Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-23
WILDEE'S LONG WAIT
Brings Him Victory at Last in His
Suit Against a R. P. Board.
A HOTEL PoRTER's PERSEVERANCE
Studied Law at bis Leisure in Order to
Right His Wrongs
TWO OF THE DEFENDANTS NOW DEAD

Many thousands of people are familiar
with the form of q colored man, neatly
habited, and during this cold weather wear
ing heavy ulster, who, regardless of the
weather, may be seen at the Liberty avenue
entrance of the Seventh Avenue Hotel. But
few know that it is the embodiment of more
perseverance and hard study, which adverse
surroundings cannot overcome, than is
usually found even in the self-reliant
Anglo-Saxon. The young man is porter
and his principal labor consists in wrestling
with heavy sample cases of commercial
travellers. His history shows that even
colored man may conquer Alpine obstacles
Along somewhere at the beginning of the
last decade John Wildee, an educated
"American citizen of African descent, who
had graduated at Georgetown College, d.
c., engaged with Rev. DR.. A. M. Mill1gan,
Rev. j. W. A. Sproull, now both deceased
Rev. DR.. David B. Wilson, of the Re-
formed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
of Allegheny, and John A. Mckee, of Nc
Kee & Sons, to teach one of the schools for
colored freemen in the South. The gen tie
men named constituted a board authorized
by the R. p Church to conduct such
schools Young Wildee began his work
with much enthusiasm, and was for
a time quite successful as teacher. He
found, however, that the morals of his pu-
pills and those of their parents were very
loose, and he attempted reform. After
some futile efforts to straighten matters,
Wildee at prayer meeting read copious
extracts from the Bible, and taking them
for text harapgued his pupils and their
parents with all the fervor of an ancient
rapt prophet of Judea.
His Efforts All in Vain.
But they were stiff-necked and rebellious,
and instead of kissing the rod welded by
Wildee, continued to roll sin as
a sweet morsel under their tongues,
and finally, being unable to ST.
lence their monitor otherwise they sent
reports derogatory to him to the Board of
Trustees, the gentlemen named above.
These trustees took some action, supposed
to be sufficient to quiet the trouble, and
Wildee, who had come North to defeEd
himself, returned to his charge.
The trouble, however, soon broke out
again and Wildee claimed that the four
men mentioned were the cause of it. He
lost his influence among his race in Tennes-
see, and finally got into such bad way that
he could no longer get employment |
fitting to his mental requirements and was
forced to accept menial work. He came |
back to this city and engaged with Attorney |
w. G. Crawford and other lawyers, as jani- |
tor He was a good janitor and Office |
cleaner and kept things in ship-shape, but |
this was only means to an end. He had |
ample time after his duties were performed |
and devoted it to the study of |
law, especially as nearing on suit he |
intended to bring against the Board of |
Church. Knowing the young colored man |
to have literary tastes the lawyers by whom |
he was employed supposed he was delying |
into their books for mere pastime.
How He Surprised the Lawyers.
Finally Wildee came out of retirement |
with declaration in trespass, alleging con-
spiracy on the part of the four trustees. He
show ed it to Crawford, the late A. M. Wat
son, W. d. Moore and Thomas M. Marshall, |
and after critical examination of the docu-
ment they all signed it as attorneys and suit
was entered. Major A. NJ. Brown and
Robert E. Stewart were attorneys for the
defense.
This was along about 1888. The -attor-
neys for the defense filed demurrer to the
statement of the plaintiff, holding that it
did not contain sufficient ground on which
to base an action. The demurrer was ar
gued before Judge Stowe and there was
Elashins" of fun over it. The Court seemed
disposed to treat the matter rather lightly,
that the proceeding was on tie
verge of contempt of court, and ended by
overruling the demurrer. But Watson and
Moore persisted and carried the case to the
Supreme Court, Wildee preparing his
paper book himself, as he had the declara-
tion. To the great surprise of some people
the Supreme Court reversed the lower
court.
The next move on the part of Wildee's
counsel was to rule the defendants to plead,
but the defendants never paid any attention
to it, and Wildee, believing that call things
come to him who waits, lay quietly on his
oars doing whatsoever his hand found to do,
and doing it well, finally engaging as porter
1T the hotel, as above stated.
Wildee Wins After Many Years.
At length, seven years having rolled away
after the rule to plead was taken, j. D.
Watson and Colonel w. D. Moore went
into court and took a rule for judgment
They then again waited for time, some
months, and on Wednesday of this week
hey got out a writ of inquiry, and the
oherlH mas Deen instructed 10 ascertain the
amount of damage sustained by the plaintiff
Now Wildee, who believes with Byron that
If we do but wait the hour,
There never yet was human power
That could evade, if unforgiven,
The patient search and vigil long,
or him who treasures up wrong,
S loaded for bear. 1t is argued by many
lawyers, that this young colored mamie
s not much more than 80 yet-has ac-
what comparatively few law
7ers could have done as well and his master
troke was his allowing the defendants to
leep away their day of grace while he was
vide awake seven years and ready to plunge
he knife into their vitals when the proper
ime should come to do it effectively.
WALT WHITMAN and Sir Edwin Ar
,old met recently at Camden and in THE
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