The Dallas express. [volume], December 23, 1922, Image 1

About The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970

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funded by W. B. Klni. "The Republican Party h The Ship, All Else It The Sea." Fred DousUs.
VOL. XXX, NO. 9. - ' THK DALLAS EXPRESS, DALLAS, TKXAll, 8ATVRDAY. DKCHCMBKK 23, 1023 . . ' :. ; , . PRIC FIVB CENT!
M
VIGOROUSLY CHALLENGES SENATOR
PAT HARRISON'S CHARGES IN LIBER-
IANMAN MATTER. RI AFilFQ NFf.Rfi
iruiuvnn mniiui, viixuuuu iiuuiw
POLITICAL LEADER.
Washington. D. C, Dec. 21. Dr.
Emmett J. Scott, in order to hare
his denial ot the unfounded charges
made on the floor of the United
State Senate by Senator Pat Har.
rlson, has sent the following letter
to Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas,
in charge of the Liberian Loan bill,
for insertion In the Congressional
.Record:
Washington, D. C. Nov. 27, 1922.
Hon. Charles Curtis,
United States Senate.
Washington, D. C;
Dear Senator Curtis:
On the floor ot the United States
Senate, Friday. November 24, the
junior Senator from Mississippi, Mr.
Pat Harrison, in the course of his
remarks opposing the passage of the
Liberian Loan Bill, said: ,
"It is pretty generally understood,
I think, that certain persons hare
a contract with the government of
Liberia that in the event this load
is made they are to receive a fee,
or commission, of 660,000. It Is not
a secret that the five persons' who
have this contract with the govern
ment of of Liberia are members of
the. Colored race. They have been
very conspicuous around the cor
ridors of the Capitol buttonholing
Senators and using every Influen
ce in order to obtain the passage
or the legislation."
' In the further course of the Sena
tor's statement naming the five per
sons, he mentioned the five per-'
sonB," who are to receive a fee, or
commission, from the Liberian gov
ernment in case the Liberian Loan
Bill Is passed.
No matter by whom inspired, no
matter through whom the informa
tion reached the Senator, I wish
most emphatically to deny the
truthfulness of these charges.
I have no claln against the Ll-i
bat-Ian government. - -
I have no contract of any kind
or character whatsoever with the
Liberian government, or with any
agent or official of the Liberian
government.
I am to receive no fee -of ahy
character from the Liberian govern
ment. I have "buttonholed" no Senator
nor have I sought to influence any
Senator to secure the passage ot
this legislation.
- I do, of course, favor the- pas
sage of the Liberian Loan bill. I
think most thoughtful Colored Am
ericans favor it I hope a majority
of the Senate members will. Only
a small coterie of Colored politicians
upon whom the Senator doubtless
depended for Information in this
matter, do not favor it. I shall not
FORTJlR DALLAS BOY
STUDIES BANX17IG.
Los Angelo, Cal., Dec. 21. The
Hollywood Branch of the Security
Trust & Savings Bank is proud
that among its employees who are
enrolled in the class in elementary
banking offered by the American
Institute of Banking is Emory V.
Crain of 1315 West Thirty-fifth
street.
Mr. Crain, who Is a member of the
American Institute Of Banking, is
the only one of his Race who is
taking the course. There are over
70 enrolled In it and the class meets
every Monday evening at the head
quarters of the institute, 721 South
Hill sireet.
The American Institute of Bank
ing offers a complete course in
banking which is open to all em
ployees of banks and Mr. Crain says
that It is his Intention to take the
entire courre by way of advancing
himself in the banking profession.
Mr. Crain, as a graduate of the
Dallas, Texas High School, has the
educational foundation for the inten
sive study which such a course as
the Institute requires. He was the
clerk of his company when he served
in the World War. Following the
war he was employed In Philadel
phia as an operative of the Plnker
io;i Detective Agency and left that
potion to .come to Los Angeles so
that he might live with his moth
er. He has only been in Los An
geles a short while but says he
likes it fine. He enjoys bis work
with the Security Bank In Hollywood
very much. .
