The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-07
Defenders of the Lost Cause Ready to Precip-
itate Bloody Collision in Behalf of
Their Antiquated Social Customs.
Trouble Ayerted by Colored Delegates
Remaining Away from Theaters.
The General Assembly Still Wrangling Over
Credentials, and the Body Not Yet Organ
ized-PoWderly and the Home Club.
THE COLOR LINE.
A Tremendous Fuss Because a Colored Man
Was Given a Seat in a Theater.
2nec al to be India

Was Given a Seat in a Theater.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
RICHMOND, Va, Oct 6-There has been a
fear here all day, and it is entertained by many
tonight. that the race question will oversaugh
everything else in connection with the knights
of Labor convention. The procedure of the del
eeates of District 49, last night in going to the
theater, purchasing seat for their colored dele
gate along with those of the whites, and taking
him in with them, would then have resulted in
aconfct under ordinary circumstances but the
white citizens waived their dispeastlre for the
time in the hope that the thing would not be re-
peated. This morning. however, it was an
nounced that the same procedure would pe fol-
lowed tonight and indignation began to rise.
For many years it has been the custom to con-
fine the blacks to the balcony or ''upper circle"
at the theaters in Richmond, and so strict has it
been followed that no trouble has arisen from
the rights of colored people at public entertain
ments. Theater managers lessees are re-
quired, on assuming control of play-houses here,
to enter into written agreement to the effect
that colored persons shall not be allowed seats in
the body Of the house. So this afternoon Mana.
ger E. NJ. Castine, of the Mozart Academy re-
ceiyed letter from Col. S. B. Paul, chairman
Of the finance committee of the Mozart Associa-
ton, calling attention to the fact that last night
the contract under which the academy was man
aged had been violated, inasmuch as co]ored
man had been permitted to sit in the main por-
ton Of the house. Colonel Paul said:
"The contract provides that persons of the
Caucasian race shall alone be admitted to any part
of the house except the gallery, and that is
clearly defined in said contract to be what your
advertisements called the balcony. Under the
circumstances which SO unexpectedly arose last
night, and in which you took the advice of the
hall committees. I think your action was judi
cous; but as they forewarn you OF a systematic
effort to force you to course which would
prejudice the interest you represent in violation
of the contract of lease, shall be compelled to
report any recurrence of an infringement of the
the lease"
With this contract drawn upon him. and the
announcement that tonight there would be
repetition of last nights proceedings by the dele
gates of No. 40, staring him in the face, Manager
Castine was in dilemma. His only altern-
ative WAS to call upon the chief of police for as
sistance, which he did, and then assured his pa
irons that he would enforce the spirit of his
lease.
Major Poe, the chief, diagnosed the forebod-
ings as serious, and during the afternoon called
at the armory, where the Knights of Labor con-
vention is in session, to see Mr.. Powderly for the
purpose of inducing him to persuade the dele
gates to desist in their determination to attend
the theater tonight and take their colored dele
gate, Farrell, with them. The writer saw Major
Poe Immediately after his mission was finished.
81 did not see Mr. Powderly," said Major Poe,
who is r-seeing officer, "but Mr.. Hayes, of
the executive board, was deputized to consult
with me. was assured that all efforts possible
would be made by the officers of the organization
to prevent the delegates from New York visiting
either of the theaters. can't see how collision
car be prevented if that colored delegate, or any
colored man, is taken into the theater The
white citizens do not propose be dictated to in
the matter of their social rights, and especially
by strangers. Our people have extended every
courtesy to the visitors, and it is not right they
think, for strangers to demand that this or that
be done in social life. 1t is not
the proper thing to ask that
all customs and usages in this
regard be set aside to please any class or whim.
have advised the theater managers to close
their houses if it is known. this evening, that
colored men are to demand admission, and, if it
becomes necessary to avert trouble. the theaters
will be closed by an order. l find in seventeen
years experience as chief of police here, that an
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cnre,
and that the best way to avoid trouble is to re-
n,., Ia l.
trouble with the negroes about social matters,
because the negroes know and keep their places.
We have our own ideas and tastes about this
thing, and it is proper that we should not be in
terfered with, especially since the colored peo-
pie themselves do not object"
Major Poe very patiently and lucidly ex-
planned the customs of the people in Richmond
in social matters, showing that the blacks are
treated as they should be, in accordance with
universal custom. and the necessity. from a
local view. of maintaining that custom, and con-
cluded by saying that the best educated, the
most cultured and wealthy citizens were the
ones that intended to maintain these customs
and to maintain them to the last; that they
would be at the theaters tonight to challenge the
right Of the colored delegates to occupy seats with
the whites, and that instead of riot it would
DE revolution-an uprising to maintain a pop
ular principle.
The leaders of 40 learned very soon after the
convention adjourned that extra precautions
would be taken by the police authorities to check
them and they held consultation Their
reasonings and determinations are not known
It was aseertained, however, that all thought of
visiting the Mozart Academy of Music was
abandoned and no police precautions were
taken there.
A large squad of officers were sent to the
Richmond Theater early in the evening This