The Michigan chronicle. [volume], February 03, 1940, CITY EDITION, Image 1

About The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
Jeffries ‘Slaps* Negroes In Appointment Os Italian
M PAGES
A Better
Newspaper
Main Office: 268 Eliot Street
VOLUME 4
CHAIRMAN OF BALL
* -K
IL 5L
m ; Hjjm^
JOE LOUIS
mark the thirty-first anniversary
of the founding of the association.
Entertainers from prominent night
clubs will add to the fun.
Heavyweight champion of the
world ia honorary chairman of the
N.A.A.C.P. Liberty Ball which
will be held at the Graystone ball
room in February. The dance will
New Jersey Negroes
Seek To Build City
j land” is near a large city and also
near a popular summer resort.
Dr. llarlcn is advocating as col
ored Americans, we “Build a City”
for ourselves. It will not be segre
gation, because no one \>ill be
| barred. Mizpah. N. J. is forty miles
from Pniladelphia and a little more
than twenty miles from Atlantic
City.
The land is dry and level. The
soil is fertile and will produce any
thing New Jersey soil will grow. It
is one of the finest places in New
-Jprsrrv fnr poultry raising.
I The National Baptist convention.
Inc., Dr. L. K. Williams, president
has already purchased fifteen acres
of farm land and several building
j lots to erect a National Baptist rest
I Hon. J Finley Wilson, grand cx-
I alted ruler of the Elks has bought
I land for a national Elks’ home.
| Other national, religious and fra
ternal orders will follow suit.
"The Negro church, press, bus
iness enterprises and the ballot can
change the. Aionomic status of the
j Race." says Dr. Harten and “except
|-we give n».ne wholehearted sup
port to our own business enterprises
and become producers as well as
consumers, it will be difficult to
A wealthy man has already prom
ised to build a factory which will
give employment to our group. N
Rathblolh and sons have agreed to
give sufficient money to erect a
j building for college education and
to make annual contributions which
! will reach from $75,000 to SIOO,OOO
i a year for the education of colored
In view of the heated debate over i
the advisability of creating a city
on Eight Mile Road here, we print |
the following release issued last i
week by William H. Ferris, author J
of the “African Abroad,” of New j
York City.—Ed Note.
By W. H. FERRIS, M. A.
Mound City, Mississippi and Bo
ley, Oklahoma are two noted Negro
communities. But now, the Rever
end Thomas S. Harten, the progres
sive militant pastor of Holy Trinity
Baptist church, Brooklyn* N ft hajll
launched a building program which '
will transcend the towns mentioned
Mizpah. New Jersey, his “promised
YOUTH GROUPS,
N.A.A.C.P. PLAN
1940 ACTIVITIES
The North Detroit Youth Council
of which Nesbitt r». Patton is presi
dent is busy layir..* the foundation
for a banquet it is giving in honor
of Marian Anderson on the evening
of March 30. at the Lucy Thurman
Y W.C.A. Leonard H. Troutman and
Artha Lee Bellamy are co-chairmen j
of the planning committee which is |
composed of the following persons: j
Mable Ferguson. Marlene Moore, j
Samuel Love, Lawrence Risker. ,
Thelma Johnson. Marlowe Craw- j
ford. Ardine Loving. Mary Teasley.
Woodrow Hunt, Martha Johnson. 1
and Nesbitt B. Patton.
Social Committee
Last Saturday, the social commit
tee gave ,a party at the home of
Woodrow Hunt. It was a great suc
cess and well attended. The follow
ing. plus many others were there:
Thelma Johnson. Theodore Smith.
Otha Mae Kirk. Marion Saunders.
Lawrence Risker, Marlowe Craw
ford. Chalmers Lindsay, Ardine
Toving. Artha Lee Bellamy. Mabl°
Parks. Nesbitt B. Patton. % Marlene
Moore, John Goins, Sylvan Peoples.
Justine Shaw. Jessie Teasley. Gladys.
Walker. Samuel Love. Willa Mae
Woodruff. Roosevelt Yarcey and
William Henry Woodruff.
