Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-12
THE FIRST COLORED POLICE
MAN DONS HIS UNIFORM.
HIS Appearance Greeted by shouts
and CateaIIs from Mob of Blacks
and Whites-He Behaves AdmIra-
bly,.
Philadelphia Press tRepJ

I [HAtlUctpfttU 4 FcSc NtcH-t
Here he comesp
A motley crowd of nearly five hun
dred white and black people stood on
Lombard street below Eighth. facing the
Nineteenth district station house, last
evening, where they had been waiting
1or upward of an hour to get glimpse
OF CHARLES K. Draper, one of the new
colored policemen, who was to 90 on
duty at o o'clock, in company with the
squad OF regulars. Anxious
10 assume the responsibilities
of his new position, Draper had
been to see the tailor who was making
his uniform early yesterday morning,
and succeeded in having his blue uni.
form and shining brass buttons ready to
don before o'clock IN the afternoon.
Somehow, the people in the thickly
populated neighborhood came to hear Of
it, and the news spread quickly from
mouth to mouth, so that when the hour
for going on duty arrived the street in
front of the station house was packed
from curb to curb with a curious mob,
all ready 10 salute the first black police
man ever seen in Philadelphia
| Eyes, look at dar air niggar" was
shouted, as officer Draper, armed with
the authority of the law, mace and a
rattle, descended the stone steps of the
station house. preceded by dozen and
| tianked by as many more of the old off.
GERS of the district. With an almost
phenomenal solemnity the squad filed
slowly down the steps. Draper, cool
| and collected, nodded right and left to
numerous acquaintance, who called him
by name. and by the time the blue coats
reached Eighth street he had been cheered
q dozen times Along Eighth street to
Spruce walked the officers, closely fol-
| lowed by the crowd, which was being
increased every moment by the irrepressi.
BILE small boy, who yelled and hooted at
every step.
''ShoOt the niggers capp yelled di-
minutive barefooted youth in a long
tailed coat. "Jes' lux at himl" screec6-
ed a lemon-colored woman in a dirty
calico dress. ''Wull, wull," exclaimed
a venerable old son of the Green Isle.
"nivlr did 1 expect to see the loikes o.
thOt. A nagur polacemanl It's con-
| sated l am thot we'll be hoving black
President afoor long"
Two young men in short coats and
carrying canes. carefully adjusted their
| eye glasses as the crowd approached
Eighth and Spruce streets, and one of
them exclaimed:
"By Jove, Chawley, old boy, this is
the-ah new African officer, you know"
:" Yaasl drawled his companion, staring
at the centre of attraction; ''he's devilish
black. isn't he2"
Draper paid no attention whatever to
the multitude of unfavorable comments.
he walked firmly along, and the only
indication he gave of hearing was when
the colored people cheered, when he
bowed and smiled in recognition of the
compliment.
AT Spruce street the officers who had
accompanied him divided, and walked
slowly down Spruce street to Seventh,
there to be saluted by chorus of cat
calls, cheers and Kisses from an army of
| small boys seated ON the curbstone on
each side OF the street. From Seventh
to about half way between Eighth and
Ninth streets the pavement was filed
with noisy crowd of white and black
urchins, who had been waiting with i'm
patience for what to them would be
novel exhibition. BY some kind of a
| signal it was telegraphed along the line
that the new officer was on duty in
| less than five minutes after he had
| turned the corner of Eighth street.
| Down came the crowd on dead run.
They hemmed the black policeman in on
every side. They yelled and shouted
in ear-splitting chorus. Draper, With re-
markable GOODNESS. paid no attention to
the hubbub, but after reaching Seventh
street turned about and walked up the
thOroughfare with the air of a veteran.
Above Eighth street he was subjected to
another chorus of noisy comment. "Dat
air niggah can't rest dis yere chile"
cried frowsy-looking young colored
woman. ''Pd break his jaw, / would"
What's you talking bout gal2" re-
torted an elderly negress reprovingly.
Il CESS youse never been in de Souf. has
yer2 Why. down dere dey has muffin
but cullud gemmen fur p'licemen.
You're not smart, you isn't.
Il don't keer, was the rejoinder, ''I
don low no buck niggah to take me in,
an don you forgit itp
Among the colored males the COM
ments were various. The majority.
however, expressed satisfaction at hav
ing their race recognized by the appoint
ment, while few disappointed aspi-
rants vented their spleen by the unkind-
est remarks about the new policeman's
appearance and manner.
The object of curiosity bore the criti-
cisms without a word, and walked grave.
ly up and down Spruce street, from
Seventh to Eleventh, only stopping when
greeted and congratulated. About fifty
yards in the rear two stalwart special
officers in citizens clothes walked, ready
to give the recruit assistance should he
require it. Draper was entiIsly unaware
OF having any protectors, and displayed
commendable pluck and patience in not
noticing the idle jIhes of the crowd. He
stood on the corner of Seventh and
Spruce streets, just before midnight last
night, and when questioned by a Press
reporter, said that he had expected
just what had occurred.
He is an intelligent-looking fellow
rather spare about the shoulders and
possessed of determined cast of coun-
tenance. Draper is very black, and ex-
hibits all the notable characteristics of
his race and thorough coutempt for
ridicule. He is not man of heavy
frame, but is wiry, strong and persist
ent.
Il expect to do my duty, the same as
any other officer" said he, 'and / paw
no attention to all this tomfoolery. /
expected it and just made up my mind
to let 1t go in one ear and out the other.
1t don't bother or annoy me in the least.
After the novelty wears off, people will
pay no more attention to me than to anv
other officer"
-R+-~-.4
THE SOUTH AND MANUFACTURER
few years ago a cotton mill in the South