The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-01
To Enormous Proportions and
May Be a Battalion.
ALREADY 100 MEMBERS
And 500 Girls Anxious to Get
Into 1t.
If Kept Up 1t Will Make a Novel
Topeka Feature.
Girls of the Best CoIored Fam
lilies Belong to the Guards.

Nearly 100 colored girls have Joined
the organization which is known as the
Leedy cadets. John T. Veney who is
experimenting the organization says
that many more have applied and that
other companies will be organized as
soon as possible. More than 500 girls
are anxious to join. In fact it is the
principal thing talked about in the
homes of the colored people.
This is the only organization of the
kind in the United States and when
the three companies unite and march
up Kansas avenue as they promise to
do soon it will be a sight which should
make every colored citizen of Topeka
proud. The young women represent
some of the best and most refined color
ed families in the city. Many of them
are sisters or sweethearts of boys who
are now at Santiago with the Twenty
third Kansas volunteers. They natural
ly feel a pride in their organization and
Mr.. Veney says that he has never seen
a company of men make such progress
in marching and evolutions as has been
made by these cOlored girls since their
organization, less than two weeks ago.
The uniforms are unique and unlike
anything ever before seen. BOyd'S ca
diets, the white company, wear blue
with white trimmings, but the colored
companies are uniformed in gray.
Strips of white braid are on the sleeves
and around the bottom of the skirts
and across the bOdices. The caps are
blue with gray trimmings and harmonic
with the dress. The dresses reach the
shoe tops, not being long enough to in
terfere with marching.
Mr.. Veney and the young women take
the advanced ground that thorough drill
will be beneficial in more ways than
one and especially so to the health.
the state house where the drills are
practiced for at least two hours. Mr..
Veney says that in few days the
companies will appear on the streets
fn a fn q T1annIn If
that there is as much enterprise among
the young colOred women as among
their white sisters.
There have been rumors that poll
ticians have attempted to disrupt the
organizations but Mr.. Veney said today:
1.-The young ladies joined the cadets
with a perfect understanding of what
was expected of them and am not
afraid that our enemies will succeed in
breaking up the organizations.
Topeka is the birthplace of the idea
of organizing companies of women ca
diets and some of the best people in
the state have become greatly interested
in Major BOyd's company and it was
a clever thought to extend the Organiza-
peka.
In discussing his plans today Mr..
Veney said: I'VE propose to turn out
in a few days and show the people that
our girls can march as well as any one.
We have among them some of the
finest colored women in the city and
nave ueQ d great Uldny dppl4CdllOIlS
from girls who want to join other COM
panies and it is probable that we will
have other companies organized in
short time. I have really been surprised
a the progress the girls have made and
I am not sorry that the organization
was made. OF course they can not vote
but so far as this organization is con-
cerned it does not matter. 1t viii do the
young ladies good and they will all be
better for the practice in drilling which
they will receive"
Following are the members of Com
pany B. North Topeka company:
Captain, Liza Williams; first lieuten-
ant, Rosa Nolan; second lieutenant,
Mamie Stull; Mary Williams, Marietta
Robinson, Eliza Williams, Mary Hart,
Florence Butler, Gala Bard, Ida Devel-
Ia Marth Art. Geneva Sparks, Lena
Butler, sylvia Robinson, Gertrude Wins,
Daisy Morgan. Bertha Garrett, Mamie
StuH Bette Cornell, Martha BiedsOe,
Mary Woodbridge, Mamie McGtnnis, Rosa
Nolan, Viola Moody, Lille Herald, Lulu
Long, Fannie Lewis.
The following is the list of Company
A:
Major, Mrs Ida Scott; captain, Katie
D. Link; lieutenant, Bessie Buford;
sergeant, Anna B. Cantrell; Ella
Beshers, Eliza Buford, Hattie Buford,
Maggie Cantrell, Effie Dahford, Leona
Fleming, Stella Fleming, Iona Gains,
Anna Long, Clara Long, Nellie Mason,
Lena Mcneil, Ida Monroe, Bertha Nor
gan, EMS Morgan, Carrie Price, Jessie
Price, Dollie Russell, Corine Smith,
Cora Shrout, Katie Shrout, Clara VIII
HamS.