The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-01
A PLUCKY POSTMASTER
WOUNDED BY AsSAssINS ISAIAH
LOFTIN STICKS TO HIS POST.
Facts About the PostOhice WAR at Ho-
Appointed a COIOred Man.

-A
Hogansville, Ca, Dispatch in ST. Louis
Globe Democrat.
The strong arm Of the law just now encir-
cles and protects a sim-built dark-skinned
young colored man by the name of Isaiah
n. Loftin, whose life is in danger because
he has been appointed postmaster of this
little community. There is not much about
Loftin to distinguish him from others of
his race, except his pluck. He was born
thirty-one years ago in this county, studied
at the public schools here went to Atlanta
and was graduated from Clark University.
Returning to Hogansville he was selected
as teacher of the negro public school and
was paid salary of $50 a month by the
county. He speedily became interested in
politics and developed as much of ambi-
ton to teach the old idea how to vote as
the young idea how to shoot Hogansvile
has about 1900 inhabitants and slight ma
jority of these are negroes. The same pro-
portion as this exists in the thickly popu-
lated country all about here which looks to
Hogansville for a mail service. 1t did not
take Loftin long to become a leader in the
local councils of the Republican party. Col
Alfred e. Buck, the State leader, who is
now minister to Japan. picked him out to
make the fight for delegates to the ST.
Louis convention on McKinley's side, and
he was elected by a. big majority. He was
one of the Mckinley hustlers at st. Louis,
and on his return was greeted by his race
with much applause. He secured for his
brother, Augustus, an appointment as depu-
~ revenue collector, and Augustus assumed
the duties of his office In spite of the advice
Of his friends. One night he was walking
along the road between this village and Cor
inth where his sister lives, and when he
reached n "a n
Winchester rifles exploded in the bushes
and dozen bullets pierced his body. He
day, and the coroners jury found that he
had died at the hands of unknown men,
Several grand juries have investigated the
shooting and all have reached the same con-
clusion. The colored element in the vicinity
very much wrought up and for a time
threatened all sorts of things by way of
forgotten.
That augustus was shot because of the
appointment to Office is fact known to ev-
erybody, and it was in the face of this fact
that Isaiah announced himself as a candi-
date for postmaster. On the 18th of May
President Mckinley announced Isaiah's ap-
pointment. The young official wanted to
take possession of the office at once. His
predecessor in office was j. W. Hardaway,
a prominent white business man and a
Democrat, and he had established the post
office IN the most prominent business block
premises, but was rejected as a tenant. He
then sought to lease other available space
in the business portion of the village, but
every attempt was repulsed. He then turned
to the negro quarter and rented a room in
small building situated across a branch in
the level bottom several hundred yards be-
yond the railroad station On the 21st of
August he accepted his commission as post
master and took charge Of the mails. The
white inhabitants had prepared for such ac-
ton on his part, however, and on the day
that he opened for business a most extraor-
binary arrangement was entered into be-
those 0iftZQnS former rms q or
Hardaway. BY virtue of this agreement
Hardaway practically assumed control of
the postoffice. He maintained his former
establishment under the Grant Hotel, with
the sign above the door and the boxes ar
ranged as they had been previously. After
the arrival of every train he would send an
order to LOftin asking for the mail and
Loftin would send it to him. HardaWay
would then distribute 1t in his boxes and
the business men of Hogansville as well as
their wives and families. would call at the
old office for it. All outgoing mail was de-
Hardaway would send to the trains at the
depot. This boycott on Loftin naturally
placed him in an embarrassing position
His office is of the fourth-class, and his sal
airy depends entirely upon the amount of
stamps Cancelled by him in the transaction
of official business. 1t is almost needless to
say that the amount of stamps Cancelled by
him did not even pay the rent of his hum
BILE office.
Such was the situation last Wednesday
night when Loftin was shot If the shoot
ing was the result of bitter feeling the
part of the white people, that fact remains
yet to be proven If it was the result of
personal ennities existing in his own race
no one has to this time stepped forward to
substantiate the allegation. The most that
a newspaper correspondent can do is to tell
the plain truth Of what happened, and the
plain truth is this:
On Wednesday night small boy came to
Postmaster Loftins house, a pretty little
vince cottage about two hundred yards
from his newly opened office. with request
from Levi T. Lane for a package that had
been sent to him by mail from Franklin
and not delivered to Mr. Hardaway. Lane is
a clerk in the dry goods store of Askew &
Bradley, and was expecting mail from his
former home in Franklin. AS soon as Loftin
got the note he went to the postoftice
cured the desired package, delivered 1t to
the boy and started on his way back to his
residence. This was shortly before o'clock
in the evening. Instead of turning into his
front gate, Loftin cut across his yard and
entered his residence from his back porch
1t was quite dark, and as he opened the
door a flood of light from within fell upon
him. At the same instant several shots rang
out in the darkness. and bullets from "A
calber rifles crashed into Loftin and the
woodwork of the door surrounding him.
He fell into the arms of his WIFE who
dragged him inside the house, and it was
found that one bullet had struck him in the
arm. Physicians We're sent for, and one, a
colored man. answered the call. He said
and disappeared in his body, where it
would be impossible TO reach 1t with a
probe.
The attempt to assassinate Loftin was the
result of a conspiracy deliberately formed
and carefully carried out. The fact that
Loftin is alive to-day is simply due TO poor
craftsmanship. Those who shot at him shot
to kill and ii is not their fault that the
bullets aimed at him did not reach vital
SPOT Whether the corspirators were white
or black men, or whether their motive was
political or personal. may be a matter of
that some men. for same cause, resolved to