The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-15
STILL WATCHING THE DIsPENsARY
Crowds of COIOred People Kept an
Eye on 1t Yesterday.

! Eye On 1t Yesterday.
Six negroes, charged with disorderly con-
duct and obstructing the sidewalk in front
Of St. James dispensary, were sent to Jail
for ten days by Recorder Hartridge yes
terday in default of fines. The offenders
were Henry Freeman, VIII Phillips. john
Middleton. Eddie Cohen, John Siegnor and
! Sam Harris.
The excitement among the negroes over
| the belief that the dspensary physicians
/ kidnap children to dissect has by no means
| lessened. There came near being another
| demonstration yesterday as the children
! from the West Broad street colored school
| passed the dispensary and stopped A
| crowd soon gathered which might have re-
suited in a petition OF the previous days
! disturbance but for Policeman Connally of
| the Central railroad force, who notified
the barracks. Policeman Cronin was in
structed to disperse the crowd. No at
tempt was made to climb the trees or
enter the dispensary, and when told by the
policeman to move on the crowd did so
without resisting. All gazed curiously at
the building and attempted to peer in the
windows in an effort to catch glimpse Of
something.
rumor was circulated among the ne
groes along West Broad street in the ar
ternoon to the effect that an attempt
would be made by the physicians during
the night to obtain four bodies. 1t was
the idea Of the more incredulous that a
sufficient number OF children had already
were wanted. They seemed to under
stand that men are employed by the dis
pensary to get subjects for dissection and
that the methods are to get upon the vic
I Tins surreptitiously then chloroform and
carry the negroes to the dissecting rooms,
where they are dealt with according 10
surgical regulations. This incredulity is
having an undesirable effect, and employ
ers of negroes having occasion to send
them on night errands are much Gsgusted
at the condition which seems to prevail
and especially is this the case along West
Broad street ana vicinity, where many
are employed.
Attracted by the crowds and somewhat
interested in the scare shown by the ne
groes, a man stopped in front of the dis
pensary during the afternoon and was
making inquiries about the affair and the
feeling which prevailed Two or three ne
gro children were standing nearby and to
discover if they were shy on the subject,
he called: Catch those two there, they are
just the size we have been wanting"
This came near causing demonstration.
The youngsters started on a run down
West Broad street, shouting for help.
Several negroes standing on neighboring
corners come to investigate, and the stran-
ger thought it best to leave the place i'm
mediately. The ready inclination to excite
ment obtains among older negroes as well
as the children and many are making cap
ital of it. There are many among the bet
ter informed even who adhere to the be-
lief that medical institutions all over the
country kidnap negroes for dissecting pur-
poses. Policeman Connally said that one
negro with whom he talked accused the
physicians of kidnapping negroes for the
| purpose of making medicine Of them.
The matter is naturally too ridiculous to
! admit of any denial on the part of q bly,
| sicians interested in the disDensary and
/ they have nothing to say, except to laugh
| at 1t. The condition is, of course, deplora-
| Bile, and it may be some time before the
| excited negroes are quoted. 1t brings the
institution into unpleasant nOtoriety, the
| effects of which may be felt for a time
Talking on the subject to a Morning
News reporter physician connected with
] the dispensary said he firmly believed
| that the rumor had been started among
| the negroes by some one uufrendly to the
institution. He said the physicians in
| charge Of the d'spensary intend to employ
! detectives and ascertain the guilty parties
| if possible. There is no doubt whatever, he
| said, that the runner was started for the
purpose of stirring up a sentiment against
| the institution, from the fact thai it was
not claimed any particular negro was
missing. This corrobOrated the theory, the
! physician said that the rumOr had not
| been started without reason.
THE physicians of the dispensary intend
sending letters to every colored minister in
the city explaining the objects of the dis
| pensary," he continued, "and requesting
| that something appropriate be said against
| the recent disturbance, and these colored
| people who allow themselves 60 be led off
| by the rumors that have been circulated
| 1t is cur desire to get the co!ored people in
! formed about the dspensary, and its ben
| efits, and we consider this the best meth
! Cd
| II was not found necessary to make any
! further arrests during the day, and while
| it is expected the belief will obtain amoue
! not believe there is any probability of an
| other demonstra ton Close watch is be-
! ing kept around the dispensary, and
! enough police could be ordered there at a
/ moments notice 10 dispense any crowd
! that might attempt to search the building
| or otherwise modest the property.