000.
Many fine residences of Negro citi
zens were in the path of the tornado
and were destroyed. Among these
was the residence of Mrs. E. J. Wil
liams, 4038 West Belle, which was to
tally destroyed, Mrs. Williams in
stantly killed, and her daughter, Mrs.
Susie Hartgraves so seriously injured
that she died on her way to the hos
pital. Others in the house were also
seriously injured.
Mrs. Williams was the mother and
Mrs. Hartgraves a sister of Mrs. Say
bert Hanger of Omaha.
Mr. and Mrs. Hanger, who was
lone D. Williams, a popular school
teacher, were married in All Saints
church, St. Louis, June 29, this year,
and during her brief residence here
she has made many warm friends who
deeply sympathize with her in this
great bereavement.
CHURCH OF ST. PHILIP
THE DEACON
The services at the Church of St.
Philip the Deacon, Sunday, October
2, the Sixteenth Sunday after Trin
ity, will be as follows: Holy com
munion, 7:30 a. m.; Church School,
10 a. m.; morning prayer, 11; even
ing prayer at 8 o’clock. It is ex
pected that one of the bishops or
clergy here for the consecration of
Bishop Casady will preach at the
evening service. Specific announce
ment of this will be made later.
MRS. MAMIE MOORE IS DEAD
The funeral of Mrs. Mamie Moore,
aged 33 years, of 425 North Thir
teenth street, who died September
25, was held Wednesday at 2 p. m.
Rev. T. E. Orville officiated and in
terment was in Prospect Hill. De
ceased is survived by her husband,
J. W. Moore, two sisters, Mrs. Mag
gie Cannon of Little Rock, Ark., and
Mrs. Cynthia Stroud of Kansas City,
Mo., two brothers, Rev. C. A. Miller
of Denver, Colo., and Frank Miller
of Omaha, and a foster sister, Mrs.
Delmar Blakemore of Omaha. The
Rev. C. A. Miller and a niece, Miss
Ethel Poe, of Little Rock, were here
for the funeral.
NEGRO SHOWN ADVANCING BY
LIFE INSURANCE STATISTICS
One life insurance company in New
York has on its books as holders of
policies a fifth of the total Negro
population of the United States, and
its statistical expert, Dr. Louis I. Dub
lin, has just issued a notable report
on the present state of health and
expectation of life among colored
people, which shows that the race as
a whole is progressing in health mat
ters about as fast as the white pop
ulation. To those who think of the
Negro as shiftless and unprogressive
and who see in his presence only a
problepi, this report from the pen of
Dr. Dublin may be commended for
careful study. His conclusion and
prophecy is that achievements of the
Negro in America “will be recogniz
ed not only as the greatest experi
ment in racial adjustment ever un
dertaken by man, but as the most en
couraging and gratifying episode in
our national life.” The Congrega
tional fellowship has had a hand in
the education of at least a million
Negroes and may perhaps feel some
gratification at the results shown.
—The Congregationalism
Memphis, Tenn.—The case of El
gin Lewis and Aubrey Payne, white
taxi drivers, who are charged with
attacking two prominent race women
of Murfreesboro, Tenn., has been set
I for early in October. The N. A. A.
C. P. is prosecuting the case. Mr.
J. A. Martin, official of the associa
tion, is heading the fight to imprison
the men.
BRAND JURY INDICTS
EX-KLAN CHIEF FON
FL066IN6 CRIMES
Ex-Klan Chief and Attorney Held
in Beating of Race Farmer
and Taking Away His
Land
Birmingham, Ala.—A heavy blow
was dealt by tne Jefferson county spe
cial grand jury recently in the in
vestigation of floggings when ten
whites were indicted and five held
under bonds of $100,000 on charges
of participating in recent floggings
in Jefferson county, W. J. Worthing
ton, ex-klan official, was indicted in
connection with the flogging of Ar
thur Hitt, Louis C. Albright, Worth
ington's white attorney, was also in
dicted in the Hitt case.
To Stand Trial
Worthington made bond totaling
; $30,000, on a charge of kidnapping,
and two on charges of bribery. Al
bright had $25,000 bond reduced to
I $5,000 in habeas corpus proceedings
recently.
Worthington and Albright are both
expected to have their cases set for
jthe last of this month or during Oc
tober, at which time most of those
indicted are expected to stand trial.
Klan Head’s Scheme
Hitt’s case came to light last
month, when he reported that he had
been severely beaten by a band of
masked whites. He stated that he
later sold his farm for a price far be
low its actual value. The deeds to
the land were traced up and found
to be in possession of Worthington.
In the investigation it was charged
that Worthington led the masked
gang in its attack on Hitt and then
offered witnesses money to refrain
from testifying in the case. Albright
was accuse of being an aid to Worth
ington.
The other men were indicted in
connection with the flogging of John
Bolton and Jeff Calloway, whites.
The Bolton Case
The Bolton case is that of John
Lowell Bolton, who lived three and
a half miles north of Tarrant City,
who charges that he was flogged
twice. The second time, he says, he
returned to find his home a mass of
flames.
The Calloway case is that of Jeff
Calloway, Oncoma youth, who was
taken from Antioch church to a se
cluded spot in the woods in Jefferson
county and flogged.
WOMAN IS HELD
IN ATTACK CASE
Authorities Refuse to Believe “Ne
groes” Committed Crime
Hammonton, N. J.—The story of
Mbs. Margaret Lilliendahl, 32, white,
in which she said that two colored
highwaymen attacked her and her
husband while they were driving on
a lonely road, slaying her husband
and assaulting her, has been discred
ited by the police. The slaying oc
curred recently and the Lilliendahl
woman was held by authorities here
and questioned for many hours, but
was unshaken.^
According to ' the woman’s story,
she and her husband, Dr. A. William
Lilliendahl, 62, had taken their son
to school and were returning home,
when two “colored” gunmen jumped
on the running board of their car.
The gunmen were said to have shot
the doctor through the head when he
showed resistance and then ordered
the woman to drive the car while into
an off road where they assaulted her.
Rings and other valuables the
woman said the robbers took were
found near the scene of the alleged
attack. A note was also found, which
it is said was written by a man,
signed by a nickname and addressed
to the woman^ requesting a loan »f
$1,600 from her and suggesting that
she obtain the money from her hus
band.
Desire to secure insurance money
was seen as a possible motive in the
slaying. The woman was released
on a $30,000 bend and held as a
witness in the death of her husband.