The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. [51], Ed. 1 Saturday, May 17, 1930 Page: 1 of 8
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5 Cts
AMERICA’S GREATEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
VOL. XI
HOUSTON, TEXAS, SATURDAY, MAY 17,1930
NUM
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THE MIRROR
By C. F. RICHARDSON
MORE POLICE BRUTALITY
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE?
SINGERS AT PORT ARTHUR
SOME FACTS ABOUT CITY
According to current rumors, Isaac
Pugh, the local Negro bellhop recent-
ly accused of criminal attack here
upon a young white girl in her room
at a Houston hotel (the girl’s later
repudiation of her attack story re-
sulting in the Harris County grand
jury no-billing the colored youth),
was said to have been roughly han-
dled by local police officers in an at-
tempt to make him confess to the
crime.
If this report is true, then the
grand jury should investigate the
matter and if any local police officers
are found guilty of beating and mis-
treating this innocent and unfortunate
colored bellhop, they should be inclict-
ed and dismissed from the service.
Police officers are not supposed to
sit as judge, jury and executioner
whenever they arrest a suspect or al-
leged violator or offender of some
law; for we have courts for this pur-
pose and if the police officers are
going to usurp the functions of the
courts, then the tax payers can be
saved considerable money by the
abolition of our courts.
Police officers are not above the
law, neither does the law delegate
them with such super-legal authority
and power.
The Informer does not know wheth-
er some of the local detectives and po-
lice officers employed brutal violence
upon this Negro bellhop or not, but
• word has come to this columnist from
some of the neighbors of the youth
that he admitted that he was beaten
terribly at the Houston police sta-
tion when placed under arrest.
The mayor and superintendent of
police should investigate this matter
and ascertain if there is any truth in
the charge, and if there is they should
dismiss from the service and file
charges against the officers guilty of
such cruel and dark-age practices.
Death-Bed Statement
Exonerates Flemming
From Bribe Charges
Colored Students
Refuse To Attend
High School Dance
BOARD AWARDS Cunremp Court Rule
FELLOWSHIP TO DUUrGlic Mull nuib
BISHOP TUTOR
While
about this local
Cleveland, Ohiq.—(ANP)—
Attorney Alexander H. Martin,
counsel for former Councilman
Thomas W. Fleming, has just
submitted an affidavit purport-
ed to be from Mrs. Margaret
Oehme, stating that her hus-
band on his death-bed declared
that Fleming was not guilty of
giving him the bribe as was tes-
tified in the court by him and
others, the said testimony caus-
ing Councilman Fleming to be
secuted. I have never done anybody
wrong in all my life."
The supreme court refused to give
Mr. Fleming a rehearing. The pros-
ecuting attorney, Mr. Miller, main-
tains that the affidavit is false and
fraud and was procured through the
influence of friends of Fleming. Fur-
ther than this, he would not discuss
the case.
When Mr. Martin presented the af-
fidavit to Prosecuting Attorney Miller
requesting that he join the former in
asking a new hearing of the Fleming
case by the supreme court, Mr. Miller
flatly refused to do so, stating that
he had no confidence in Mrs. Oehme
whatever. Counsellor Martin offered
to bring Mrs. Oehme to Miller’s of-
fice, but the prosecutor refused, be-
cause he doubted the credibility of
Mrs. Oehme. !
Mrs. Annie Catheart, the mother of
Mrs. Oehme, also bears out the affi-
davit of her daughter, stating that
she, too, knew facts in the case, the
1200 alleged to have been paid to
Fleming as a bribe for his vote in the
matter of getting a pension for the
late Walter Oehme was in matter of
fact not a bribe but for legal service
convicted and sentenced to the
penitentiary for two years and
nine months.
The giving out of this affidavit
caused quite a stir among the citizens
of Cleveland, as Mr. Fleming put up
a very stiff fight and contended
throughout that he was innocent of
the charges. When Mr. Fleming was
informed of the affidavit by Mrs.