BALTIMORE MS FIRST
-' SUICSDE.
(By A. N. P.)
Baltimore, Md.. Dej. 21. What
proved to be the first Negro suicide
in the history of this city was dis
covered when Bertha A. Peck, 30
fife
undertake to characterize their mo
tives. My interest in Liberia dates back
to 1909, when I went to Liberia by
appointment of President H. Taft
as a member of the American com.
'mission to Liberia. It was through
the efforts of this commission that
Liberia's difficulties at that time
were adjusted and its debts refund
ed. My interest was also shown In
1918. when I was one of a group
of persons who met President Wil
son at the White House for a dis
cussion of this Liberian credit, the
meeting having been arranged by
Major Robert it. Moton, the prin
cipal of Tuskegee Institute, who en
Joyed the confidence and good will
of the former president. In this
group at the time also were Dr.
Thomas Jesse Jones, secretary of the
Phelps-Stokes fund, and Dr. James
H. Dillard, president of the John
P. Slater and Anna T. Jeanes funds,
both white men of high character
and devoted to the best interests of
white and Colored people alike,
Also, in 1919, when President.
elect King of Liberia came to Am
erica, and again in 1921, when he
came as President of the Republic
of Liberia, I was personally reques
ted by officials of the State Depart"
ment to co-operate with them In
working out plans for the enter
tainment of' these guests of the
United States. I did so.
For years I have been deeply In
terested in the welfore of Liberia.
I have been actuated, however, sole-j
SJFiW
cubbi vi Airicn. i uyj never
at any time-sustained to the Liberian
Government or Liberian officials any
relationship based upon contracts or;
understandings to the effect that I
am to receive money from the Li-,
beriun Government.
1 It is, ' therefore, exceedingly un
fair for the Junior Senator from
Mississippi to publicly make a state
ment manifestly intended to unfav
orably reflect upon me when he
could most easily have been directly
ond correctly informed ns to the
tacts in the matter.
It Is also most unfair to the ju
nior Senator from Mississippi for
him to have been made the dupe of
certain Negro politicians from his
own State who are seeking to feed
personal grtides rather than to
furnish the truth, and whose false
representations have caused the Sen
ator to make statements on the
floor of the Senate which he him
self confesses he is unable to prove.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) EMMETT J. SCOTT.
years old, Colored, employed as a
servant at the Levering House, Front
and Fayette streets, ended her life
by firing a bullet Into her temple,
according to the police. George
Montgomery, superintendent of the
building, was on the first floor when
he heard a shot on the floor above.
Montgomery and an assistant made
an investigation and found the wom
an in her room with the pistol . in
her right hand.
it ORONTO'S FINEST
ORCHESTRA IS NEGRO.
j (By A. N. P.) -
I Toronto, Canada, Dec. 21. To
ronto, Canada is widely known as a
Music City; it possesses several fine
choirs, a Royal Brass Band, and
Scottish Pipe' Band, but It remained
for our group to furnish Its best
concert orchestra, and to the Games
no belong that distinction.
Less than, two years ago seven
young Colored musicians, seeing the
need of a first-class concert orches
tra in this city, decided to corner
that honor for the Race. To C. Andle
Johnson,' graduate of The Toronto
Conservatory, fell the task of form
ing the organization and conducting
Its rehearsals. Mr. Johnson was
ably assisted by Leroy . Williams,
graduate .of Clncinnatti Conserva
tory, and after earned the title of
Toronto's finest.
The musicians, each one a master
of his art, are: C. And ie Johnson,
Cello; Leroy Williams. Pianist: Geo.
