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VOL. 9, NO. 14
Florida Sheriff Indicted
By U. S. Grand Jury for
Working Negro Prisoners
Washington, D. C., Nov. 11
—Attorney General Francis
Biddle announces that a Fed
eral Grand Jury, sitting in
the Southern District of Flori
da, at Tampa, today returned
an Indictment on two counts
charging Jeff Wiggins, Sher
iff of Glades County, with
working county prisoners on
his own farm in violation of
the Federal Civil Rights and
Anti-Slavery statutes.
Count One of the indictment
charges that Wiggins removed in
mates from the Glades County Jail
and forced them to work without
pay on his farm. The indictment
charges that this involuntary servi
tude was in violation of Section 52,
Title 18, U. S. Code (civil rights
statute).
Count Two charges a violation
of the Anti-Slavery Statute (Sec
tion 443, Title 18, U. S. Code).
Maximum penalties on the first
count are imprisonment for one
year or a SI,OOO fine, or both; under
the second count, imprisonment for
five years or a $5,000 fine, or both.
The Grand Jury investigation,
requested by Assistant Attorney
General Wendell Berge, in charge
of the Criminal Division, was han
dled for the Department by United
States Attorney Herbert S. Phillips.
Sugar Firm Also Indicted
Attorney General Francis Biddle
Refusal of Pullman Accommodations
to Minnesota Negro Soldiers
Is Attacked by Local Committee
The refusal of the Illinois Central Railroad to arrange
Pullman accommodations for a group of Minnesota boys en
route to Camp Shelby, Jackson, Mississippi, is being protested
by the Minneapolis and St. Paul branches of the NAACP and
the Twin Cities’ Service Men’s Council. The following letter
from a young man, who was Acting Corporal of the group,
to his mother discloses the important facts surrounding the
case. It also makes reference to the prejudiced surroundings
in which these Southern army camps are located.
The group of inductees involved
in this situation left St. Paul on
October 22 en route for Jackson,
Mississippi, by way of Chicago and
Memphis, Tennessee. Their army
transportation papers included
Pullman accommodations between
Memphis, Tennessee, and Jackson,
Mississippi, but as Private Howland
states, and as others of this group
have stated in letters to relatives
of the Twin Cities, the Illinois Cen
tral Railroad refused to accommo
date these men in keeping with the
provisions made by the army.
The Twin Cities Service Men’s
Council and the Minneapolis and St.
Paul branches of the NAACP have
formed a joint committee for the
purpose of arousing every red
blooded citizen in Minnesota to
write President Roosevelt, the Sec
retary of War, and all Minnesota
Congressmen protesting this dis
crimination and urging that the
Committee on Military Affairs of
the House and Senate make a spe
cial investigation of the matter.
Circulars containing essential in
formation regarding this situation
were passed out at Twin City
churches Sunday, November 8, as
Made St. Paul All-City
Photo Courtesy Pioneer Press
Johnnie Cotton, Marshall High School, St. Paul, a junior,
made the Pioneer Press and Despatch all city mythical foot
ball team. Johnnie was a star backfield man. Jimmie Lee
tells you about him in his column in this issue.
MI. 8340
also announced that a Federal
Grand Jury, sitting in the Southern
District of Florida, at Tampa, to
day returned an indictment on two
counts charging the United States
Sugar Corporation, its personnel
manager, and three of its camp
superintendents with conspiracy to
hold Negro sugar cane workers in
a condition of peonage, in violation
of the Federal Civil Rights and
Anti- Peonage statutes.
Named as defendants were:
United States Sugar Corporation;
M. E. Von Mach, personnel man
ager, Clewiston, Florida; Evan
Ward McLeod, superintendent, Bare
Beach Plantation; Oliver H. Shep
pard, superintendent, South Shore
Plantation; and a Mr. Neal, super
intendent, Miami Lochs Plantation.
Count One of the indictment
charges that the defendants “in
jured, oppressed, threatened and
intimidated” Negro field workers
in the free exercise of their rights
under the Thirteenth Amendment
of the Constitution by holding then;
in involuntary servitude. Count
Two charges a conspiracy to violate
the Federal Anti-Peonage statute.
Maximum penalty under the first
count (Section 51, Title 18, U. S.