Oehme, he said, “I have been perfect-
ly innocent in this matter and I knew
that God would bring some way to see
that justice is done. I have been per- whom he was estranged.
rendered Mr. Oehme by Mr. Fleming
in an effort to prohibit his being forc-
ed to pay alimony to his wife from
Chicago, III.—(ANP)—Ten colored
members of the graduating class of
the Evanston Township High School
, declined to honor invitations to the
annual dance of the class which was
held in the social hall of the school
Saturday evening. Instead of accept-
ing the invitation to be with their
classmates, they decided to give a
dance of their own in the building of
the Young Men’s Christian Associa-
tion, May 23.
The attitude of the colored grad-
uates this year was caused by the at-
titude of the officials connected with
the dance last year which was given
at the Evanston Country Club. The
club officers objected to the presence
of the colored members of the class
and invitations were not issued to
them.
This year’ the school took special
pains to invite the colored members.
NATION MOURNS
CHARLES GILPIN,
STAGE NOTABLE
gainst Dixie Off
Condemned To
criminal attack hoax, wasn’t it for-
tunate that this Negro bellhop was
not residing in Sherman or some oth-
er such mobocratic, court house-burn-
ing, property-destroying community
* of Texas?
—o—
Speaking about the Sherman
“stunt” and its resultant overthrow
of constituted authority, law and or-
der, on whose shoulders does the re-
sponsibility for this heathenish and
hellish horror fall?
Known from one section of the state
to the other for their courage and in-
trepidity, why did these Texas Ran-
gers stand idly by and permit a mob
to raise unadulterated hades*with-
out employing force to halt its in-
cendiary and mobbing attacks?
Where "have we drifted to in this
reputed civilized and Christian coun-
try, when maddened mobs can trample
the law under their profane and un-
holy feet, and when even temples of
justice are not free nor immune from
destruction by lousy lynchocrats and
rebellious rioters?
If peace and police officers can
shoot, and even kill, Negro crap-
shooters and other petty offenders
when they attempt to escape from the
minions of the law, what prevented
these courageops and daring officers
from firing into a mob bent upon
taking the law into its own hands and
destroying physical property with the
torch ?.
Was it a fact that several of the
White students, attending the colleges
located at Sherman, composed that
howling mob of last week, and are our
white institutions at learning main-
taining courses in lynching, arson, an-
archy and treason in their collegiate
curricula?
The repulsion of the mob was not
merely necessary to save the life of
the indicted black man, but to pro-
tect the majesty of the law and safe-
guard American ideals and institu-
tions.
To think that a mob could mill
around in an American city nearly all
day and part of a night, wrecking and
destroying property and defying fire-
men to extinguish the blaze and Ran-
gers, militia and peace officers to re-
sist their fiendish foray, is hardly be-
lievable in a supposed enlightened
® and civilized community.
With the Sherman mobbists and in-
cendiarists threatening additional vio-
lence upon the Negroes of that hun-
nish hell-hole, if the blacks do not
evacuate the town; and with white
employers of Negroes being told to
replace all colored employes with
whites, it begins to appear that back
of the mob’s recent action was a de-
sire for jobs.
With Sherman under martial law,
how can the Negro houses in that
community have such notices tacked
upon their doors without some militia-
aven or officers seeing the persons do-
ing this cowardly and dirty work?
It all seems rather funny and fishy
to The Informer, even that dyhamit-
ing of the court house ruins and safe
MANY WRITE ON
NEGRO'S PART IN
AMERICAN LIFE
Atlanta, Ga.—The Commission on
Interracial Cooperation has just an-
nounced award of the following prizes
in connection with its annual national
high school project, “America’s Tenth
Man,” based on a study of the Negro’s
contribution to American life:
Individual prize of $100 to Ruth
Lucile Munson, Swedeland, Pennsyl-
vania, student in Bridgeport High
School.
