The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-25
OLDEN DEFENDS LEEDY.
The Colored Minister Scores His Peo-
pie for Holding an Indignation
Meeting


Rev. G. d. Olden, pastor of the First
African Baptist church, gave to his
congregation last night some very plain
facts.
Mr.. Olden began by saying that much
has been said about Gov. Leedy grant
ing requisition papers to the Missouri
authorities for Fred Chisholm, who was
charged with the abduction of a white
girl under age, from that state last
year.
4 am informed through one of the
daily papers, he said, that some of
the colored people were so wrought up
over the governors action that they
held an indignation meeting in which
they passed resolutions cOndemning the
official action of the governor, which, if
so, is step in the wrong direction, and
one which places the cOIOred people of
this community in a very bad light,
and instead of gaining public sympathy
invites contempt and prejudice.
While it may appear to many that
the governors action was hasty; yet
when we consider the governor of an
other state requesting a prisoner who
is charged with a crime committed in
that state, am unable to see how any
one can blame Gov. Leedy for doing
what was really his duty in time of
peace. And no law abiding cOlOred man
desires to see the state of Kansas made
a refuge for crinlinals-bIack or white"
we are too quick to consider crimes
committed by cOlored men and often al
low our sympathy to override our bet
ter judgment. When a man commits a
crime, the color of his skin should not
be brought into question, but he should
be tried and punished according to the
law of the state in which the crime was
committed; and the high aim of all
good citizens should be to see that he is
tried and punished according to the law
and not subjected to mob violence, and
anything more than this is only de-
sire to have the criminal to escape the
DuniS hment he deserves
I said a moment ago we were too
quick to cOndOne crimes committed by
colOred men. A proof of this is seen in
our courts. When a colored man or wo-
man is tried for crime, inVariably the
court room is filled with colored people,
the greater part of whom never believe
the parties tried are guilty.
THE cOlOred people of Topeka should
stop disgracing themselves with indig
nation meetings, for such actions show
that we indOrse crimes and are in favor
of cOlored men disgracing and abduct-
ing white girls, which is not true. If it
is not stopped somebody else will be-
gin to hold them. And, mark what I
say: 1t won't be all talk; there will
be some action along with it. If it is
proven that Chisholm is guilty of dis
gracing and abducting the girl from her
home, he ought to be punished. And
anyone who condemns the governor for
turning him over to the authorities of
Missouri. simply approves the crime.
rs there man in this congregation,
WHO Is SO low III the scale OIL y,
as to indOrse any man, black or white,
who disgraceS a young girl? Such
man does not deserve the sympathy of
anyone. 1 wish to say right at this
point. that the time has come for all
true and respectable citizens to see to
it that the good character of our girls
under age be protected from vicious
and depraVed men who daily seek their
destruction.
There are old and young men in To-
peka who make their boast of running
young girls and are daily making il i'm
possible for the girls they have ruined
to marry, and thus adding by their hell
ish crime. to the list of fallen women.
And many of these who are bighting
the character of young girls under age,
are members of some of our best fam
lilies. I don't care to what family the
man belongs who destroys the charac-
ter of a young girl, he ought to be pun
ished to the full extent of the law.
This. my friends, is the only way to
purify society.
There are poor girls in this city to-
day who are buried in disgrace and
shame with no hope of recovery. And
just so long as Christians continue to
wink at this and other evils, it will be
no better If the good people of Topeka
would think more of humanity and less
of politics, our city would be cleaner.
No city can be clean that allows poll
ties to run it, for men seeking office will
cater to the criminal element.
1.-The Christian people are greatly to
blame for the present condition of
things. If they could be persuaded to
wake up and come together one time,
I tell you there would be a mighty
rumbling of dry bones. The devil would
be forced to give up lots of the ground
he now occupies.
'fColored men, take my advice; don't
blame the governor any longer for do
ing his duty. But blame yourselves for
not doing your duty in making society
better. And from this on cease to hold
indignation meetings over men who are
| law breakers