Bennett, Violin; Andrew Hackley,
Clarinet; Grant Hackly, Xlypbone
and traps: Lewis Washington, Trom
bone; and Joseph Johnson, Cornet.
lOLICR PROTFX7riOX NECKS
HAItY FOR 8T. IX)VIS CONVEN
TION. St. Louis, Dec. 21. (Crusader
Service) The National Negro Bap
tist Convention was in session heie
today under police protection owlns
to numerous protests from residents
of the west v;nd section against the
body meeting in a theatre in the
white neighborhood.
11 T W"lt).
mm
PRETTY LASS IS LURED
MAJOR R. R. WRIGHT DE -
niri Ac MmK MP-
gro bank.
For nearly the entire week the
city of Dallas has been pleased te
extend its hospitality to Major R.
R. R. Wright, President and founder
of The Citizens and Southen Bank
and Trust Company of Philadelphia.
Major Wright was principal
speaker on three occasions while in
the city but his special message
"a New Program for a New Day"
was delivered Friday night before
a highly receptive audience at St.
James A. M. E. Temple.
Major Wright on this occasion
very fittingly introduced by Prof. C.
F. Carr, principal of the Booker
Washington High School. Prof. Carr
told of the fame of Major Wright
due to his "tell them we're rising"
episode and of his high success dur
ing succeeding years as a financier
and executive.
Major Wright in beginning
his remarks complimented the
church, and spoke of its erection as
being Indicative of enlarged vision
on the part of the pastor and mem
bers. He compared present day
worship to that of the days when
as he said "we cut down trees and
- made arbors which were our earliest
tabernacles." "Yes, times have
changed,'' he declared. "It seems
but as yesterday when my master
called my mother into the dining
room of the 'big house.' which by
the way I now own, and addressed
her thus: ' "Harriet, Abraham Lln-
( Continued on page 2)
'BOOTLEGGERS TRUCK
FARM HANDS x
fipf rinn SMifi
XhlXpKA 1 E.
j
(By A. N. P.)
Huntsvitle, Ala., Dec. 21. A Ne-
jgio drunk mystery was solved here
' recently. Puzzled over the drunken
ness among Negro farm hands In
Marshall county, sheriff's deputies
discovered that an automobile of
rum had been wrecked on the Alabama-Jackson
Highway when it
smashed into a bridge near Cotton
vllle, and its cargo of 300 quarts of
fine Irish whiskey abandoned. The
Negroes had a rum time while the
"licker" tasted.
SPIRITED FIGHT MARKS ELECTION OF
DR. L K. WILLIAMS, FORMER TEXAN.
St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 21. Dr. L. K.
Wtlliiuns is the new president . of
the Baptist after a long to be rem
embered battle among the Baptist
hosts. This old town has been alive
all week with the sessions of the
National Baptist Convention and its
auxiliaries; ot all the large cities
of the country, there Is perhaps
none more hospitable or more suited
to large Negro gatherings. Here one
meets the warm hospitality of tbe
of tbe South, the generous treatment
of the Worth and the combined vir
tues of every cosmopolitan city. This
is true, regardless of the apparant
hostility of a few color-phobia pois
oned minded whites, who through
telephone calls, anonymous letters,
and the like tried to create a con
dition that would ' revent the meet
ings held in the Kings Ther .re, on
the fashionable Kins Hlchw, and
Just east of a fairly fashionable sec
tion ; the attempt, however, was r.ot
condoned by the excellent white bloifl
of the city which predominates, and
to whose fairness Is due much of
the spirit or good will whlih per
vades every community activity. St.
Louis, was in fact not In sympathy
with this minority or partial cultu
ral St. Louis. The only disgraceful
occt; ranee in connection with the con
vention attributable to St. Louis was
unprcventible, when some light fin
gered gentry relieved some of the
visiting brothers of their valuables
in the shape of cbnnsc and railroad
tickets.
MANY NOTABLES PRESENT.
