Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-08

| Blanche K. Bruce was born a slave in vir-
| ginia in 1s41. He lived in Mississippi and Mis-
souri, and was residing in Missouri when the war
closed. He at once returned to Mississippi and
| began the most remarkable public career that
| any American negro has enjoyed. He became
sergeant-at-arms of the state senate, then sheriff
| and next levee commissioner. In 1872 he be-
| came tax collector of his county. He had good
| administrative ability, and although his origi-
| nal education was limited, he broadened
| rapidly in public life. He elected United
States Senator in 1875 and served until 1884,
| being the second and last negro Senator. It
has been the judgment of every one of his as
sociates that he was an able member Of the
Senate and probably reduced the natural pref
udice of his white associates to the minimum.
He was intelligent, able, discreet and probably
the most popular negro that ever sat in Con-
gress. Directly after the close of his senatorial
term he was appointed by Garfield register of
the treasury and held that position until after
Cleveland's inauguration. Since then the ex-
Senator has practiced law and been engaged in
the lecture field. He was lately nominated for
the office of recorder of deeds of the District
and Thursday the nomination was confirmed by
the Senate.
Dobert Brown Elliott was carpet-bag negro.
He was born in Boston, August II, 1912, and
received a high education in the Boston
schools that was rounded out by studies at
High Holborn academy, London, and Eton
college. He was a practicing lawyer in Boston
during the war and directly after the close he
moved to Columbia and became leader of his
race. He served in the state senate from 1868
to 1870 and was during part of that time as
sistant adjutant general of the state. In 1870
he was elected to the Forty-second Congress.
being then only twenty-eight years of age. He
was reelected in 1872 to the Forty-thir Con-
gress. but resigned to become a candidate for
the United States Senate, but was defeated.
He afteward practiced law. He has been dead
nearly ten years.
BENZ. s. Turner was born slave at Halifax. N.
c.. March II, 1925. and was sold when five years
old and removed to Alabama. He clandestinely
obtained a slight education, but was still plan
tation slave when the war broke out. How
ever, his education quite unusual among
the ex-slaves, and directly after the war he be-
came a leader in Selma, where he opened
generalStore. He was made tax collector of
Dallas county and then city councilman of
Selma. In 1870 he was nominated for Con-
gress and was the first negro elected from
Alabama. He served in the Forty-second Con-
gress and was defeated for reelection. He is
still active in political affairs and was a re-
publican candidate for the Fiftieth Congress
Turner is considered rich.
Josiah T. Walls was born a slave in vir-
ginia IN 1912. Right after the war he went to
Florida and became a planter. He was a men,
Der OF the Florida house In 1863 and senator
in 1869. In 1870 he was elected to Congress-
He served two terms in the House. He is still
prominent party leader. He is now in the
mercantile business and figured to be worth
$50, 600
Robert C. DeLarge was born in South Caro-
lima IN 1912. He received an unusually good
education for a slave state negro. AS soon as
the war was over he became farmer. In
1858 he was an agent of the freedmen's bu-
reau. From 1868 to 1870 he served in the
commissioner. In 1870 he was elected to the
EOrty-secOnd Congress