The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-03-05
PROTEST. MEETING.
AFRO AMERICANS OF CHICAGO
MEET AT BETHEL CHURCH.
And Denouncs tho Murder of Post
master Baker by tho Mob of Southern
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Mckinley is Appealed
tn. ya

The Afro-Americans of Chicago, in mass
meeting assembled, entered solemn protest
A night against the recent assassination Of
Postmaster Frazier B. Baker and his infant
child at Lake City, S. c., and memorialized
President Mckinley and Congress to take
prompt action to punish the murderers. In
cidentally, they also demanded that effectual
steps should be taken to put q stop to lynching
and proper protection afforded every citizen,
without regard to color The gathering was
in many ways a remarkable one. In point of
numbers, as we'll as in personnel, it was
most emphatic and significant protest. Fully
1000 people, comprising the most representa-
tive and substantial colored citizens Of the
city, greeted with fervd applause the fiery
utterances Of eloquent speakers OF their own
race. and the proceedings were characterized
throughout by an earnestness and intensity
Of feeling that evidenced deep sense Of the
wrongs perpetrated upon their brethren in
the South. ..
At S o'clock Bethel church, corner Of Dear
horn and Thirtieth streets, was crowded as
probably never before in its history Every
inch or standing room was occupied, and hun
1reds of persons stood in the halls and rooms
opening into: the main auditorium of the
church, many of them out of earshot of the
speakers. Entrance soon became physical
!mpossibility, and hundreds who came late
were turned away disappointed. The as
semblager was probably one of the largest
gatherings Of colored people ever held in
Chicago, and was Certainly one of the most
Some of the Speakers.
Among the speakers were e. H. Morris,
DR.. ]. H. McChee, John G. Jones, E. FL
Wright, Mrs. Ida B. Wells Barnett, and Rev
R: G. Ransom, pastor of Bethel chuch. e.
II. Wright was chosen to preside and John
G. Jones to act as secretary, and upon mo.
ton committee on resolutions was selected,
made up of F. L. Barnett, E. H. Wright, e
II. Morris, Rev. r. G. Ransom, D. w. Jones.
T. G. Jones, and DR.. J. H. McChee. This
committee promptly reported the following
resolutions:
master Baker of Lake City, S. c., and his in.
FAINT child and the brutal shooting Of his wife
and daughters, mark a eliminating point In
the era of lynching and outlawry against the
negro; therefore be it
Resolved, That the colored citizens of Chi.
cago memorialize the President of the United
States and Congress in behalf of prompt and
effective action to bring the murderers to JUS
tice and Danish lynching from the land.
Resolved, that the committee on resolutions
properly engross the memorial and send the
same to President Mckinley and copy thereof
to the Senators and Representatives of the state
Of Illinois in the present Congress.
PosnN cd. That we lake pleasure in com.
..>nG:lG CONGRESSMAN William Lorimer for hi:
::rompt action in bringing to the notice of Con-
<. |SS IIe dWlul tragedy at Lake ClLy, ana tlauk
him for his efforts to secure Congressional in.
vestigation of the same. ...H
President and Congress- Appealed To.
The committee also submitted memorial
addressed to President Mckinley and the
Fifty Fifth Congress- prefaced by statement
setting forth the outrages inflicted upon the
colored people Of the country. Regarding this
matter it says: e.
This is 10 new story 1t is record writer
in blood during the past thirteen years, a record
beside which the butchery Of Cubans and the
barbarism of Armenia pale into insgniAcance
How many American citizens have been
butchered in these years 70 mortal tongue can
tell but statistics OF reported cases of lynchings
shows that the number Of mob murders has been
as follows: . III. .... e..