Council To
Observe 4th
Anniversary
The fourth anniversary of the
: West Side Human Relations council 1
j will be observed Sunday, February j
4 as Elroy S. Guckert, president of [
[ the Detroit Council of Social
1 Agencies, addresses an open meet- j
ing at Tabernacle Baptist church,
located at Beechwood and Milford J
: at 3:30 p. m.
| Music will be furnished by the I
Tabernacle junior choir, the Samp
son singers, the Miller high school
cpiartet. John IJancy, {resident of
the Detroit and Tur- 1
ner W. Ross, former president of |
the council, are scheduled, to speak j
, and an invitation has also been ex-!
tended to Mayor Edward Jeffries, j
] who it i* expected w ill attend the i
meeting.
Mrs. Emella Cabule is chairman
of the program committee. Rev.
! John N Miles, president of the;
John Dancy To Speak
To Miller Graduates
John C Dancy, executive secre
tary of the Detroit branch of the
Urban lensue. delivered the com
mencement add ess to the 70 grad
nates of M tHer-fttgh-—Wedne*-
Mildred Armour, class president,
gave an address while Mr Burns,
principal of the school, awarded
the diplomas
Docs >ou. hrs I 1.-K [•) ext ■* glances?
Use Black and White Han Dressing.
Professor Quack
I i
l
The war office these days is he
coming quite humanitarian
it is contributink its share toward
the reformation of the wayward
little had boys ol Europe Ethiopia
was the only one that was con
aidered beyond redemption.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1940
PROBE POLICY HOUSE GUARDS
Amos Portee On Trial For Murder
CHARGED WITH
KILLING WOMAN;
SHOOTING MAN
Seven Women; Five Men
To Decide Future Os
The Defendant
Forty-year-old Amos Porte*, j
charged with the murder of Mary
Lyles on last November 16 at 1012 j
Leland street is having his ease
beard before a seven-woman, five
man jury in the courtroom of Re
corder's Judge Joseph A. Gillis.
Woman Fatally Shot
Portee is also charged with shoot
ing a friend and ex-roommate, 36-
year-old Cleveland Bell a few.
minutes prior to the fatal shootirg
of Mary Lyles She died at Re
ceiving hospital approximately
three days after having been shot
four times by Amos Portee, her al
leged boyfriend.
James (Dad) Wade, 68 years old.
testified he saw Portee shoot Cleve
land (Cleve) Bell then turn slightly
around-and shoot Miry Lyles. Beil
was shot while he was half seated
in a chair after Amos safd to him:
“What You Doing Here?"
“You beat me here. What are you
doing here?” according to several!
witnesses. “Can I ask you a ques
tion?” James Wade quoted Cleve
land Bell as asking Portee a few ,
| minutes before the shooting. “You
can't ask me anything.” Portee was i
I quoted as saying, shooting Bell and
[ a second later turning and shooting
Mary Lyles four times.
Ex-Roommates
It was disclosed that Bell and
Portee had shared a room together |
at 992 Vernor Highway for several ;
months and Portee had used his car ;
to help Bell move some things to
972 Hendrie street. On the eve in j
question PorLe and Bell had parted
only a few minutes, a half hour,
Bell stated, before ihc two met again
at 10.? Leland street
I There was conflicting tes'in-ony |
by several witnesses, some of wnom '
stated they were engaged in a card ;
game in the kitchen a few minutes j
prior to Portce's entrance to thr '
home. Other conflicting testimony by
'witnesses showed that Bell, Katie
Samuels ad Marv Lyles were talk
ng in the front room prior to Por
tet's arrival.
Injured Man Testifies
On the stand Tuesday afternoon,
Cleveland Bell stated he was in tha
Lont room taking to Katie Sam
uels and that Ma r y Lyks was in the
(ki'chcn when Cs» l££ arrived Por
I 're then said, according to Bell
Mary, you arl Cievc get your hat
! and coat, we’re going for a ride.”
I Which Mary refused to do. Bell
testified.
Pell stated Portee drew a gun
from his coat pocket, shot him, then
I shot Mary who was neaibv
HT See A.MOS PORTER. Page 2
, mfj
\hove is a scene from the Junior
Peerless Art clubs Silver Tea.
