Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-09
The Color Question.

The Color Question.
SAau "a. Color,d P,opls Har, LIBERTY at LIBERTY
HdiL-Yor the Colored kntQais Isaftdr lied
Leree and Ball There Uader DiEe.,iiss-Leeal
Proceedings Thredfepd-
The vicinity of Liberty Hall, at the corner of
9TH and l. streets, was the scene Of considerable
excitement Yesterday afternoon and evening
The Hall was leased. some time ago. BY the pro-
prie,or, Mr.. Zeph. Jones, u the New York, New
Jersey Iowa. Ohio, New England, Illinois In
diana and Pennsylvania State Associations
with the understanding, he alleges, that il
should not be let to colored associations or as-
semblages. The state Associations appointed
a janitor, Mr.. =. ID. Williams. Almost nightly
for some months past, the hall has been occa-
pied by State Associations, &c, for social en-
tertainments, meetings, &c. Some dsys AGO th,.
janitor was applied to by committee OF the
colored Knights Templar. representing Geth-
senaDe Commandery, tor the use OF the second
story saloon tor levee and hall. and he agreed
10 rent il to them. Mr.. Jones became appris-d
of his action, and going to him requested him
not to violate his (Jones) contract with the A.
tociauons, by allowing Its use for such a pur-
pose. and to inform the committee that they
could not have IL. This he promised TO d.;
ana the committee called on him (JOnesI
and were informed that they could not have
TINS room. Thew stated that they had engaged
the hall from Mr.. Williams, and had paid for il,
and Mr.. Jones thereupon requested Mr.. Will
liams to return the money. Mr.. W. subsequently
stated that he went to the committee and offered
the money; which they refused to receive. The
hall was found locked yesterday morning, and
during the day some one entered the store-rOOm
on the ground floor and bsrricaded the entrance
door to the halls above. and also turned off the
gas. A committee of the C0mmandery yeSter-
day attempted to enter the hall TO prepare the
r. ON, and failed, but between 4 and o'clock
one of the ladders of the Hook and Ladder Com
pany was brought to tue hall and run up to a
second story window, which was raised, and an
entrance thus effected and the door opened.
The committee remained in charge of the hall.
and about dusk attempted to light the gas but
failed. A board covering an opening to the Gel
lar, in which is the meter, was then pulled up
and small boy being let down turned on the gas.
The committee were in high giee at their success,
but only for few minutes, for in q very short
time the lights fiickered and went out; because,
as some allege, the gas was again shut OFF at the
meter. A couple of candles were procured-One
for each end OF the saloOn-dimly lighting the
apartment until the time for opening the ball
approached, when a quantity of candles were
procured by the committee, with which the hall
was lighted. and about nine O'Clock the Tenn
plars, with their friends, commenced to arrive
and soon, to the music Of q brass and string
band, and without gas light, they were appa-
realty enjoying themselves greatly, notwith-
standing the excitement amongst the crowd
gathered outside the building. Lieut.. Eckloff,
or the sixth precinct police, was appraised Of the
trouble was anticipated. Sergeant Tayior, with
Oncers Columbus, Robinson, Osterhaus, Shep-
nero and others, were ordered to to be prerent
70 prevent breach Of the peace. The boy who
-
for Uespassing on Mr.. Jones' prOperty The
police kept the pavements clear in front of the
hall, and ordered of all who seemed disposed to
be disorderly. Early in the evening the renre-
sentatives Of the State associations meeting in
tne buiidlng being apprsed of the state of
Things, met in one OF the ante-rooms and ac-
kn3wiedged to Mr.. Jones that Williams had
violated his agreement, and dismissed him from
their employ. Mr.. Jones will serve a legal
notice on Williams to-day to give up possession
at the end of his month.
ceiyed a communication from member of the
pennsylvania Association stating that "a num-
Der of State Associations contracted with Mr.
upper one Of the two halls ii contains. In ts;s
contract there is no stipulation forbiding the
leasing Of the hall to cOlored persons or any one
else. The janitor OF the upper hall unfortunate
ly became proprietor Of the lower one, and in
doing so brought his own pecuniary interests i'm
collision with those of the consolidated organi-
zatlon, for which he was acting as agent To
ularities on his part the Presidents of the
several State Associations convened at Lincoln
Hall last evening. After a patient investigation
OF the case they unanimously agreed to accept
ms resignation as janitor. Subsequent to the
adjournment of the meeting alluded to they
learned of misunderstanding between the pro-
Prletor or the building and the lessee of the
lower hall in regard to its occupancy by a body
OF colored Masons. About the merits of the
they knew nothing then and know
nothing now, but il had nothing to do with the
uicuilssdl VI tlcu JanltOF.
TIE EMANCIPATION CELEBRATroN.-The ex-
eeutiye COMMITTEES having ia sh.rss the ar
rnngsmsnts for the enancipation celebration,
which is to take place on Wednesday next. held
meeting at the Office of the Commissioner for
the Second Ward yesterday afternoon at four
O'Clock The line of march was discussed and
the programme agreed upon. The following
committee was appointed to engage speakers
for the occasion Chas. III. Peters, president of
the convention; Collins Crusor, vice president.
and Anthony Bowen, chief marshal. A COM
mIttee to procure music was also appointed.
meeting of the citizens of the Seventh Ward
was held yesterday evening, at five O'Clock at
the Wesley church, on ID street, between I'd and
Sd, Island, to make further arrangements for
the emancipation celebration, Sampson Nutter
in the chair. An executive ward committee was
appointed. as were also Aarshals. The execu-
tive committee were instructed to urge the con-
vention TO postpone the celebration until the
18th; and were further instructed to invite all
the male societies and organizations in the Sew
enth Ward to participate therein.
THIRD WARD LABoRING MEN-Day's Work
reTsus Contract Work.-The Third Ward Labor
ingmens Association met at Wisewell Barracks
last evening, Mr.. George ii. Boston president
and MIR. Gustavus Kuhn secretary. resolu-
ton was adopted that the association meet at
n eln Wedn To sstv,