The Washington critic., 1889-01-22
COLUMBIAN HARMONY CEMETERY.
Meeting of Lott Owners and Members %
the Society.

Meeting of Lott Owners and Members of
the Society.
Alta meeting of the lot holders Of Har
mony Cemetery, which was held in the
Plymouth Congregational Church Sep.
tember 26, 1866, committee of five per-
sons was appointed TO take the necessary
steps to put the cemetery on legal
basis. 1t was to hear the committee S
report that meeting last night was
called.
In reporting the committee said:
There has been q great deal OF dlssat-
isfaction with regard to the manage
meut of the Columbian Harmony Gem
etery as the managers have failed
to keep the grounds as they promised to do
Hence, with no vindctivc feeling, but with
the sole desire to see the ground improved
and placed upon legal basis, we brought n
suit In the Equity Court through Mr.. II, Ran
dali Webb solicitor. The Court ordered tes-
timony to be taken.
Your committee claimed that the cemetery
is public one, having been dedicated to the
public by religious services and being exempt
from taxation, that the revenue from the sale
of lots, vnultage and grave digging, after the
managers reimburse themselves for any money
expended with interest, should be devoted to
improving the cemetery, aud that the ground
The defendant, Mr.. john +. Cook, the only
surviving member of the society, held
First. That the cemetery Is private iustitu-
tion belonging to the members OF the society
and their heirs, and he (Mr. Cook) denies the
right of lot owners to inquire into its manage,
ment; holding that the society is in no way re-
sponsibe TO them.
Second. That the ground has not been dedi
Gated as a cemetery for the public.
Third. That no promise has ever been made
to erect chapel In the cemetery, although
plot of ground has been reserved for that
purpose-which he refuses to sell.
Fourth-Tbat no promise has been made to
the lot owners that the ground was to be ims
proved.
As there was no written agreement when we
bought our lots, the decision of the court
leaves the lot owners in this position; They
have bought mere right Of burial In ccme-
terry not Incorporated, and run by a society
| irresponsible to anybody except their own
members Hence you will see that our graves
| have no legal protection, but we are entirely
at the mercy Of the surviving member, Mr..
John f. Cook.
We are advised to petition Congress to pass
| q law that will give the graves Of our relatives
the same protection that is given TO other we'll
cared-for cemeteries in the District OF
| Columbia.
The total legal expenses incurred in this
matter up to date is $3.50, which amount has
been paid. OF this amoun TIVE received S6S
from friends. The balance (SlSs) has been
| advanced by us, the undersigned committee
Signed: William Syphax, William II. Bruce
B. j. Cant, William l.. Freeman, c. A
Stewart, sr.
Considerable excitement was caused by
the declaration by John IL. Brooks that
the report was full of untruths. lie was
interrupted by the chair and told that he
could not speak. John A. Simms and
John II. Smythe also wanted to speak
but were ruled out. The secretary said
he would be ashamed to die if he knew
he was to be buried in Harmony Gene
terry.
Finally resolution was adopted thank
ing the committee for its report and
promising to make good the money ex
pended by the committee, and that the
committee be requested to use their bes
Judgment in regard to the future conduc
of this case in the courts or before thu
Congress of the United States.
Meeting of the Society.
The Columbia Harmony Cemetery
Association met last night at the resi-
dence of its vice. president, William II
! A. Wormley. John F. Cook occupied
the chair. John H. Brooks, the secre
.Iatary, read statement, which wa'
adopted and authorized to be made pub
lie. 1t was to the effect that the Colum
bian Harmony Society is an incorpora
ted association of tree colored persons @
this District organized in 1926, and wa
mainly benevolent society, the mem
bers of which paid an initiation fee an
monthly dues for many years,
The society purchased from the Unite
States square of ground within the cor
porate limits of Washington city for tn
purpose of providing burial ground fo
its members and their families, and ais
for the burial of the dead of the colore
population of the District. The squar
of ground was held under deed of trus
for the benefit of the members of the sc
ciety. The advance of improvement
made it necessary and wise for the sc
ciety to discontinue the use of the squar
of ground as a cemetery, and to procur
the necessary legislation from Congres
for the removal.. ..of the dead and its sale
In the lapse Of time, from death, tn
sale and REIMBURSEMENT of interest an
other causes, the membership of the sc
ciety was reduced to two active men
bers. viz, the late Benjamin M. McCo
and John f. Cook.
Upon the death of Mr.. Mccoy, in 1886
Mr.. Cook and the heirs of deceased men
bers still having an interest agreed to sc
apart from the funds in hand $1,000 t
be used for the improvement of the Gem
etery grounds.
Mr.. Cook, finding himself left alone
associated with himself the members {
the rehabilitated society in his veste
rights to the remaining revenues derive
from the date of the decease of Mr.. M,
Coy, which aggregated, in the value {
the land for burial purposes and the cas-
turned over to the present organization
about $4,000.
Beecham's Pills cure bilious and nervous i'll
, overcoats reduced to $500, Elseman's, 7th &