Like every other convention, the
city was full of notnbl.-s. Of tho
"Fourth Estate' J. Finley Wilson of
Washington, Pnsident of the Nati
onal Negro Press Association, Char
les Stewart of Chicago, familiar to
anti-world war and some other days
as "J. O. MidnlKht," hobnobbed And
met all old friends, to all of whom
he Is a familiar figure; then there was
that old war horse. W H. Steward
of Louisville, then whom there is no
better paragrapher in the country;
his contributions being familiar to
readers of Associated Press items
though they seldom bear his larac,
and the local coterie of whom there
are Quite a few of mere than pas-
RESIDENTS PROTEST BAP-
TIST MEETING IN THEATRE.
St. Louis. Io., Dec. 31. A threat
ened boycott of all St. Louis thea
ters showing ' Famous Players-Lasky
motion pictures were embodied in a
hurried effort by residents in the
district of the Kings Theater, 822
North Kingshlghway, to prevent the
convention of the National Baptist
Association, composed of Negroes
from being held at the theater.
The Kingshlghway Protective As
sociation, the Cabanne District Im
provement, Association and the
Fountain ' Part District "' ' Improve
ment Association at a meeting at
832 North Kingshlghway, a resolu
tion was passed protesting against
the use of ths theater by Negroes
and authorizing this telegram:
"We, - the Kingshlghway Protec
tive Association, representing more
than 1000 famines in the Kings
Theater District, protest against the
use of that .heater by a Negro
convention to be held beginning De
cember G, knowing it will be in
juries to this .community.
"If this coijvention is held : as
proposed, we pledge ourselves to
ask the citizen of St Louis to re
fuse to patronize the Kings Thea
ter, Missouri Theater, or any place
of amusement
showing films pro-
duced by your corporation. The Ca
banne District Improvement Asso
ciation and th ) Fountain District
Improvement A ssoclation join with
us Jn making uj'ls. protest.1'
a' reporter in an " effort d m
certaln who is In charge of the
theater, - and who was responsible
for the contract renting the thea
ter, and who was responsible for
the contract renting the theater to
the convention, was told that Na
than Frank, president of the Fam
ous Players-Lasky Missouri Corpora
tion, approved and signed the con
tract. He was out ot town and could
not be reached-
According to officials of the
Kingshlghway Protective Association
those In charge of the convention at
tempted to secure the Odeon and
the Coliseum, and rented the Kings
Theater after the other efforts had
failed. About 3,000 delegates at
tended the convention.
Ing prestige. It w&u noticuble thut
hundreds of ministers returned to
join this convention..
. BAPTISTS HAVE BIG MENi
The Baptists have no need of being
ashamed of comparing their talent
with any other organization. This
body is full of big men, men ot
strong minds and fulr ot achlve
ments. a few of whom' might
be pointed out in the persons ot
Revs. L. K. Williams of Chicago, W.
H. Moses, W. D. Parks. P. James
Bryant, J. W. Bailey, D. D.. Sup
erintendent of the Evangelistic"! De
partment which last year added 26,
000 converts to the church. Prof. R.
B. Hudson, A. M., Pic'y and one
of the busiest uiea of tbe group be
cause of his indefatigab'tt energies
and the hundreds of duties demanding
his' attention and requiring immed
iate solution of their various com
plex problems on the spur of the
moment. He Is the rlsht hand man
of the ' president,- now i-r. U K
Williams, while in private life he
pilots ihe destiny of tl;e Salem High
School at Salem, A?., to which Insti
tution he has given publicity as
taking high rank anions; the secon
dary educational institutions of thp
country. - -
ELECTION SPIRITED. .
The election took place Thursday
and ran well Into tho night because
of spirited content. During this cam
paign The "St. Louis Argus," a hust
ling up-the-miniite paper, got out an
extra in which the chances . of Dr.
Norman were extended, the article
being written by J. Finley Wilson
nnd signed by S. G. Lsmpklns: Dr.
Norman was preceded to tbe city by
several hours by the Capitol . City :
delegation headed by Dr. W. D. Jar
vis, and much of their campaign
work was conducted from a room In
the Grand Central Hotel; the Chica
go delegation was actlvu in behalf
of Dr. L. K. William, and perhaps
as effective a campaign as could be
conducted was by means ot the beau
tiful smiviner entitled "Greetings of
Olivet Baptist church. Chicago, 111.'
