The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-30
NO ROOM TN INNS
THREE WICHITA HOTELS SAID TO
HAVE REFUSED PUBLIC GUESTS.

During the Visit of the Tennessee Jubilee
Concert Company to Wichita Three
( Public Houses are Reported to Have Re-
fused to Entertain Them Sotwithstand-
the Statute in Such Cases Made and Pro-
vided-What the Company had TO say OF
Their Treatment--TaIk of Bringing Suit
Similar to the Topeka Hotel Case.
Three hotels in Wichita are liable TO
! have an action brought against them
under the civil rights statute similar
10 the celebrated case brought against
| the Copeland hotel at Topeka, which
was brought against that hostelry for
refusing to entertain travelling man,
simply on account of color.
All day yesterday the action Of three
hotels Of this city, who ii is alleged
refused TO entertain the members OF
! the Tennessee Jubilee concert was the
theme of much discussion and not al
together favorable comments
City Clerk Smith, who is president Of
the Wichita Lyceum was seen and ask
ed as TO the truth Of the ma tier and
IN answer to questions replied
Il am not in the hotel business, Meth
er DO want % set myself up as know
ing more about a mans business than
ne knows himself, but L will say that
1 was never more surprised in my life
than l was yesterday when l was in
formed that two of the leading hotels
had refused 10 entertain the concert
company. l could not believe but what
there was some mistake about the mat
ter, until l called up the proprietor by
phone and he informed me that per-
sonally he had no objection, but on the
contrary would be pleased TO entertain
this highly educated and polished COM
pany of ladies and gentlemen, but that
some of his guests objected and in
| accordance with their protest he would
| have to refuse to accept them.
MIR. Miller, the manager of the COM
pany, was present when this refusal
came to the office, and when 1 told him
of the verdict of the proprietor of the
| hotel / saw that he was badly hurt
and after a few minutes he said:
1 am not used TO this kind of treat
ment and I want 10 say that it COM
ing in the state of Kansas makes ii
seem more strange to me. I viii tell
you that we have stopped at all the
first-clasS hotels in the United States,
! and the only trouble We have ever
had with the guests of a hotel has been
! their importuning us to come TO the
parlOrs and sing and play for them.
If you had been in Texas today instea q
of upon Kansas soil and l should have
| received this refusal il would not have
been such a surprise TO me. Even had
it been in Texas it would only have
happened where We were unknown
There is not a member Of the COM
pany who is not only a graduate, and
has been before the public for years,
and not an ungentlemanly or unlady-
like act has ever been brought against
them. Besides this they all have suffi-
Gent means 10 live on and pay all bills,
while our manager, Mr.. Melliken, is
one of the wealthiest head managers
of operate and theatrical companies
in the country, and the insult offered 10
US for the first time. may be brought
out in the court of inquiry where il
viii be adjusted. Other people have
legal rights and ii is our duty to pro-
tect and not interfere with the same.
While this is true we have rights guar
anteed TO US by the constitution and
the laws of Kansas, and for this COM
pany to quietly sit by and see those
rights trampled upon, and let an insult
pass unnOticed, is not only an injustice
TO US, but to our race"
ITO hear those people talk said
Mr.. Smith, "and TO know how keen
they felt the blow given to them yes
terday by the refusal of the hotels, if
my house would have held them. and
1 had been prepared 10 entertain them,
1 would gladly have taken them in.
They are people who are entertained in
I 2 na In. p
/ opinion of a guest Of one Of the Wich-
tia hotels who would have objected 10
them being entertained, to say the
least, is not very fiattering."
Other members of the Wichita Ly-
ceum have taken the refusal of the
hotels as an insult TO them, as they
argue that the Tennessee Jubilee sing
erS were their guests and an insult 10
a guest IS an insult to the assOcia ton.
on account Of the action of the no.
tells Mr.. Miller. the accompanying
manager secured private rooms and
the company secured their meals at
an eating house.
Upon their return TO the city on Feb
ruary >. they Will be provided with
ample accommodations and il is said
the hotels who treated them 50 shah
billy viii not be given an opportunity
Of refusing them again. II is also said
that on Sunday next they VIII be in
the city and have been invited 10 take
their positions in the choir Of two Of
| the leading churches Of the city, and
at night to give a sacred concert They
have not consented, however. to giving
the concert, but viii be here to sing
Sunday.
It is also said that the company have
written TO the general manager about
the hotels action and he VIII meet
them here upon their return when II
VIII he definitely determined as 10 the
bringing Of a suit for DANA Ees against
the hotels who refused. and Il they co
a local bond VIII made ready for the
courts approved a the time OF bring
ing the action.