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Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA
Newspaper Page Text
A STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC: We stake forty-five years' reputation lor honesty, integrity and honorable action against tea Booths' asper sions of our enemies and those who desire to profit by the failure of the greatest financial institution of the colored people. Our primary object and desire is to reimburse any of our people who have invested m any enterprise fos tered by us We solemnly swear now, as we swore upon the witness stand, that not one dollar of our forty-five years' accum ulation has been the result of dishonorable actions or sharp practices. We insist that the money alleged to be miss ing cannot be traced to us either directly or indirectly and that of all the people involved we are the greatest sufferer, even as our honesty has been our greatest asset. The money belonging to ns and to the organizations with which we are affiliated was taken by others or was ac credited to other accounts, so that when checks were drawn upon the account there was no money to meet them. Theie was no other course lor us to pursue, other than to assume complete responsibility Our ledger sheets at the Bank had been stolen, removed in order to cover op these peculations and to make us the victim. We had not transferred our property It was all iu our own name aad while the liability chargeable to us from this source was approximately ($64,000) Sixty-four Thousand Dollars, we surrendered assets (real estate) which conservatively handled, will bring over ($100,000) One Hundred Thousand Dollars, which is ($36,000) Thirty six Thousand Dollars more than the alleged liability. We have never had charge if a record in the Mechanics Savings Bank in twenty years1 service. We could not have made a false entry upon the books of that concern. We had no reason so to do when we had surrendered pro perty with a gross rental of ($11,000) Eleven Thousand Dollars. We have defended colored people, secured their release from jails, penitentiaries and stopped executions upon the gallows. We are now called upon to defend ourselves. Certain it is, that the people whom we have defended will stand by us. As for the better class of Southerners, their testimony in our behalf is an outstanding feature of this crucial period of our existence. We are trusting in God. In the language of Shakespeare, we are saying to our traducers and slanderers There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats For I am armed so strong in honesty that they pass me by Like the idle wind, that I respect not. A full, free and square vindication is demanded by us and we believe we shall obtain it. JOHN MITCHELL, JR. Richmond, Va., May 9, 1923.