In which all the various church act
ivities, and drawing attention to the
desirableness of such ability in the
executive chair of the convention.
r-i.
FROFilii
BOY RUN OYER, MOTHER
SUES FOR $10,000; SET
TLES FOR $10.00.
(Preston News Service)
Jacksonville, Fla.. Dec. 21. The
mother of little Arthur Mack, aged
8 years, who was run over by L. H.
Hodge's automobile last November,
must have needed Christmas money
very badly when she is alleged to
have settled a $10,000 damage suit
out of court for the paltry sum of
110.
Hodge, ot Scrlrens, Ga., was oa
his way to Daytona, Ga., on busi
ness it is alleged when he ran over
the small lad at a curve ' on the
state highway near here. He went to
the magistrate's office and put up
$100 forfeit for his appearance at
the hearing and was released to
continue his journey. The accident
occurred on November 14.
At the hearing last Tuesday after
noon before Justice of The Peace
Greenberg. Mr. Hodge was exoner
ated on the charge of careless driv
ing. It was stated that the mother
of the boy had entered civil suit for
$10,000 damages against Hodge. The
matter was said to have been settled
out of the court when Hodge and
his attorneys told the woman how
much trouble it would be to con
duct a case of this kind and the
enormous cost involved and .that she
the money for competent lawyers,
would have to spend a lot of money
for competent lawyers, who would
finally get most or practically all of
the best thing for her to do would
be to settle the case out of court
and get It without trouble and no
toriety. So the woman . said that
$1 0 "would suit her since it would
put an end to all the bother and
trouble. - - , .
KOTHER OF KOIIKD BAYOU
FOUNDER DIES.
(By A. N. P.
Clarksdale, MiHS. Dec. 21 Mrs. Sul
lie Banks, the mother of Charles
Banks of Mound Bayou, and Dr.
Joseph 1 links, whb burled here re
cently. Mrs. Bunks went to Clarkes
(kile in 1867- and was the oldest resi
dent of that city her son, Charles,
having been born there.
At her funeral were present most
of the influential white people of
the city Including the Clarks from
whom the town takes Its name.
As tho fight progressed, the real
strength of Dr. Williams was shown
when all candidates did their utmost
to cut down the chances of tbe
winner. The fight opened with five
candidates in the field, Dr. Bryant
Ga.. Dr. Norman, Washington; W.
H. Moscly. N. Y..; Dr. Parks, Pa.,
nnd Dr. L. K. Williams ot Chicago.
The entire field combined against
Rev. Will lu nis with tbe exception cf
Dr. Norman, who climbed into the
band wagon. Tbe contest soon drop
ped to two candidates, with the final
count giving Dr. UK. Williams of
Chicago, 810 votes to 749 for Dr.
Parks. Tim election was then made
unanimous. During the balloting the
convention was not open to the gen
eral public. Other of. leers elected
were: Dr. Taylor, Lb.. Vlce-Pres.
at large; Prof. R. B. HVison, A. M.
So retary, succeeding himself to
sere his fifteenth term; Dr. Stokes.
Treas. to succeed himself ani' Dr.
Graham ot Pa., Chairman of the
Porei !i 'MIhbIou Beirrd.
LADIES AUXILLIARY ACTIVE
Hie twenty-secoiid annual session
of tbe Women's Convention, auxil
liar. to the National Baptist Conven
tion, was held at the same time at
the First Baptist Church, of wh -b
the Rev. O. C. Maxwell is past ir.
This department brought to the ci'y
i liny noted women of the race. Miss
Nunnie Burroughs ot Washington,
Mrs. S. Willie Layton of Pa.,; .Mrs.