School prize of $100 to R. J. Rey-
nolds School, Winston-Salem, N. C.
School prize of $100 to the high
school of Kirksville, Missouri.
The contest evoked wide interest,
enlisting many thousands of students
in 16 schools in 35 states. In one
white school 600 papers were written
by students and in another a thousand
were reported as having had some
part in the study. Many schools
participating reported deep Interest
and very gratifying results. It is be-
lieved that a great many young peo-
ple of both races were profited by the
study.
The source-material used was a 5,-
000-word monograph entitled “Ameri-
ca’s Tenth Man,” prepared by R. B.
Eleazer, educational director of the
Interracial Commission, and put into
about 2000 high schools, white and
colored.
Officers of the commission express-
ed satisfaction with the results of the
contest and announced that a similar
project will probably be conducted
next year.
DATE WITH WIFE.
BISHOP BROOKS,
OW BENEDICT
Ocean Port, N. J.—The Right Rev-
erent W. Sampson Brooks, bishop of
the Texas diocese of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, with
headquarters at San Antonio, Texas,
and Miss Elizabeth C. Carter, New
Bedford, Mass., were married here
Monday noon at the residence of Bish-
op and Mrs. Reverdy C. Ransom,
Bishop Ransom officiating. ■
The bride is a former president of
the National Association of Colored
Women's Clubs and now serving as
president of the Northeastern Federa-
tion of Women’s Clubs. As an exe-
cutive World War worker, she had
supervision of the erection of Phyllis
Wheatley Branch, Y. W. C. A. at.
Washington, D. C.
Mrs. Brooks is also a teacher in
the public schools of New Bedford,
founder of the New Bedford Home for
Aged and president of the New Eng-
land Conference Branch Women’s
Mile Missionary Society of the A. M.
E. Church.
Bishop Brooks has pastored church-
es of the A. M. E. connection at
Nashville, Chicago, St. Louis and
Baltimore. He was elevated to the
bishopric in 1920 and for eight years
was diocesan bishop of West Africa.
In 1988 he was transferred to Texas
where his work is meeting with much
success.
Bishop and Mrs. Brooks will reside
at 908 Dawson Street, San Antonio,
Texas.
New York City.—(ANP)—Charles
Sydney Gilpin, outstanding Negro
tragedian, died at Woodbury, N. J.,
Tuesday night. He had not been well
for several months and death was not
unexpected.
Mr. Gilpin was one of the most not-
able figures of the cultural renais-
sance which saw the emergence of the
so-called new Negro and accelerated
activity by Negroes in literature, mu-
sic, art and the drama. Out from
nowhere, it seemed, Gilpin came to
score an outstanding success in Eu-
gene O’Neill’s “The Emperor Jones.”
So remarkable was Gilpin’s perform-
ance in this play that, not withstand-
ing O’Neill’s unquestioned talent as
a dramatist, the actor was given
much of the credit for the success
of the work.
But Gilpin was no novice to the
stage when he was called upon to per-
form in the O’Neill opus.
He was born in Richmond, Va., in
1878. He was married in 1897 to
Florence Howard. One child, Paul
Wilson Gilpin, was born of that union
in 1908.
His first work was as a printer,
but as far back as 1890, he made his
first appearance on the stage. Be-
fore 1896, he was appearing in the
variety theaters and at fairs. In
1896, he was featured with Purkis
and Davis Great Southern Minstrels.
In 1908-4 he toured with Cary and
Carter’s Canadian Jubilee, Singers.
From them he went with Williams
and Walker, then with Hill’s Smart
Set Company and in 1907-8-9 he was
one of the pioneers with the Rekin
Stock Company in Chicago. He ap-
peared with vaudeville and tabloid
musical shows until 1912 and the
American Octette in 1918. In 1916
he organized the Lafayette Plavers.