Code) is imprisonment for ten
years and a fine of $5,000. Convic
tion on the second count (Sections
88 and 444, Title 18, U. S. Code)
carries a maximum penalty of two
years and a fine of SIO,OOO.
an aid to those who will file pro
tests. The joint committee also ad
vised that all letter writers incor
porate a demand that our boys en
tering the armed services who are
being sent to southern camps, be
protected against the discrimina
tion and intimidation perpetrated
upon them by prejudiced southern
whites.
A committee of women has been
formed in both Minneapolis and St.
Paul, the members of which will
stimulate the filing of protests by
local citizens by contacting the par
ents of service men and other civic
minded individuals.
Clarence W. Wigington, Chair
man of the Twin Cities Service
Men's Council, forwarded a vigor
ous protest to President Roosevelt,
copies of which were sent to the
Secretary of War and Minnesota
Congressmen. Ex-service men’s or
ganizations in the two cities and
other groups are uniting with the
joint committee in the all out effort
to organize this mass protest move
ment. Reverend Benjamin Moore,
president of the St. Paul branch of
the NAACP is chairman.
W. H. McClellan,
Well Known Mpls.
Man, Dead at 68
William H. McClellan, age 68,
3644 Snelling avenue south, died
on Monday, November 9, after a
fe wmonths illness.
Funeral services were held on
Wednesday, November 11, at 2:30
p. m. at the St. Peter’s A. M. E.
Church with Rev. A. J. Irvine offi
ciating. Anchor Hilyard Masonic
Lodge held their usual ritual for
deceased members.
Mr. McClellan is an old pioneer
of Minneapolis and for the past
twenty years was employed at the
Florshiem Shoe Co.
He is survived by a wife, Laura,
a brother Calvin, and other rela
tives and friends.
Woodard Funeral Home was in
charge of burial arrangements with
interment in Crystal Lake cemetery.
St. Paul NAACP
To Elect New
Officers Nov. 17
The election of officers will be
held at the regular monthly meet
ing of the St. Paul Branch of the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People at the
Hallie Q. Brown Community House,
553 Aurora Avenue, Tuesday, No
vember 17, at 8 p. m. All mem
bers of the branch and non-mem
bers are urged to attend this very
important meeting. Reports of
various committees will precede
the election, which will be by bal
lot.
The nominations, with one excep
tion, were made at the regular
meeting of the Branch last month
from the floor.
The following nominations were
made: President, Rev. Clarence
Nelson (by petition); first vice
president, Richard L. Stokes, Sr.,
and Mrs. Ethel Maxwell Williams;
second vice president, Frank Boyd;
secretary, Mrs. Alverta Coram; as
sistant secretary, Cyrus L. Lewis;
treasurer, W. B. Walker. Nomina
tions for the Executive Board are
as follows: J. E. Johnson, Rev.
C. T. R. Nelson, C. S. Anderson,
Dr. Grace Carlson, Mrs. Henrietta
Capesius, Miss I. Myrtle Carden,
Maceo Littlejohn, J. N. Smith, S. V.
Owens, John Culver, Mrs. Ethel
Maxwell Williams, Henry Cotton,
William Herron, Mrs. Mattie Cyrus,
Rev. S. E. Ware, Mrs. Villa Wilson,
Louis E. Lerman, Rev. Albert E.
Tuck, Judge John Fineout, Mrs.
Ora Reed, Rev. C. B. Wheeler, Levi
Garrett, Mrs. Dora McGuire, Mrs.
Mabel Brown, Mrs. Dorothy
Schultz, Frank L. Alsup, Mrs. Rose
Tillotson, A. V. Hall, and Samuel
Ransom.
A petition fof the nomination of
Rev. Clarence Nelson for president
of the St. Paul branch was pre
sented in the meeting of the Execu
tive Committee at the Hallie Q.
Brown House last Saturday evening.
Those signing the petition were
Richard L. Stokes, Sr., Mrs. Ethel
Maxwell Williams, Frank Boyd,
Frank Alsup, Mrs. Alverta Coram,
William Herron and Rev. Benjamin
N. Moore, the president of the
Branch.
Circulars urging people to write
letters of protest against the mis
treatment and discrimination
against Negro soldiers, particularly
in the South, to President Roose
velt, Senator Henrik Shipstead,
Senator Joseph H. Ball and Repre
sentative Maas, were given out at
the meeting of the Executive Board.
Letters were read from Senator
Ball and Representative Maas to
Mr. J. L. Howland, promising an
investigation of the discrimination
against Private Harold Howland,
the son of Mr. Howland, and other
Negro soldiers who are stationed
in Camp Shelby, Miss. Ministers
in at least two churches in St. Paul
on last Sunday urged the members
of their congregations to write let
ters of protest against the un
democratic treatment of Negro sol
diers to the President and elected
representatives from the State of
Minnesota in Washington.
