The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-09-16
THE SCHOOL FOR OUTRAGE.

A letter from citizen Of Orange, Tex,
James b. Seargert published in the Cal
weston News, exposes the true source of
the negro rapist. He says that he has
investigated the matter and found that
n class of well dressed negro men who do
nothing are supported by intimidation and
often by cruel beating by hard working
negro women. This, he thinks, is the
school in which these lawless young ne
croes are training themselves for such
female outrages that are becoming so
common. Mr.. Seargert pays high COM
plimcnt TO the Christian virtue of the old
race Of slaves. but he says: "Whence
comes this gang Of galoots and scamps,
casting contumely and shame upon those
who went before them SO wisely and so
wcll"
He also says this intimidation by which
these young negro loafers force their
womankind to support them in idleness is
attributable to the Indifference Of the
dominant race. This seems TO he very
reasonable. Crime he says, such as that
of which he writes. is not a sudden thing,
but il comes from idlcncss and lawless-
ness. and finally eliminates in the des-
perate crime Of outrage. He seems to
believe that if the negro women who are
yielding TO the intimidation and violence
Of these young hoodlums were relieved Of
this burden that the school for the higher
crime would not furnish 50 many subjects
for Judge Lynch.
This may be true, but the white people
can not help these women who are thus
imposed upon unless the better class Of
the negroes cooperate with them, and
themselves investigate all such suspicious
characters and report them to the officers
of the law. If the better part of the
negro race would unite in fcrrcting out
such intimidation and report the pcrDe-
traitors Of il TO the civil authorities, the
suspicious characters would be arrested
under the vagrant act and put TO work
on the streets or the county roads. There
is no city in Texas free from the pres
cncc of number of white and black law
less yagabonds. and if the negroes
color who are amenable to the
penalty of vagrancy were arrested and
put to work, the whole population would
see to it that the lawless Migrants of
their color are compelled TO suffer the
same penalty. Such men, white or black,
are a menace to the peace and safety of
any community, and the sooner they ere
in the chain gangs the better for them
and the community in which they live.
Now, let it be understood that every
man ont of employment is not a vagrant
and there should be- Il distinction drawn
between the lazy and vicious and the
honest and industrious who are out of,
but seeking employment. We believe
with this correspondent of the News that
this idle class of well dressed young
negroes that can be seen about the low
doggcres of every city in Texas furnish
the element that is guilty of these out
RACES, and if the respectable and honest
negroes of any community will set their
faces against this class of their race,
they will do much to relieve themselves
of the natural prejudice against their
race, and the odium that attaches to
them on account of this diabolical crime
committed by the very worst element in
the negro race. When they ascertain
that an idle wcl-drcsscd young negro,
not seeking, but refusing employment, is
living upon the toll at the wash tub of
his mother or grandmother, or wife or
daughter, let them report him to the of
icials rs II vagrant and they will soon
relieve themselves from the odhm at
taching to their race on this terrible
crime that is of almost daily occurrence
in Texas, While we do not believe it is
right to hold the entire negro race re-
sponsiblc for this crime of the vicioiis
few, they naturally suffer if they do not
use every prccuution to prevent any of
their race being guilty of it. 1t is time
that in soaf-defensc they We're taking
practical measures for the good of their
whole race. r. H."