Later he took the part of William
Custis in Drinkwater’s play, “Abra-
ham Lincoln.” In 1921, Mr. Gilpin was
awarded the Spingran Medal because
of the helpful influence for his race
that his work had exerted.
EDWARD L. HARRIS
******
Marshall, Texas.—At the meeting
of the executive board of the General
Education Board on April 25, 1980,
Edward L. Harris, Bishop College
professor, was awarded a fellowship
to do further study at the University
of Chicago in chemistry.
This is the first time that a mem-
ber of the faculty at Bishop has re-
ceived an award of this kind from any
of the educational boards.
This award to one of Bishop's teach-
ers shows the kindly attitude that the
various boards of education are tak-
ing toward Bishop College, and the
program that President J. J. Rhoads
has outlined for the college.
The science department of Bishop
College is rated by the state depart-
ment as being one of the best equip-
ped in apparatus, supplies among Ne-
gro colleges in Texas. The adminis-
tration of the college has spared noth-
ing in giving the fullest cooperation
in keeping an unlimited supply of ap-
paratus and supplies in order that the
best work could be accomplished.
Additional courses will be added
for the coming year in order that a 4-
year major will be established for
students desiring to specialize in the
field of chemistry.
“I intend to make the best record
possible for myself as a member of
the faculty of Bishop College, and
come back to contribute my share in
helping to make a bigger and better
Bishop,” said Mr. Harris when he was
asked about his recent honor.
LEADERS PLAN
IMPROVEMENT IN
RACE RELATIONS
New Orleans, La.—(ANP)—
The supreme court has refused
to issue a writ of mandamus to
compel Judge A. D. Henriques
of the criminal district court to
appoint a special lunacy commis-
sion to determine the mental
status of Charles Guerand,
white ex-policeman, at the time
he shot and killed a 14-year-old
girl, because she refused his ad-
vances.
Guerand has been condemned to die
on the gallows and when the death
perts to determine the me
tion of the defendant at I
the shooting and at the tir
Judge Henriques ruled tl
tions should have been 1
the trial of the case. H
court appointed a commis
on the present mental €
the, condemned man.
Application was then 1
supreme court for the ex
writ. The tribunal held 1
the ruling of Judge Hei
correct. Should the for
man be declared insane,
committed to the criminal
lum until he is cured,
death sentence will be im
fense attorneys say that f
ed is held sane an app
made to the pardon board
mutation of the death
sentence was about to be imposed
last week, his attorney filed a mo- murawvn v* me
tion for the appointment of the ex- life imprisonment
WOMAN DEFENDS
WHITE PLAINS
NEGRO DOCTORS
New York City.—(ANP)—The Na-
tional Association for the Advance-
ment of Colored People has received
copy of a letter sent by a white wom-
an, Mrs. Mary Palmer Fuller, to the
editors of the White Plains daily
newspapers, defending the conduct of
the doctors who recently purchased
homes in white neighborhoods.
In her letter Mrs. Fuller expressed
her “complete sympathy with the
colored population of White Plains,”
pointing out that spiritual values are
as important as mortgages and land
prices.
“Although industrial plants have
depreciated property values,” writes
Mrs. Fuller, “I have not heard of any
fiery crosses being burned in front
of the offices of the U. S. Steal Cor-
poration, General Motors or Anaconda
Copper.” In conclusion, Mrs. Fuller
inquires: “And can’t we at least try
to find out how agreeable decent col-
ored folk may be as neighbors!
PUBLIC
SUNDAY, JUNE
Approximately 150 lots wil
at public auction in Pineore
Addition, Houston’s popular
subdivision located in the Fif
near Lyons Avenue. This b
will take place Sunday, Jun
m., rain or shine, and the sel
be done by Harry W. Throw
pany, licensed auctioneers. 3
Aside from a free bandeal
refreshments, prizes valued
will be given away and then
many other special features.
