The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-02-11
THE NEGRO EXODUS.
Thomas Mills, a Republican, interviewed
BY Sentinel Reporter on the
Exodus.
His Testimony Before tue voorhsss ILvesu
eating Communicable Gives the
Lesdt rs Away.

A Sentinel representative yesterday VISITED
Mr. Mills, who recently returned from
Washington, where be has been as witness
before the exodus committee and stated to
hun that the Sentinel intended to publiih
his testimony as given before that commit
tee, and requested that if he had any
thing additional to say that the
Sentinel would be pleased to publish tle
same In connection with the testimony,
whereupon be replied: "They examined
ne pretty fairly and closely, and what
told them was the truth. told about things
Just as they were, regardless OF party. All
my friends know that have been a RepuD-
lican, and am yet The journals stsR-
ment of this morning, which reads as fol-
lows: We understand that Mr. Mills, the
gifted witness from this city who testified
about buck niggers' before the exodus
committee. was In consultation with Mr..
Hendricks before he left here for Washing
tom is false in every particular.
IL is a lie made out Of whole cloth, as have
not spoken to Mr. Hendricks but once in SIX
months, and then 1 merely called at his Of
flee TO get some papers in law case. Since
| / TeIuTuEU Il SbJCA Wv
MES what said in regard to his connection
with the negro importations He claims
that be had seen the negroes before l intro
duced them This may be so, bat was not
aware of the fact. 1 do know
the negroes brought money 70 my Office,
which they did not have when they drst
came to see me, and which they obtained In
very short while after leaving my Office.
AS 10 the negro Perry, he lied outright in
his testimony before the committee where
ne saws that he did not talk politics in In
diana as he was always talking politics
when I met him, and met him often. ]
believe have nothing further to add.
testimony OF THOMAS P. MILLS.
Thomas Z. Mills was sworn and examined
by the chairman, and testlneo as IopoWs:
QuestiOn-Wnere do you reside? Answer
oMW hat do you do there? AIR Morris
and are partners In the real estate and rail-
reading business, Snd so forth, and dealing
In Western lands.
o-What do you know about the immigra
ton of negroes into indianapolis and Indiana?
Al don't know as l know much about 1t. i
know there nave been good many people
go there.
Alter they once pass there | lose sight of them.
Q--Hsve you taken some interest in this
O~You nave been In. favor OF emigration?
A-Yes,slr. 1 was very much in favor of 1t.
told the boys when they first came there that
diana this year.
o~You mean to say that you wanted 10000
men? Ayes, sir.
Q,-YOu had no use for women? A.-N0, SIR.
We had 10 special use Tor them.
Q-You had no idea OF labor connected
with this matter? A.-No, sir. L had no idea OF
labor. L was looking Tor votes.
Q-You wanted these 10000 bucks" to voter
Al wanted them TO vote, of course.
Q.-Are you a Republican? Ayes, sir. l
Q.-And You thought If You could get 2O,OCO
bucks" you would Stay us? Al thought
we would get away with you ever
o AHsve you mixed with them much since
they came here? A.-The colored FOLKS.
Q.-Yes. No, sir; except at the depot. We
have one Office near the depot, and when q
gsng was cunning in L would go down there
and see them.
O-Have they come In as fast as you desI red :?
ASThey have not come in as L wanted them
Q.-There have beeh rather more women
aud children than you wanted? Ayes, sir;
they have rather overdone the thing in the
women and children.
any considerable party OF them have 10 be
taken care OF by charity? A.-Wel, could
not tell you, Mr.. Senator. have not been at
their L headquarters much.
Q.-Have you been called upon to contribute
to Ineir support? A.-NoL largely.
Q.-Were you raised on farm as well as
your partner? Ayes, sir.
Q.-Ot course you think these 10000 "bucks"
could be scattered around and get employ
ment throughout the state? Ayes, sir; 1
thought we could get employment Tor them II
we scattered them pretty Thin.
Q.-You mean in close counties? Ayes,
sir; In close counties and where there are
o Then you mean to scatter them In close
counties where there are cheap lands? A.
Q'1Now, when Mr.. Blair asks you, as he
WILL whether you know OF anything political
in this movement, what answer will you
maze? Allow do you want TO put that?
OIL want 10 ask you whether the Republi-
can party, or leading Republicans, have any
thing to do with this movement? will put
IL In a di fferent way-whether these views of
yours which you have given to the commit
lee very frankly, are shared in by the Intelli-
gent Republicans in your State? Al think
Q.-You are pretty well read, Mr.. Mills, In
the newspapers OF the State? Ayes, sir;
read them pretty generally.
O-Now. will you tell this committee
whether you have ever seen an article in q
Republican newspaper opposing or condemn
Ing this movement ofthe niggers? Al have
not.
Q-Do you read the Democratic papers, too9
Ayes, sir; and they everlastingy go for 1t.
Q.-Then l am to understand that the Re-
publican papers approve OF it, Al should
think they did Il ON their tone.
O-They have had a word or two to say
ab1ut me for raising this committee to inves
tigate the exodus? Ayes. sir; have seen
your name frequently in print.
Q.-IL does not agree with the Republican
press TO have the causes of this immigration
shown up? Al think, from the tone of the
papers, tney mink IL ls JOKE, anu tnat Lneie
Is nothing IN II.
Q--You say, SO far as you know, you think
your views are substantially shared In by the
Republicans of your slater Al thiuk they
are as individuals.
0.-Have YOU seen an article in a Republi-
eau newspaper stating as frankly the view OF
this exodus movement as You yourself stated
it TO this committee7 Al don't know as
have. 1 was simply giving my own views
about the matter.
Or~Did YOU ever talk with Mr.. Martindale
about this matter? Ayes, sir: several times.
Oils paper is not disappearing OF the
movement? A-No, sin.
Q.-Rather encouraging IL, is he not7 A.
Yes, sir; l should say he was.
Ole has always announced that there was
plenty of room in Indiana for negroes? A.
Yes, sir.
Q.-That they could get employment? A
Yes, sir.
Q.-And that there were good times there?
Az es, sir.
O. and that they ought to get out of Egyptf
Ayes, SIR.
Q.-Do you know Colonel Jordan, register of
bankruptcy? Avery well, sir; have known
him for guile a while.
O-YOu NAV state whether you heard any