The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-26
THE KANSAS CRAZE.
Arrival of Tennessee Blacks i'm st.
LOuis-NOt u efugees.
[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]

lSt. Louis GlODe-DeHocraLJ
Yesterday telegram was received at
this office stating that a party of negroes
had left Nashville for st. Louis, en- route
for GLORIOUS Kansas" After consider
able trouble it was learned that the party
would come by the Iron Mountain Road,
and would be at the Union depot at $40
in the evening. But nobody knew any
thing about the matter at the Union de-
pot, and there were no more than the
usual number of passengers on the st.
Louis & Southeastern evening Nashville
train.
The expected freedmen were found at
the Plum-street depot of the Iron Noun
tain. They were of all ages and sizes,
from the babe in arms to the tottering,
gray-haired old "uncle." Beyond
doubt they were a more respectable
crowd than any batch of freedmen that
has come from the South. The majority
of them were in the prime of life, and
were decently dressed, although all Of
them, with perhaps one or two excep-
tions, belonged to the hard, rough
working classes. There was considerable
complaint at the manner in which these
$50 dusky sons and daughters were
dumped at the shades of the evening on
the tottering, bleak and out-of the-way
depot of a strange city. Their under
standing was that they would be carried
by the railroad company to the Union
Depot, where they would Immediately
take train for the West. To some extent
it would seem that their complaint was
lust for the fact that this was the under
standing is evidenced by the statement
of the General Passenger Agent here that
this would be done. Daniel Prince, of
the Transportation Committee of the
Colored Relief Board of st. Louis, was
also told that the immigrants would be
landed at the Union Depot.
Fortunate, indeed, for these people
that there is such an institution as the
Colored Relief Board, contracted as some
times may be its resources.
The arrivals of yesterday evening re-
pudiated the title of "refugees." They
styled themselves "bona fde emigrants.,'
ready to take up land in Kansas. As to
their ability in financial sense to do
this, the probabilities are doubtful.
While they all paid their fare, and all
with the exception of a dozen or so who
will remain to find work in St. Louis
have enough to get as far as Topeka or
Southern Kansas, none of them look as if
they can take up farming land at once.
As with the other coored immigrants,
many of them labor under the delusion
that the Government will help them.
An interesting question is: Who is re-
sponsible for this fresh outbreak of the
Kansas fever? The Colored Relief Board
of St. Louis only heard of the arrival by
accident, and Mr.. Prince and Robt. Kim
brough, the Secretary, at once went to
render their assistance.
The person whom the negroes spoke of
as being at their head was white man
named Griffin. He went by the title of
Col. Joe" Griffin. He was found sup
porting himself against post, talking to
the conductor and depot officials about
the shameful manner" he called it, in
which the people had been treated. Mr..
Griffin is an invalid, diseased with con-
sumption, and so crippled as to necessi-
tate crutches. This was his first trip on
a railroad, to judge by his knowledge of
travelling. He thought the President of
the road would come to meet him and his
party, and that athis word, at any hour, Il
special train to Kansas would be run out at
half rates. He knew nothing about the
rates of fare, nothing about the distance,
nothing about the resources and climate
of Kansas, nothing about the demand for
labor-in fact, he knew nothing at all,
except that he had come at the head of a
lot of coIored people to go to Kansas.
Another white man also came with the
delegation. The Colored Relief Board of
this city will take pains to find out who
''ColoneI Joe" Griffin is, and what inter
est he had in the exodus from Tennessee
to Kansas. "a man up tree" might
smell little land speculation.
A clerical-looking colored gentleman,
who refused to give his name, was also
addressed by the crowd as one of the
leaders. His name is Ewing. He is q
local preacher or elder. No reflection
however is cast upon Elder Ewing. In.
deed, the whole movement may be per
fectly legitimate one--simply the desire
of number of respectable colored peo
pie to move to Kansas to better their con
dition, with no land -specul tive interest
inducing them to leave their old homes
Some Of the negroes stated that Mr.
Griffin keeps kind of claim office il
Nashville. Others say that he is rail
road agent.
1t was very evident that the only feas
able plan was to keep the people togethe
for the night, and so Messrs. Prince anc
Kimbrough located them at No. 60s
South Main street, near the depot; whicl
is building lately rented by the Relic
Board for that especial purpose.
A meeting of the Board will be held to
day, when the matter will be discussed
The services of Mr.. Griffin as guide will
be dispensed with, and the party sent b,
river, as the cheapest way to Kansas.
Another regiment of colored emigrant
is expected from Tennessee to-day.
There have been so many contradictor,
statements regarding the sword worn b,