Gay Ninety Revue, Saturday,
December 12, directed by Gladys
Harris.—Advt.
100 Women
Wanted Now!
A Twin City war plant needs
100 women 40 to 50 years of age
for sweeping, cleaning work,
good wages. Everybody must
have a job during our national
emergency. Make application at
your local Urban League office.
Applicants must be in good
health.
ST. PAUL, MINN., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13,1942
FHAT WONT STOP US
NEGRO SAILOR HERO; TOWS RAFT
FILLED WITH WOUNDED MATES
THRU SHARK INFESTED WATERS
Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11.
—The above cartoon is timely be
cause it emphasizes the part the
Negro sailor is playing in the war
on the seas. Today here in this
city a young naval ensign related
Wednesday night how a powerful
Negro mess attendant swam six
hours through shark-invested wa
ters, towing to safety a raft load
of wounded seamen from the U. S.
Destroyer Gregory, sunk by the
Japanese off the Solomons.
The ensign was Robert N. Adrian,
Ontario, Ore. He was wounded in
the engagement, he said in an NBC
radio broadcast, but despite his in
juries he was able to cling to the
side of the overloaded raft while
Big Oratorical Treat, St.
Peter A.M.E., November 20
An evening of superb entertain
ment of “something different” is
promised by the committee in
charge of this program. Besides the
unique contest between well known
Twin City readers, some of the
best musical talent in the two cities
will appear on the program.
Prizes will be awarded to winners
selected by five outstanding citi
zens of both cities. I. Myrtle Car
den, director of Hallie Q. Brown
House, St. Paul, Henry Thomas,
head resident of Phyllis Wheatley
House, Minneapolis and three
others to be named later, will serve
as judges.
The St. Paul choir invites the
0. E. S. Council
First to Buy
Christmas Ad.
The Past Matrons’ and Patrons’
Council of the Order of Eastern
Star was the first organization to
order and pay for greeting space in
the annual Spokesman and Recor
der newspapers’ Christmas edition
which will be printed this year on
December 22.
The insertion order came even
before the solicitation for this spe
cial issue was begun. Ninety-five
per cent of Twin City clubs, lodges
and organizations extend holiday
greetings to the general public
through the annual Christmas edi
tion.
Opponent Of Poll
Tax Speaks Here
Friday Night
John Russell Butler, national field
secretary of the Workers’ Defense
League and former president of the
Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union,
is in Minneapolis this week speak
ing before various groups in sup
port of the Pepper-Geyer anti-poll
tax bill and legislation to end dis
crimination against Negroes.
Born in Pangborn, Arkansas, of
tenant farmer stock in 1893, Mr.
Butler started picking cotton at the
age of four. He has been farmer,
soldier, teacher, and union organ
izer and was one of the founders
of the Southern Tenant Farmers’
the strong-stroking Negro seaman
inched his way shoreward.
The mess attendant was known
to Adrian only as “French.” Adrian
was immediately hospitalized on
reaching safety, and never was able
to get the hero’s full name.
With Adrian and his companion
clinging to its sides, the raft started
drifting seaward. It was theii that
the messman stripped off his clothes
and tied a line about his waist.
When Adrian warned him against
chancing the shark-infested wa
ters, the Negro responded, “I’m
gonna tow this old crate in.”
Six hours later a barge sighted
the raft near shore, and the seamen
were taken off.
public to spend a very pleasant eve
ning for only 28 cents.
8 p. m., at the church.
Concord Male Group
Concert November 22
The Concord Male Quartette will
be presented in a concert of spir
ituals, gospel songs and hymns at
Bethesda Baptist church on Sun
day, November 22, at 7:30 p. m.
This program closes the Anniver
sary Week of the church.
Members of the quartette are
Thomas Tollerson, Paul Curry,
Oliver Thorton and Edward Hayes.
Union, an organization of Negro
and white sharecroppers in the
South. As national president of
that organization from 1935 to
1942, he was a leader in the strug
gle for the rights of sharecroppers
against planters’ law and in the
fight against job and vote discrim
ination against the Negroes.
Besides supporting the Pepper-
Geyer anti-poll tax bill, Mr. Butler
is in favor of more funds for the
President’s Committee on Fair Em
ployment Practice to fight discrim
ination against all minorities, and
a program of settling manpower
shortages by ending discrimination.