Sunday afternoon, at the home of
Mary Cioxton. Sratrd at thr head
of the table ia Mrs. Sadie
Police ‘Kicks’ Woman
Jeffries ‘Slaps’ Negroes
By Appointing Italian
Roxborough stated that “The city of
Negro citizenry lost a great public
servant when Mayor Jeffries de- j
clined to appoint Atty. Lloyd
Loomis to the Civil Service Com-
Attornev Joseph Craigen declared
that “Mayor Jeffries has ignored
the biggest minority group in De
troit, a group which enthusiastically
supported him for election in the
hope that they might obtain repre
jentation on the Civil Service Com
possibly make mp for this loss.”
Emmett S. Cunningham told re
porters that “I regret that Mayor
Jeffnes did not see fit at this time
to appoint a Negro to the Civil Ser
vice Commission. Nevertheless. I
am thoroughly convinced he will not
long ignore the needs of the Negro
r-tizens of Detroit.”
i The of James V
j Bellanca to the Civil Service Com- j
I mission by Mayor Edward J. Jeffries
j .ast Saturday was a distinct shock
Ito the whole Negr# community in
Detroit. Negro leaders had recom
mended to the appointment Atty
Lloyd Loomis, well known lawyer
who has served as assistant attor
ney-general and assistant prose-
Negro leaders who were in the
forefront of the campaign to elect
the new mayor felt that they had
been slapped in the face by the
mayor's action. In a strongly worded
release made public by Senator
Charles C. Diggs, it was stated that
“Jeffries has rewarded every im
portant minority froup that sup
ported him in the last campaign
with the exception of the Negro,
including the Poles. Jews. Irish and
now the Italians, who haye less than
ten percent of the votes cast by
the Negroes.
' The Civil Service Commission is |
the key to municipal employmen j
and the mayor himself has admitted
t that Negroes have suffered a groat j
j injustice at the hands of that com- J
I mission. Other commissions such as
i the Welfare and Housing, arc more
or less honorary commissiors with
no salary and they meet once or
twice a month. The Civil Service
s.on is the only c«.n
| of the three that could solve any
basic problems of the Negro, which
j Jeffries had promised to do in his
campaign speeches ’’
Former State Senator Charles j
Sells Policy
To ‘NiceFace ’
—A Cop\
In spite of the warning of a friend
that he might be idling to a cap,
William Palmer, 47, of 3165 Monroe
street, took one long look at his
| prospective numbcis customer and
I look a 15-cent play on number 165
j parent that Palmer did not scruti
; r. ize his customer long enough or
I else he misread the man's character
|...for now, much to his regret.
Palmer learned that he had “sold''
to a policeman.
: Last Thursday Palmei waived ex
| amination when appearing before
Recorder's Judge John P Scallen
ar and was rel< a < i .r i••. 1 -f S3OO
'He was charged
gaming law
I “You don't know him, it might
, be a cop,” Palmer was warned by
a friends before making that un-
I lucky number sale.
| "You’ve got a nice innocent face.’’
) Palmer told his prospective cus
: tomer. “I know you're all right."
! “He looks ok to me." stated
Palmer to his friend, then sold the
[ticket for a play on 165 . but to his :
I regret that “innocent face" belonged
• to Patrolman Theodor** Gould who
promptly arrested Palmar and ap
j peared against him before Judge
: Scallen
i ff -old* cause child's mouth-breath
| mg—use 2 Drops Penetro Nose Drops
Norwood Sues
For Divorce;
Wife Drinks
\ l . -In n -■-!
| her 46-ycar-old husband, separated J
j since January of 1936, the parentsi
of seven children, will air their 1
marital difficulties soon.
1 Elbert Norwood, 46. of 2091 Meade
■ and Susie Mae Norwood, 47 of 28561
! E. Laiayette street, were married
December 31. 1911 in Macon, Ga. El
j tody of the children because his
wife is unable to take care of them
I qurntiy. {
! The defendant denies getting
| drtink and expressed a wilTTngness
j to return to he! husband, She charg-1
es that he wants to marry his pres
ent housekeeper, Mrs. Fannie Goos-
Iby of the Meade street address. |
IN SILVER TEA
Mathis. Mary Jones. Juanita Carr,
Juanita Carlork. Mamie King.
Mary l.indsay. Ynuletta Mason.
Carolyn Gray. Constance Blount.
Jean Hill and others.
Straughn. sponsor.- Others are •
Walter S. Bayne. John McKenzie.
