Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-21
AN APPEAL.

At a largely attended meeting of colored citizens the following appeal was issued: To the Humane and Christian Hearted
 White People of Birmingham and Jeffer-
 son County:
 We, the law-abiding negro citizens living in your midst, in mass meeting assembled in Shiloh Baptist church. December IS, feel ing seriously affected by a defect in public sentiment, which admits of so frequent murders of our people by the officers of the law, as well as by others, the same being allowed to escape without due punishment, realize that 1t is our bounden duty to make this earnest and urgent appeal to you. Let we have no sympathy with, nor protection for the criminal classes of our race in the commission of their crimes other than the protection and punishment by due course of law, according to their deeds and we hold ourselves in readiness and do hereby pledge ourselves to render any officer what ever assistance we can in the proper arrest of the accused among us.
 But we have been made to feel that as we We recognize % that the the large r sfH maiorIty of you are opposed to 1awlessness and are jeal- ous for the fair name of Birmingham and
 Therefore, we plead that something be done for our relief. Our plea is all the more reasonable when we remember that the law is made by the white people, execated by officers of their own choice that no judge jury nor lawyer of our race has anything to claim can be justly set up that the courts will not punish colored criminals
 When officers of the law. to whom we are to look for protection, will violate that law by shooting down unarmed accused persons and escape punishment, we are forced to the conclusion that something must be wrong.
 In the last few years we remember that police officer shot and killed fleeing colored man on First avenue, between Nineteenth stealing a pair of pants from Southside merchant. About the same time three col ored men were shot and killed while shoot ing craps by the officers of the law. After this another man, who was prisoner was killed by an officer while being transferred from the city prison tS the county jail On teenth streets. a colored boy, who was ac- cused of stealing a pair. of shoes from while trying to escape. Two colored men, Will Childers and one Brown, accused of some crime. and said to have been unarmed, were killed by officers of the law while flee ing; the killing of Moses Fiber, at the resi- dence of MT. Lunsford; then the killing of Williams, on Morris avenue; then comes the killing of Lizzie Durr by Police Officer
 Where Is the punishment in any of these cases? While on the other hand the prisons and gallows all bear testimony to the pun ishment of prisoners among our race.
 In all the cases, save one, above cited. shadow of reason for provocation, even where justification is absent but in the kill ing. the shooting down of that little girl. white or black, who does not recoil with horror from the bloody scene?
 Feeling that the security of human life is uncertain and the peace and dignity of our commonwealth has been outraged; that the common good of all the people. white and black may appear, and the ties that bind us as a people of a single state be cemented, let there be careful prosecution of all such deplorable crimes.
 Be it remembered that the strength and character of people are manifested much in protecting the weak and helpless as in conquering the mighty. [
 When will justice be crowned king?
 c. c. CAPERToN, President.
 w. L. SAUNDERS. Secretary.
 Good fishing at East Lake.
 12-1-tf