Mr. Butler will address the Com
mittee on Civil Rights at the Uni
versity of Minnesota Friday after
noon. At 8 p. m. Friday night he
will address a home meeting at
4536 France Ave. So., Minneapolis,
sergeants in the service with an
excellent rating as he has. He is
stationed with the 923rd Engineer
Regiment.
PROGRESSING IN THE ARMY
Master Sergeant Roger U. John
son, Elgin Field, Florida, received
his newest promotion on Wednes
day, November 4. Sgt. Johnson
has been in the armed forces since
February 28, 1942. He is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Henry, G. Johnson,
795 Edmund street, and the hus
band of Mrs. Elaine Escue John
son, who resides in Minneapolis
with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. E.
L. Escue, 3824 Fourth avenue south.
Sgt. Johnson has the distinction of
being one of the youngest master
sergeant.
■ ,
L BE BACK II
Crispus Attucks
Ass’n Election of
Officers Nov. 17
The annual meeting and election
of officers of the Crispus Attucks
Home Association will be held at
the Hallie Q. Brown Community
House on Tuesday, November 17,
at Bp. m. All members who are in
terested in the welfare of Crispus
Attucks Home are urged to be pres
ent to help elect and be elected to
the various offices.
The following organizations hav
ing active membership, paid for
this year, are urged to see that
their representatives attend this
meeting: Credjafawn Social Club,
Criterion Art Club, Postal Alliance,
Women’s Auxiliary to the Postal
Alliance, Saint Paul Chapter No.
1, 0. E. S., Self Culture Club, Wed
nesday Study Club.
Memberships reported in the last
association meeting were for Mmes
Naomi Thomas, Aldonia Anderson,
Mabie Brown, Grace Ferguson, Ad
die Jackson, James G. Kirk, Mary
Burton, Myrtle Harris, Carrie Rob
inson, Stella Harper, Mabie Milam;
Messrs. James McKinney, Nath
aniel Evans, Julius McNeal, Nath
aniel Smith, Simmon Harris, Zeke
Harper, Ellis Manning; Miss Edith
Gillard and the Postal Alliance
Women’s Auxiliary.
Urban League
Aux. Sells $l,lOO
Worth of Bonds
The Women’s Auxiliary of the
Minneapolis League added another
to its growing number of success
ful cultural and civic undertakings
Tuesday, November 10, when the
organization sold upwards of |l,-
100.00 worth of war bonds, over a
radio broadcast carried by Station
WCCO. Mrs. E. L. Sims, former
president of the organization, gave
the history of the organization and
commented upon the war activities
in which the Auxiliary has engaged.
Some of the persons purchasing
bonds during this sale were Dr.
W. D. Brown, J. P. Hansen, Mrs.
James Paige, Mr. and Mrs. Clar
ence R. Chaney, Miss Essie R. Ma
son, Mrs. DeVelma Newman, Miss
Katherine M. Kohler, Louis B. Bort
nick, Mrs. E. L. Sims, Mrs. Eliza
beth Ewing, Mrs. Chas. W. Wash
ington, Mrs. Ethel Lynch, the Min
nehaha Temple, Daughter Elks, and
the Urban League Auxiliary.
The Auxiliary is sponsoring a
Bond Rally Day on November 22
at Phyllis Wheatley House at 4
p. m. The film “Coca Cola” will
be shown at this time. Persons who
were unable to arrange for pur
chases of bonds Tuesday will have
an opportunity to buy them for the
Sunday rally. War Savings Stamps
will also be on sale at this Rally.
The Auxiliary is especially anxious
that a large group of people be
present to view the film, “Coca
Cola,” which is a stirring war
drama, guaranteed to bring tears
to the eyes of the most hardened.
The Bond Rally Day as well as
the Radio Bond Sale is being han
dled by the Bond Committee of
which Mrs. E. L. Sims and Mrs.
N. J. Hunter are co-chairmen. Mrs.
Wendell Jones of the War Savings
Committee is assisting.