E. E. Whitfield of Texas. Mis. Wattle
D "Anderson of Ohio; Mrs. Leslie
Pi) vis of Ind.; Mrs. I -cot a Gaeton of
Mo., and a host of others who gave
the air about their sessions one of
distant intellectuality. Then n-omen
are to the connection, what they
are to tbe household- the very life
and foundation of the organization.
They are so viUl to it that it is
doubtful that, any real progressive
work would be accomplished with
out them.
SUNDAY SERVICE IMPRESSIVE
There were a number of impress
ive services, but verhaps that one
outstanding service from the olnt of
spiritual uplift was Sunday morning.
(Continued on page 2)
Mappy Mew
A
TO CHICAGO VICE REST.
NOTE WRITTEN TO
ARREST OF HEAD
HARROWING TALES
VICEARETOLD.
Chicago, 111., Dec. 21.r-(East Ten
nessee News Service) With the
arrest of Jake Pruitt, agent for
scores of vice resorts in Chicago
and other northern cities, the police
and welfare organizations believe
that they have in custody the chief
ot the gang who make regular trips
to Southern towns and cities for
the purpose of luring pretty Negro
girls to houses of ill fame in the
big cities of the North. Tbe arrest
of Pruitt was effected following a
clear case made against him on the
charge of bringing Thelma Jones,
pretty fourteen-year-old Colored
girl, from Samantha, Ala., to one
of the most noted vice resorts In
Chicago, frequented for the most
part by white men and foreigners.
Mode Attractive Offers to Girl. '
The little. Jones girl was rescued
from the den of vice after she had
thrown a note from the window
telling of her being held a captive
by the inmates of the resort The
note was picked up by a woman
who passed the place and It was
turned over to the police depart
ment Headed by Captain Hargraves,
several officers of the vice squad
raided the house and after a dili
gent search failed to find the girl.
Not willing to give up thev search
readily, they continued to go through
every room ot the house and when
they came ' near a concealed door
they heard tl e crying of someone
and upon touching a place In the
wall, the opening was. readily re
vealed and there they- found the
little Jones girl with hands tied and
a well made muffler over her mouth.
Tuken From Alabama HchouL
The officers took the little girl
down to the detention home and
seated In the midst ot a half dozen
or more, she told a very pathetic
story in an Intelligent straight for
ward manner.
"1 was attending school In my
Alabama town," said little Thelma,
"when that man over there." point
ing to Jake Pruitt, "came around
and told my mother and father
that he could give me employment
In a silk mill up here that would
GEORGIA WOMEN WOULD
URGE PUBLIC TO STOP
LYNCHING.
Atlanta.Ga., Dec. 21. Pointing out
that the Dyer Anti- Lynching Bill
had been defeated, a group of pro
minent white women connected with
the Southern Methodist Church, have
tissued a vigort is address to the
public calling upon the authorities
in tbe South, tbe citizenship, the pul
pit and the press for their united
support for the complete suppression
of lytchlng.
Women were present representing
thirteen Htates. Each pittdge to snrve
in an official capacity and take an
active part in a persistent campaign
for law enforcement ad for the
passage of anti-lynr.hing 1hw in
the Southern States.
Mrs. Rob rt R. (Moton of Tuskegee
Institute, Mrs. John Hope of Atlanta,
and Mrs Jenn.c Porier Barrett of
Peake, Va were presert.
The statement issued by Southern
Methodist- women after a three days
conference in Chrlstrln 'principles
In race relations follows: j
"Whereas, the defeat of the Dyer
Antl-Lynching Bill, which proved for
the Federal control of lynching, has
thrown the whole responsibility back
upon each state for removing this
hideous crime; therefore.
"Be it resolved, that we- the Com
mission on Race Relations of the
Women's Missionary .Council. Meth
odist Episcopal Church. 8outh, the
conference social service superinten
dents and other officers on con
ference In Atlanta, Ga., December
4-6, 1922, t'o now demand of the
authorities ot the several states that
they make good their claim proving j
their competency to abolish mob
violence and lynching. .
