New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-22
A HUNDRED LOST NEGROES.
THEY EXPECT FREE PASSAGE TO AFRICA.
SOLD rHF1R HOMES IN THE WEST AND ARE

| THEY EXPECT FREE PASSAGE TO AFRICA.
SOLD THFIR HOMES IN THE WEST AND ARE
NOW HOMELESS IN THE CITY's STREETS.
About &c forlorn looking negroes, men, women
and children, were taken ont Of the wet into the
bascment OF the Rev. Stephen Mcrritts mission
at No. 21O Eighth-avc. yesterday. They had
| travelled from their homes at Red Land. Indian
Territory, near Fort Smith, Ark, and intended to
| 90 TO Liberia Africa. No steps had been taken
! in advance to secure lodgings for them until they
| could take passage on ship. In the carly hours
| OF Sunday morning they had been forced 10
wander without their leader in the streets Of a
strange city, hungry, tired, cold and wet They
ranged in age from a venerable negro, who said
| he was George Washington. 10 little todder, who
was too young TO lisp his own name. They at
tractcd n crowd of 200 sympathizng people at
| Eightl-ayc and Eightccnth-st., soon after a m
yesterday and when the avenue blocked by
. the crowd, the police interfcred and took the
negroes to the police Station in West Twentieth-st
There was room for the homeless negroes in
the station-housc, and Police Sergeant Stoope OBJ
| taincd temporary shelter for them in the mission
in Eighth-avc.
Mr.. Merritt provided food for the hungry and
disconsoate crowd. Thomas i. Mccormack, an
fApTfrSudU, OF NO. iN< htNl-Sl., WIO ndI bt'H
| employed 10 take the baggage of the negroes to
places in the city where lodgings could be found
for them, told the police all he had been able TO
learn about them. In tie temporary absence of
the Rev =. H. Hill. the leader OF the party, George
Washington continued the narrative. Aftcrward
Mr. I'LL rounded of the story
There were srvcnty-cght adults in the party
of negroes. Most of the men had been farmers
in a small way in the Indian Territory, making
| a poor living at best. They had seen pamphlets
of the American Colonization Society issued in
Washington, ID. C., and letters written by Mr..
C0ppiugcr, Of that society. They understood TINT
il they could pay their way TO New-i0rk they
would bc transported free OF charge 20 any part
OF Africa where they wished 10 establish a colony
T. II. Ill., a colored Methodist Episcopal preacher,
became n icadcr in the emigration movement in
Augus' last, and club formed with the
title no. j, Red Land, l. T. The members OF
the party sold their property at sacrifice
few weeks ago, and raised $500 for railway
transportation 70 this city. George Washington
said he sold his land and mules, which worth
500, for $50, in order TO emigrate 70 Africa.
Ii Was decided 10 found II colony in Liberia.
There was no drcc; communication with the
colonization society in Washington The preacher
said yesterday that the negroes thought it was only
necessary TO get to New-York to find lodgings
ready for them. They expected to be sent free
20 Liberia
The negroes left Fort Smith on Wednesday
night. having with them supply of food for their
journey 10 New-lork. They arrived in jersey
City by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at
p. III. on SATURDAY, and crossed the North River
by fcrryboat. expecting 70 lc met at the ferry by
tome one who would direct them 10 lodging
houses. They were amazed when they mt no
body who could tell them where 70 60 Officials
at the ferry never had heard of the American
Colonization Society, bnt they were emphatic in
declaring that the ne yrocs could not stay in the
lcrryhons'. TIE Rev. Mr. Hi. as the leader Of
the party said lie would make a search for lodg-
ing, in the city. The rest Of the negroes went
back to the railway station in jersey City and
waited there until midnight spending the time in
eating up what was left Of their provisions. Mr.
Hill found friend and adviser in the p'rson of
Mccormack, the cXprcssman. who made an agree
mcnt and received Sl2 for transporting th h'ir bag
gage from Jersey City. Mccormack went with
the preacher to hunt for lodgings, and late at
night they had found rooms for part of tn
negroes at Nos. 2O3 West Twcnieth-st. and PIG
West Thirticth-st. Then toe preacher went back
to jersey City to report progress lie found that
The other negro . had been driven ont of the rail
way station and ho took them on the ferry to
Ncw-Yorlg again Soon after midnight they were
shivcring with tha cold in West-st.
The proprietor OF the Western Union Hotel at
West ana Cortlandt sis. was prevailed on TO lct
them have TEMPORARY shelter AZ % cents hcal.
They were put INTO few laIge rooms Whcfc 'hcy
rested until Il. m, wien they " re turned OUT
into the storm again. without any breakfast.
Mr.. Hill had lctt the hotel at > a. m. 10 resume
Ills hunt for lodgings. Some of the women ana
st. fcrryhousr The rest of the negroes collected
in "A crowd in front Of the icrrynolac ana tiN,"
about their mislortuncs. Met Cormack said ne
would lead them to the houses in twentieth ana
Thirteth SIS. If they woud raise enough money
to pay for their lodgings. They collected $50
which they handed - Mccormack and he started
uptown followed by the crowd of men. women ana
children. When they had trudgcd III the ram as
far as Eightcrnth-st. some OF the women ana
children had to stop 20 rest, ana there tlcir de-
por9nlc condition excited 50 much sympathy tlat
the police intcrl red The wife and three cnlldrh
of the preacher had been left at ne ieFryh0hs,
They disappeared from that plac' ABOUT noon.
few hours nfterwari Mr.. Hill made ms appear
ance N the mission in Elglth-aVc; lie hah nov
cen nbl, to find lodgings for all The members oi
his noclS and he hal n suspicion that they had
been misled ly Mr. Coppng"r ana the American
oon z ton cictv lie alec wa, anxious ipr the
iafety Of his wife and children, who were missing
and he went to Police iieau9nar&tsS & ~ max G .u
vrrv little money left and were IN bad hN,
Late in the afternoon il was SAID az MT Mcrrltts
mission that lodgings fora few ot the ncgr1eS liI
heen obtained and the rest coull o' sEeltereu III
the mission over night. To-day some agelt oil tn
colonization socioty NAV appear and straighten ont
thu dnIcnltv II not the city authorities may De
ccnpeiirn 10 take charge Of the negroes or lT"
vide means for their transportation back to the
Indian Territory.