The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-02-26
NEARLY 100 NEGR ROAMING TIE
STREETS OF NEW YORK.
Lured from Their Western Homes by
COLOMBIAN IOnists.

Lured from Their WesferD Homes by
COIonIzaiIOnists.
About 100 forlorn-lOoking negroes,
men, women, and children, were taken
into the basement of the Rev. Stephen
Merritt's Mission, No. 2l0 Eight avenue,
New York city, Saturday. They have
travelled from their homes in Red Land,
Indian Territory, and intended to go to
Liberia. No steps had been taken in adj
vance to secure lodgings for them until
they could take passage on ship. In
the early hours of the morning they had
been forced to wander without their
leader in the streets of a strange city,
hungry, tired, cold and wet. They at
tracted a crowd of sympathizing people
at Eight avenue and Eighteenth street
soon after A. NJ, and, while the avenue
was blocked by the crowd, the police
took the negroes to the the police station
in West Twentieth street. There was
no room, for there were rs adults in the
party.
Most of the men had been farmers in a
small way in the Indian Territory, max
ing a living. They had seen pamphlets of
the American Colonization Society, is
sued in Washington, D. c., and letters
written by Mr.. Coppinger of that so
ciety. They understood that if they
could pay their way to New York they
would be transported free of charge to
any part of Africa, where they wish to
establish colony. p. p. Hill, colured
Methodist Episcopal preacher, became a
leader iii the emigration movement in
August last. The members of the party
sold their property at sacrifice few
weeks ago and raised $500 for transport
tation to this city. There was no direct
communication with the Colonization
Society in Washington. The preacher
said to-day 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 to Liberia.
The negroes left Fort Smith Wednes-
day night, having with them supply of
food for their journey to New York.
They arrived in Jersey City at ? p. m,
on Saturday, aud crossed the North
River by ferry boat. They were amazed
when they met nobody who could tell
them where to go. Officials at the ferry
never had heard of the American Coloni-
cation Society. Rev. Mr.. Hill said he
would make "a search for lodgings in the
city. The est of the negroes went back
to the railroad station in Jersey city and
waited there until midnight. Mr.. Hill
found rooms for part of the negroes in
West Twentieth street and West ThIr-
tieth street. Then he went back to Jer-
sey City to report progress. He found
that the other negroes had been driven
them to New York again. Tue proprietor
of West street hotel gave them a tenn
pOrary shelter at 80 cents a head. At 6
a. m, they were turned out into the
storm without any breakfast. Mr.. Hill
had lett the hotel at o'clock to resume
his hunt for lodgings.
The party then started for the houses
in Twentieth and Thirtieth streets.
When they had trudged in the rain as
far as Eighteenth street some of the
women and children had to stop to rest.
After noon Mr.. Hill appeared at the
Mission i'll Eighth avenue. He mad not
been able to lind lodgings for all the
members OF his flock, and had suspi-
cion that they had been misled by Cop
pinger and the American Colonization
Society. He said the ndgroes had very
little money left and were i'll bad six"