'That wo assume our responsibil
ity as citizens for the protection of
human life and hereby call upon all
the people of ali the states, upon tbe
pulpit and upon the press to Join in
an Insistent and persistent Agitation
against this borb-ris practice.
"That we foimulnte pirns for an
Organized movement In behalf ot ad
equate state la1? and -law enforcement."
f
I A GHAimON 0Fj5siiSFi 1
iVESSENGER OF HOPE
POLICE LEADS TO
OF "SLAVE RING.'
OF ABUSE AND
.
pay me good wages. He said that
I would only have io work six hours
a day and would be given a com
fortable home with a nice family.
When my parents decided . to let
me come to Chicago, I notified Mr,
Pruitt according to his instructions,
ind when I reached, Chicago, he
met me at the station.
We got into an automobile and
rode to many places in the city
until it began to grow dark and
then we came to the house where
tbe officers found me. I was greeted
by two women who told me that I
would not have to work, but would
have plenty of money if I would
only -follow their instructions. That
same night I fought off the ad
vances of more than a dozen white
men and three Chinamen and at
one time during the night had to
fight off one of the women who
stayed at the house who attempted
to hold me for one of the Chinamen.
They called me a tool, a little
country girl, and threw pillows and
slippers at me and finally locked
me up and wouldn't give me any
thing to eat. The paper and pencil
used in writing the note which re
sulted in my rescue was slipped
from the pocket of one of the white
men as he. lay across my. bed .in a
drunken stupor. The women at the
house took all of the pencils, pens
and paper from me." -
Pruitt Through Third Degree,
Captain Hargraves expressed de
termination to break up such ac
tivities as has been practiced by
Jake Pruitt and with an idea ot
getting the real facts as to his ac
tivities, put him through the third
degree and the information which
he gave revealed startling facts as
to the efforts of a gang of men
who operate throughout the South
and lure scores of pretty, buxom
Colored girls from their homes to
dens of vice in Northern and Past
ern cities. Pruitt confessed to be
ing the leader of the gang working
out ot Chicago and Indianapolis and
gave the names of others who were
supplying houses in both cities with -the
young Colored girls.
NEGRO SECTION OF TOWN
DESTROYED BY FIRE.
. (Preston News Service)
Newborn, N. C, Dec. 21. Sweep
ing before It more than 300 resi
dences ud many factories and ware
houses, stores, churches and other
structures, the fire which last Fri
day destroyed more than a million
dollars' worth of property here was
finally gotten under control late Sat
urday afternoon. Fire companies
from nearby towns had to be called
In to help subdue the devastationg
flames.
The area razed by the fire str-ch-ed
-"r half a mile from the w stern
boundry of the city to the .Neusa
River. The churches destroyed and
most of the homes were (hose of
Negroes. T!- fire, sta ted at the
Roper lumber company, and the
loss Is variously estimated at 1250,
000. More than 300 Nogroes were
thi wn ut of employment at this
plant alone.
While the flame wert raging In
t'ue lumber plant a disastrous fire
started in the Negro residential sec
tion. Firemen being occupied at the
lumber company were unable to re
spond to the co "i Immediately and
1. was not until ialf an hour after
he alarm had been turned in that
the first ho. was stretched in the
Negro section.
By that Unit, five houses had
been completely destroyed, and the
flames fanned by a high wind, had
gained great headway and scores of '
other houses were In flames. Negro
iamllles were hastily removing what
ever belongings they could from
their homes, but the onward sweep
of the flames forced most of them
to abandon their etforts to save any
of their household goods.
On account of the high wind
sparks were cwried several blocks
and fires were breaking out in, va
lous parts of the city. Sever! per
sons were treated at various bos- .
pltaJs for minor injuries.
It is said that the disaster o.v-;l-nated
in the home of W. D. Byan,
stan.ng in his kitchen. Dynamite
w : used repeatedly in an e'iort to
huld back the onward rush of the
(Continued on papc 2)
11