Ethel McKenzie. Mildred Parker.
Marion Anderson. Florence
Brown, Catherine Moore, Marilyn ,
Telephone TEmple 1-88'
Heads Drive
COPS WARNED
OF BRUTALITY
BY INSPECTOR
WM
Bra j|.
Will Press Charges Should j
Committee Desire
Such Action
The alleged brutality of an ar
resting officer toward a resisting
woman prisoner has resulted in a
reiteration by a police inspector that
he would "not tolerate” any un
necessary force and violence other
than what was necessary to bring
Approximately 1 am., Monday.
Patrolmen Robert Sheridan and
Frank Haney sought to arrest twe
women, whose names are withheld
because of their police reputation.
It was disclosed that one of the
women in the custody of the scout
car crew got into the police car
without any trouble, but that the
second woman, in some manner
struck an officer who in turn is
charged with kicking her.
I A committee of four witnesses
held a conference with Inspector
Clyde Barnes of the first precinct
station and decided to let the in
spector use his own discretion in
the case. Questioned by a Chronicle
reporter. Inspector. Barnes stated he
was willing to press charges against
the accused officer should the com
mittee desire it. Evidence was also
given to prove that the allegedly
abused woman was known for re
sisting officers and had a police
record of a questionable nature, ac
cording to police.
“However, no one should be
abused by police officers other than
such force as Is necessary to make
;he arrest," the words of In
spected Barfiflwho also stated he
would warn that he would
not "tolerate any unnecessary
The -committee conferring with
the inspector werer.Rueben Patton.
Charles Cole. Clarence Bostic and
Frank Holliway.
The alleged incident occurred at
Vernor and Beaubien street.
ATTY. J. A. CRAIGEN
The membership drive of the
Mirhigan Federated Democratic
clubs is in high gear. Atty. Joseph
A. Craigen. who holds the position
of deputy probate register, is
made rhairman of the drive Meet
ings of the drive are held every
Friday night. The drive closes on
the evening of February 16. at
613 E. Warren avenue, with a
stale-wide Democratic pow wow.
at which time the future governor
of Michigan. Honorable Murray I>.
Van Wagoner will be the principal
speaker. The goal of the drive is
1.000 new members.
Noted Sculptress To
Lecture At Bennett
GREENSBORO, N. C. Frb. 2
Using autobiographical illustrations.
Miss Elizabeth Prophet, noted sculp
tor and member of the fine arts fac
ulty of the Atlanta university sys
tem, graphically set forth the theme
of art in life in a lecture delivered
in the Henry Pfeiffer Science hall.
Bennett college. Saturday.
An exhibition of isometric projec
tion, the work of the Bennett art
students, showing three dimensions
of color and lines was held in the
art laboratory following the lecture
Also there was a showing of re
prints from world masterpieces in
the exhibition room of Holgate li
brary, the latter having continued
through the following week.
Wants Decree
From Hubby;
He Was Cruel
Negro Congress Head
ToAddressConference
After four years of married life
the Henry Riehbergs have come to
a parting of their ways, according
to divorce proceedings filed in cir
cuit court, it was disclosed this
week.
Married in Detroit on April 10.
1933 ar.d separated on July 19. 1937
when she left her husband because '
of extreme mental cruelty. 22-year
old Winona Richborg of 1012 E
Palmer street also charges h r 28-'
year-old husband. Henry, with non
support in a bill filed December
22. 1938.
They have one child. Valerie,
five years of age whose custody the
mother wants along with an abso- i
lute decree> of divorce and perma
nent alimony The wife charges her
husband with repeated acts of
cruelty ard the continued associa
tion of other women, humiliating
her at dances, and staying away
from home until early morning
hour*.
j Henry Richberg ha* worked at
! Briggs plant sirteo 1931 at an aver
age of $23 85 accordtnjf to a friend;
of the rqurt report It was further ,
disclosed that ’he husband accuses i
'his wife of leaving him to live with j
j a roomer. The court report recom- ]
mended that Henry pay $5 per week
1 until the child attains the age of I
17 years if the divorce is granted !
when ’.he case i* resumed Jan- l
uary 30
' Colds’ aches in muscles? Nothing
faster m aspirin than St. Joseph.