STCRI
:CE $2.50 A YEAR—7 CENTS A COPY
'Jorthern Negroes Protest
Vote Against South’s Hold
on Democratic Party Felt
NEGRO VOTES ROLE IN ELECTION UNDERRATED BY WHITE
PRESS, WALTER WHITE SAYS
New York, N. Y.—Declaring that the Negro vote played a larger
part in the 1942 elections than is recognized by the white dailies, Wal
ter White, Executive Secretary of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, this week in a statement to the press
said that the shift in a number of Congressional districts of Negro
voters from the Democratic to the Republican side is in large measure
due to resentment against the domination of national policy on the
Negro by the reactionary South. The mistreatment of Negro soldiers
and civilians in the South particu
larly, continuation of Jim Crowism
in the armed forces and war efforts
generally, transfer of the Fair Em
ployment Practice Committee from
its independent status under the
President to the War Manpower
Commission and other evils made
Negroes sore enough to shift their
political affiliations. Mr. White
stated:
“It is true that much of this is
due to the attitude of voters gen
erally to ‘throw the rascals out’
when things do not go well. But it
would be a serious mistake for the
Republicans to believe that they
now have re-captured the Negroes’
vote and will continue to hold it no
matter what they do. On too many
fundamental issues, economic, mili
tary, and social, there has been an
unholy alliance in Congress be
tween Negro-hating Southern
Democats and reactionary Republi
cans who think of the Negro only
when they are forced to around
election time.
“As the Norfolk Journal and
Guide stated editorially on Novem
ber 7 regarding the Republican
Party’s oversight in adopting a ten
point declaration of policies and
principles, Republican House lead
ership ‘missed the bus’ when it in
sisted that capable and trained
leaders be used in the war effort
‘regardless of party, group, class,
or section,’ but did not include ‘re
gardless of race, creed, or color.’
“Negroes are learning the lesson
of the shifting national and inter
national forces and utilize their
strategically located political
strength wisely, unselfishly, and
with complete independence. Only
by so doing can he cause the po
litical leadership of all parties to
know that the Negro voter is alert,
intelligent, and is watching critical
ly every word and deed of the vari
ous political parties.
“Test of the administration will
be particularly severe in that con
gressmen from the poll tax states
were able to return to the House
and inasmuch as the Democrats
are still the majority party their
power has increased.”
Rally Day Service at
Fourth St. Church
All Twin City Churches of God
in Christ will hold a special Rally
Day Service at the Fourth Street
Church of God in Christ, Minne
apolis, on Sunday, November 15, at
3 p. m.
Rev. A. J. Irvine and the St.
Peters Church Choir are guests for
Toughest End Is All-City
John “Jake” Lynch, a stalwart member of the Mechanics
Arts prep eleven this year, was selected for the St. Paul all
city team. His coach called him the “toughest end” he had
coached in many years.
the special service.
Laura Mae Smith, Pilgrim Bap
tist Church, St. Paul; Dessa Gresh
am and Thelma Massengill, Be
thesda Baptist Church, Minneapolis,
and Avis Ware, St. Peter A.M.E.
Church, Minneapolis, will all be
presented in a Twin City dramatic
contest sponsored by the St. Peter
A.M.E. choir on November 20 at
Marian Anderson
Concert Here on
24th of November
Marian Anderson, acclaimed as
the greatest living singer, now on
her seventh annual tour of the
United States, will include Minne
apolis in her schedule, on Tuesday,
November 24, when she will be
presented in a recital at the Minne
apolis auditorium concert bowl.
The phenomenal contralto took
her first vacation in six years,
spending July and August on her
110-acre Connecticut farm, raising
prize vegetables and flowers which
she entered in the famous Danbury
Fair in October.
The remainder of her time was
spent in her studio preparing new
songs for her current repertory
with her accompanist, Franz Rupp.
This work room, incidentally, is
furnished with grass mats and bam
boo furniture which Miss Anderson
shipped from Honolulu last sum
mer, prior to outbreak of the Pacific
war when she paid her first visit
to Hawaii to sing six concerts in
nine days.
Except for a brief visit to her
recording studios to make a new
album of discs for release this fall,
Miss Anderson continued to rest
until mid-October when she started
her present tour, during which she
will give 80 concerts.
Miss Anderson’s recital here will
mark her sixth consecutive appear
ance. The famous singer’s program
will include English folk tunes,
German lieder and other Bongs, as
well as Negro spirituals. Among
her selections will be several new
compositions.
The Minneapolis auditorium con
cert bowl in which Miss Anderson
will be presented is the horseshoe
end of the huge hall, and will rep
resent half the capacity of the audi
torium, thus bringing the audience
closer to the artist.
Tickets went on sale this week at
the Downtown Ticket Office, North
western National Bank building,
Minneapolis.
Selection