There will be a June wed
the bridal pair will be preser
a free marriage certificate, n
marrying fee and a valuable
Owned by E. J. Burke, ]
Court Add it ion is 1 ocated jus
4700 block on Lyons Avenu
reached by riding the Lyons
car, or driving out Lyons. L
soon be paved and thus valu
property will be enhanced i
ably, according to the owner.
COSTS
$30
Worcester, Mass.—(ANP)—A date
for a birthday party with his wife
cost Harold F. Purtell $300.
Purtell has been absent from this
city for more than a year. Return-
ing last Tuesday, he remembered it
was his wife's birthday. He sent her
some flowers, and arranged through
a 'phone call to meet her for a cele-
bration.
Instead of meeting her truant hus-
band with open arms and a brass
band, Mrs. Purtell met him with a
scowl and brass knuckles. She was
also accompanied by a constable who
hauled Purtell into court on a charge
of failing to support his wife after a
court order. He was ordered to make
back payments of $300. This he
agreed to do, but to the entire and
complete detriment of the birthday
party. _____________
WOMAN DIES AT 110 TEARS
EGRO LAYMAN
WILL ADDRESS
TORONTO MEET
N
ANRI
OTHERS
R
0
EUROPE GRAVES
USKEGEE’S “MOVABLE SCHO
PROJECTED BY DR. WASHIN
INVADES FASHIONABLE
Atlanta, Ga.—Twelve Southern
states were represented at the annual
meeting of the Commission on Inter-
racial Cooneration. held a few days
ago in the Butler Street Y. M. C. A.,
this citv. Nearly 100 members and
visitors were present, including many
well-known educators, ministers, busi-
ness and professional men, and wom-
en prominent in religious and civic
circles. The two races were about
equally represented.
A survey of the year’s work reveal-
nd a wide variety of activities achiev-
ed or in progress. Among these were
scientific studies of difficult interra-
cial situations; improvement of court
justice, educational facilities, trans-
portation. child welfare and economic
opportunity; and efforts by every
available means to promote mutual
understanding and cooperation be-
tween the races, instead of hostility
and conflict. In these efforts, it was
reported, there bad been increasing
cooperation on the part of churches
and other religious groups, clubs,
schools, the press and the agencies of
government.
Educational Program Projected
An interesting feature was the re-
port of the commission’s educational
activities, which was made by R. B.
Eleazer. It was shown That through
this department the commission is in
touch with more than 2.000 newspa-
pers, chiefly in the South, to which
frequent releases are sent “interpret-
ing each race to the other in the hest
light consistent with the facts." The
editors, it was said, were for the most
part intelligently sympathetic with
the commission’s purpose and pro-
gram and had given it fine coopera-
tion in their news and editorial col-
umns. Encouraging reports were made
also as to the educational work done
by “ the commission in colleges and
high schools.
Reporting for the department of
woman’s work, of which she is direc-
tor, Mrs. Jessie Daniel Ames outlined
a comprehensive program for the
women connected with the movement
throughout the South, including in-
ventisation of Ce,eonanlion of
Memphis, Tenn.—(ANP)—The Ala-
bama Movable School moved into the
fashionable Peabody Hotel where,
Negroes. One cannot
them without being con
awful fact. The Negro far
likely to give the proper
attention to cholera-stricke
boll weevil infested cotton
and his family are sick mi
time.
“These simple and prac
able school demonstrations
wards stimulating the inter
Negro owner in his farm
and strengthening his desire
They also arouse a desire o
of the tenant farmer to own
and lead the farm woman
more industrious and thri
of home-making. They bi
superstition; help create 1
derstanding between the 1
and do untold good towar
for the South more intellig
ful and contented citizens."
Friday morning, its faculty held class-
es in agriculture, home economies and
rural health and sanitation with dele-
gates attending the annual meeting of
the National Tuberculosis Association
here as students. Invited to appear
before the conference by Dr. Philip R.