John P Davis, executive secretary
->f the National Negro Congress, will
be one of the main speakers at the
Civil Rights Federation rally a:
Cass Tcrh auditorium on Friday
night. Feb. 9
O John Rogge. e«si&tant attorney
general, who has been appointed by
Attorney Ge oral Robert II Jackson
to assist in the grand jury invc.-li
fc.,lmn of the Christian Front mni"-
I menu will also speak at the rally.
versive^activines of th' Christian
Dear
Chronicle *
Reader:
We are very sorry if
you did not get your
paper last week. We
are doing our best to
supply all readers and
suggest that you try
your nearest newsstand
if your carrier cannot
supply you.
□CITY □
EDITION
5 CENTS
And Worth It
NUMBER 44
GRAND JURY
TO EXAMINE
GUN PERMITS
Names Os Many Negro
Detectives Appear
On Applications
F Mir armed Negro guards, ar-
V«*d during a police grand Jury
: ;ud at 1911 St Antqine street, Tues
day. were given permits to carry
i'heir guns on applications bearing
I'he names of two Negro detectives
l was disclosed. All four men were
questioned by the grand jury prose
cutor, Chester P O’Hara.
The men had been sworn in and
given a license to carry guns by
ihe county gun board and were
employed by either the Central De
tective Agency or the National
n rivate Police company, according
to an investigation of their records.
Loy/s Spann. 40. of 560 E. Phila
delphia was listed, so police say, as
owner of the above named agencies.
Ihe gun owned by Spann bore,
according to records, the names of
Detective Sergeants William Fuller
and Edward White of the apsci.il
investigation squad.
It was disclosed that 11 gun carry
ing permits have been issued to the
agencies, whose reported business
was to guard policy houses. The
signature of Fuller and White also
appear on n gun permit Issued to
Chief Bussey. 32. of 269 Hague
I 'lrect, it was further disclosed
| Bussey, so police say. stated h«
1 was a special officer for the Sher
man Rar on his license dated No-
Henry R Taliaferro, of the law
i rm of Roxborough and Taliaferro
.’so signed a gun permit, records
I say. John Roxborough admits, police
c ay, that he is the former owner of
; the Rig Four policy house.
All the gun permits bore the
i n..mes of Duncan McCrea. Sheriff
i Thomas Wilcox and Captain Leon
ard of the state police, members of
the gun board. It was disclosed that
.action on, jiun permits were often
relegated to subordinates by these
officials.
A thorough examination into the
‘hose allegedly protecting the policy
houses was demanded. Inspector
Arthur Brown, head of the police
record bureau, declared Tuesday
that he would recommend the revo
cation of gun permits if it could
be established that they were used
by gamblers.
Gets Lodge Post
wen of .*216
Brush street, was appointed and
commissioned last week in the of
| fice of the District Deputy as grand
j matron in all ages and nations
throughout the world. Order of
Sheba. Grand chapter. Order Eas
| torn Stars, Mrs. J. L Parker, Royal
Grand Matron.
| Front. 17 members of which were
leccntly arrested on charges of seek
jmg to overthrow the government
by fore.
Other speakers at the mass mee’-
j mg will be Representative John M.
Coffee, of Washington state leading
Congress liberal, and R. J Thomas,
• tc: national president of the UA.
| W . and vice president of the C 10.
i Mayor Edward J Jeffries will greet
| he mass meeting, which is opening
session of the Statewide Conference
on Civil Rights.
The business sessions of the con
'cre: ee will be held in the Book
- Cadillac* hotel, all day Saturday.
Feb. 10 Discussions of the many
anti-alien bills in Congress will have
t-nce agenda. Other problem* to be
discussed include minorities, and
. nti-dcmocratie propaganda
At a luncheon Saturday. Feb. 10.
Rrrhrrp Edgr- Blake will be the
tottstmaster. The luncheon speaker
will be Alfred K SteVrt. chairman
of the executive committee of the
i National Emergency Conference fpr
; Democratic Rights. His topic will
be "What 1? happening to *he Btti
In» Rights in Washington?”
You Belong On The Light Ride
I Don't let darker, outer skin hide the
; fairness, lightness Use Black and
White Bleaching Cream 10c, 25c. 50c