The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-23
A NEW STAR AROSE
In the Cake Walking Ffrma-
ment Last Night.
Henry Brown Defeats the
Champions of Two States.
doc" Brown Says He is champion
of the World and Job was Set
Up to Beat Tim.

Champions of two states ignomini-
ousIy defeated, and a new star arisen
in the cake walking frmament-such
was the result of the stupendous spec
tacle of Afro American ability in the
cake walking line at Metropolitan hall
last night.
Gentlemen, was beaten by an up-
headed man with some style about
him, and I don't care OF course. L
affirm and maintain that I walked
away with that cake all right; but gen
tlemen, I am man who is constitution
ally opposed to kicking, and 1 don't
propose to kick. Yes sir, that's me
So Andy Jordan explained to a group
of constituents as he mopped his fever
ed brow in one corner of the hall last
night and as he pronounced the words
''upheaded and with some style about
him he tackled on two or three extra
degrees of dignity to his explanatory
tones and looked in the direction of
Doc" Brown, his Missouri rival And
just at that time Brown was telling a
group of his admirers exactly how it
happened as he sat wound up in a
chair and tapped on the floor with the
soles of his boots laid out in the same
direction as his feet at an angle of
steenty-steen degrees.
Tell you all how twas. now" his re-
frain ran. Use from MiZzOura, and dey
made it up to run a gOOdy on me, see?
None of desc poor weak niggas am in
walker of de WORT, see? De all dun
made it up to beat me, so de gives de
prize to anuder man, but dun got some
coin out of it. gem men, and dat am de
real spice of dis life
And in the meantime, while the two
defeated champions We're making ex-
planatory speeches. the newly arisen
star looked happy and received con-
CALCULATIONS in another end of the hall.
He is Henry Brown, better known as
Frisco" and is a waiter in Longs res
taurant. After an hour of effort on
the part of competing couples, the
judges decided that Brown was entitled
to the prize cake.
From a financial point of view Yer
non Gray, the colored sport who had
charge of the business, made a sue
cess of his exhibition Many of the
society people Of this city went to see
the fun, while all of the colored pOpu-
| latiOn of Topeka who were able to
Scrape up enough for the gate receipts
turned out en- masse. When the cake
walk commenced there were at least
600 people in the hall.
And this cake walk. 1t was better
than a box of monkeys with a circus
thrown in. The crowd, black and
white, commenced TO cheer and laugh
almost as soon as the walk began, and
then the individual members went off
and left themselves to cheer and laugh
until the performance was over. A
more grotesque exhibition could hardly
be imagined than the one afforded by
participants
Doe Brown was the first to lead
off. accompanied by Miss Mamie Elder
I He was followed by Andy Jordan and
Mrs. WoOdlee, Henry Brown and Miss
| Mccoy Bob Marshall and Miss Mason.
| George Weaver and Miss Lizzie Tay-
| lor and Simon Jones and Miss Gertie
! Webs. When Brown got on the floor
4 he made a revolving sweeping bow to
/ the entire audience and then com
| menced to make a speech, in which he
| took occasion to explain how he was
| going to win the cake over the other
! .'niggas." He wasn't allowed to pro-
! coed far, however, when some one in
the crowd took a very effective way of
| shutting him off by throwing a nickel
| at him. He stopped to capture the
| nickel, and before he could again reset
| himself on the floor small pieces of
| money were showered at him from di-
| vers places around the hall. Brown
| laid his speech to one side and com
! menced to scramble for the coin.
| When the crowd got its fill of fun
! over Browns ape-hke actions in gath
| ering in the money, the walk was al
! lowed to proceed Much of the enter
| tainment in this was derived from Bob
| Marshall, who was either too weak or
| too-too to stand up. as his favorite po-
/ sition during the performance was on
! the floor.
| After the participants had contorted
! around the hall for about 40 minutes,
| the judges, Mayor Fellows, Charlie Nc
! Cabe and Milt Stoker, decided that all
should leave the floor but Andy Jordan
| and Henry Brown and their partners.
| After these two couples tried for hon
| ors about ten minutes longer, the prize
| was awarded to Henry Brown. Then
| occurred the explanatory speeches OF
the two defeated champions mentioned
| above.
After the cake walk the colored fra
| ternity engaged in a. dance. Tickhn
/ Harper and Tom McAdoO and their
| partners were awarded respectively
| first and second prizes as the best
| walters, and George Weaver and Liz
I zie Taylor secured prizes as the best
! dressed gent and prettiest young lady.