Jacobs, director of the publications
and extension service of the associa-
tion, with a view to introducing to
white health workers this new technic
in rural health education, the teachers
of the movable school gave demon-
strations, aiming to improve health
conditions lust as they are given to
the farm folk of Alabama.
The movable school is an gutomo-
bile truck equipped for teaching farm
practices, home improvement and san-
itation. It is manned by a staff of
three workers who are joined by the
farm and home demonstration agents
in the communities in which the school
is held. The school operates out of
Tuskegee Institute through Alabama
under auspices of the Alabama Exten-
sion Service. .
In an introductory statement, T. M.
Campbell, field agent United States
Agricultural Extension. Service, who
20 years ago conducted the first mule-
drawn movable school, told of the ori-
gin and history of the school, its meth-
ods, aims and accomplishments. It
was Booker T. Washington, who, real-
izing the necessity for carrying the
message of better farming and home
improvement to the doorstep of the
farmer, introduced the novel Idea of
the movable school to American edu-
cation, Mr. Campbell stated. .
“After working in and out of the
homes of our people for 20 years.”
Mr. Camheli “ hm ems.ee L40
drawback or the thing that keeps J.
them in poverty as much as anything Bra
else, is sickness Pombly thaeret %
New York City.—Twenty-four col-
ored gold star mothers to date have
written to the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo-
ple. in response to its request, enclos-
ing signed petitions to President
Hoover as commander -in chief of the
armies of the United States, asking
that he order the abolishment of color
segregation on the milerimage of
mothers to graves on European bat-
tlefields, and failing that, declining
to go on a jim-crow pilgrimage.
The N. A. A. C. P. has also pro-
tested to President Hoover the War
Department’s decision that there be
separate but equal accommodations
for colored mothers, urging him to
overrule this disposition of
ter. In the letter to President Hoov-
er the N. A. A. C. P. says in part:
“It was our hope that it would not
be necessary for us to take up this
matter with you, but repeats 4 pro-
tests from white and colored individ-
uals, many of them of great promi-
nence, including governors and mem-
bers of congress, and from organiza-
tions among them the N. A. A. C. P.,
ennuren. - wr: *-M-poYs MUlF’O V have resulted ‘n unequivocal state
Chicago, Ill.—(ANP)—James W.
Eichelberger, Jr., of Chicago, director
of religious education of the African
M. E. Zion Church, will be one of the
principal speakers on the program of
the International Religious Education
Convention at Toronto, June 23-29.
The theme of the convention pro-
gram is “Go . . . Teach."
An attempt is being made to eval-
uate the present church program and
to improve the same to meet unmet
needs during the next four years. The
convention is the quadrennial meet-
ing of more than forty denominations
in North America.
This being the sesqui-centennial of
the Sunday school movement a statue
of Robert Ralkes, founder of the first
Sunday school in Gloucester, England,
will be unvailed in Queen’s Park,
Toronto. The convention sessions are
to be held in the Canadian National
Exhibition Grounds.
Among other speakers to appear on
the program are Bishop Edwin D.
brought to this city by Hayden Wilson Mouzon of M. E. Church, South; Dean
about ninety-five years age. She was Luther A. Weigle of Yale University:
the mother of 20 children. The fu- Dr. T. G. Soares of University of
New Orleans, La.—(ANP)—Mrs.
Louisa Evans, a former slave, is dead
at the age of 110 years. She was
born in Virginia, around 182
brought to this city by Hayden
1820, and
homes of our
hes
Demonstrations in fa
were given by N. Kollock,
and V. C. Turner; in hoi
by Mrs. B. T. Pompey, M
Daly and Miss Luella C.
health and sanitation by
I. Williams and Miss Eu
registered nurses.
MUSICAL CON
TO PRESENT!
Circle No. 9 of St
Chunahou , weame
21. The men
their friends
fort toward
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Richardson, Clifton F. The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. [51], Ed. 1 Saturday, May 17, 1930, newspaper, May 17, 1930; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1637712/m1/1/: accessed June 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.