New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-15
OBJECTS TO CoLORED MEN.
Mr.. wRoNKow DOES NOT WANT THEM AS
TENANTS.

OPPOSES THE sUBLETTING or ONE OF HIS FLAT
tn rur Co1oRED BUSINESS MEMS REPUB-
1IcAN CIrB-MR PATRICK. THE ORIG
NAL TENANT. SAYS HE WILL
MAKE TEST CASE OF 1T.
An interesting ard novel dispute under the law
O. landlord and tenant affecting In some ways IN
civil rights Of the colored race. exists between u
owner OF a fashionable a3artment-house IN 'ns 0''
and his tenant ana a ub-tenant. ii. "rohNo"'
wealthy banker and real estate owner. who mas OF
Gees at No. % Union Square. owns the S'os'
,partment-house No IS Irving Place. lie ~
so,i;herrer and (; Is said tina; he was once an ="
Icer in the Confederate Army.
About the first OF the year a. !. Patrick. ia"
Yer With Offices at No 40 Wall-st. became tenant
the ten rooms on the fire, floor % the Siby'la Nj
Patrick sublet the fiat 10 Granville > H'ue'. W."
had as servants a respectable colored man. fioe'
Rrodus and his wife Shortly after Mr. Rider an
Ms family moved into the fat the janitor OF III
Slbylla acting for Mr.. Wronkow. said that coiore
servants we're no; allowed in the house ana LOCKE
out Brodus and his wife al the servants entrance
After Mr.. Patrick had expostulated IN VAIN VIII
Mr. Wronkow the suhtenant. Mr. Rider. oe'am
disgust and moved out.
Then Mr.. Pa rick. who is pleasant man. pu' dc
termnea wltha. also began 10 be considerably pro
voked. After advertising for tenants Tor the ha'
and after those who had an: wered this adveruse
rick had no RICH; 10 sublet. he put the business
rental In charge OF william q. Weimann. OF No. IA
East Sixteenth-st.. who a real estate dealer an
who displayed 10 let sign in the large front win
dows OF the Nat. Then. 1t is sad. Mr.. Wronkov
wanted TO settle the matter and Mr. Patrick sail
he wouldn't settle until Mr. Wronkow admitted nj
right 10 have colored servants In the nat
So matters went on until Mr.. Patrick became IRE
of the situation and covered the front windows o
the fiat with signs telling a wondering public ina
the apartments were let for any respectable pur
pose to any respectable person. The signs ais'
said that the janitor had nothing TO do with TN
fiat.
The result was that Mr.. Patrick leased the iln
apartment to j. II. Smms. president OF the Coore'
Business Mems Republican Club who signed tn
lease for his club The club Is sub tenant o
the apartments. and Mr. smms has the keys.
4 Tribune reporter who called at Mr.. Wronkow
Office yesterday afternoon learned that he had gon
10 Seabright. y. j. d. ;. Rittenhouse. who Is Mr.
Wronkows lawyer had gone 10 Long Branch, afte
a conference in his Office with his client
MIR. Simms who is wel-known colorei lawyer. o
No % Chambers-st. said:
I'VE have leased from Mr.. Patrick under docu
ment which contains 10 restrictions against colore'
people and which runs from February to February
with the privilege of renewal for two years from
next February. Our lease from August
We nave not moved in yet. but we snail do so soon
and we shall rent of the rooms 20 caretaker
or other persons We made the lease partly be
cause the rooms suitable and partly becaus
believe that this may be a test case. TIT
colorei peope. including myself are highly ndig
rant at Mr.. Wronkow's action. We believe II is al
unjust discrimination against us, and II II wer
legal II would deprive many colored people of means
of earning an honest living His action is not legal
in fact there is nothing in the lease or In the Law
that will prevent us from occupying the apart
ments just long do so IN respectable
manner. There is no precedent that know o
which throws light the subject. but We know
rights and will defend them TO the last W,
confident We are right. and we are going ahead
Our action Will depend that Of Mr.. Wronkow
The Maiby law does not cover this case"
Mr.. Patrick, when seen. said 10 the reporter
Mr. Wronkow Is Southern man. but fee tina
lie misrepresents Southern sentiment Why dowl
South you do not hear OF any objections to colore'
servants; they form the great body of serving -peo
pie. These people are respectable and are Repub
licans Mr. Wronkcw is a negrohater and a Demo
crat. so YOU zee the lines are drawn as sharply a
they be.
MIR. Wronkow does not say Just how he Is gon,
to keep my tenants out, though he has threatene,
TO use force. He has no possible recourse at Jaw.
he uses violence. criminal action will be brough
against him. am going to help these colored PEG
pie IL they are molested with every means in my
power