The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-25
TURNER'S EXPERIENCE.
His Abusive the Cause of
Another YellOw-Bridge Row.

The Yellow bridge, which has figured in
politics before as a bad place for negro
Democrats to preach their mercenary
heresies, was again the scene last night OF
a disturbance at the speaking of j. Milton
Turner, a former Republican who was
appointed by President Grant as min
lister to Liberia. Since he became a
renegade he has learned the habit of swear
ing, and by abusing his audience. which
refused to show any appreciation of his re-
marks, he succeeded in what was probably
the purpose of himself and the other Demo-
cratic negroes. in raising a political row,
that for a time seemed full of danger. He
was heard for over an hour without trouble
arising, but as he was getting ready to
close he began to curse the colored men
present for not voting the Democratic
ticket, which, he said, would help tn. race
in the South. lie called the Northern negro
the scum Of the race, and said they were
too willing to be s~pittoon cleaners. black
ers of boots, ETC., to be men. Some one in
the audience made a remark that he did
not like and he blurted out in anger,
"Wha the HI is it to you who is Pres
ident?' He then called his audience
m ig~noramuses,' and said they had
nothing and were allowed to have nothing
by the white people. He wanted TO know
why they did not assert themselves like
men and go West and get $50 acres OF land
and become farmers instead of doing mental
work for the whites. This strain caused
considerable commotion and &C few rocks
began TO fly. Then George L. Knox. who
had gone to the meeting, he says, for the
purpose of paying attention and securing
material for a reply, rose and asked the
men to be silent and respectful, SO that no
trouble should mar the meeting. The ad-
monition was needed for a time. The next
disturbance was raised by. John Day, a
Democratic negro who sat in the midst Of
the audience. He was quieted by Captain
ence. When Turner began to abuse Re-
publicans, and especially General Harri-
son, the crowd broke from all restraints
and the rocks began to fly again. Turner
swore by Cd" that If any one threw
stones at him he would hit back harder.
and kept up his bantering until he saw
that there was danger in further talk, and
then he closed and left the platform. Just
then there was a rush for him by the ex-
cited crowd. He would have been seized
and roughly handled had it not been for
voice for the men to stand back and not
injure him. This command held them for
stationed near in order that they might
prevent trouble. had time to step in and
protect the aggravating speaker.
but nurnf has wa tsmp a1t h Witch in s sns lf been
growing bad all through the speech,
was considerably. rufied. His lam
lie speaker and was in violation of the
States laws against profanity. 1t is to
this and to his abuse of his race as we'll
as to his reflections upon ex-President Har-
doubt desired for the purpose of arousing
partisan feeling. but it failed as a benefit,
this trick having lost all its virtue after
Democrats, all but Manning fled at the an
proach of trouble. j. t. ". Hill and L. E.
Christy broke the record of 1891 as sprint